LILY ALLEN LAUNCHES BANK HOLIDAY RECORDS

Today is a bank holiday in Blighty, and the perfect occasion for the launch of Lily Allen’s new label under Warner U.K., named, quite aptly, Bank Holiday Records. It's her second foray into A&R; details are sparse at the moment, but here’s what we know so far.

Tastemaker Theo Motive is running the show, and Bristol-born garage artist Conducta is a signee, as are London producer/DJ JD. Reid and female singer Celeste Waite. Evidence on Instagram suggests MC Bossman Birdie, DJ Faze Miyake and grime artist AJ Tracey are also involved.

It's not the first time Allen has dabbled in the label scene after launching In the Name Of under Sony U.K. in 2011, signing Tom Odell and Cults. But the label was short-lived, folding in 2014. During those three years, Allen, who's signed to Miles Leonard's Parlophone imprint, has moved to Warner from EMI as a recording artist after Universal's acquisition of the former in 2012, and Warner's subsequent purchase of Parlophone (a divestment of EMI that was required by EU regulators).

Allen joins a number of other WMG U.K. artists given their own label by boss Max Lousada—namely Ed Sheeran (Gingerbread Man Records), Rudimental (Major Toms) and Charli XCX (Vroom Vroom Recordings). UMG artist Ellie Goulding is another name rumoured to be joining that list after management First Access Entertainment switched its distribution deal to Warner from Universal. 

Is Lousada gunning for a headline-grabbing marketing move to boost his developing artists, or putting his money behind a serious A&R venture? You’ll know when we do.