Mumbai: AWAL, an artist service company, has announced the appointment of Aniket Parpillewar as Head of India & South Asia, reinforcing its commitment to empowering independent artists in the region. Based in Mumbai, Parpillewar will oversee marketing, creative, sync licensing, promotion, and distribution, along with providing artists access to real-time music analytics.
Parpillewar joins AWAL from Amazon India, where he served as Head of Music at Prime Video and Amazon Studios. He will report jointly to Paul Hitchman, AWAL’s COO, and Vinit Thakkar, Managing Director of Sony Music Entertainment India.
Since its acquisition of OKListen in 2023, AWAL has continued to expand its footprint in India, supported by Sony Music Entertainment India. The company has now announced a series of new signings, including:
- Zanai Bhosle
- Anumita Nadesan
- Dino James
- Wolf.Cryman
- Shreya Jain
- Euphoria
- Utsavi Jha
- D Imaan
These artists join The Local Train, which became part of AWAL’s roster following its OKListen acquisition.
Lonny Olinick, CEO of AWAL, shared, “AWAL has always been global in outlook and, with Sony Music’s support, we are now able to take a significant step in extending the AWAL model and services to artists in India and South Asia. Aniket brings a wealth of music experience in the Indian market to the AWAL team and has hit the ground running with the signings of both established and breaking artists. We look forward to working closely with Aniket and his team, and our partners at Sony Music India, to empower artists in India to reach their full potential both in the South Asia market and beyond.”
Vinit Thakkar, Managing Director, Sony Music Entertainment India, added: “Sony Music Entertainment India is thrilled to support AWAL’s expansion in the Indian market. Aniket’s leadership and AWAL’s unique approach to artist development perfectly complement our own commitment to nurturing local talent. We believe this partnership will be instrumental in empowering independent artists and driving the growth of the Indian music industry on a global scale.”
Aniket Parpillewar, Head of India & South Asia, AWAL, expressed his excitement, “This is an exciting time for music, with artists having more power and possibilities than ever before. At AWAL, we believe in helping creators stay true to their vision while enabling them to make their talent seen and heard worldwide. India is bursting with talent and untold stories. I truly believe the next wave of global music will come from here, led by fearless, boundary-breaking artists. Our vision is to empower these artists with the freedom and resources they need to craft their own narratives, redefining success on their own terms.”
