Artists Like Ankit Tiwari and Rupinn Pahwa Have Flocked to a New Label for Commercial Pop

The music label business continues to be a lucrative aspect to those entering the Indian entertainment industry. However, entrepreneurs Deepti Gupta and Deepak Gupta saw a label as a natural extension of their production house business.

Delhi NCR-based Deepti Gupta, the chief executive officer at the year-old Treasure Records, says they conducted extensive research and consulted industry experts in the run-up to launching a label. It helps that they were already working on music videos and a web series with their production house, Treasure Tales Media. Still, this was new territory for the CEO, who earlier used to work in a 9-to-5 job in a trading company. “My husband and I come from different professional backgrounds. Unlike most people, who are content with their regular jobs, we decided to start our own company and do something more creative, which would give us more exposure to the world of cinematic arts. That’s how Treasure Records got its start.”

Since the launch in 2021, Treasure Records have roped in singers like Ankit Tiwari (on the pulsating “Jaaniya,” produced by Iconyk), Rupinn Pahwa (singing their latest release, “Aasman”) and actors such as Sameeksha Sud (on the playful Hindi/Punjabi song “Mean,” sung by Ramya and composed by Teenu Arora). “The name Treasure Records implies that we keep the treasure’s records and the talent we discover among the people in the industry,” Gupta says.

Similar to several commercial pop music labels in the country, the music video-centric approach – a culture that works due to Bollywood songs – has paid off for Treasure Records, garnering several millions of hits for their four releases so far. Gupta, however, insists their success hinges upon audiences who want to listen to new music, which in turn “inspires innovation” for labels and artists.

Pahwa, who leads the breezy pop song “Aasman,” says he doesn’t necessarily look for big labels when it comes to taking up projects. “I just look for good people with whom I can work comfortably,” he says. His own method for navigating a world where labels pop up here, there and everywhere, is that talent trumps all. “Most people believe that finding an audience for your work and making a living as an artist is impossible. Now I realize that the only thing that can capture the attention of the audience is talent,” he adds.

Up next, Treasure Records have begun working with singers such as Palak Muchhal and Yasser Desai, both of whom have cut their teeth working in Bollywood. Muchhal is best known for songs like “Kaun Tujhe” from M.S. Dhoni – The Untold Story and Desai has lent his voice to Hindi film songs such as “Makhna” from the movie Drive and “Jogi” from the romantic comedy Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana.

Watch the video for “Aasman” sung by Rupinn Pahwa below.