We live in a world where streaming, views and subscribers reign supreme. After countless interviews with musicians, producers and DJ’s, I wanted to get to know the folks behind the scenes. Behind the success of many videos and artists lie industry executives mastering strategy, algorithms, ad-sense and so much more! As a music journalist and someone frequently BTS myself, I wanted to truly get to know the folks helping artists day in, day out. 

The only thing I spend more time on than finding new musicians is finding South Asians actively working on the music industry side of things. In the same way that upcoming artists crave representation, some do those of us yearn for behind the scenes. 

Meet the first guest in my new series, ‘Behind The Music,’ Sonali Mehta, who works on the artist development team at YouTube Music.

In three words, who is Sonali?

Music and chai enthusiast, also a loving dog mom. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sonali Mehta (@sonali_517) on Aug 9, 2019 at 11:32am PDT

Where is home?

Home is in the Bay! California! But, my mini Goldendoodle Rigby and I recently moved back to New York City, so that’s home now. 

Tell us about your journey to your current position of artist development at YouTube Music.

From a young age, about seven or eight, I started singing classical Western, I had seen my older sister embracing performing arts and I wanted to as well! I was a pianist and vocalist through my formative years and ended up wanting to study music and business at Columbia. I was engrossed in the world of pop, singing my rendition of “Someone Like You” and looking for the right place to bridge my love for music and business! I spent every summer interning at different music platforms; Spotify, Sony Music, Lincoln Center and anywhere else that would take me! I ended up turning my time at YouTube Music into a job because they gave me real, meaningful work as an intern. There was an opportunity to learn and grow in a very real sense. 

As a professional in media, have you seen a change in gender and ethnic representation in the last five years?

Yes! In my personal experience, I’ve seen things change, albeit slower for South Asian artists than other groups but the industry is changing. There are more women, more people of color and I think it’s great! 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sonali Mehta (@sonali_517) on Nov 11, 2018 at 5:57pm PST

The South Asian diaspora music scene is growing rapidly, with new artists and concerts/events surfacing almost monthly, we’re starting to share our creativity with the masses. Have you seen the shift? If yes, have you attended any events?

It’s amazing to see people that look like me or I can identify with parts of their journey pursuing artistic careers! I think a major key to being seen by those of us on the industry side, is actively seeking us out! Send the newsletter, the press release, do the research!

I also had the complete honor of attending Slashie Summit this year as a panelist and met so many incredible South Asian leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives.

Many of us are navigating our dual identities as American South Asians or British South Asians etc. In music, this often means wondering which languages to sing in and how much of each identity you need to be. What is your advice for this community?

This is something I see all the time – artists get so much hate for ignoring their South Asian identity, with comments saying they’re not proud and they get just as much hate for leaning into it, with comments that say they’re appropriating. So damned if you do, damned if you don’t. My advice is to be respectful but do you.

If you take inspiration from the fact that you’re South Asian, or the fact that you’re also American or British, or you take inspiration from both, whatever the balance is, it’s okay. If the music you make, the things you wear and the language you speak reflects one culture over another, or both equally, that’s your prerogative. If you’re someone who identifies as two cultures, like me, it can be really confusing because you never feel good enough or whole enough in either world. You sort of exist in the blend, and your music will reflect that variety in whatever way makes sense for you. Your experience as someone with a dual identity is yours and only yours to unpack and express. 

A Day in The Life: What are the first three things you do in an average day at the YouTube Offices?

I eat, drink my chai – it’s a must, I literally make it in the office every day, followed by clearing my inbox and listening to new music. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sonali Mehta (@sonali_517) on Aug 2, 2019 at 5:02pm PDT

 What are your four favorite things about New York City?

1) I grew up in a very homogeneous neighborhood and one of the primary reasons why I always felt drawn to New York was the diversity.

2) I love how many people it brings into your life. New people, but also old. I never feel like I go that long without seeing my friends and family who don’t live in NYC because they always have reasons to come here a few times a year. It’s a convening spot.

3) I love the fall time here which we’re experiencing now!

I do, however, experience dog-mom guilt frequently and find myself at Riverside Park with Rigby making up for lack of running free friendly square footage. 

What exactly does “artist development” entail and how can artists get on your radar?

