PARLOPHONE MAPS OUT A JV

Warner Music U.K.'s Parlophone Records and management company/label Atlas Artists have signed a joint venture.

The deal will see Atlas acts, including KAM-BU, New Familiar and Rachel Chinouriri, access marketing and distribution services through Parlophone. Atlas Artists, founded in 2014 by Duncan Ellis (right), who runs it with partner Ben Smallwood, will continue to handle A&R responsibilities for its acts.

“Atlas has a proven ability to identify and develop unique and fascinating talent,” read a joint statement by Mark Mitchell and Nick Burgess, co-presidents of Parlophone. “Duncan and Ben’s outlook and company culture is very similar to ours and that was important to us.”

Ellis ran Scruffy Bird Mgmt for 13 years prior to starting Atlas, looking after the likes of Foals, Everything Everything, Lianne La Havas and Kodaline. The Atlas Artists roster today includes 2020 BRIT Rising Star award winner Celeste.

Atlas is the latest company to enter the Parlophone fold, following deals with Disturbing London, GRM Daily and Elektra Records. Added Ellis and Smallwood via their own joint statement: “Parlophone feels like a natural and perfect partner for us. We’re incredibly proud of the company we’ve built so far. By tapping into Parlophone’s expertise and global footprint, the potential for our artists is limitless.”