Jasleen Royal says she wants to have ownership over her content and be the face of her songs. The composer-singer, who just released a single, Heeriye, says, “I don’t want to work with music labels anymore. It’s sad that Indian artistes don’t have any ownership over their content. Anyone can change the beat or add a new line and your name is removed from the credits. They become the new song’s composer. It’s unfair. I don’t want to be a part of this.”

Despite the high costs of releasing music without a big label, the 32-year-old is determined to make it work: “I am aware it is a big investment, but that’s what I have to do. You will see my upcoming songs [release] in a grand way. It doesn’t mean if it’s an indie track, it will be on a small scale.”

Another thing that irks Royal is that artistes don’t get to shine in the spotlight. She says, “It’s only in India where musicians are on the back foot, but that’s slowly changing. In the ‘90s, maestros like Lucky Ali and A R Rahman were the face of their songs. I want to lead my songs and not depend on films or actors [to make them look grand].”