Rolling Stone India and Wishberry Launch Crowdfunding Initiative ‘Watch Out’

With visual media becoming one of the key elements audiences rely on to discover artists, Rolling Stone India and crowdfunding website Wishberry have joined hands to help Indian indie musicians make their mark. Their collaborative project Watch Out launched on June 1st, giving indie musicians a running start towards building funds for a music video as well as spreading the word post-release.

The project features six talented artists from across the country: jazz singer Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, acoustic harmony group The Manta Sidhu Ensemble, Mumbai indie folk quintet Aankh Micholi, country artist Ratnang Singh, New Delhi electronica producer Komorebi Music and Malayali R&B artist Gowry Lekshmi.

Says Nirmika Singh, Executive Editor, Rolling Stone India, “At Rolling Stone India, we are committed to building a sustainable creative environment for indie talent. Watch Out is an excellent initiative that will not only equip musicians with resources but also acquaint them with the many aspects of the dynamic music scene in India. We are most happy to partner with Wishberry for this.”

Anshulika Dubey, Co-Founder, Wishberry, adds, “India has its own share of Ed Sheerans and Adeles but it is the lack of capital for video production that deters them from promoting their own original compositions instead of covers. Through this crowdfunding initiative, we want to make sure that money does not stand in the way of talent. Rolling stone India has been the perfect partner in this journey.”

Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, one of the six artists and Berkley School of Music alumnus, feels crowdfunding is the most pragmatic option for cash-strapped indie musicians. She says, “Most people have money constraints that inhibit their art. I think choosing to crowdfund your work is a great idea. It’s a collaborative effort from all those who appreciate what you do and they get to give involved via small amounts of money… It really means a lot!”

Osho Jain, lead singer for Aankh Micholi sheds light on another aspect of the initiative.”This is an independent way for us to make our first video as opposed to doing it with a label. When you do it with a label, there are a lot of ownership clauses which you have to deal with, but here, it’s all yours and you can do however you like. We hope our campaign ends successfully and we see people dancing to this song (“Bindiya Tori”) soon!”

As part of Watch Out, each artist has their song prepared and video idea ready, and will embark on an endeavor to crowdfund a fixed amount of Rs. 3.5 lakhs for 45 days on Wishberry. Once the target is met, the money will be given to film production company Camera and Shorts, who will take over the shooting of the videos. There is, however, a catch: Wishberry works on ‘all-or-nothing’ policy, which means that if the artist fails to meet the target even by Rs.1, the money goes back to the funders. The campaign and eventual video will only be made if the target of Rs. 3.5 lakhs is met.

If you decide to crowdfund an artist, there are several rewards and perks up for grabs, including getting to see the video three days before the official release, exclusive artwork, a chance for conversations over coffee with the artists and most importantly, credits as associate producers.

To find out more about the artists or to contribute to their crowdfunding campaigns, click here.