I’ll just speak from my perspective – my role is to work directly with artists and their teams to drive audience growth through channel optimization, content strategy and getting artists plugged into new features and other opportunities. What I like to see is an artist really leaning into the platform, which means uploading consistently (not just releasing a music video here and there) and using our fan engagement tools.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sonali Mehta (@sonali_517) on Oct 3, 2019 at 5:56pm PDT

What do you hope is next for South Asians in music?

I hope more and more South Asian artists get the support they need to pursue music. I don’t want to pander to the stereotype that all South Asian parents want their kids to be doctors and lawyers, because that’s actually NOT true. The truth is a lot of South Asian kids with other passions don’t have role models, a support system or a clear path to pursue their passion. It’s often something they have to do on the side or in secret and they feel alone because there is, again, not a ton of representation. So, my hope is of course not only for increased quantity in musicians and industry professionals in this space but also for more resources and community spaces for young brown kids to do what they love.

Who are your top five favorite South Asian Artists?

Raja Kumari, Raveena, Madame Gandhi, Lost Stories, I’ll always love MIA. She really paved a way that not many people have had the guts to do, so respect to her.

Why are platforms like YouTube Music assets to an artist and something they should build?

We have more than two billion users coming to YouTube every month, so I think the most significant asset is the potential global audience and the size of the music catalog that lives on YouTube. 

What are you currently listening to?

1. Kaun Hai Tu, Raja Kumari & Shah Rule. 
2. This is, pt 1, Khushi &  James Blake 
3. Frio, Omar & Kenny 

You heard it! Authenticity, consistency and being yourself can take you places! With the help of Sonali in a position like artist development at YouTube Music, we can continue to get to know the people behind our resources and learn how to maximize them.

By Jashima Wadehra

Jashima Wadehra is a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur who serves as the Director of Ode, a global artist management and brand strategy … Read more ›

Award-winning commercial real estate and land consultant in Arizona, Anita Verma-Lallian, is venturing into the world of entertainment with her newfound production house, Camelback Productions, making her the first South Asian female in the state to do so. Verma-Lallian is a woman used to paving her own way, and now she’s committed to doing it for future generations.

[Read Related: Anita Verma-Lallian Launches Arizona’s First South Asian-owned Film Production and Entertainment Company ]

Through her production company, she aims to contribute towards greater South Asian representation in mainstream media with a focus on storytelling that’s relevant to the community. In a conversation with Brown Girl Magazine, the real estate maven spoke about what inspired her to shift from investing in land to investing in creative dreams.

Tell us more about Camelback Productions and what your hopes are for the company?

The intention is to help communities that are not being represented in the media. As you know, there are a lot more streamers looking for content so that presents an interesting opportunity for people to tell stories that are otherwise not being told.

For us it’s important to tell these stories that aren’t being told, and tell them in the way that we want them to be told. With South Asians, for instance, the roles typically given are stereotypical. There are only four or five roles we are playing repeatedly. I want to show the South Asian community and culture in a different way. 

You come from a business and investor background. I am curious to know what catapulted your interest towards establishing a production company?

Good question. There were a few things that inspired my interest. I was looking to diversify the different opportunities we offered our investors. We’ve done a lot of real estate, so we were overall looking for different investment opportunities.  And then, at the time when I started exploring this, the real estate market was in this wait-and-see for many people. 

Everyone was sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what happens next. There was a slowdown at the end of 2022 which is when I started looking into this more. Film seemed like it was kind of recession-proof and not really tied to what’s happening in the economy, which I thought was refreshing and exciting.

Also, overall, I observed what was happening in the industry with there being a push to see more South Asians in the media. The timing felt right, and I think we’re moving in the right direction.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Camelback Productions (@camelbackproductions)

What kind of content are you looking to create?

Good stories and good quality scripts. We are looking at all types of content — movies, docu-series, comedy shows, and reality shows. We’re open to anything that has a good message. 

On a personal level, what hits home for you with this production company?

Growing up I always loved film and TV. We watched a lot of Bollywood movies because that’s what we related to and I always loved that. But I did feel there wasn’t a lot of representation of people that looked like me. Being able to change that — especially after having kids, and a daughter who wants to go into film — is important for. It’s a contribution for future generations. It’s important to me that as they grow up, they see people that look just like them.  

Is there a significance to the name Camelback?

