Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Akriti Kakar Says Indie Artists Cannot Rely on Streaming
Akriti Kakar is a singer who performs film songs and makes her own music.
She says making independent music gives her freedom, but it can also be risky.
Songs and music videos often cost more to make than they earn from streaming.
Because of this, she says live shows are her most dependable source of money.
Streaming platforms may reward artists who release music very often, but the payments still may not be enough.
Kakar believes independent songs could compete strongly with Bollywood songs if they had similar promotional budgets.
Her new song “Oh Jaanu” with Dr Palash Sen is inspired by the colorful indie-pop culture of the 1990s.
She hopes people will enjoy her own songs at concerts as well as familiar film hits.
She is also working on the third season of “The Big Band Theory.”
Akriti Kakar says independent artists generally cannot sustain a household through YouTube and streaming income alone.
She identifies live events as her main source of income and says streaming returns are uncertain.
Kakar says independent music offers creative freedom but requires artists to fund production, promotion and reach themselves.
Her new single “Oh Jaanu,” featuring Euphoria’s Dr Palash Sen, aims to revive the culture of 1990s indie pop.
Kakar is also developing the third season of her project “The Big Band Theory,” planned for shooting at the end of September.
- Who
- Singer, composer and performer Akriti Kakar, with Dr Palash Sen featured on her new single “Oh Jaanu.”
- What
- Kakar discussed the financial challenges of independent music, the importance of live shows and her creative work outside playback singing.
- When
- The interview discusses the music industry in 2026; Kakar said the third season of “The Big Band Theory” was planned to shoot at the end of September.
- Where
- The discussion concerns India’s music industry, with Kakar specifically mentioning the difficulty of surviving as an independent artist in Mumbai.
- Why
- Kakar says streaming income is uncertain and usually insufficient, while independent artists must also cover the costs of producing and promoting their music.
- Main income source
- Kakar says live events are her bread and butter.
- Streaming income
- She says independent artists generally cannot run a household on YouTube and streaming money alone.
- Production costs
- The cost of making a song and video is often higher than the money recovered from streaming, unless the release performs exceptionally well.
- Streaming strategy
- Kakar says artists may need to release music every few weeks to remain consistently visible to algorithms, listeners and platforms.
- New single
- “Oh Jaanu” features Dr Palash Sen of Euphoria.
- Musical inspiration
- Kakar described the song and video as a tribute to the MTV-era indie-pop culture of the 1990s.
- Next project
- The third season of “The Big Band Theory” is in development and was planned for shooting at the end of September.