Made to Reflect: On building a record label with taste over trend, heart over hype.
In November 2018, Per Mygland and I quietly launched made records, a label built on belief in artist development and the conviction that there’s still power in nurturing something slowly, intentionally, and with heart. We were quietly confident.
We spent the first year shaping what made records could be. Then came nine intense months of recording. We had a real sense of momentum. Just as we began to hit our stride, COVID threw everything into chaos. A development label built around emerging artists and modest fanbases isn’t exactly pandemic-proof, but we adapted. We signed new talent, revisited our deals, and released lots of music during that time.
Over the past two years, I’ve been deep in Vierlive land, and hadn’t properly paused to take stock. But recently, while diving back into our catalogue for some new distribution and new artist signing conversations, I was reminded just how much we’ve done and how proud I am of all of it.
We’re gearing up for a busy summer of new releases (which we have been sitting on for longer than we wanted). It's some of our most exciting work yet.
I’ve just updated the Made Records catalogue playlist, and I’d really love for you to take a listen. They’re the product of years of collaboration across different countries, time zones, and systems made possible by the artists we work with, and by people like Melanie Gollin who kept us grounded, aligned, and on course from the very beginning.
Some special thank yous to the artists who’ve shaped this journey and taught me so much:
Christy, who ended up singing my wife down the aisle
Greta Isaac, who went on to launch Fizz
Rahm, whose record remains one of my top five albums ever
Alexia Evellyn, who brings full intensity to everything she touches
Thea Wang, now singing in Aurora’s band
Jenny Plant, who came through illness with extraordinary resilience
Girl Scout, writing some of the best indie pop songs out there
Moyka and Iris, each building visionary sonic worlds
Etaoin, who took what she learned and launched Manic Pixie Records
Vaarin, whose music continues to mature like fine wine
We’ve said from day one: We don’t have a style. We have taste. That’s still our A&R north star.
I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve made so far and even more excited for what’s coming next. Onwards.
When it doesn’t connect: Danny's reflection on art, accountability, and (doing your very best) to get it right…
A&R people often get asked, “What is it you are looking for?” And honestly, it’s a hard one to answer. There are so many variables.Sound, timing, narrative, data, affirmation from peers, mood that day... But in truth? It usually starts with a feeling. An emotional response. A moment of connection. And from that point on, it’s about conviction and building belief both internally and externally. It’s about the desire to make it work, whatever it takes.
I live for that magic moment. That first listen when a lyric hits a little too close to home, when the production swells in just the right way, when a harmony makes your hair stand on end. A surprise. A moment of vulnerability. Or strength. Or clarity. That’s when we know. That’s when we feel we have something to work with. A sense that others might just feel the same way.
That feeling is everything.
In 2022, I heard a track that gave me that buzz. It was poetic, raw, and haunting in the best way. Easily one of the most beautiful/personal songs I’ve ever had the privilege to work on. I remember posting about hearing this song for the first time on Twitter(???) before it was even signed, thinking, ‘this will date well’… We released it via our Made Records singles label ‘Made Arcade’ pretty much in demo form. I was sure it would find its tribe.
It didn’t.
Today, it sits with just over 3,000 streams on Spotify (300 of them probably me).That stings. Not because of the numbers, but because I feel like I let the artist down. Did I overpromise? Did we underdeliver? In truth... that’s a resounding yes to both.
The song still makes me shed a tear. Even now, when it comes on, I set it to repeat. It has that same pull. It deserves more. The writer deserves more.
Here’s the thing: as A&Rs, it’s not enough to believe in the music. It’s our job to deliver. To make sure the work finds its champions, securing it a special place in the world. When it doesn’t connect, the accountability rests with us. Well, that’s how I feel when it doesn’t quite go to plan.
I’ve obviously been lucky to be on the other side of it with several records. Alignment, timing, and the big machine kicking in when required. Telling the right story. Capturing the essence of what made a song special and building around it. That’s what it looks like when it works.
But the truth is, it’s never been more competitive. There’s more music than ever, more noise, more pressure to break through instantly. And I just wish there was more space for songs to have a second, third, fourth chance. It does happen. Just not THAT often.
We should be creating room for that kind of growth. For art to live past its release week. Because I still believe in that 3,000-stream song. I still believe in the artist who made it.
In my opinion, A&R isn’t about taste. It’s about care. That should mean standing by an artist and/or song. Because, while being an A&R is far from the life-or-death pressure of being a heart surgeon… When it doesn’t work. When you let an artist down. it still hurts the heart. Deeply.
One in a Billion
AURORA is in the billion club!
My old boss, mentor, and Decca Records president Tom Lewis sent me this wonderful screenshot before it landed on socials yesterday. A classy touch. I’m currently in bed with the flu. Being unwell gives you a moment to slow down and reflect. I felt compelled to share some early Aurora-related memories. There is probably no better forum for such a thing, right? I’m not a deep-thinking industry strategist, so please be gentle with me, LinkedIn.
