Speaking at the Moneycontrol Creator Economy Summit 2023 on Tuesday, singer and business leader Ananya Birla shared her views on her music, business and being a Birla.
On being part of one of the most iconic business families of India, she said, “There was guilt in my life initially on why I was born in the Birla family. Why am I here and why is there a girl on the streets. I couldn’t understand my privilege then. Music industry folks told me drop my last name…people told me listeners are not clicking on music because of my last name despite my music being good.”
“I think for me personally age has taught me a lot and now I embrace my last name. There’s so much inspiration for me from my bloodline. The name does not bring pressure, it brings pride”, she added.
Ananya also spoke about breaking stereotypes in her own family. “Being born in the Birla family meant my life was already planned before I plan. No girl from the family was involved in the family business. All of them were married by 22, I am 29.”
Speaking on her first education and career, she said, “I dropped out of Oxford but Svatantara wouldn’t have been what it is today if I hadn’t dropped out. My parents were very supportive.” In 2012, Svatantra Microfin was founded by Ananya to provide micro – loans to rural women entrepreneurs.
When asked about her upcoming ventures, Ananya emphasized on honesty in influencer marketing and said, “I am risk taker. A lot of fun stuff is coming up. We are building a fun consumer brand. You can’t fool customers; and I think it is good. If an influencer is honest, consumers can see through it. People have become very intelligent now.”
On prioritising health and family, Ananya said, “There is nothing more important than your own health and your loved ones. Board meetings can wait. Time for myself and loved ones is the most important. Meetings can wait.”
Hosted by Moneycontrol, India’s foremost financial news platform under the Network18 group, the Creator Economy Summit serves as the definitive platform for discussing vital issues in this sector, including challenges and the future landscape. The theme of this inaugural edition is ‘Creation, Innovation, Monetization,‘ aimed at showcasing the optimism and resilience of Indian content creators.