South Asian artists face stereotyping and lack of representation, study finds

The UK’s “first comprehensive study into the South Asian music experience” has revealed the issues that South Asian artists and industry workers face.

The South Asian Soundcheck is the “first comprehensive study of South Asian music professionals across the UK”, revealing the challenges faced by South Asians in music, such as representation and racism. 

The report by Lila, a non-profit that focuses on empowering South Asian artists and music professionals, heard from 349 creators and industry workers. 

68% of those surveyed reported feeling that South Asians are still either poorly represented or not represented at all. 60% said the lack of representation in the industry is a barrier to progress.

The report talks of ‘The Progress Paradox’ as evidence of systematic failure: “This paradox reveals surface changes without structural integration. The progress people notice (more South Asian artists on festival lineups, increased media coverage, diversity initiatives) has not translated into career advancement opportunities. Visibility improvements have not reached decision-making levels where programming choices, funding allocations, and hiring decisions get made. The industry is performing diversity while maintaining existing power structures.” 

Elsewhere, 60% of respondents said they feel that the UK music industry is less supportive of South Asian music, with 71% reporting that they feel there is limited acceptance of South Asians in genres that are not traditionally associated with their background.

The report also found that nearly half (45%) face stereotypes about what kind of music they should make based on their heritage, such as Bollywood or Bhangra. 

One in three experienced direct racial discrimination. 

About their confidence in their music careers, 58% felt confident about earning from music, while over 39% remain doubtful. 27% of those surveyed do not make money from music.

The report said the biggest problem is representation, also pointing to mentorship and funding as key areas for improvement.

Secondary boundaries were found to be funding difficulties (54% affected), network exclusion (53%), knowledge barriers (46%), and resource limitations (42%).

Read the full report here. 

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Facebook, and YouTube for the latest music and events content.  

Header image credit: Ravi Roshan / Pexels.com