Warner Music launches record label for emerging markets

The label will be headed by Warner Music’s head of marketing for emerging markets, Selina Chowdhury, partnering with Warner Music’s established affiliates in those markets with support from Atlantic Records in the US and Parlophone in the UK.

“I’m incredibly passionate about this initiative,” Chowdhury said. “There’s so much unique and inspired international music that often doesn’t have a global platform. We hope that OUT OF ORDER will take music fans on an adventure and introduce them to sounds and artists they might not otherwise have had the chance to hear.”

As part of the initiative, OUT OF ORDER will release a series of albums featuring 10 original, unreleased, dance-leaning records from local emerging, developing and established artists, starting with OOO: AFRO, which features a mix of Afrobeats, amapiano and house tracks from the likes of Da Capo, Makhadzi, Moelogo, Oscar Mbo, P-Priime and Rouge.

The project arrives in partnership with Warner Music Africa. OUT OF ORDER says the LP is “a diverse collection of sounds in no particular order.” The album’s artwork was created by rising Ghanaian designer Nyahan Tachie-Menson and aims to reflect the signature energy the African music scene has become globally known for.

Warner Music Africa creative lead Garth Brown said: “Africa is a continent rich with various sounds, which have for the longest time influenced popular culture, but is only now being spotlighted for its contributions. This album showcases some of the music from across the continent. It’s an opportunity to give the world a peek at what Africa sounds like.”

Tachie-Menson said: “There’s so much going on with the music emerging from individuals on the continent; something we can all relate to is the vibrancy of the music, and that’s what I captured here.”

The next album in the series will be in partnership with Warner Music India early next year.

Alongside the album releases, the label will run a weekly online radio show, featuring 60-minute DJ mixes, each inspired by a track from one of the albums. The mixes will air live on Audiomack, SoundCloud and YouTube.