Believe has elevated Akhila Shankar to lead its artist services business across India and South Asia, marking a strategic move to strengthen its presence in a rapidly evolving music ecosystem. Shankar, who currently heads TuneCore India and South Asia, will assume the expanded role with immediate effect while continuing to oversee TuneCore.
Based in Mumbai, Shankar’s mandate will include driving artist development, deepening partnerships and expanding local capabilities. She will also focus on building pathways that enable artists to scale both regionally and globally, aligning with Believe’s broader strategy of supporting independent talent across markets.
The appointment comes at a time when independent artists are playing a larger role in shaping music consumption and cultural trends in India and South Asia. Believe’s decision reflects its continued investment in building a more structured and scalable ecosystem for artist growth, spanning discovery, distribution and long-term career development.
This leadership transition follows the departure of Shilpa Sharda, director of artist services, who is moving on after a 12-year tenure with the company. Believe acknowledged her contributions to the business and her role in shaping its artist services function over the years.
Akhila Shankar said: “Building TuneCore in India has been a deeply rewarding journey. It’s shaped how I think about the systems independent artists need for their growth and long-term career sustainability. This next chapter with Believe feels like a natural extension of that work. I’m excited to build more connected pathways for artists, from discovery to development and support them more holistically as they grow. There’s a lot to be done, and I’m looking forward to what we can build together.”
Vivek Raina, managing director at Believe India, said: “As the music landscape in India and South Asia evolves, our focus remains on building a robust ecosystem that supports artists at every stage of their journey. Akhila’s deep understanding of the market, combined with her track record of execution, makes her well positioned to lead this next phase of growth for our Artist Services business.”
Shankar has played a significant role in expanding TuneCore’s footprint in the region, enabling independent artists to access global distribution while retaining control over their rights. The platform currently supports releases from artists such as Ritviz and Talwiinder, along with projects associated with Famous Studios, including work with Diljit Dosanjh.
At the same time, Believe Artist Services continues to work with artists such as Sanju Rathod, Cheema Y and Gur Sidhu, supporting them across key growth stages through marketing, distribution and audience development strategies.
The appointment highlights the growing importance of integrated artist services in the streaming era, where success is increasingly driven by a combination of distribution, brand building and audience engagement. Platforms like TuneCore and Believe Artist Services are playing a central role in enabling independent artists to scale without traditional label structures.
With Shankar taking on this expanded leadership role, Believe is expected to further strengthen its artist-first approach, focusing on long-term value creation and sustainable career pathways for independent talent across India and South Asia.
