Table of contents for No. 1378 in Music Week

True North Speaking as a proud Northerner, it is all but baked into my DNA to remind people that, while the core of the UK music industry is predominantly based in London, it has always relied on musicians and executives who live outside of the capital to help it thrive. Don't worry, I'm not going to extol the power of regional scenes ad nauseam here (I just deleted that whole tome-length section, FYI). I do, however, want to dwell on a certain deficit related to it. A question: how often does the London-based industry reach out in a meaningful way to regional hotspots for reasons other than signing its musical talent? There are, assuredly, some good examples, and each one warms my cold dead heart. The amazing team at Cre8ing…

“Majors and independents can work together, rather than it having to be us versus them” SILVIA MONTELLO, AIM Silvia Montello has just taken over as chief exec of the Association Of Independent Music (AIM). Here, the former boss of the Association For Electronic Music shares her agenda, from helping labels seize opportunities in an evolving market to backing the dance revival… Congratulations on your appointment, what's your vision for AIM in 2023? “We want to continue the great work that's been done but also make sure that we're ahead of the curve in terms of where the industry is going, and to make sure that we're a really strong voice on those issues where we need to fight for our rights-holders and creators. As part of that, I'm really committed to…

Dear readers, we are now somehow beyond a full month into 2023 and I wanted to take a moment to have a look at some of the subjects that I think will have industry tongues wagging (and others frothing at the mouth) this year. CREATOR WARS BEGIN It's been a difficult 12 months for many technology companies globally with tumbling share prices and mass layoffs, but social platforms have started with refreshed approaches to their creator acquisition. At times this has involved hard cash in exchange for a few native posts, but for YouTube, creators now recieve a share of advertising revenue from YouTube Shorts. YouTube have said that, by adding together revenue from adverts running between Shorts, this new monetisation plan will be used to both “reward creators and…

It was a mutual friend who plonked Hannah Wilson and Julia Fabrin together at a house party a few years back with the words, “you two will like each other – go and chat.” It worked like a charm and the pair's close bond is at the core of their hotly tipped indie-pop project Dolores Forever, an inevitable musical coming together that the duo sought to avoid until it became impossible. “We decided to hang out before attempting any sort of creativity, we both were out for a friendship,” explains Wilson, as Music Week meets the pair in North London. “But it became unavoidable. We talked so much about songs that we loved and we went to a few gigs and eventually we were like, ‘We're gonna have to fucking…

THIS MONTH'S HOTTEST BRAND NEW ACT NOISY Key Track: Rudeboy Label: Concord Records Management: Raw Power Management Instagram: @theworldnoisy You began 2023 by releasing Rudeboy. What's the story behind the single? Cody Matthews, vocals: “It's about feeling completely locked into music, whether you're in a club, a packed tent, at a festival or on a night bus. When it hits, you can't think about anything else. Hopefully it has that effect on people!” Last year saw the mainstream embrace dance music, do you think Noisy can get involved? Connor Cheetham, guitarist: “It's sick. We're hugely inspired by dance and making people want to move. Of course, mainstream success is something we're aiming for, we want to headline Glastonbury. If you don't aim big there's no point.” You also have one…

Your album uses your first name as its title. Do you ever feel a conflict between Amelia and Mimi Webb, the pop star? “Amelia is the countryside girl from Canterbury and Mimi Webb is the pop star who travels the world and does all these things that I always dreamt of. When I was 16, I decided I wanted to change my name to Mimi Webb, that was when I really knew what I wanted to do and was in music college, which was the right environment for getting started. To put both names together has been so fun and the album is the journey of both those people, of growing up in this crazy industry and learning more about myself. I'm at a point now where I know what…

The Matrix Complex in Parsons Green in West London is a hive of music industry excellence. Prince, The Rolling Stones and Coldplay have recorded inside its walls. Fraser T Smith had a studio there for years. Modest! Management and Closer Artists call it home. “It's one of those buildings that looks pretty innocuous from the outside, but it's like a maze,” 2-Tone Entertainment CEO Shaurav D'Silva tells Music Week. “It's well known for music in South West London. I've been based here on and off for the last 10 years.” D'Silva has earned his place among such esteemed company. The cool, calm and collected exec founded 2-Tone as a management enterprise almost 20 years ago and speedily expanded into publishing. Hooking up with 3Beat in 2009 as an A&R, D'Silva…

