Working as a publicist for various artists across the country is fun, but the most enjoyable experience is working with Punjabi/Punjab-based artists. The music industry there is completely different (in a good way). Evident from movies like Udta Punjab and Amar Singh Chamkila, fans of Punjabi artists are literally worshipped and are always there to support them no matter what.
These loyal fans ensure that, despite the thousands of new songs released each year, most of them are seen on 'Top Charts' and 'Hit Verdict'. The best part about Punjabi music is that it is loved and appreciated not only in India but across the globe. Most of the credit goes to the artists, as I have personally witnessed the amount of time, energy, and money they invest in the music and videos for each of their songs.
Having worked with some well-known faces in the industry, one thing that still amazes me is how, despite all the recognition and output this industry provides, it is very scattered and unorganized, especially when it comes to promoting or marketing the songs.
There have been many instances where I was completely ready with the pitch email and announcement release, only to find out that the artist had either decided not to release the song or had released it a few days earlier than scheduled without any intimation. This is where true crisis management skills come in handy, and I'm sure that any marketer or PR executive reading this will agree with me.
Though my team and I are now completely accustomed to these situations, it serves as a good reminder that when working with artists, there will always be chaos between the music label, artist managers, digital team, and PRs.
The primary cause of this chaos is that even if the internal team works closely and tries to keep track of everything, the artist still has the upper hand and can make decisions without informing us, necessitating a collective effort to create a damage control strategy.
Well, no matter how scattered or un-streamlined the Punjabi music industry is, it always leads to the creation of the best songs that never fail to become super hits and, at the same time, win our hearts.
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