Atlantic has struck a joint-venture with the new label Vnclm_, a label formed last year by artist managers Jorge Hernandez of IAT Artist Management (Will Jay), Mike Kosak of NBD Management (Royal & the Serpent), and Tim Jones of Pipe & Hat (Faouzia). The Los Angeles-based label’s first release through the arrangement is singer-songwriter Arden Jones; other artists on the roster include Flyana Boss, Efflo, Viisi, and Flawed Mangoes. (Pictured above, L-R: Jones, Hernandez, Kosak.)
The team discovered Jones on TikTok in December, signed him in January and had his demo completed in two weeks; not long after, he was featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday. He followed his first two singles, “Parallel Parking” and “Roll the Dice,” with “Rollercoaster” last week.
The label’s name, however, derives from a mathematical term: A vinculum is a horizontal line that indicates everything below as part of one group, and Vnclm_ represents “the union of three individual thinkers, proven marketers, and prolific music industry executives whose paths have converged under a shared vision,” according to their official bio.
“We start at ground zero,” says Kosak. “We find acts at the earliest stage possible during the demo phase, put skin in the game, develop them, integrate them into our network, and break the final product.”
“We’ve worked with influencers, singers, songwriters, producers and artists,” adds Jones. “So, we can speak all of these languages and wear various different hats in order to deliver for our acts.”
“We’re willing to roll up our sleeves,” agrees Hernandez. “We have writers and producers in-house, so we can facilitate organic collaborations. It’s about elevating everyone together in unison.”
Atlantic Records‘ chairman/CEO Craig Kallman and chairman/COO Julie Greenwald said, “By uniting three great talent-spotters under one roof, vnclm_ promises to be a fantastic incubator for emerging artists. Jorge, Mike, and Tim have an uncompromising vision, incredible energy, and a true commitment to finding, developing, and breaking original voices. We’re excited about all the amazing music they’ll be bringing into the Atlantic family.”
Atlantic A&R president Pete Ganbarg added, “We’re always looking to expand our relationship with great partners. Getting to know Mike through Royal & The Serpent and Tim through Faouzia has given us the opportunity to really appreciate how good they are at what they do. And Jorge’s work with his clients has been something we’ve been impressed by from afar. The opportunity to get to work with all three now on vnclm_ is very exciting. And Arden is someone we’re all very eager to get to work with.”
