Brussels, 19th December 2025

As part of IMPALA’s Faces of the Independent Sector storytelling campaign celebrating our 25th anniversary, and co-funded by the European Union, we are pleased to publish the first interview in the series with Shrina Patel, Senior Director, Business & Legal Affairs at Merlin.

In the interview, Shrina shares her journey into the music sector, her work negotiating digital licensing deals on behalf of independent rightsholders worldwide, and her perspective on independence as artistic and commercial freedom. She highlights emerging digital opportunities for independent music, the importance of fair valuation, and the need for greater recognition of musical diversity across countries, languages and musical traditions.

This interview marks the first in a series spotlighting the people behind the independent music ecosystem and their visions for the future.

We sat down with Shrina Patel to hear more about her experiences, insights, and vision for the independent music sector.

   1. What do you do in the music sector?

“I’m part of the team at Merlin – a member-owned organisation in the independent music sector that licenses digital rights.  As part of the business and legal affairs team, I negotiate music licensing deals with digital services like YouTube, Meta and Twitch. The collective market share of our members – independent rightsholders from across the globe – enables us to secure premium deals that give our members the ability to compete and succeed in the digital marketplace.”  

   2. How did you start working in the music sector?

“After qualifying as a lawyer my first job in music was at the BPI (recorded music trade body in the UK and organiser of the BRIT Awards and Mercury Prize), where I gained broad legal and commercial experience including on live events, digital and physical distribution and legal issues facing the music sector. I was drawn to the digital side of the industry and moved to a role in the digital team at Universal Music. I joined Merlin almost 6 years ago and feel like I’ve found my place in the industry.” 

   3. What does being independent mean to you?

“Artistic and commercial freedom.” 

   4. What are the biggest opportunities for the independent sector today?

“At Merlin we’ve built strong relationships with digital services which means that – for the benefit of our members across the independent sector – we can be a part of the conversation with these services on what comes next. In recent years, we’ve also seen that digital services innovating in newer business areas and looking to use music are increasingly prioritising licenses with Merlin to access independent music from across the world, rather than it being an afterthought once they have licensed the majors. We see these businesses benefitting from having both commercially successful and more diverse artists and content on board, because that’s what their audiences are seeking.”

   5. What are the biggest challenges for the independent sector today?

“The challenge remains ensuring that independent music is valued fairly and that independent companies and their artists have access to new opportunities as they arise, particularly amid external pressures such as the volume of tracks delivered to digital services each day, and rising competition for audience attention – both from music and other content types. At Merlin our collective market share enables us to confront these challenges by securing premium deals to protect and enhance the value of our members’ music.”

   6. What change would you like to see in the music industry?

“I would like to see music from different countries, languages and musical traditions brought more fully into the conversation, to ensure that culturally and artistically rich work continues to be made and monetised, and that we can continue to learn about other people through music. Terms like “world music” or the more recently “global music” are broad and don’t capture the diversity within music.”

   7. What tips would you give to others starting out in the independent sector?

“Speak to people face-to-face. The independent sector is filled with inspiring people who have built businesses and  shaped culture, each in their own way.”

   8. Describe the independent sector in one word.

“Open-minded.”

   9. What are the key projects or priorities you will be working on over the next 12 months that you would like to highlight?

“The priority is continuing to empower independence by securing premium digital deals for the benefit of our members. Over the next year I’ll be focused on renewing agreements with our digital partners, strengthening those relationships and securing new opportunities to support our members’ success in the digital marketplace.”

   10. What’s on your playlist?

Shrina’s playlist gives a glimpse into the sounds that inspire her:

• Nubiyan Twist
• A Tribe Called Quest
• Sade
• Little Simz
• Sheherazaad
• MC Solaar
• Fontaines D.C.
• Dur Dur Band
• Rosalía
• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Click here to listen to Shrina’s full playlist on Spotify

About Faces of the Independent Sector
As part of IMPALA’s 25th anniversary, the Faces of the Independent Sector spotlights the creativity and the diversity of the European independent music companies and shares the stories from the perspectives of owners, employees, and other key players. By highlighting their successes, struggles, and day-to-day realities, the campaign reveals the sector’s leaders and the stories that make it thrive. This project is co-funded by the European Union.