It's generally the musicians who get knighted,” says Sir Robin Millar, celebrated producer and co-founder of Blue Raincoat Music. He pauses to consider the fact that, in December, 2022, he found out he was to be awarded a knighthood, following in the footsteps of Universal Music Group chairman & CEO Sir Lucian Grainge. “I'm really chuffed,” he adds. “But it's not something I've ever consciously worked towards.” Millar's work presents quite the story. In the 1970s, he signed as an artist with Atlantic, even though he “didn't like being in the limelight”. In the end, the label shelved plans to release Cat's Eyes, the album he had been working on with The Rolling Stones’ Mick Taylor, after Taylor quit the band. Subsequently, as a producer, Millar discovered Sade, recording the…

The world's greatest songs. By the people who made them. ELTON JOHN & DUA LIPA COLD HEART (PNAU REMIX) Nick Littlemore: “We were teenagers when we first met Elton. It came about after he had dinner with Toni Collette in Sydney. Toni is repped by our live agent and had a band called Toni Collette & The Finish. She is a brilliant raconteur and tells stories between songs about jazz greats and filming with Steven Spielberg. Elton and Toni are good friends and he told her he'd picked up this album at Virgin Megastore with a bright cover. He put it on and it blew his mind. It was our self-titled 2007 third album.” Peter Mayes: “We were still living in Australia, which feels like a long time ago now,…

UNITED KINGDOM The 1975 About You Video creations: 78,900 The 1975 are all over TikTok right now, with videos of the band touring their new album Being Funny In A Foreign Language, Taylor Swift's surprise appearance during their performance at London's The O2 and Matty Healy's Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg all going viral. The band's 2022 single About You has also become popular among the TikTok community. Creators have embraced the song's nostalgic sentiment by sharing videos of special moments or posting their thoughts on relationships. The track has also been remixed, originally in a viral video leaning into Britney Spears nostalgia with a compilation of clips featuring the global star in her twenties. The track's Sped Up remix has generated over 526,000 video creations to date. Alice…

Your essential primer for the month ahead “Raye is one of the most dynamic performers I've ever seen” J Erving, Human Re Sources Raye's services and distribution team have spoken about fulfilling her vision as an independent artist with ambitions for an international breakthrough. The UK singer and songwriter has just released her debut album, My 21st Century Blues, following her first ever UK N0.1 with Escapism (Feat 070 Shake) last month. Raye's campaign marks her return imder a new distribution partnership with LA-based Human Re Sources, which is part of Sony Music's artist & label services operation The Orchard. “She A&R'd the project herself, the heavy lifting was done,” said J Erving, Human Re Sources founder and EVP, creative development at Sony Music. “It was about finding a distribution…

@SiGlacken Music PR is sometimes laying in bed at night wondering why someone stopped replying to your emails in 2019. (Simon Glacken, For The Lost PR) Monday, January 16 @katenash Me: You said I must eat so many lemons You: (Kate Nash, artist) Sunday, January 22 @niall_mdoherty Don't do it too much as you've gotta pick your moment, but just used “as stated below” in an email, taking the rest of the day off. (Niall Doherty, journalist) Tuesday, January 24 @c_osazuwa Reaction videos to Taylor Swift coming out at The 1975 is honestly just the most wholesome shit. I just love that for everyone involved. (Christine Osazuwa, Shoobs) Saturday, Janauary 14 @jojoldn Just spent 17 quid in Pret? What's going on… (Jojo Sonubi, No Signal Radio) Wednesday, January 18 @piri_io_bro I love when…

KSI (FEAT. OLIVER TREE) Voices (Atlantic) KSI's first album for Atlantic is coming out and, judging from this opening taste, it could mark a step in a new direction. For starters, he sings all the way through it, aided by fellow viral star Oliver Tree. The country-style melody is infectious and will probably take over TikTok, while no frills production and simplicity underline KSI's bravery. And, with a track record like his, why not? Contact: Claire Coster claire.coster@atlanticrecords.co.uk KALI UCHIS I Wish You Roses (Geffen) Kali Uchis’ second album came out in late 2020 and in the intervening time, the Virginia-born star has had a bona fide viral smash in Telepatía and won her first Grammy. This comeback single is a love song dosed up on sedatives, and upcoming LP…

