eNews
Outwrite launches as India’s first songwriter incubator
Mumbai: Outwrite, India’s first-of-its-kind incubator for songwriters has officially been launched, and aims to transform the landscape of the music industry. Founded in collaboration with the Grammy-nominated American songwriter and record producer, Savan Kotecha, talent management company, REPRESENT, helmed by Aayushman Sinha, and accomplished songwriter and A&R executive, Murtuza Gadiwala, Outwrite will bridge the gap between Indian and international music standards, offering local songwriters an unprecedented opportunity to cross over to the global stage.
Savan Kotecha, celebrated for his chart-topping collaborations with global icons like The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, and One Direction, brings a wealth of expertise to Outwrite. Having received several accolades in his career so far including an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination, Savan has co-written mega-hits such as ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ by The Weeknd, ‘Problem’ by Ariana Grande, and ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ by One Direction. Now, the prolific hitmaker is channelling his global experience into Outwrite along with REPRESENT, and betting upon a young set of ears to lead this venture that is poised to become a global hub for songwriters, producers, musicians, and engineers, offering end-to-end solutions for everything related to music creation and supervision.
As a full-fledged music publishing and management entity, Outwrite’s mission is to create a global community that fosters diversity and innovation, delivering fresh, groundbreaking sounds. Led by Murtuza Gadiwala, a young and dynamic songwriter and A&R executive with a sharp ear for pop culture-focused music, the company will not only formalise and systemise song deals and publishing for its roster of exclusive artists, but also offer a wide array of services including music business education, end-to-end music project management, music curation and supervision, legal support, hosting songwriting camps, facilitating production of live sets by artists and branding among others.
Talking about the launch of Outwrite, Savan Kotecha said, “Helping bring India’s incredible pool of songwriting talent to the world’s stage has become a lifelong passion of mine. For the majority of my over 20-year career, I was the only ‘Indian guy’ in the room. I’m eager to help change that. The songwriting and producing talent in India is unparalleled. Everything starts with a song, and Outwrite will provide these gifted creatives with the resources, guidance, and platform they need to succeed globally, while also raising the bar for music publishing standards in India. We aim to address persistent issues such as unfair payouts and splits, lack of proper credits, and limited knowledge of rights in India, ensuring that Indian songwriters and producers receive the recognition and compensation they deserve.”
REPRESENT founder and CEO Aayushman Sinha shared, “Outwrite is born out of the necessity to empower the unseen heroes of the music world – those who craft the songs and sounds that define our lives. Our goal is to incubate talent, bridge gaps, and drive both financial and collaborative growth for the next generation of artists.”
Murtuza Gadiwala added, “We’ve noticed a significant gap in the Indian music industry where many professionals, whether songwriters, producers, or managers, aren’t fully aware of how music publishing works or what they rightfully deserve. As a songwriter myself, I’ve seen firsthand how outdated this system can be. Outwrite was born from a desire to change this narrative. When I shared the idea with Aayushman, he immediately saw the potential, and with Savan’s expertise on board, we’re incredibly excited to take our writers to the global stage. Our mission is to ensure they receive everything they rightfully deserve and more.”
Outwrite’s approach focuses on proper credit allocation, negotiation support, systematic song deals, and publishing for artists, allowing them to concentrate on making music. The company will also handle music creation, curation, and pitching for ads, films, and brand projects, facilitate financial and collaborative growth, and work with artists, managers, and labels to advocate for writers and producers.
As India approaches significant global music and pop culture crossovers, Outwrite aims to impact the Indian music scene by bridging the global gap. With Savan Kotecha’s experience with international artists, Outwrite will offer Indian artists opportunities to collaborate with global artists and producers, elevating Indian music to reach global audiences.
eNews
PNB partners Kiwi to launch credit-enabled UPI for users
Targets 180 million customers; RuPay card offers 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent cashback
MUMBAI: Swipe, tap, or scan credit is quietly slipping into the rhythm of everyday payments, and Punjab National Bank wants in on the action. The state-run lender has partnered with Kiwi to roll out credit-enabled UPI payments for its 180 million customers, marking a significant push to blend traditional banking with India’s fast-evolving digital payments ecosystem.
At the centre of the collaboration is the launch of the PNB Kiwi Credit Card on the RuPay network. The card is designed with a digital-first approach, offering fully online onboarding and seamless integration with UPI, allowing users to transact via scan-and-pay while accessing credit.
The offering also brings in a rewards layer, with cashback ranging from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent on online transactions, positioning the product as both a convenience play and a spending incentive.
The move comes as UPI continues to dominate India’s digital payments landscape, increasingly blurring the lines between debit-led transactions and credit access. For PNB, which operates over 10,000 branches around 60 per cent in semi-urban and rural areas, the partnership signals a targeted effort to extend formal credit to segments that have traditionally remained underserved.
The collaboration also reflects a broader industry shift, where banks and fintech platforms are converging to embed credit directly into payment flows, reducing friction while expanding access.
With RuPay credit cards gaining traction and UPI evolving beyond peer-to-peer transfers, the PNB–Kiwi tie-up positions both players at the intersection of scale, accessibility, and the next phase of digital finance in India.
