Safety & Visibility Remain Key Barriers for Women in Indian Music: Spotify–YouGov Study
A new study by Spotify in collaboration with YouGov reveals that safety, visibility, and leadership representation remain the biggest challenges affecting women in India’s music industry. The research surveyed over 1,000 professionals from roles including singers, producers, and sound engineers—70% of whom were women—highlighting both progress and ongoing structural obstacles within the sector.
The report shows that safety is the most urgent concern, with more than 56% of women ranking a safe and inclusive work environment among their top barriers, and 36% reporting direct experiences of unsafe or non-inclusive workplaces. The findings also reveal disparities in perceived growth opportunities, with only 31% of women in technical roles confident about career progression, commonly citing limited mentorship, leadership visibility, and persistent stereotypes as contributing factors.
Work-life balance and family support emerged as additional pressure points, with 52% identifying them as significant challenges. Commenting on the findings, Dhruvank Vaidya, Head of Music and Podcast at Spotify India, said the study reinforces the need for stronger safety, visibility, and inclusion frameworks. Spotify aims to address these concerns through initiatives like its global programme EQUAL, which promotes women artists through mentorship, marketing, and on-ground networking support.
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