SEND YOUR PICS TO: George Gamer george.garner@futurenet.com…

The business of artificial intelligence can be an emotive subject, ironically enough. But Hazel Savage is quick to put its most frequent criticism to bed. “We're not here to replace humans,” insists Savage, who co-founded AI music curator Musiio. “We got that argument at Musiio when we started and it all came from a place of fear and misunderstanding. But there has been progress – I come across very few people now who say ‘all AI is terrible’. Those people are starting to sound like those who used to say ‘all synthesisers are terrible, they're not real music,’ so it's definitely heading in the right direction.” The softening stance towards AI across the board is testament to the strides made by the likes of Savage, whose company was acquired by…

When the members of Gabriels think about their lives over the past year and a bit, their perceptions of time get a little bit skewed. It can't only be a matter of months since their show-stopping set at Glastonbury, can it? Did they really only write some of the songs that fevered crowds have been singing along to at sold-out headline gigs at the start of last year? And surely someone has been messing with the calendars if it's to be believed that their first ever gig was just over a year ago? Their diaries have not been deceiving them. It's a yes to all the above, and singer Jacob Lusk and multi-instrumentalists Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope have been at the centre of the whirlwind. “You don't realise how…

01 THE GREAT ESCAPE RAYE (FEAT. 070 SHAKE) Escapism (Human Re Sources) SALES: 217,868 As well as achieving her first ever No.1 in the weekly singles chart with Escapism (feat. 070 Shake), Raye tops the January chart, holding off a formidable challenge from Miley Cyrus in the process. Escapism reached the summit in the month's first frame, 12 weeks after it was released, six weeks after it debuted at No.31 and four weeks after its previous peak of No.2. The newly independent star's 19th hit laid the groundwork impressively for debut album My 21st Century Blues (out now), which should spawn more hits in due course. Escapism sold 217,868 copies last month and now has 449,459 sales to date. Escapism racked up almost 10 million streams across audio and video in…

Melanie C artist Few groups have influenced music like the Spice Girls, indeed the industry would be very different without their pioneering work. Here, Melanie C reflects on their ‘90s heyday, taking the solo plunge and talks reunions… I've had a complicated relationship with being Sporty Spice, but I still love it.. “People sometimes say, ‘Oh, which Spice Girl would you want to be if you weren't Sporty?’ and the answer is none of them – I want to be me! But there was a frustration with not being seen as anything other than that. I felt like I had so much more to give than what I'd given in the band. There was more to me. So with my first solo record [1999's Northern Star], I did get a…

@hollyyejones What made you choose the music industry as a career path? “I never set out with the intention to work in music, I originally wanted to pursue a career in psychology. But once I had my first taste of working in music I loved it and knew that I would be putting psychology on hold for a while. Music has always been really special to me, I grew up going to gigs and listening to Bob Dylan religiously, so I feel very lucky to be able to put my passion into practice professionally and hopefully make a positive impact along the way.” Can you tell us what Sound City means to you personally and what do you think it means to the music industry? “Sound City has been a…

Edward Adoo, DJ and Broadcaster, BBC Three Counties Radio TALEBA WAX – WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN I came across a new reggae track recently from Taleba Wax, who is CEO of the British Sound System Collective and daughter of soundsystem don and selecta Gladdy Wax. I heard it while listening to the brilliant Reggae Rock show hosted by Keith Lawrence on Mi-Soul Radio and it reminded me of what the essence of contemporary reggae music is all about. Taleba's voice is infectious and soulful, yet can rest comfortably on a reggae riddim. It took me back to hearing Diana King's Shy Guy. This song examines life when you have everything, but realise that it is really all about having basic things. I'm not sure whether it is a personal…