Being brutally honest, my career in A&R never quite followed the route I thought it would. COVID, complications around the birth of my son, personal health issues, and complex family challenges meant that at 30, I suddenly had a life that was not conducive to major label A&R. Not to do the job justice, anyway…
Signing Aurora.
I managed to secure Jørgen Sælensminde Avsnes a work experience opportunity in sales at Decca. He visited my desk every day for three weeks, updating me on the Aurora story unfolding in Norwegian cities. She was selling out shows, with crowds outside eager to get in, outnumbering those inside. Truth be told, I wasn’t taking Jørgen’s tip seriously. Thankfully, Jørgen is extremely persistent.
Aurora was given a last-minute TV slot in Norway on NRK. I watched and listened, transfixed, unable to look away. To say it was action stations after seeing that performance is an understatement.
It was competitive and, in all honesty, Decca probably wasn’t the favourite to seal the deal. My first meeting with Aurora was intense, honest, and so, so pure. As she left, she told me that she felt comfortable around us. She saw good colours in my aura. Blue, in case you were wondering… I was in awe of the way Aurora presented herself at such a young age. I was lost in her words, and her ‘in-office performance’ was up there with anything I had seen before. Little did I know, we had only just seen the tip of the iceberg.
I was inexperienced as a ‘dealmaker’ and thankfully Dickon Stainer and Tom Lewis went over to Bergen one final time to work some magic. The negotiation was slick. Per M. , Paul Spraggon , Tom Lewis, Noorjhan Green and I hashed out deal terms in a single afternoon. We finally signed Aurora pre-daytime show on a sunny afternoon in Berlin. It takes a village to get an artist to the level of international success Aurora has had. When considering the churn we see within labels, publishers, and externals, there are probably thousands of people who will have now played a part in her journey. That wasn’t always the case. The team was tiny at the beginning. I was arranging writing sessions, organising photoshoots, writing bios, and I even ran the PR campaign for the first major single, ‘Under Stars’ myself. It turned out the blogosphere was ready for Aurora, and the reviews came in thick and fast. We were off. The internal sell was one of the most exciting things about this project. One by one, the team began to realise what we had on our hands. Three interested parties led to ten, which led to thirty, which led to champions popping up across all departments in multiple territories. Aurora performed at an internal Universal conference in front of all the frontline Universal labels and came away as the winner. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Runaway came very early on. I was worried it was coming too early. That we hadn’t set the right foundations. We have often seen great songs fall by the wayside without getting the recognition they deserve. Aurora knew this record was timeless. She wrote it when she was 11, so she had already lived with it and refined it for many years. What tipped it for me? I had a sneaky suspicion she had it in her to write and record many songs to this level of quality.
At this juncture, it’s very important to mention Ed Poston . Ed signed Aurora to Glassnote in conjunction with the Decca deal. We A&R’d the first record together. Our styles could not have been more different. Ed, forensic in the mix, using his bat ears to pull out that extra 5%. Me, more gut-driven, placing trust in the people in the studio. It took us a hot minute to find a way of working together. Once we did, it was incredible. Ed has become a great friend and counsel whom I lean on for advice to this day.
The music video budget was peanuts, but Brighton-based director Kenny McCracken managed to box up some magic. That video is at 681 million and counting. Katy Perry was an early fan and Billie Eilish has stated many times that video is the sole reason she became an artist.
Runaway has taken on its own life since I moved off the project, and that’s testament to the amazing work the staff across the labels have continued to do. Sam Mumford took over the A&R baton from me, and it’s been a joy to watch him work with the same level of dedication and energy.
A few final thoughts.
*It’s possible to learn on the job when you are in safe hands. Aurora had the wheel. I was doing my theory in the passenger seat.
*Momentum on a project is gold. Fuel it!
* Every artist's journey is different. The one-size-fits-all approach does not work.
*Take strength and motivation from the negative Nellies. There were many doubters at the beginning. Radio and TV were challenging in the UK.
*Don’t try and A&R a record for the entire population on single one. Identify the tribe, serve them, and let them spread the word.
*Aurora was my first signing, so I didn’t have a roster to juggle. I spent around 50 hours a week on the project for nine months straight. The point is: Make that first big move count, because that kind of time investment is a rare opportunity.
I can often be found in the crowd at Aurora shows. I have always felt a bit like David Brent returning to the paper merchants in Slough years later with his dog Nelson. It’s a strange, overwhelming feeling, but the main feeling is pride.
I bumped into Aurora for the first time at Universal HQ just ahead of her iconic Royal Albert Hall performance last year. Very few words were exchanged. We hugged in silence, she saluted me as she does, and we went our separate ways.
I remember watching Aurora perform at a festival near Ålesund. I stood next to her dad, Jan. He turned to me mid-set and said,
‘You and the team won’t mess this up, will you, Danny?’
I wish I had replied, ‘Impossible when you are working with one in a billion.’