How Global Publishing Deals Can Help Muslim Songwriters Get Paid: Inside the Kobalt–Madverse Partnership

Feeling invisible to the money streams? How a Kobalt–Madverse model can change that for South Asian Muslim songwriters

Many South Asian Muslim songwriters we talk to at mashallah.live say the same thing: you pour your heart into a song, it streams around the world, but tracking and collecting every last rupee, pound or dollar feels impossible. Between different societies, contradictory metadata, and slow cross-border payments, creators lose earnings and control. The January 2026 Kobalt–Madverse partnership shows a clear path forward — one that preserves rights, improves collections and opens global opportunities without forcing writers to sign away ownership.

"Kobalt has formed a worldwide partnership with Madverse Music Group, giving Madverse’s community access to Kobalt’s publishing administration network." — Variety, Jan 15, 2026

The evolution in 2026: why publishing partnerships matter now

Over late 2024 through 2025 the music industry accelerated two trends that directly affect Muslim creators: cross-border streaming of South Asian music skyrocketed among diaspora audiences, and publishers invested heavily in administration infrastructure and transparent reporting. As of early 2026, administrative publishing deals — where creators keep copyright while outsourcing royalty collection and licensing — have become the dominant way independent songwriters scale international collections without sacrificing ownership.

For Muslim songwriters working in nasheed, devotional, film, or pop genres, this shift is critical. It means you can:

• Collect mechanical, performance and sync royalties across 100+ territories.
• Receive consolidated reporting and faster payments.
• Use local expertise (e.g., Madverse’s South Asian networks) plus global reach (e.g., Kobalt’s administration tech).

Music publishing 101 — the parts that actually affect your bank account

Skip the jargon: here are the rights and revenue streams that matter most to songwriters, and which a global publishing administrator helps access.

1. Composition rights (the publishing)

This is the songwriting copyright — lyrics and melody. When your song is performed, broadcast or streamed, you are owed publishing royalties. Publishers (or publishing administrators) collect and distribute these.

2. Mechanical royalties

These are paid when your composition is reproduced — on streaming services (the digital mechanical), downloads, CDs, or ringtones. Mechanical rights are territory-specific and often require local licensing or agreements like statutory rates. Global admin helps you claim mechanicals from many territories where you don’t have a direct presence.

3. Performance royalties

When your composition is publicly performed — radio, TV, streamed to an audience, or played in venues — performing rights organizations (PROs) collect and pay you. A global publishing partner ensures performances licensed by other societies are tracked and paid.

4. Neighboring / sound recording rights

These belong to the recording owner (often the artist or label) and are collected by different societies (commonly called rights societies or PPL-equivalents). Admin partners coordinate so both the songwriter and recording owner get what they’re due.

5. Sync licensing

When a producer uses your song in film, drama, documentary, ad or a Ramadan special, that’s a sync. Publishing partners actively pitch for syncs and negotiate fees and splits.

Why partnerships like Kobalt–Madverse are a game-changer

Here’s what the Madverse community gains from access to Kobalt’s publishing administration network — and what it signals for Muslim creators across South Asia and the diaspora.

• Global collection reach: Kobalt’s admin network collects royalties in markets where local registration or direct deals are complex or impossible to manage alone. Learn how partnership models can open platform doors.
• Faster, consolidated payouts: Centralized reporting reduces delays and multiple micro-payments, improving cash flow for creators supporting families and community projects. Toolkits for forecasting and cash flow can help you plan around payout schedules.
• Metadata and rights management: Global admins fix messy metadata (writer splits, titles, ISWCs) so payments no longer fall through the cracks.
• Local knowledge plus global muscle: Madverse offers cultural and regional expertise (language, film ties, radio relationships), while Kobalt adds scale and tech.
• Sync and placement opportunities: International publishers have pitch teams and catalog buyers for streaming series, advertisements, and game studios — and they actively pursue sync placements in target markets.

Real-world (illustrative) case study: A South Asian nasheed writer’s path to global royalties

Meet Aisha (fictional composite), a Karachi-born songwriter who writes contemporary nasheeds and devotional-themed film songs. Before 2026 she released music through a small local label and saw streams from the UK, UAE, Canada and the US — but payments were slow and incomplete.

After partnering with a Madverse-style local publisher that used Kobalt’s admin network, Aisha:

• Registered 25 songs with metadata clean and ISWC codes assigned.
• Ensured writer splits were agreed in writing for each co-write.
• Connected with local and international PROs through her publisher and claimed uncollected royalties from prior years.
• Received two sync placements in a 2025 Ramadan streaming drama (paid up-front) and back-catalog mechanical payments that were previously uncollected.

Result: Aisha’s yearly publishing income doubled after two years — without giving up ownership. That’s the power of targeted admin plus regional partnerships.

Actionable checklist: How South Asian Muslim songwriters can use similar partnerships to collect and protect royalties

1. Audit your catalog — List every song, release date, co-writers, ISRCs for recordings, and any existing publishing agreements.
2. Fix metadata — Ensure writer names, IPI/CAE numbers, exact song titles, and international identifiers (ISWC, ISRC) are correct. Bad metadata is the top cause of lost royalties.
3. Register with your local PRO — In India register with IPRS (or equivalent national society), in Pakistan check PRS-type bodies, and register in your country of residence. This establishes a local payment stream.
4. Consider a publishing administration deal — Seek administrators who offer cross-border collection, transparent reporting dashboards, reasonable commission (commonly 10–20% for admin), audit rights and short terms.
5. Maintain control over copyright — Prefer admin deals that do not transfer ownership. Retaining copyright preserves moral and economic control, important for cultural and faith-based content.
6. Use a digital distributor for recordings — But don’t confuse distribution with publishing. Distributors get your recording onto platforms; publishers/admins collect composition revenue.
7. Register ISWCs and ISRCs — ISWC (for compositions) and ISRC (for recordings) are essential for global matching and payment.
8. Protect your works legally — File for copyright registration in your home country (India’s Copyright Office, Pakistan Copyright Office, etc.) and keep records of drafts, session logs and witness statements if needed.
9. Secure a coop-friendly contract — If you write with other creatives, draft split agreements before release to avoid later disputes.
10. Seek community-aligned partners — If your music needs cultural or religious sensitivity (e.g., halal nasheeds), work with publishers who understand those nuances and will protect your brand.

