Bay Owl Studios, Sony Music, & IPRS Launch KOLAB - HER Music Camp

Bay Owl Studios had the honour of partnering as the Studio Partner for KOLAB – HER Music Camp 2025, an endeavor spearheaded by Sony Music Publishing India and the Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (IPRS). Organized between March 5th and 7th, 2025, the camp was a vibrant setting for female songwriters, composers, and producers to experiment, work together, and produce music based on premises of friendship, self-expression, and love.

While advancements have been made in imaginative and leadership positions within industries, gender inequality within the music industry persists. As stated in the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Report (2024), 18.9% of songwriters and 5.9% of producers on key charts were female.

Identifying this gap, IPRS and Sony Music Publishing launched KOLAB – HER Music Camp 2025 as an initiative of Women's Day, with a goal to empower and amplify female music creators. Located at Bay Owl Studios, the camp took the lead in generating inclusivity and increasing the share of women within India's music industry.

Rakesh Nigam, CEO of IPRS, stated, “Women across industries have shown immense talent when given the right platform. In music, we are still addressing underrepresentation in key creative roles. KOLAB – HER Music Camp is a step toward changing that narrative, empowering women to lead, innovate, and collaborate.”

The camp brought together a diverse lineup of renowned female artists and songwriters, including:

• Priya Saraiya – Bollywood playback singer and lyricist
• Shashaa Tirupati – Award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer
• Bawari Basanti – Folk and classical singer exploring themes of identity and dreams
• Irfana Hameed – Hip-hop artist blending poetry with Carnatic influences
• Chhavi Sodhani, Neha Karode, Anubha Bajaj, Shayra Apoorva, Chitralekha Sen, and Arushi Kaushal

These artists participated in intense co-writing and production sessions, fusing styles such as contemporary Hindi/Punjabi pop, K-pop, rock, R&B, and ballads to create a library of original tracks that honor cultural diversity and creativity.

Dinraj Shetty, MD of Sony Music Publishing, shared, “This song camp coincides with a special day—International Women’s Day. It’s a celebration of women’s voices and creativity where music meets empowerment.”

Varun Parikh, Founder & Facility Director, Bay Owl Studios, said, “We are incredibly proud to partner with IPRS and Sony Music Publishing India for KOLAB – HER Music Camp. At Bay Owl Studios, we believe in creating spaces where artists can thrive, innovate, and push the boundaries of musical expression. Events like these are crucial in empowering women in music and fostering a more inclusive industry.”

Aside from music production, KOLAB – HER Music Camp 2025 was also a platform for networking and future collaboration possibilities, wherein female creatives could meet, innovate, and shatter industry stereotypes.

Siddharth Sharma, A&R Lead at Sony Music Publishing India, added, “The music industry is evolving, and at Sony Music Publishing India, we are committed to supporting songwriters and producers through global collaborations and a songwriter-first approach.”

Embracing an increasing demand to amplify variant voices, KOLAB – HER Music Camp 2025 is a milestone in enhancing gender balance in India's music industry while honoring the potential of female talent in every field of music production.