Sonny Fodera has scored his second Top 10 single in less than 12 months.
It’s an impressive chart result for any artist but even more so for the Australian-born DJ and producer, who self-releases music through his Solotoko label.
Solotoko partners with ADA on distribution, while the label services team at Palm Projects oversee the releases for Fodera, who’s also their management client.
Following a No.7 result in October 2023 with Asking (a collaboration with MK and featuring Clementine Douglas), Fodera has returned to the Top 10 with Somedays. The track, a collaboration with fellow dance stars Jazzy and D.O.D, has peaked at No.10 (131,751 sales to date). Consumption was up 12.5% week-on-week in the latest midweeks.
Asking is now on 839,087 chart units in the UK, according to the Official Charts Company. The track is his biggest in terms of global consumption (165 million streams), followed by Turn Back Time (125m) and One Night (105m).
Across his catalogue, Sonny Fodera is now on 1.6 billion streams across all platforms, with 1.1 billion of that on Spotify. He has 250 million views on his YouTube channel.
The chart result comes ahead of two sold-out nights at The Warehouse Project at the Depot in Manchester this weekend (September 20-21), following a packed show at London’s Alexandra Palace in March. Two shows at 3Arena in Dublin next month have sold out.
Here, Greg Burnell, MD, Palm Artists and partner at Three Six Zero, and Simon Bensoussan, Palm Projects label manager, share insights on the Top 10 success and booming live business for Sonny Fodera…
Sonny Fodera has scored a second Top 10 single on his own Solotoko label, how has he achieved this as an independent self-releasing artist?
Greg Burnell: “Sonny had real momentum following his previous Top 10 single, Asking, and follow-up Mind Still, which we released using the same distribution method. He went straight back into the studio with [co-writer and backing vocalist] Clem Douglas, alongside Jazzy and managed to capture an equally infectious song to follow up on last summer’s Asking campaign. We have utilised the audience created by those campaigns and direct-to-fan marketing methods to generate a larger reach this time, with better insight and focused spend.
“Live moments have been at the core of the campaign once again, alongside greater pre-release awareness, which resulted in a much more explosive launch. Sonny’s 16-week residency at Amnesia in Ibiza, plus major festival moments at Reading & Leeds, really helped create memorable summer experiences soundtracked by the song, which we then amplified on socials and paid media. We then worked with a team of the best promo partners and commercial reps at ADA and alongside their expertise, we’ve managed to build another meaningful piece of copyright for Sonny on his own label. Listen Up and Plug & Play have run a phenomenal radio campaign, which has already far surpassed the Asking airplay peak – it’s currently No.20 UK airplay.”
The singles chart this year has been dominated by US superstars, how does a DJ like Sonny compete with major label acts?
Simon Bensoussan: “Over the years, Sonny has maintained a close connection with his fanbase, and their response to his music has always been powerful. In this particular case, the fans and the broader audience responded exceptionally well to the track in the first few weeks. Its captivating top-line and a strong melody positioned it well for commercial success and, coupled with selling arena level shows in the UK, his engaged ticket buying audience has allowed him to compete with major and international acts. Sonny also spent six months road-testing the track, playing it weekly and building demand. He opened his sold-out Alexandra Palace show with this track in March and once we saw the crowd's reaction, we knew it had something special.”
Is this self-releasing model suited to dance music in particular? As his management, how do you support him as an artist in control of his recordings?
GB: “From our perspective, this model can be highly effective across various genres. Independent artists such as Central Cee, Keinemusik and, more recently, Gigi Perez have demonstrated great success with the self-releasing approach. Part of what sets this model apart is its flexibility, allowing us to swiftly react to emerging trends and pivot when needed. In an industry which evolves so rapidly, this is critical for maximising performance and achieving long-term success in the self-release space.
“We’re committed to ensuring our artists keep control of their masters wherever possible. Owning their recordings is vital to their long-term business development both creatively and financially. It allows them to retain the true value of their work while we experience new peaks in the value of copyright. It also gives them a much more substantial income from recordings in general versus traditional royalty rates, taking pressure off of the need to constantly tour to drive revenue.“
How do you work with ADA on the label, what do they bring to the partnership?
SB: “ADA has been an outstanding partner over the past four years, working alongside us through the labels we manage at Palm Projects. Their expertise has been instrumental in shaping Sonny Fodera's campaigns. From his Wide Awake album to the release of Somedays, ADA's support in commercial pitching, analytics and campaign strategy has been invaluable throughout our journey.
“Their international reach, with teams engaged across Europe, Australia and the US, has been crucial in building Sonny’s presence on a global scale. The fact that we've secured another Top 10 hit within 12 months speaks to the strength of our collaboration. A huge thanks to Howard [Corner], Nick, Jordan, Priya, Alice, Sophie and everyone at ADA who has contributed to this success!”
Owning their recordings is vital to artists’ long-term business development both creatively and financially
Greg Burnell
Somedays is still increasing consumption, where can it go from here?
GB: “We're excited to see it continue to build as the track now takes on a life of its own with UGC [user-generated content] growing at a rapid rate. Sonny’s upcoming headline dates across the UK and Ireland will become further tent pole moments, alongside deeper dives into creator content, which is being spearheaded in our office using the co:brand platform.”
What are the expectations for his Warehouse Project performance this weekend?
SB: “Returning to The Depot at The Warehouse Project in Manchester this weekend is a huge buzz. This time Sonny sold out two nights – 16,000 tickets – with massive demand around the on-sale in June so we are expecting an electric atmosphere. Last year's show was a highlight so the double this weekend is set to be very memorable. With a special guest appearance from Jazzy to PA Somedays, this should create another core memory with the track among some of Sonny’s biggest fans in the North of England.”
How strong is his live business? How is he building internationally with US shows later this year?
GB: “Sonny sold out Alexandra Palace in London earlier this year – 10,000 tickets – and sold out two nights at the 3Arena in Dublin in a matter of minutes, another 15,000 tickets. The Warehouse Project dates, plus Cardiff and Glasgow next month, will complete the UK touring for 2025, with plans for a larger scale UK-wide tour in 2025.
“His Ibiza weekly residency at Amnesia each Monday for 16 weeks, alongside Danny Howard, hosts special guests including Sammy Virji, Interplanetary Criminal, Jazzy, Arielle Free and many more. Sonny will complete his next USA tour in spring of 2025, returning to each major market following sold-out shows at The Brooklyn Mirage and Shine in LA. Australasia, Middle East and European shows are locked in for the next 12 months, building on the consumption of the last few singles and media support in territories including Australia, Benelux and Germany, Switzerland and Austria.”
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