Negotiating a publishing administration deal — what to watch for

Not all deals are created equal. When reviewing an admin agreement, pay attention to:

• Term length: Shorter terms (2–3 years) with renewal options preserve flexibility.
• Commission: Administrative rates usually range from 10–20%. Anything above 25% should raise questions unless offset by large advances or services.
• Territories: Ensure the admin collects globally, not just in specific regions.
• Audit & transparency: You must have access to reporting, and the right to audit statements.
• Sub-publishing: How will your catalog be represented overseas? Sub-publishers should be named and their fees clarified.
• Sync representation: Will the admin actively pitch for syncs? What are the split terms for sync fees?
• Termination & reversion: Define how and when rights or admin duties revert to you.

Frequently asked compliance questions for Muslim creators

Is it halal to enter publishing deals and receive royalties?

Generally yes: earning money from the lawful sale, licensing and performance of one’s creative work is widely accepted. Specific concerns around instruments or content should be discussed with a trusted local imam or scholar. Many artists create spiritually aligned nasheeds and set clear moral boundaries in contracts and partner selections. See guidance on platform policy shifts for faith-based creators in 2026.

Do I have to sign away my copyright to collect internationally?

No. Administrative publishing deals collect royalties and administer rights while you keep the copyright. This is the recommended route for creators who want global reach without surrendering ownership.

How do I get paid from platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube?

Platform payments are split between recording (master) and composition rights. Your distributor typically collects master revenue; your publisher or publishing admin collects mechanical and performance revenue for the composition. For YouTube, Content ID and publishing claims are handled through separate systems — make sure your publisher can register your works on Content ID if needed. For listener-side options and cheaper ways to access music, look at guides to cheaper streaming alternatives.

2026 trends creators must leverage

• Data-led royalty matching: Publishers are using AI and fingerprinting to find unclaimed uses across video platforms — benefit: retroactive collections for old songs.
• Localized sync demand: Streaming platforms commissioning Ramadan, Eid and family dramas increase demand for culturally authentic songs — publishers actively pitch local catalogs for these slots.
• Transparent dashboards: Top admins offer daily reporting, territory breakdowns, and micro-payments — no more waiting 6–12 months for statements.
• Hybrid monetization: Combining crowd-funded releases, patronage and direct licensing for community events gives Muslim creators diversified income alongside publishing royalties.

Checklist before you sign: 8 practical red flags and green flags

Green flags (sign these):

• Clear, itemized reporting and a secure online dashboard.
• Non-exclusive, administrative terms that retain your copyright.
• Named sub-publishers and territory coverage.
• Reasonable admin fee (10–20%) and audit rights.

Red flags (walk away or renegotiate):

• Long-term exclusive deals that transfer copyright for minimal upfront value.
• No audit or transparency clause.
• Hidden fees for collection or excessive sub-publisher cuts.
• No clause protecting moral or religious sensitivities or the right to be consulted on sync uses.

Practical next steps for creators — a 30/60/90 day plan

Days 1–30: Catalog and compliance

• Create a master spreadsheet of songs, ISRCs, co-writers and prior releases.
• Register with your local PRO (IPRS or national equivalent) and request IPI/CAE numbers.
• File copyright registrations for any unregistered works.

Days 31–60: Outreach and shortlisting partners

• Request admin deal templates from 2–3 reputable admins or publishers (ask for client references).
• Check if the partner has regional ties (e.g., Madverse-type local network) and global reach (e.g., Kobalt-class tech).
• Run a simple royalty baseline: how much have you collected in the last 12 months and what’s missing?

Days 61–90: Negotiation and onboarding

• Negotiate term length, commission and reporting frequency. Get a legal review if possible.
• Onboard your catalog with clean metadata and ISWCs/ISRCs.
• Set up dashboards, payment instructions and a quarterly review calendar.

Where to get help and who to trust

Trusted partners include reputable regional publishers (like Madverse), global admin specialists (like Kobalt), local PROs and community-focused legal clinics that understand Islamic cultural contexts. At mashallah.live we regularly host workshops with publishers — join our next session for real-time Q&A and royalty audits.

Final thoughts — ownership, dignity and sustainability

In 2026, the music business is increasingly connected but still littered with friction. Partnerships such as the Kobalt–Madverse deal are proof that creators don’t need to choose between global reach and cultural integrity. By keeping ownership through administrative deals, cleaning up metadata, registering with the right societies and seeking partners that respect religious and cultural boundaries, South Asian Muslim songwriters can stop leaving money on the table and start building sustainable creative livelihoods.

Call to action

If you’re a South Asian Muslim songwriter ready to audit your catalog and explore publishing admin options, start today: download our free royalty-audit checklist at mashallah.live, sign up to our upcoming publishing workshop, or submit one song for a community-led metadata review. Protect your rights, claim your royalties and let your songs support your life and community.

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