How to release Odia and Sambalpuri songs: Spotify, JioSaavn, Nuakhai and caller tunes

Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ), once spelled Oriya, has about 3.75 crore speakers in Census 2011, counting the mother tongues the census groups under it, among them about 26.3 lakh people who gave Sambalpuri, the language of western Odisha; about 3.41 crore named Odia itself. Most live in Odisha, with sizeable communities in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.

Odia film songs come from Ollywood, the industry based in Cuttack, and the older traditions run from Odissi music to Gotipua and the Dalkhai songs of the west. One SUF release takes your song to Spotify, JioSaavn, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Gaana, Instagram and 150+ stores, with caller tunes on Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL.

Odia and Sambalpuri releases use the same form; only the language choice differs.

1. Create your SUF Digitals account and choose a plan. Plans start at Rs 999 a year (before GST), and you keep 100% of your copyright on every plan.
2. Add your artist name and your Spotify and Apple Music profile links. First release? Mark yourself as new to the stores, and your artist pages are created with it.
3. Create a release and choose the language for the release and for each track: Odia is under "All languages" in the language picker, Sambalpuri under "More Indian languages". The stores list both under Odia.
4. Upload a WAV or FLAC master (16 or 24 bit, 44.1 to 96 kHz) and a square 3000 x 3000 pixel cover in JPG or PNG. Test the cover first with the free cover art checker, which runs the same checks.
5. Credit the singers, composers, lyricists and producers, declare each song's rights and set the release date: you choose it from the Rising plan up, and on Debut it is set for you, 7 days after you submit.
6. Submit. SUF checks every release against the stores' rules before it goes out; on release day, share your free smart link, which opens the song in each fan's own music app.

Odia has store-run playlists of its own. Spotify's editors run Top Hits Odia, and JioSaavn lists Odia in its language menu, with Odia new release and playlist pages where it also keeps its Sambalpuri lists.

From the Pro plan up, SUF pitches each release, or a full EP or album, to the editors at Spotify, Apple Music, JioSaavn, Gaana, Amazon Music and YouTube Music, among them the editors behind language playlists like these. Give the pitch time by locking the release at least 14 days before release day: Spotify only considers songs pitched 7 days or more ahead. What goes on a list is the editors' call, a spot is never guaranteed, and SUF never pays for streams or playlist places (playlist pitching).

Sambalpuri, also called Kosli or Koshali, is spoken across western Odisha, especially Bargarh, Subarnapur, Balangir and Sambalpur districts, and in parts of Chhattisgarh. Its speakers usually see it as a language of its own, outsiders often call it a dialect of Odia, and there is a demand to add it to the Eighth Schedule.

So the release form lets you choose Sambalpuri itself, under "More Indian languages". The stores have no Sambalpuri category yet and file the song under Odia, the same place JioSaavn keeps Best of Sambalpuri and Sambalpuri Prema, while the release stays Sambalpuri with us. Choosing Odia yourself lands it in the same store category; either way, call it Sambalpuri in your YouTube and Instagram captions.

Both languages are written in the Odia script. On the stores, give the title in Roman letters, the way a listener types it into search on a phone; JioSaavn titles its own lists that way, from Chartbusters 2026 - Odia to Sambalpuri Prema.

Put the Odia-script title in your release description and your YouTube and Instagram captions. Leave emoji, ALL CAPS, "feat." and promo words (Official, Lyrical, Video Song, Latest, New Song, Trending) out of the title.

The stores use Odia, the official spelling, not the older Oriya. Write your artist name in English letters in one spelling only, since a second spelling becomes a second artist page, and keep any words on the cover identical to the title and artist name.

Ratha Jatra, in June or July, belongs to the Jagannatha devotional tradition; some Charya songs were historically sung on Jagannatha's chariot during the festival. Nuakhai, the new-rice harvest on Bhadrapada Panchami (August or September), is western Odisha's harvest festival and an Odisha state holiday, celebrated most of all in Sambalpur, Kalahandi, Balangir, Bargarh, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda.

Its Nuakhai Bhetghat evenings have Rasarkeli and Dalkhai as their highlights, and Dalkhai returns at Bhaijiuntia and Phagun Puni. For any of these dates on Pro and above, lock the release at least 14 days before release day so it can be pitched, and three to four weeks before the festival if you can. Debut sets the date 7 days after you submit, while Rising and up let you pick it.

Odisha's folk stage includes Pala and Daskathia storytelling, Prahallada Nataka, Radha Prema Lila, Bharata Lila, Gotipua and Khanjani Bhajana, and Dalkhai is played on dhol, nisan, tamki, tasa and mahuri. Odissi music is rooted in Jagannatha worship, the Gita Govinda is sung nightly at the Jagannatha temple, and Spotify listeners have made many playlists of Odia bhajans.

A traditional song, whether a Dalkhai or an old bhajan, belongs to everyone: mark it "Traditional or public domain" in the rights step, and the recording must be your own. A cover needs the song owner's licence, and a remix needs the original recording owner's permission (cover songs).

Only original songs with no samples or non-exclusive beats go on YouTube Content ID, so traditional and public domain recordings are kept off it. More in our devotional music guide.

Browse every Indian language we release in, then choose from the plans. Our guides to Bengali songs and Chhattisgarhi songs cover two neighbouring languages.