After helping to fire the UK rap boom at BBC Radio 1Xtra, Spotify and Apple Music, Austin Daboh moved to Atlantic in 2020. We talk to the EVP about new trends, hip-hop and deal making…
INTERVIEW: Ben Homewood PHOTO: Ashley Verse
There’s so much more available to labels now that goes beyond the traditional ways of putting records out. How do you plan to harness that at Atlantic?
“As far as I’m concerned, nothing is off the table in terms of ripping up the rule book, starting with a blank sheet of paper and asking, ‘What’s the best way to experiment in 2023?’ I think AI is going to be really transformative to our industry. It already is being used, anyone who’s making music using technology is already in some way shape or form benefitting from AI. But we’ve seen with ChatGPT and creative AI platforms like Midjourney that there’s a real transformation that’s going to take place. For me, that’s what’s exciting. Is it scary at the same time? I wouldn’t use the word scary, although I know some people are. If you look at the way that young genres in particular use technology, acts or producers in the dance space or people in Black music, they tend to be the first to take technology, bastardise it, rip it apart and make it work for them. I’m excited to see how those two groups in particular use AI to their advantage.”
Where do you see UK dance music going next?
“If you look at what’s going on in the underground scenes, that’s where our next set of stars are going to be born. The successful dance records that have come through in the last year have been driven by social media platforms, now I think we might see a reset back to a time where stars emerge from when people hear a record for the first time in a club setting, in a live environment of some kind – and that might have an element of being online as well. We’re seeing it at Atlantic, there are a couple of really interesting acts that we’re talking to that aren’t signed yet and we’re excited about what the year holds for dance music.”
Similarly, as someone who is close to the heart of UK rap, what’s on the horizon there?
“Last year, in UK rap, the average speed of records went down by about 10 BPM. It went from an average of 138 BPM down to about 125 or 126. Looking at breaking artists like Clavish, Atlantic’s very own Kawali, K-Trap and Youngs Teflon, I would argue that slower tempo street rap is back. Drill, just like grime, will continue to dominate the ears of young people, but I definitely think that the slower tempo street rap that was popularised by artists like Giggs is making a comeback.”
What part will Atlantic play in the next phase of UK rap?
“We’ve got some really exciting hip-hop coming down the tracks. We’ve got new Tion Wayne music, he’ll have a mixtape out this summer, new Kojey Radical… One thing I’m always keen to stress is that Atlantic tries to see the whole picture when it comes to hip-hop. It’s also about satisfying younger fans, those from the regions with artists like MKay, he’s a grade eight pianist, but he also makes drill and is from Canvey Island. We’re trying to give people a different flavour.”
Lastly, having worked across radio and DSPs, why do you feel Atlantic is the best place for you now?
“I’ve been enthused by how supportive Max Lousada, Tony Harlow and, of course, Ed and Briony have been in us pulling together a Black music team. Every single week, Atlantic’s fighting for a high chart position, or talking about breaking a streaming record. No one has the same passion for artistry as Atlantic. We also have a head of data and analytics and that’s a move other labels are emulating. We’re doing things that no one else is, also, we’re trying to be competitive in the way we do deals. The ways in which the industry used to put contracts in front of people didn’t always make sense business-wise, creatively and certainly financially. We’re trying to work out how we can reassess our deals so they fit the new ways in which artists want to work with majors and make sense for both sides.”
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