Yes! Camelback Mountain is a very iconic mountain in Phoenix. It’s one of the most famous hikes we have here and a relatively challenging one.

The significance is being able to overcome challenges and barriers. I have a nice view of Camelback Mountain and it’s something I look at every day, when I’m stressed and overwhelmed. It has a very calming and grounding presence.

To me the mountains signify being grounded and not being able to be moved by external factors. That’s what I want this production company to be!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Camelback Productions (@camelbackproductions)

What would you advise people interested in entering the entertainment industry?

The best advice I would give someone is to align yourself with people that you know are experts in the industry; that have a good track record. Learn from as many people as you can. I learn as much as I can, talk to as many people as I can, and I study different things to understand what was and wasn’t successful.

Photo Credit: Claudia Johnstone

By Rasha Goel

Rasha Goel is a 2X Emmy-nominated television host/producer and international correspondent. Her talent has led to opportunities such as giving … Read more ›

Photo Courtesy of Varsha Panikar

“After so Long” is a poetry film created for Simha’s EP, which is streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. The poem was collaboratively written by Simha, a U.S. native, and Jae, who is based in India, during the 2020 lockdown. “After so Long” was recited by Simha and their parents. In 2022, I directed and produced the film through my studio, Star Hopper. “After so Long” premiered on Nowness Asia in March 2022.

By Varsha Panikar

Varsha Panikar (they/he) is a filmmaker, writer and multi-disciplinary artist from India. They are the co-founder of Star Hopper, a … Read more ›

Over the past few weeks we’ve all seen Mindy Kaling shoulder the blame for misrepresenting the South Asian diaspora in her work. I want to expose us to the flip side. She’s not “Indian enough” for some in our communities and “not American enough” for mainstream television and media. But I don’t know a single South Asian living abroad who doesn’t feel this dissonance. We’re a generation born to parents who strived to stay connected to their homeland but knew they had to assimilate to survive. Many of us got lost in the mix. I definitely did. And from the looks of it, Kaling did too. 

I feel like I’ve oscillated between these two extremes all my life. I’ve had moments of code-switching — performing as a white version of myself, melting into the groups around me. And moments of being a “coconut” (or an “oreo” depending on where you come from) — suddenly donning an accent as if Hindi was my first language. It wasn’t conscious. It also wasn’t fully unconscious.  

It wasn’t until I watched Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever” as a 35-year-old mother of two that I realized what teenage Ambika was up against. Still wearing tank tops in secret, while girls my age had moved on to the midriff-baring trend of the early 2000s. Not thinking it was okay to explore my sexuality. Not seeing that sometimes I knew what was better for me than my parents did. Not understanding that it was okay to expand my romantic interests beyond the few Indian boys I knew. And then I rewatched “The Mindy Project” while on maternity leave with my second kid. And I ate it up.

I rewound dialogue as Dr. Lahiri got engaged, left a man who lost his drive, fell in love with the unexpectedly handsome curmudgeon, got pregnant, learned to mother, and found a new version of herself. She addressed her pregnant body insecurities on-screen (in “What to Expect When You’re Expanding — brilliant!). She grappled with her ambitions in the face of motherhood. She owned who she was when most of us were taught not to. She dated outside of her race. Her audacity and levity gave me so much oomph at a time when I needed it the most.

Art comes from lived experience. And when individuals reflect their life back to the masses through art, it’s a tenuous balance. Comedians in particular have to toe a fine line between hyperbole and reality, having the paradoxical job of speaking the truth (the dark truth, often), and simultaneously making people laugh.

Comedian Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, when interviewed on NPR’s “Code Switch,” says: 

Even though I didn’t speak Spanish — my parents don’t speak Spanish — early in my career when I would portray my parents in a bit, they would have an accent. They would speak in broken English. Any time I would talk about my mom, it was like, ‘ay, mija.’ My mom doesn’t call me ‘mija.’ My mom will leave me a voice message and be like, ‘hey, girl!’ She talks like me. You know what I mean?

This is the inherent paradox that exists in Velma as well. Kaling, as she often does, takes her own experiences as a young Indian girl growing up against the backdrop of white America, and amplifies them. And now, Kaling is a grown, Indian woman whose career is evolving against the backdrop of an America, too.

