iWorld
Strike a PWR pose as WoMI turns visibility into a movement
MUMBAI: There are photoshoots and then there are moments where a camera captures a cultural shift. PWR Pose 2.0 was unmistakably the latter. Women of Music India (WoMI), the not-for-profit initiative founded by media advisor and entrepreneur Priyanka Khimani, wrapped up the second edition of PWR Pose in Mumbai, transforming what began as a professional headshot project into one of the city’s most purposeful creative gatherings. More than 120 creators, emerging talents, educators, executives and industry leaders came together for an evening that blended confidence-building, cultural exchange, and community-first programming.
Hosted at Shutterbox, Excel Entertainment’s premium visual production space, PWR Pose 2.0 delivered on its mission: to give women in music the confidence, visibility, and access they often fight harder for in a still-uneven industry. From emerging vocalists and producers to A&R executives and young students from underserved communities, the event created a rare, inclusive space where everyone could show up and be seen.
Professional headshots captured by ace photographer Aniruddh Kothari and his team became the symbolic heart of the experience. Complemented by glam and styling by Komal Sahijwani and her HMUA team, the atmosphere encouraged participants to present themselves with pride, ease and authenticity. For many, it was their first opportunity to be professionally photographed, an act that felt both empowering and overdue.
But the event’s defining pulse came from WoMI’s collaboration with The Dharavi Dream Project (TDDP). Their performances and community activations injected the evening with raw talent and lived experience, grounding the gathering in the power of grassroots creativity. The partnership served as a clear statement: inclusive industry spaces are built not by invitation, but by intention.
This year also marked WoMI’s first collaboration with educators from The Sound Space, acknowledging that representation does not begin with the stage, it begins in classrooms where cultural foundations are shaped. By welcoming teachers, WoMI widened the frame of who gets to be celebrated in India’s creative ecosystem.
Throughout the evening, curated photography zones, backstage conversations, mentoring touchpoints and community-led storytelling made the environment feel far more collaborative than transactional. This wasn’t networking, it was creative kinship.
What emerged was a movement bigger than the event itself. In bringing together young performers, educators, grassroots collectives and industry professionals, PWR Pose 2.0 reimagined what cultural access can look like when inclusion is intentional and opportunity is shared.
Reflecting on the impact, Priyanka Khimani said, “This year, PWR Pose became bigger in meaning, and not just scale. By collaborating with grassroots organisations and bringing upcoming talent and educators into industry spaces, we are reshaping what access can, and should, look like. These are voices that deserve to be seen, heard, and supported as they step into creative careers.”
With this edition, WoMI not only reinforced its role as a catalyst for visibility and opportunity, it also demonstrated how thoughtfully designed community-first spaces can shift narratives, build confidence, and change futures. PWR Pose 2.0 leaves behind a cultural imprint and a clear reminder: when women take up space, the entire industry widens its lens.
iWorld
Taylor Swift sued by Maren Wade over Showgirl trademark clash
Las Vegas performer claims hit album branding overshadows her long-held identity
MUMBAI: A high-profile trademark dispute is brewing in the entertainment world as Las Vegas performer Maren Wade has filed a lawsuit against global pop star Taylor Swift over the title of her latest album.
Filed on March 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the suit accuses Swift and UMG Recordings of trademark infringement, false designation and unfair competition. At the centre of the dispute is Swift’s chart-topping album The Life of a Showgirl, released in October 2025.
Wade argues that the album’s title and branding are confusingly similar to her long-established trademark Confessions of a Showgirl, which she has built since 2014. What began as a column in Las Vegas Weekly has since expanded into a touring stage show, podcast and book, with a federal trademark secured in 2015.
The complaint leans heavily on the concept of reverse confusion. Wade claims Swift’s global popularity has effectively drowned out her brand, leaving audiences to assume she is imitating the singer rather than the other way around. The lawsuit cites instances of fans using Wade’s trademarked phrase in connection with Swift’s album and search results increasingly pointing to Swift-related content.
A key element of the case involves the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which had already raised concerns. According to the filing, the office issued a partial refusal of Swift’s trademark application in late 2025, citing a likelihood of confusion due to shared phrasing and overlapping entertainment categories.
“They did not do so quietly,” the complaint notes, referring to the album’s rollout, which quickly extended into merchandise, labels and retail branding aimed at a similar audience.
Wade is seeking a permanent injunction to stop further use of the title, along with a share of profits, damages and legal costs. The stakes are high given the album’s commercial success, with over four million units sold in its first week in the United States alone.
Taylor Swift, known for her expansive intellectual property portfolio, operates through entities such as TAS Rights Management and Bravado, which manage her trademarks and global merchandising operations.
The outcome could hinge on whether the court sees the similarity as coincidence or confusion. For now, the case sets the stage for a legal showdown that may determine who truly owns the spotlight in the “showgirl” story.
