How SongProof Co-Founder Hina Rizvi Is Revolutionizing Music Protection

In a digital era where songs can go viral in minutes but ownership disputes can drag on for years, a new Canadian-born solution is stepping forward to transform the way artists protect their work. SongProof, a blockchain-powered platform co-founded by Mississauga lawyer-turned-tech-entrepreneur Hina Rizvi, is redefining global music rights by giving creators instant, tamper-proof proof of ownership the moment their music is made.

A Platform Built for the Modern Creator

SongProof addresses one of the music industry’s most persistent gaps: the lack of fast, accessible, and affordable protection for artists. While technology has empowered creators to share their work globally, traditional legal systems have not evolved at the same pace. Copyright registrations can be slow. International laws vary. Independent artists often lack the resources to safeguard their intellectual property before releasing it.

SongProof solves these challenges with a streamlined, creator-friendly experience powered by blockchain technology. Within minutes, artists can upload a song, lyric sheet, beat, or composition and receive:

• Instant proof of ownership anchored to permanent, public blockchains

• A cryptographically verifiable timestamp that cannot be altered or back-dated

• Tamper-proof evidence of authorship, recognized globally

• Built-in split-sheet tools to record co-writer and producer shares

• Affordable access designed for creators at every stage

The platform operates on the same blockchain principles that power major global financial systems, yet users do not need any technical knowledge. The goal is simple: every artist, anywhere in the world, should be able to protect their work the moment inspiration strikes.

Why SongProof Matters

Today’s creative economy moves fast. An indie producer can upload a beat to social media and see it sampled within hours. A singer-songwriter can share a demo on TikTok that reaches thousands before the end of the day. But without proof of authorship, these moments of opportunity can quickly turn into disputes, lost revenue, or legal battles.

SongProof provides the missing safeguard. With verifiable ownership established from the moment of creation, creators can collaborate confidently, pitch their work without fear, negotiate better deals, and secure royalties with far greater ease. The platform is particularly meaningful for artists in emerging or independent music communities, including Mississauga and Brampton — two of Canada’s most vibrant creative hubs.

The Legal Mind Behind the Innovation

Behind this tech breakthrough is Hina Rizvi, a Mississauga-based entertainment and intellectual-property lawyer with more than sixteen years of experience guiding clients through contracts, copyright issues, and disputes. Throughout her career, she has seen countless creators lose control of their work simply because they lacked the tools or resources to protect it early enough.

Her vision for SongProof grew out of this reality. She recognized that musicians around the world — whether in Canada, the UK, South Asia, or beyond — needed a fast, reliable, and affordable way to establish ownership without navigating costly legal processes. What began as a legal frustration became the foundation of a globally scalable tech solution.

Rizvi’s journey reflects a unique blend of law, creativity, and innovation. She graduated at the top of her class from the University of East London, qualified as both a New York State Attorney and an Ontario Barrister & Solicitor, and later founded Rizvi Legal Professional Corporation, a thriving Mississauga-based law practice. Her expertise in entertainment and IP law, combined with her commitment to empowering creators, made her the ideal force behind SongProof’s development.

A Local Vision With Global Ambition

While SongProof is a global platform, its roots are proudly local. The Greater Toronto Area — particularly Mississauga and Brampton — has become a powerhouse of rising musical talent across R&B, hip-hop, pop, and South Asian fusion. SongProof offers these creators something they have long needed: a way to secure their work before it is shared, streamed, or pitched.

The platform strengthens trust between collaborators, provides credibility when approaching industry partners, and helps safeguard royalties for years to come. More importantly, it ensures that creativity is protected rather than exploited — a mission deeply aligned with Rizvi’s work as both a lawyer and a community advocate.

The Beginning of a New Era for Music Rights

SongProof marks a significant shift in how creators around the world can protect, share, and monetize their work. By merging legal expertise with advanced technology, the platform bridges the gap between rapid artistic innovation and outdated legal processes. For artists who have long struggled to safeguard their music, it represents control, confidence, and creative freedom.

Q/A With Founder, Hina Rizvi

What inspired you to create SongProof, and how does the platform work for artists — especially those unfamiliar with blockchain?

I’ve spent much of my career working in intellectual property and entertainment law, and I’ve seen firsthand how many artists feel discouraged from releasing their work or collaborating with others — not because they lacked talent, but because they lacked access to affordable tools and information that could protect them in the event of disputes. The inspiration for SongProof was to change that reality and, hopefully, tackle those disputes before they arise. It was born out of a desire to level the playing field and give creators a simple, cost-effective way to safeguard their art without needing a lawyer or a label.

Envision SongProof as sealing your song in an envelope, stamping it with the exact date and time, and storing it somewhere no one can ever tamper with. I often describe it as your “universal post office in outer space”. That’s essentially what blockchain allows us to do — stores and delivers your data digitally, securely, and globally. It provides artists with a verifiable “receipt” of ownership that no one can dispute.

