Tyler Brown and Harold Serero have announced the launch of Heatwave Records, a new label focusing on signing artists from emerging markets.
Brown is the former MD of Syco Music. Serero recently held a senior A&R role at Ultra Music Publishing and the Payday Record label.
Based in London, Heatwave Records, which describes itself as “a borderless label focused on connecting the dots for music worldwide, nurturing a global audience for our artists and having global hits”, has hired Andrew Birchall in an A&R role. It plans to build a creative presence in several key territories around the world before the end of the year.
Since its launch earlier this month, Heatwave Records has already seen success with Nigerian artist Fido’s track Awolowo, which has reached the summit on multiple streaming charts in Nigeria.
The label has also announced the signings of Ivory Coast artist Døpelym, whose track Guala went Top 40 on Shazam in France, and Firstklaz from Nigeria, whose track Gen-Z Area went top 20 on the viral chart in Nigeria and to No.1 on Deezer Nigeria.
Co-founder of Heatwave Records Harold Serero said: “After one listen, we knew Fido’s track Awolowo, which celebrates the former leader of the Nigerian independence movement, was a special one. It has since been taken up as an anthem for young people all across Africa as a call for freedom and a celebration of the good life. We’re thrilled that our first signing is such an incredible artist and an iconic song, which continues to gather global momentum.”
Music from around the world has never been so exciting
Tyler Brown
He added: “Countries like Nigeria, South Africa and India have some of the most vibrant and ambitious music communities in the world. At any given moment there are hundreds if not thousands of artists competing for a place at the top. The songs, the melodies, the engagement of the music community - it's unmatched. The artists we are talking to each day are so ambitious and are pushing the boundaries of creativity in new ways. Heatwave is a celebration of the simple fact that any artist from any country can rise to the top.”
Heatwave Records has also teamed with Too Lost, a music and technology company that provides software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for independent music rights-holders. Their distribution and publishing services deliver, monetise and protect songs across the globe for musicians, record labels, studios, brands, investors, and platforms.
Gregory Hirschhorn, CEO of Too Lost, said: "Too Lost is proud to work with Heatwave as their exclusive distribution partner. Their proven track record as hitmakers give us full faith and confidence in their ability to continue to identify and highlight impactful global music and we look forward to our continued success together.”
Tyler Brown, co-founder of Heatwave Records, said: “I’ve only ever been interested in working within the global music industry and music from around the world has never been so exciting! Heatwave was an idea generated from our love of this music and it’s a luxury and an honour to have the ability to discover the next global superstars through this new venture. We’ve got off to a fantastic start but it’s just the beginning and the partnership with Too Lost feels like a powerful one already. I wanted to work with Harold from the first time I met him, in my opinion he’s one of the best young A&R executives in the game, I’m sure he wouldn’t disagree with that.”
PHOTO: (L-R) Harold Serero and Tyler Brown
FOLLOW 
