Young Poet Records Announce Funding Success
10 November 2020 - Press releaseFounders Hugh Worskett & Will Frank ‘Full of Confidence’ for 2021
Guy Garvey, Jamie Hartman & Tom Firth Join Advisory Group
Young Poet Records, the independent label launched by acclaimed producer & songwriter Hugh Worskett and A&R veteran Will Frank, has announced the completion of the first phase of its new fundraising round.
The London based label focuses on building long-term artist careers and counts Emma McGrath, Carmody, WOOZE and Conor Albert among its roster.
Following a successful period of artist development and commercial success since its formation in 2018, Young Poet Records has attracted significant funding from a diverse range of investors since lockdown began under the government supported SEIS and EIS Schemes and is looking to complete phase two of its fundraising strategy by the beginning of 2021.
Young Poet Records, which has its own recording studio at The Dairy in Brixton, aims to attract more established artists to the label now that enhanced infrastructure and resources are in place, providing an A&R led approach alongside activating innovative marketing and promotional opportunities. By focusing on long-term strategies, the label is able to take a partnership approach to artist careers and this new investment will allow them to sign, develop and market artists to a global audience.
This investment also coincides with the formation of a new advisory group for the label. Guy Garvey (lead singer of Elbow and BBC 6 Music Presenter), celebrated songwriter (and recent Ivor Novello Award recipient) Jamie Hartman and Managing Director of advertising powerhouse M&C Saatchi Tom Firth have been confirmed as members of the new advisory group, lending their insights and diverse range of experience to help broaden the way of thinking for both the label and its artists.
Hugh Worskett and Will Frank collectively have three decades of experience in record production, songwriting, artist development, A&R and management between them. Hugh has 250,000,000+ streams and a No.1 and Top 5 album to his name as a writer/producer having developed, produced and written for artists across a broad range of genres including Michael Kiwanuka, dodie, Birdy, Jamie N Commons and Crystal Fighters. Will started his career at Simon Fuller’s 19 Entertainment where he became Head of A&R in the UK as well as managing award winning songwriter Cathy Dennis for the company, before moving to Universal Music Publishing UK as an A&R Consultant. His work has contributed to over 1 billion + streams, 30,000,000 + physical album sales and 5 No.1 singles in the UK and U.S. via artists such as Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Mark Ronson, David Guetta, Gorillaz, Massive Attack, Mark Foster (Foster The People) and P!nk among others.
Hugh Worskett said, “Will and I have been building the foundations of Young Poet Records organically since 2018 and have a very clear vision of the kind of artist-centric label we want to develop, supporting artists with singular voices and identities who have the potential to stand out in a crowded market. To have secured significant investment during these difficult times and to have investors who share our vision and enthusiasm for the label and our artists is hugely affirming. I’m confident that 2021 will be a great year for not only us but for independent music in general.”
Will Frank said, “This investment will allow Young Poet to continue to provide a pathway to long-term careers for our artists alongside a global approach to finding and engaging with new audiences. Our newly formed advisory group of Guy, Jamie and Tom will offer a prism through which we intend to seek out and harness a broad spectrum of opportunities, taking a progressive approach to the development of the label and the artists signed to it.”
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