 FEBRUARY 14 DesireIWantTo Turn Into You Perpetual Novice TheResetMoonslice  FEBRUARY 17 AbingtonGrovePhotoFinish HowToReplaceItPIAS CutsBruisesPolydor TheFineArtOfSelf Destruction One Little Independent KeepUpTheGoodWork Bella Union OpticalDelusionLondon TrustfallRCA TheVivianLineCookingVinyl DominionDayOfDestiny Atlantic InhaleExhaleEarache GlowSecretlyCanadianEvilTwin FEBRUARY 24 HighDramaWarner ShookMatador HowToBeHumanTripel Vandals3Beat IslandsInTheSkySuicide Squeeze LittleLoveMine IPlayMyBassLoud Third Man LightingUpTheSkyBMG CrackerIslandParlophone GoodRiddanceInterscope Anno1696CenturyMedia NotThatInnocentBuriedAlive BadMagicSeriouslyBad Magic Silver Lining StrangeDanceBellaUnion FoodForWormsDeadOceans OnTheProwlSteelPanther DriveAtlantic  MARCH 3 ICanOnlyBeMe Blix Street HansZimmerLiveSony BenBendo AmeliaRCA EveryCloudMinistryOfSound/B1 UglyMethod ThePlaylistGifted BrothersSistersDomino FromNothingToALittle Bit More Island VoicesNotesBelieve MARCH 10 GodSaveTheStreetsMore Music/OddChild EndlessSummerVacationRCA PeripheryVDjentIs Not A Genre 3Dot TheConcertLiveat Nokia Theatre, NY) The All Blacks BV HauntedByTheHolyGhost Wicked Cool…

PARRIS OH (ARTIST PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER, TIKTOK) As TikTok's artist partnerships manager, Parris OH helps artists gain exposure on the platform, working with stars such as Dreya Mac, Cat Burns, ArrDee, Tion Wayne and Digga D. As well as heading up TikTok's #Rap discovery tag launch, in 2022 they were behind the first UK rap Live show, Oi TikTok, featuring artists like Potter Payper and Ms Banks. With nearly 15 years of experience, Parris OH has worked both independently and for major record labels, won Music Week's 2018 Rising Star Award and has been an integral part of global artist campaigns that represent, curate and nurture Black British talent. Here, they share their top tips for TikTok success… 1. Be authentic “Authenticity is key. Using TikTok as an artist doesn't mean…

Management: Duncan Ellis & Linda Maitland, Atlas Artists Label: Atlas Artists/Parlophone CEO: Tony Harlow (Warner Music UK) Co-presidents: Nick Burgess & Mark Mitchell General Manager: Jack Melhuish A&R: Duncan Ellis (Atlas Artists) Marketing: Anna Turunen & Anya Du Sauzay Digital Marketing: Thomas Jones, Connor Cockbain & Lizzie Berchie Publisher: Kobalt Agent: Summer Marshall (CAA) Print & Online Press: Jon Lawrence (Chalk Press Agency) Radio: Grace O'Neill TV: Natalie Nichols Creative Director: Jamie Parkhurst…

A New Year's Resolution for the live music industry: from January 1 2024, no show should take place in any major arena, stadium or festival where the ticket doesn't include a contribution to the grassroots circuit that supported the artist in building their career. We have 12 months to plan, let's make it a reality. At Music Venue Trust we've bounced straight into 2023 all guns blazing, determined to tackle the underlying challenges that our grassroots circuit has been facing for decades. The first part of that work started late last year when we hosted colleagues from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport at two of London's finest grassroots venues – Corsica Studios and The Lexington. Both have their own stories, but it's their current circumstances, the way…

01 HERO WORSHIP TAYLOR SWIFT Midnights (EMI) SALES: 39,124 Opening 2023 at No.1 for the first two weeks, Taylor Swift's Midnights is the biggest album for the fourth consecutive month. The LP registered a further 39,124 sales in January and its total now stands at 456,090. Streaming has powered its performance so far in 2023, with 28,969 sales from streams along with 9,419 physical copies and 736 downloads. Swift's closest rival was Sza's digital-only release SOS, another strong performer on DSPs with its 34,642 sales last month almost entirely from streams. Swift's single Anti-Hero was still riding high in January at No.4 overall with a further 136,416 sales. The track, which spent six weeks at No.1 last year, has total sales of 613,277. 06 HEY JUDE COURTEENERS St Jude (Polydor/UMR) SALES: 21,006…