Dubai Teen Launches Record Label to Spotlight Undiscovered Musical Talent

A Dubai-based teenager has launched his own record company with the aim of releasing an album that will champion the music of unknown artists. Ranvir Shewakramani, an 18-year-old Indian student at Arcadia British School in Dubai, has established Out of State Records. The venture is designed to support his own musical aspirations and those of other aspiring musicians. The idea was sparked after he received guidance from the Forward Thinking Mentoring Programme, a UAE-based initiative currently assisting approximately 100 students.

Ranvir, who was born and raised in Dubai, expressed that he had "always had the idea of creating my own label" and was particularly eager to support unknown artists who he felt often lacked opportunities to showcase their abilities. He plans to release a collaborative album featuring a variety of artists, drawing inspiration from American rapper Travis Scott, who founded Cactus Jack Records to nurture emerging talent. "He made a label on which he put all the artists from his local community and now they’re really big because of that label. I was really inspired by that," Ranvir stated. "It’s to push [the other artists] to their limits and provide them with what they couldn’t get access to before. It’s a stage for them to do what they do best."

The upcoming album, also titled 'Out of State', will feature UAE-based artists from countries such as Egypt and South Africa. Ranvir also intends to release solo albums of his own music, which he describes as alternative rap. These musical pursuits are being managed alongside his academic responsibilities. He is set to complete his studies at Arcadia British School Dubai next year and aims to study chemistry at university, with a preference for the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, a city known for its vibrant music scene.

He credited his mentor from the Forward Thinking Mentoring Programme, founded by Dr. Navin Valrani, the chief executive of Arcadia Education, for helping him "think through my own ideas and what I wanted to achieve" with both his record company and his education. "I was open to ask them questions and discuss my plans before deciding what to do and taking action," he explained. "It’s been really helpful for the academic side of things with a lot of guidance on things like, for example, study techniques – different ways I can make my time more efficient, things like that."

The Forward Thinking Mentoring Programme has also supported other students, including Yasmine Farra, a 17-year-old pupil at the American School of Dubai. Yasmine has established a company called Yoodle Doodle, which creates large-scale colouring outlines for adults. She has utilized sales of her art, intended to have a calming effect, to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Centre of Lebanon. Yasmine, who was born in the US and raised in Lebanon before moving to the UAE at age eight, is applying to universities in the US and Canada to study psychology as her major, with art as her minor. She mentioned that the mentoring programme assisted her in developing an idea that merges her interests in art and psychology. "They helped me bring my idea to reality and guided me throughout the whole process and gave me feedback," she said. "They’ve always made me feel confident to take the next step. They’ve always been a great help in guiding me." The programme also provided her with guidance on course selection and time management.

Dr. Valrani explained that the mentoring programme, which is accessible to students from all schools, evolved from a weekend "Junior MBA" initiative he previously taught to foster entrepreneurship among children. He sought to create an alternative to the "very transactional" college counselling industry, aiming instead to "build relationships" that extend beyond contractual agreements.

The programme offers support with university applications, subject choices, extracurricular activities, and study management. Natasha Hemdev, the programme's managing partner, highlighted that early engagement, starting in the eighth or ninth grade (ages 13-14), allows the initiative to function like a "blank piece of paper" for students. "We can start sketching and brainstorming and putting together what is it about you as an individual, you as a student that excites you," she said.

Students participate in virtual and in-person meetings with their mentors, and the programme can incorporate work experience. Ms. Hemdev noted that such experiences can be valuable in helping students identify what they do not wish to pursue. "It’s okay to come back to us and say, ‘I don’t want to do this,’" she stated. "That’s a great answer because we know that’s something we can take off the table." For students with creative interests, the programme can assist in developing apps, podcasts, or research projects. Some mentored students are located internationally, including in Kenya, Egypt, India, Hong Kong, Switzerland, the UK, and the US.