Critics across different racial groups frequently talk about “the representation trap.” Even if a minority group is represented in a piece of art, literature, film, or television, the manifestation of that group is still filtered through the white gaze. In Ismail Muhammed’s New York Times piece “Can Black Literature Escape the Representation Trap,” he says: 

Our current problem isn’t an insufficient amount of Black representation in literature but a surfeit of it. And in many cases that means simply another marketing opportunity, a way to sell familiar images of Blackness to as broad an audience as possible.

The debate about whether minority artists properly represent their cohort is marred with capitalism and white supremacy. When so many industries are gate-kept by the typical, euro-centric, generationally rich man, is there really any way to be wholly true to our experience? 

[Read Related: ‘Late Night’ Review: Mindy Kaling & Nisha Ganatra Hilariously Expose Diversity Issues in Hollywood & Comedy]

Let’s not forget that many of us (or maybe all of us?) came up in a society that devalues women, and horrifically devalues people of color. Let’s not forget that the majority of executives across every field still don’t look like us (if by chance you’ve forgotten, read this piece by Ruchika Tulshyan). Let’s not forget that when people are introduced to something foreign and unknown to them, their default is to reject it (again, if you’ve forgotten, read about “the mere exposure effect” and racism).

I’m unsure how Kaling has inherited the immense responsibility of representing all of the South Asian American diaspora? And is then being criticized for her representation of it. Third-generation South Asians are very different from second-generation, who are very different from first-generation. Our identities and how we fit into American culture, mainstream media, and business, are still forming as we speak. We are not a monolith.

And plenty of men have done exactly what Kaling is being criticized for, without anywhere near the same level of criticism. All men I (hopefully, we) love.

Riz Ahmed has taken on roles in which his race isn’t the central focus. Hasan Minaj doesn’t get criticized when he uses stereotypical accents to represent South Asians or for using politics as a launch pad for his content. We don’t hate on Kumail Nanjiani when he suddenly gets a six-pack, even though he also once played a nerd. I loved when Aziz Ansari went to Italy to make pasta and didn’t make it Indian.

Why are we tearing down one of the only women in America who is working to showcase South Asian culture and people? Because she uses humor and caricature? Because she’s not putting herself in the mindset of the type of Indian person who has learned to thrive at the intersection of their upbringing and their environment? Newsflash: that person doesn’t exist! 

It’s not on Kaling to represent every dimension of this diaspora. She’s done her job.

I’m a proud, second-generation, Indian American woman, married to an Indian American man, with two Indian American children. I was nerdy just like Kaling. I had arm hair just like Devi. I pined after white boys in my teen years just like Bela from the HBO Max’s “Sex Lives of College Girls,” too. And Kaling is an absolute inspiration to me. 

I see a South Asian woman who chose to have children on her own. Whose career, post-children, skyrocketed. Who committed herself and her craft to tackle the most deep-rooted stigmas of South Asian culture — mental health, sex, and interracial relationships — while still honoring the way it manifested in her life. 

It’s now our job to get out into the world and dimensionalize our cohort. Show the world what us supposed “ABCDs” have grown up and done; who we’ve become and what we’ve accomplished. 

It’s what I’m trying to do. It’s what I’m trying to fight for when I’m told things like “maybe tone down the diversity angle in your writing, we don’t want publishers to think they’re just buying a diversity book.”

We still exist in a house of cards. Why are we kicking the building blocks of our own home?

I’ll leave you with this quote from Kaling herself: 

People get scared when you try to do something, especially when it looks like you’re succeeding. People do not get scared when you’re failing. It calms them. But when you’re winning, it makes them feel like they’re losing or, worse yet, that maybe they should’ve tried to do something too, but now it’s too late. And since they didn’t, they want to stop you. You can’t let them.

I hope this woman never gets discouraged. We need her in more ways than one.

The opinions expressed by the writer of this piece, and those providing comments thereon (collectively, the “Writers”), are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Brown Girl Magazine, Inc., or any of its employees, directors, officers, affiliates, or assigns (collectively, “BGM”). BGM is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the Writers. It is not the intention of Brown Girl Magazine to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. If you have a complaint about this content, please email us at Staff@browngirlmagazine.com. This post is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you’d like to submit a guest post, please follow the guidelines we’ve set forth here.

By Ambika Gautam Pai

Ambika Gautam Pai is the Chief Strategy Officer at full-service advertising agency Mekanism and a mom of two. She's a … Read more ›