'We offer something different': Caroline International bosses plot a bright future

'We offer something different': Caroline International bosses plot a bright future

Senior Caroline International executives have told Music Week the future is bright for both their company and the services sector following their Music Week Awards win.

Caroline scooped the award for Label/Artist Services Company of the year at the star-studded bash in London last month and, with their Gaz Coombes release pushing for a Top 10 finish this week, we sat down with co-MDs Jim Chancellor and Michael Roe and UK label head Nicola Spokes.

“We offer something different,” said Roe, reflecting on a successful 2017 for Caroline, whose artist partner list also includes Warpaint and Pulled Apart By Horses.

“We’re Caroline International, we’ve got a UK team, French team, a Benelux team, an Australian team… All those people report into Jim and I so I think it’s a very unique thing that we offer in terms of label and artist services. We’ve got a global vision and reach."

Looking towards the future, Roe forecast growth for the services sector and said the major label model poses it no threat.

"It’s a very unique thing that we offer"

Michael Roe

“It can only grow, more people are going to gravitate to this sector, lots of savvy young artists are understanding that they don’t necessarily need a big record company around them to provide the services they need,” he said.

“But there’s always going to be a need for a major record company, there are artists and mangers who need that big machine around them. Both can live side by side very happily.”

Caroline’s portfolio of label clients includes Glassnote, Because and Communion, and Spokes said the way to expand that list lies in recruitment.

“[Caroline can grow by] continuing to expand the team so that we can offer more and more of what we do to more artists and more labels globally,” she said.

Earlier this year, Spokes highlighted Caroline International’s role in breaking acts as part of a special Music Week label services sector report.

Chancellor also noted the importance of the team’s ability to build lasting relationships with its partners.

“Our relationship with our artists and labels is second to none and that’s all that matters,” he said. “If the artist’s happy, the manager’s happy and the label is happy then we’re happy and we’re doing a good job.”

Relive the best moments of the Music Week Awards 2018 here.



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