New Delhi, Dec. 24 -- Music labels such as Saregama and Universal Music Group are rapidly expanding beyond traditional rights ownership to manage and represent musicians-especially artists from India's fast-growing independent, non-film scene.

The strategy helps labels secure steady content pipelines, maximize revenue from artists' output, and monetize fan bases more deeply at a time when streaming growth remains gradual and competition is intense.

Unlike conventional celebrity or talent management agencies, labels are not just taking a cut of earnings. They are encouraging artists to work frequently-sometimes exclusively-with them, facilitating fan interactions and negotiating brand tie-ups, live shows and collaborations. The aim is to...