In 2017, female vocalists sang only 56 of 182 Bollywood solo songs.
The rest were all male voices.

Globally, women figured in only 20% of the top charts between 2012-2019.

The musical landscape, much like any other workplace, is rife with double standards and limited opportunities for women. Streaming platforms in the wake of the internet hasn’t helped change the numbers. And now, there’s AI, ready to rip off voices without permission, filling the internet with pilfered pieces that never existed in the first place.

How can genuine passion and talent stand up and stand out? Sonic star Sona Mohapatra has the blueprint. 

More than just a playback singer

Despite delivering hit Bollywood numbers like Bedardi Raja and Ambarsariya that made her a household name, Sona shined the brightest as a sessions and live performer. Winning hearts and packing auditoriums – generating footfall in lakhs.

But identifying Mohapatra as just a “singer” is nothing but a gross underestimation. An engineering student who went down the MBA pipeline, Mohapatra’s first stint in music started with advertisements. Working in collaboration with her husband, composer Ram Sampath, her iconic jingles cemented brands in the consumers’ consciousness, not only in India but in several countries across the world. Omgrown Music, their brainchild, has continued to produce most of Sona’s albums, helping her retain creative liberties.

Her Coke Studio renditions of Mira bai’s bhajans and Odia folk songs have revived old traditions in a modern context. On stage, her costumes pay homage to the rustic roots that inspire her musical churnings. Helping her carve out a niche of her own as an independent musician.

Cutting through the noise

But her claim to fame has not been without its fair share of controversies. And she is not one to shy away from conflict or cower under intimidation. Over the years, she has nurtured a deep connection with her fans using social media and used the space to talk about the various indignities she’s had to suffer in the industry. She called out influential singers and musicians, championing the #MeToo movement without fears of backlash. When her revival of a Sufi song irked conservative outfits, she stood her ground unapologetically. In 2020, she collaborated with her filmmaker friend Deepti Gupta to create a fantastic documentary on her gritty and inspiring journey. Shut Up Sona ended up bagging a National Film Award and toured multiple international film festivals, spreading her word far and wide.

At SYNAPSE

Strong. Sincere. Sassy. Sona Mohapatra is nothing short of a sensation. Her voice not only croons to heal our souls but speaks up when very few around her dare to do so. Becoming synonymous with a firebrand feminism that’s uniquely her own.

“Being in charge of my own destiny and doing things in an uncompromised way, gives me a much bigger thrill than being part of a system,” Sona believes. Social media may have brought her chaos but it gave her a platform to cultivate her personality, attuned to the emotions of her fans. Shaping her creative ventures as well as business decisions. And now she's turning to AI. At SYNAPSE 2025, catch the iconoclast break it down to the brass stacks – why her music is intertwined with her freedom and how AI is her ally. 

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