(From left to right) Palak Muchhal, Arjun Kanungo, Jubin Nautiyal and Abhay Jodhpurkar are among new signees to the Dharma Cornerstone Agency (DCA) Music roster. Photos: Couresy of the artist
World Music Day turns special for 10 Indian artists, who have joined talent management company Dharma Cornerstone Agency (DCA) Music’s roster.
Top Indian artists like singer Jubin Nautiyal, singer and entrepreneur Arjun Kanungo, dancer/choreographer Shakti Mohan, singer Palak Muchhal, composer-producer Abhijit Vaghani, singer Abhay Jodhpurkar and vocalist Celina Sharma are now co-managed or exclusively managed at DCA Music, which has also enlisted newer, emerging artists singer-songwriter Shivvy, DJ Nesz and DJ Nemo.
Established in 2020, DCA was born out of a partnership between brand consultancy, sports marketing and talent management agency Cornerstone and film company Dharma Productions (run by Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar). In the years since launching, DCA Music has so far signed on artists like Neeti Mohan, Amaal Mallik, Monali Thakur, Sagar Bhatia, Nikhita Gandhi, Nakash Aziz, Laqshay Kapoor and Shreya Jain to their roster.
It helps that their music division is also headed by an artist – drummer Hamza Kazi, founder of prog rock band Coshish. Kazi says in a statement, “At DCA, we’ve always aimed to support established as well as new and upcoming talent to take them to the global stage and build aspirational careers.”
He adds that with these signings – some of whom will continue to be managed by their original management and others like Nautiyal exclusively for “content and brands” – DCA Music seeks to “shape and refine each artist’s career.” Kazi says, “I believe that it’s their dreams that impact the industry. And by providing them with worthwhile possibilities in various fields, we intend to make a lasting impact on the overall music industry that is in sync with our artists.”
Nautiyal, for his part, said in a statement, “I already have a great relationship with Dharma Productions and now extending it to the agency will help me have that extra edge in the industry, add more value to my brand as an artist, and create exceptional collaborations in terms of content and brand tie-ups!”
Kanungo, an entrepreneur in his own right with his label One Mind, added in his statement, “This collaboration marks an exciting milestone for all our current and future artists. As a small yet proud label, we take pride in our unique approach and believe we stand out among indie labels. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to DCA for recognizing our potential and providing us with the opportunity to elevate our vision. Together, as indie mavericks and global giants, we are ready to write an incredible new success story.”
