The Music Industry's Dirty Secret and How Sphear is Fighting for Fair Pay
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 24
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Sonam Sharma is the founder-director of multiple businesses in the creative industries and was honored at the Women In The World Summit in India in 2015. She combines creativity with business acumen to drive impactful branding. As an advocate for women's empowerment and social change, Sonam inspires transformation in the creative landscape and her community.
Where words fail, music speaks. But behind the soaring melodies and electrifying performances lies a harsh reality: the vast majority of musicians are struggling to make a living. We all know the feeling of finding solace in the perfect playlist, the thrill of a live concert. I still remember those solitary moments with my Walkman as a kid and carefully curating my CD collection. But how many of us stop to think about the artists behind the music and whether they're being fairly compensated?
As the co-founder of BMR (Be Major Records), a young and emerging Music Label, I've seen firsthand the struggles that independent artists face. Based in India, a country overflowing with musical talent, I'm driven by a passion to empower these musicians and nurture their career growth. BMR is built on a foundation of fair pay practices, providing a platform for emerging talents to showcase their artistry and develop sustainable careers, because the truth is, most musicians need to hold second jobs just to get by with their art. It's this very focus on artist empowerment that resonated so strongly with me when I discovered Sphear.
This journey started through a connection I made as a jury member for the Creative Industry Awards, where I've had the pleasure of judging for the last two years and am doing so again this year alongside my dear friend and Founder at CIA, Monique Fearon. Monique connected me with Kamali Stevens, Co-Founder & CEO at Sphear, and we quickly bonded over our shared outrage at the music industry's broken system.
The streaming scam: A clear investment opportunity in fairness
Let’s face it, the traditional music streaming model is fundamentally rigged against independent artists. Spotify and Apple Music have provided unparalleled access to music, but they've also created a system where a mere fraction of superstars hoard the vast majority of the revenue. Independent artists struggle to earn a pittance, while the platforms themselves rake in billions. Listeners have little control over where their subscription money goes, and the system is shrouded in a veil of opacity.
The lack of transparency in royalty distribution and the complex web of intermediaries create an environment where artists are routinely shortchanged. This injustice is not just morally reprehensible; it represents a massive market inefficiency and an opening for a new kind of
model. This is where Sphear comes in.
Sphear: A fair fight with blockchain-powered transparency
Sphear offers a radical alternative. It's a blockchain-integrated platform that's tearing down the walls of the old system and building a new one based on fairness and transparency. Sphear directly rewards artists based on listener engagement with token rewards and utilizing WEB3 technology to ensure transparency and fairness.
The core of this revolution is Sphear's “listen-to-earn” model, rewarding both artists and listeners with $Sphear tokens, their native cryptocurrency. For listeners, imagine being rewarded for discovering new music and directly supporting the artists you love. But it goes even further: Sphear rewards fans for every second they spend supporting independent music. These $Sphear tokens can be redeemed for cash (fiat payments), allowing fans to directly benefit from their support. They can also be used for exclusive drops of new music, tech gadgets, and merchandise, further incentivizing engagement. Sphear’s platform utilizes a unique small pool model that ensures royalties are distributed fairly, based on actual listener engagement, not just overall popularity. This not only levels the playing field but also builds stronger and reliable relationships between the creator and fan. This changes the entire landscape and gives more control to the creator itself, without the middlemen. Sphear is the platform that rewards everyone in the ecosystem, recognizing that it's the listeners who ultimately drive an artist's career.
Sphear vs. the giants: Competing with ethics
Sphear isn’t just another streaming service; it is built to champion the rights of artists, and in doing so, it stands out from the rest and has an edge over Spotify and Apple by:
Unparalleled fair compensation: Sphear allocates 75% of its revenue to artists, and up to 85% for exclusive releases, so higher payouts incentivise loyalty.
Independent music centric: Sphear helps them get to a position to grow and gain exposure.
Community first: The token is a tool to empower its users and help them grow; it creates a sustainable ecosystem.
Blockchain: Sphear uses blockchain to secure its users and build trust, which makes the platform more secure.
Innovations: It has the latest cutting-edge features, which make it fun to use for everyone.
The team behind the revolution: A solid foundation for change
Sphear isn’t just a technological innovation; it's driven by a passionate team with a clear vision for the future of music. Kamali Stevens, the Co-Founder & CEO, brings a wealth of experience in technology and entrepreneurship. The team includes Oluwafemi Olokode as the Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, who is leading the development of the platform's cutting-edge features. The rest of the team includes Chief Marketing Officer GHST, Lead Software Developer Samuel Ohi Airadion, Chief Operating Officer Adrian 'Swish' Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer Monique Fearon, and Public Relations Officer Priti Kumar Santa. SPHEAR is strategically led by a team of experienced individuals, and the company is geared to propel the music industry forward.
India's untapped potential: A global opportunity for ethical music
I’m particularly excited about Sphear’s potential to empower independent artists in India, creating a lucrative expansion opportunity. India is home to a diverse and rich culture, with highly talented artists from almost every corner of the nation. From Diljit's opening at Coachella to Hanumankind charting on Billboard, the world is finally recognizing the incredible talent coming from India. Sphear can provide these artists with a global platform and a fair revenue model, helping them to reach new audiences and build sustainable careers, capturing a significant share of the Indian music market.
The market opportunity: A sustainable investment in fairness
Sphear is not just about doing good; it's about building a sustainable business. They target a multi-billion-dollar market with significant potential for growth. With its innovative model, focus on underserved markets, and strategic partnerships, Sphear is uniquely positioned to capture a significant share of the global music streaming market, generating substantial returns for investors.
Tokenomics: A new era of music economics
The $Sphear token plays a crucial role in the platform's ecosystem, incentivizing user engagement and facilitating seamless transactions. The tokenomics structure is carefully designed to ensure liquidity, incentivize user engagement, and maintain long-term sustainability.
Back the artists, invest in sphear
Sphear represents a fundamental shift in the music industry, a chance to put an end to the exploitation and build a system where artists are truly valued. If you're tired of the "dirty secret" of unfair pay, if you believe in a more equitable future for music, then join the tribe with Sphear’s revolution. Check it out here.
Music has always been more than just entertainment; it’s a source of connection, inspiration, and empowerment. Sphear is building a future where music can truly thrive, benefiting both artists and listeners alike. Believing deeply in Sphear's vision, I'm proud to serve on their advisory board and lead their expansion into India. Join me in investing in this groundbreaking platform and transforming the future of music.
Read more from Sonam Sharma
Sonam Sharma, Creativepreneur, Artist, Humanitarian & More.
A versatile polymath redefining success in the creative industries, Sonam Sharma is an actor turned entrepreneur and founder of multiple ventures. With a passion for music, entertainment, branding, and social impact, she champions transferable skills and challenges the “jack of all trades, master of none” myth. As the visionary director of Sozart Creative, a creative agency, and other enterprises, she blends creativity with business expertise to craft impactful brands and personal brands. Committed to positive social change, she consistently works around themes of empowerment, advocating for community upliftment and social transformation.