Blockchain provides a permanent, tamper-proof record that no one — not even we — can alter. Essentially, the timestamp associated with your work is immutable and independently verifiable. This level of trust and transparency simply isn’t possible with traditional databases.

It’s incredibly simple. You upload your song, enter its title and split sheet information, and within minutes, you receive a timestamped certificate tied to the Bitcoin and Polygon blockchains. This certificate serves as proof that you were the creator of that work at that specific time. No complicated steps, no legal jargon — just straightforward protection.

What sets SongProof apart from traditional copyright registrations or other protection tools, and what level of legal recognition does it have today?

Traditional copyright registration can be slow, expensive, and often intimidating — especially for emerging artists. SongProof doesn’t replace that process, which has its own legal advantages, but complements it. We provide artists with instant, blockchain-based proof of authorship that they can obtain in minutes and utilize worldwide. It’s borderless, accessible, and designed for the digital age.

Blockchain timestamps are already recognized in many jurisdictions, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, and the EU. They demonstrate proof of authorship and creation date, which are central to copyright claims. Over time, I believe we’ll see even broader legal recognition as courts and lawmakers continue to adapt to technology.

How does SongProof protect privacy and why did you choose Bitcoin and Polygon for the platform?

Your files are never made public. We don’t store or share them in a way that compromises your ownership. Instead, we create a cryptographic “fingerprint” of your file — a unique digital hash — and anchor that to the blockchain. The content remains private while the proof remains public and verifiable. The artist has complete control over who they choose to share both their audio and blockchain certificate with.

In order to protect your music, we harness the powerful features of the two most trusted blockchains – Polygon and Bitcoin. Polygon is used to store your splitsheet and song details, which are then timestamped on the Bitcoin blockchain for its unmatched security and permanence. Bitcoin is the most decentralized, tamper-resistant blockchain in existence — which is critical when your creative rights are on the line.

How does SongProof keep things accessible for non-technical users, and how affordable is it compared to traditional options?

We’ve hidden the complexity behind a simple, intuitive interface. You don’t need to understand blockchain or crypto to use SongProof. In fact, you don’t even need a crypto wallet. We believe technology should serve artists — not the other way around.

Traditional copyright filings can cost hundreds of dollars and take weeks or months. SongProof is designed to be accessible for artists at every stage — starting with free registrations and low-cost options that are a fraction of what legal filings typically cost. Our vision is to empower creatives, especially independent artists in the midst of building their brand.

Can SongProof be used for other creative formats beyond music, and what advice do you have for emerging artists?

Absolutely. The core technology is universal. While we started with music because it’s such a deeply personal and vulnerable form of art, the same approach works for lyrics, poetry, scripts, photos, and more. We see SongProof as a creative rights platform, not just a music platform.

Protect everything you create — even the demos. You never know which version of a song might matter down the line. Tools like SongProof give you the power to validate your creation, right from day one. While official copyright registration is always recommended, SongProof is your first line of defence.

What are the biggest misconceptions about copyright, and how has the industry responded to SongProof so far?

The biggest misconception is that simply creating something automatically protects it. While that’s true in principle, proving ownership without documentation is extremely difficult. Another is that copyright registration is only for professionals — when in fact, early documentation is one of the smartest moves any artist can make. These steps will assist the artist when filing for copyright in the future or addressing a potential dispute.

We’re already seeing strong support from educators, legal professionals, and artists who view SongProof as an essential tool for the modern music landscape. Many have described it as “the missing piece” between creativity and legal protection.

How can a tool like SongProof shift the power dynamic in the music industry, especially in regions with weak copyright enforcement?

For too long, artists have been the most vulnerable players in the music ecosystem. Tools like SongProof put them back in control. By establishing authorship and ownership at the point of creation, artists walk into any negotiation — with a label, publisher, or platform — from a position of strength.

Having encountered flaws in copyright laws and enforcement globally throughout my career became the impetus for my passion in this area. Many artists around the world do not have access to traditional copyright systems, or those systems are ineffective. SongProof bypasses those barriers. Because blockchain is global and borderless, your proof of ownership holds weight no matter where you are and provides effective evidence for your genuine creation.

Who inspires you as a founder, and what changes would you like to see in global music ownership systems?

I’m inspired by every artist who’s ever been told their work didn’t matter — and by those who kept creating anyway. Their resilience is what drives me to build systems that support, protect and uplift them.

I’d love to see a world where creators are automatically recognized as rightful owners from the moment of creation — where legal systems and industry structures protect artists by default, not after lengthy and costly battles. We’re moving in that direction, and SongProof is part of that shift.

What’s next for SongProof — any upcoming features or partnerships?

We’re working on deeper integrations with music platforms, collaborative tools for bands and co-writers, and more automation around split sheet management. The vision is to make protecting and managing your creative rights as seamless and natural as creating the music itself.

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