As the hit video song ‘Enjoy Enjaami’ celebrates its triennial anniversary, Santhosh Narayanan, the renowned music director responsible for the track’s composition, has made a startling revelation. Despite the overwhelming success of the song online, racking up a cumulative total of a billion streams, Narayanan claims that the artists associated with the creation of this viral phenomenon have received “zero cents” in terms of revenue.
The issue came to light through a video message shared across social media platforms where Santhosh Narayanan expressed his gratitude towards the fans for their astonishing reception of ‘Enjoy Enjaami’. In the same breath, he disclosed the bitter truth that the music label, which initially appeared to support the artists with promises of 100 percent rights, revenues, and royalties, had failed to deliver on their agreement. This has resulted in a scenario where Narayanan, alongside artists Dhee and Arivu, who poured their talents into the track, have seen no financial returns for their work.
The tweet encapsulating Santhosh Narayanan’s message resonated with a multitude of fans and peers, garnering significant attention within the music industry.
Further adding to the predicament, Narayanan mentioned that repeated attempts to contact the music label for a resolution had been met with silence. In an industry where artists often struggle with navigating the complexities of rights and revenues, this lack of communication stands as a stark reminder of the challenges independent artists face in protecting their work and interests.
In light of these challenges, the composer announced his plans to launch his own music label, envisioning a platform that facilitates a smoother and more transparent process for indie artists to publish their work and, importantly, to earn the revenue they rightfully deserve. His initiative is seen by many as a step toward revolutionizing the way the music industry operates, potentially altering the landscape to be more artist-centric.
Tragically, the situation took a turn for the worse as Narayanan also revealed that his YouTube account had been taken down amidst these controversies. This development further complicates the revenue-generation avenues that independent artists typically rely upon.
The artist ended his video on an encouraging note, assuring his fellow indie creators that the issue of their owed revenue would be addressed soon. This promise, while heartening, is emblematic of a wider struggle for recognition and fair compensation within music circles, especially among those operating outside the umbrella of big labels and mainstream platforms.
‘Enjoy Enjaami’ itself is an iconic single that enjoys immense popularity within the Tamil music scene and beyond. Sung by Dhee with lyrics by Arivu, the song was brought to life by the deft compositional skills of Santhosh Narayanan. It was birthed under the independent music platform, Maajja, a venture launched by the acclaimed Indian producer AR Rahman to amplify the voices of indie artists.
As the dispute between the artists and the music label unfolds, the community of listeners and creators remains hopeful that a resolution will emerge. The plight of ‘Enjoy Enjaami’s’ creators has sparked a broader conversation on artists’ rights and the importance of equitable revenue-sharing models in the world of digital music distribution. What the outcome will be for Santhosh Narayanan, Dhee, Arivu, and the countless other indie artists looking on with concern remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: the reverberations of this controversy will be felt for years to come as the industry grapples with the evolving narrative of artists’ rights in the digital age.
