Believe has promoted Akhila Shankar to lead its artist services business across India and South Asia.
Shankar, who currently heads TuneCore India and South Asia, will take on the new role immediately and will continue to oversee TuneCore.
Based in Mumbai, she will focus on artist development, deepening artist partnerships and expanding local capabilities, as well as building pathways for artists to grow both regionally and globally.
“The move reflects Believe’s continued investment in one of the fastest-evolving music markets, where independent artists are playing an increasingly central role in shaping culture and consumption,” said a statement.
This transition follows the decision of current director of artist services, Shilpa Sharda, to move on from Believe India to pursue other interests after being with the company for 12 years.
As the music landscape in India and South Asia evolves, our focus remains on building a robust ecosystem that supports artists at every stage of their journey
Vivek Raina
Akhila Shankar said: “Building TuneCore in India has been a deeply rewarding journey. It’s shaped how I think about the systems independent artists need for their growth and long-term career sustainability. This next chapter with Believe feels like a natural extension of that work. I’m excited to build more connected pathways for artists, from discovery to development and support them more holistically as they grow. There’s a lot to be done, and I’m looking forward to what we can build together.”
Vivek Raina, managing director, Believe India, added: “As the music landscape in India and South Asia evolves, our focus remains on building a robust ecosystem that supports artists at every stage of their journey. Akhila’s deep understanding of the market, combined with her track record of execution, makes her well positioned to lead this next phase of growth for our artist services business.”
Shankar has played a key role in scaling TuneCore’s presence in the region. It is home to independent releases from artists like Ritviz and Talwiinder, and projects with Famous Studios (Diljit Dosanjh).
Meanwhile, Believe Artist Services has helped to support and scale artists such as Sanju Rathod, Cheema Y and Gur Sidhu.
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