In the music industry, labels often carry negative connotations. Horror stories about major labels forcing rebrands, encouraging petty social media campaigns, or demanding multiple albums within unrealistic timeframes have shaped a longstanding distrust between artists and labels.
We’ve seen it happen time and time again. The Jackson 5’s exploitive relationship with Motown Records is one of the most infamous examples. TLC, notoriously, had to chase Clive Davis down to ensure they were actually paid. More recently, Raye left Polydor Records in 2021 to go independent and create autonomy, a courageous decision that has since helped catapult her into a global superstar.
Despite these cautionary tales, a new generation of labels is proving that the relationship between artists and the industry can look different. One of those glimpses of hope comes from Saviour Music, an Essex-based label building its roster with captivating emerging artists from the alternative scene.
Co-owned by Angela Randall and James Curtis-Thomas, Saviour Music acts as a stepping stone for new artists, helping them define their identity, develop their branding, and build an audience.
“I always wanted to do this, but I never had the right partner who had the same ethos,” Thomas tells CONE about the origins of Saviour Music. “An opportunity came along, and I was happy to do this, but I needed Angela with me. It was non-negotiable.”
“We back the unheard, the unsigned and the overlooked.”
Since its founding in 2022, Saviour Music has helped propel the careers of several up-and-coming artists. The label’s roster includes rock trio Carpark, who have toured with The Libertines, and hip-hop, metal sensation Native James, who has been racking up attention in the heavy scene. With performances at major festivals such as The Alt Escape (The Great Escape), Download, Native James represents the kind of rising talent Saviour Music aims to support.
“We back the unheard, the unsigned and the overlooked,” is Saviour Music’s slogan, and for good reason. “We don’t just find the talent and see the vision. We also develop the artist. We don’t think enough labels are taking the time to develop the act,” says Thomas. Randall adds, “Rather than trying to find a perfectly packaged thing, we take the time to nurture it.”
They do so by offering their artists a wide range of support. While Randall and Thomas lead the label, they have built a network of trusted connections that allows Saviour Music to provide affordable recording space and production through their in-house studio, strategic release planning, social media curation, and more.
For Saviour Music, understanding exactly where an artist stands is non-negotiable. It helps determine where they can go next and what support will best lead them to bigger horizons.
“We have reasonable budgets, but they’re not major label budgets. We aren’t trying to compete with them,” says Randall. “We spend a lot of time using the term ‘rightsizing.’ It’s not to diminish a talent. It’s to say you’ll get to that stage, but you’ve got to earn it. Everyone jumping the queue right now is the one who fails. Because they get in too fast. If [the top] is your base, you can only go so far.”
Unlike other labels, Saviour Music operates strictly as a platform focused on the groundwork. Its entire ethos is to support artists, bands, and musicians from the ground up. The label aims to propel them towards the major labels and major releases once they’ve established their identity, which is incredibly hard to find in this industry.
That commitment to development extends beyond an artist’s first release. “We want the journey,” says Thomas. “The reason we have the option for a second [album] is because, if the first one goes really well, we’re already thinking about next steps. I think two is good, because if we can’t get a band to a point where they’re too good for us by record two, then we haven’t done our job properly. We’re totally happy for bands to outgrow us.”
“TikTok can be good, but it’s just a tool. Everything has to feed back to the music.”
Today, plenty of musicians are turning to social media in hopes of gaining traction. In many ways, it has become a useful tool. In 2024, AntsLive blew up on TikTok through the infectious and eye-catching visuals for his single, “Number One Candidate.” Myles Smith experienced a similar rise with his viral single “Stargazing.”
For Saviour Music, social media can only take an artist so far. “TikTok can be good, but it’s just a tool. Everything has to feed back to the music,” Thomas states. “You can have 50,000 streams on a song in the first week, but if you can’t get 100 people in two towns over to stand in a pub and listen to you play for 40 minutes, what are you worth?”
Randall continues, “[Your music] has to be built on longevity. Building real scenes, real fans. This is what the industry is lacking. [Artists] have to build a real audience. Tell your real story. Be about something. Make everything you do intentional.”
Ultimately, Saviour Music’s approach is about striking a balance between digital visibility and genuine connection. Turning online attention into real fans who will show up, engage, and support their artists beyond the numbers.
“We often hear that there aren’t enough people looking out for up-and-coming acts,” says Thomas. “If it’s not for places like Saviour [Music] coming along, getting acts that are ‘too small,’ they will disappear.”
Perfectly titled, Saviour Music really is going out of its way to support the next generation of talent. But championing emerging artists also means taking risks, and that journey isn’t always easy.
“In the same way, we have Music Venue Trust and others trying to support grassroots venues with funding. It’s great to see some of those organizations giving artists support and funding. But we can’t forget about the indie labels, which are a vital part of the ecosystem,” Randall explains.
Randall is right. The music industry has often been described as an ecosystem because it only works when every part feeds into the next. Whether it’s PRs liaising with journalists, artist managers touching base with booking agents, or labels coordinating with A&R scouts, each role plays a part in helping artists move forward.
“If we don’t have the support, the funding, the press to help [artists] get to the next level, it drops off the cliff there.”
Supporting independent talent doesn’t start and stop at the artists. It also includes the companies going out of their way to platform them. Saviour Music is an exciting new label championing alternative musicians and guiding them toward success.