MUMBAI: The co-owners and partners of Cotton Press Studios have come together to form a new Hindi independent rock band called Mauj Maharaja. The band has signed an exclusive deal with Hungama Digital Media’s distribution platform, ArtistAloud, which will be handling its digital distribution for a period of three years. The band has also signed an artist management deal with ArtistAloud, which will look after the band’s live appearances for one year.

ArtistAloud has been closely working with Mauj Maharaja for the past couple of months, and through that association, the band released the first volume of its two-part self-titled debut record on iTunes earlier this month. It was also confirmed that the digital distribution deal is only for the first volume of Mauj Maharaja’s new record. The band will handle physical distribution of the EP, while ArtistAloud will look into the album’s digital distribution.

Mauj Maharaja brings together the owners and partners of Cotton Press Studios (CPS), which includes Tanmay Kumar (guitar), Aalok Padhye (keys, percussion), Stuart DaCosta (bass) and Jehangir Jehangir (drums). Kumar, Padhye, Jehangir, DaCosta and Rohan Ramanna are partners and co-owners of CPS. 

Speaking on signing on Mauj Maharaja on a distribution and management deal, Artist Aloud VP Soumini Sridhara Paul said, “The band members of Mauj Maharaja were earlier a part of the band- Something Relevant, and now they have worked on new material in Hindi. We were very excited when we saw their video. To manage Mauj Maharaja and distribute its music is a great opportunity for ArtistAloud. We look forward to working with Mauj Maharaja and more bands which work together as a unit.”

Sources close to Artists Aloud reveal that, currently, in addition to Mauj Maharaja the company is talking to artists like Luke Kenny and Indiva to sign them on for a management deal.