The Birth of Goongoonalo: India’s First Artist-Owned Music Ecosystem
In a landmark moment for the Indian music industry, over 35 of the country’s most celebrated musical artists have unveiled a visionary new platform: Goongoonalo- India’s first artist-led, artist-owned cultural ecosystem. Founded by legendary poet Javed Akhtar, Grammy-winning composer Shankar Mahadevan, and technologist Sridhar Ranganathan, and helmed by CEO Sherley Singh, the platform marks a paradigm shift in how music is created, shared, and experienced. Goongoonalo is...
In a landmark moment for the Indian music industry, over 35 of the country’s most celebrated musical artists have unveiled a visionary new platform: Goongoonalo- India’s first artist-led, artist-owned cultural ecosystem. Founded by legendary poet Javed Akhtar, Grammy-winning composer Shankar Mahadevan, and technologist Sridhar Ranganathan, and helmed by CEO Sherley Singh, the platform marks a paradigm shift in how music is created, shared, and experienced.
Goongoonalo is designed to challenge the algorithm-driven music landscape by offering a human-centric, soulful alternative. The platform promises original content, unreleased classics, lyrical intimacy, and direct fan engagement.
As Javed Akhtar put it, “May 5, 2025, will be remembered as a historic day. Goongoonalo gives artists the freedom to create without the constraints of producers or music companies. It’s the first of its kind globally, where musicians, lyricists, and singers are shareholders. Artists will have complete creative freedom, and no committee will oversee their work. Members will also introduce new talents, giving exposure to emerging singers, lyricists, and composers. This is where there will be complete unity in complete diversity.”
This vision is echoed by co-founder Shankar Mahadevan:
“Goongoonalo is a platform created by artists for artists. It’s a stage to write the next chapter of music. Today is a significant and historic day for all artists. Through this platform, the dreams of many artists will come true.”