RCA president David Dollimore has spoken exclusively to Music Week about the role of The Orchard in helping the label break new artists.
Sony Music’s distribution and label services company is becoming an incubator for RCA acts, including breakthrough collective NSG.
“There’s a bunch of new artists that people are not aware of that we’ve signed, where we allow them to be in an incubator period where they develop,” Dollimore told Music Week. “They have a pot of money, they record and they can put records out. We’ve got a great relationship with The Orchard, NSG is part of The Orchard and we’re still working that single option. We’ll be looking to see what we do next with that act.”
Options by NSG feat. Tion Wayne peaked at No.7 last month and has sales to date of 346,809, according to the Official Charts Company.
Dollimore said RCA will partner with The Orchard on a “case-by-case basis”. NSG were originally signed to The Orchard, who remain part of the deal structure after RCA agreed a licensing partnership with the act and management. In some cases, The Orchard may weigh in on acts discovered by RCA.
“I’ve known [The Orchard MD] Ian Dutt for a long time, when he was at PIAS,” said Dollimore. “Some artists are already with The Orchard, myself or my A&R team have seen a record that’s performing, like NSG, we have a conversation and we look at a deal that might include The Orchard. Or we might sign an act and the artist wants to feel very independent and be allowed to have autonomy, and The Orchard suits that [arrangement].”
There are a few brand new artists who will go through that model
David Dollimore
Dollimore said there are already more acts set to come through The Orchard.
“There are a few brand new artists who are incredible,” he said. “Ian Dutt’s a music person, the artist wants to put it out through The Orchard. So yeah, there’s a couple of acts who will go through that model.”
Dollimore also looked ahead to a couple of big RCA campaigns.
“This year artists like CamelPhat, that was a competitive deal,” he said. “I’ve known those two for a long time before they were CamelPhat. The music that I’ve heard will put them on a global scale, it’s incredible – it’s some of the best dance music I’ve heard since I started.”
CamelPhat scored a Top 30 single with fellow RCA artist Au/Ra. Panic Room has sales of 402,185, according to the Official Charts Company.
“She’s 16, I signed her when she was 14, and with the new music she’s got coming I really think she could have a big year,” he told Music Week.
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