(AllHipHop News) Olivier Nusse (Universal Music Group) and Piriye Isokrari (The Aristokrat Group) are about to make a big splash with their new venture.
The two executives have announced a partnership between Aristokrat Group and Universal Music Group to discover the hottest developing acts out of Africa.
Fueled by the success of artists like Burna Boy and so many popular Afro Beat artists, the new deal hopes to expose the giftedness of the continent to a larger global audience.
“This is an exciting time for African musicians, producers, and companies such as ours,” says Isokrari, The Aristokrat Group’s Founder and CEO.
He continued: “Over the last decade, we’ve been at the forefront of cultivating this sound and building sustainable structures locally and we are happy to be able to bring our music and culture to the global market through this partnership with the Universal Music Group.”
“I am very proud that Aristokrat Group has chosen Universal Music France as its strategic partner to reach a global audience,” Nusse says Universal Music France’s CEO.
First stop for the label? Nigeria.
The first recording artists signed to the label are Kel P and Jujuboy Star.
Kel P is a highly respected Nigerian producer, who worked with Burna Boy on his Grammy-nominated album African Giant. He recently worked with Wizkid on his Starboy, The Soundman Vol 1 EP. Jujuboy Star, on the other hand, is a promising Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer.
Aristokrat will also be releasing Tneeya, a Cameroonian singer and songwriter, that is special in her own right — and so talented that the people are calling for her to drop like NOW.
The roster will be signed and distributed in partnership with Caroline France, a Universal Music France label.
“Aristokrat is one of the most important voices in Africa right now. The quality of their A&R, their artistic and creative vision and
entrepreneurship is both unique and progressive,” Bertil David, MD, Universal Music Publishing France, said. “We are very proud at UMPG to be able to partner with Aristokrat to help them achieve the global presence they deserve.”
Aristokrat represents the spirit and the sound of New Afrika, with more than a decade of experience in developing young African talent.
This strategic partnership consists of both a label deal, as well as a publishing deal through Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).
The hope is that through this collaboration, they will further discover and develop African songwriters, artists, and producers globally, and to maximize creative and collaborative opportunities for its talent worldwide.
The first publishing signings are Kel P, Jujuboy Star, and Saszy Afroshii, a fast-rising female producer from Lagos.
