Universal, EMI Australia Forge Label Deal With One Day Recordings: EXCLUSIVE

Universal Music Australia formalises its alliance with One Day Entertainment, an arrangement both parties insist will beef-up the music major’s roster of homegrown talent.

Through the deal, exclusively announced by The Music Network, One Day Recordings works closely with UMA label EMI Music Australia on artist development -- with the ambition to expose more homegrown talent here and abroad.

Launched in 2013 as an artist collective combining Horrorshow, Spit Syndicate, Joyride and Jackie Onassis, One Day initially operated as an events specialist.

In 2019, a pivot into artist and producer management, led by co-founders Nick Lupi and Adit Gauchan. The company currently manages ARIA-winning, Grammy Award-
nominated producer 18YOMAN, and ONEFOUR, winners at this month’s 2024 APRA Music Awards, plus Chillinit and tiffi.

Lupi and Gauchan have served as A&R consultants with UMG over recent years. EMI managing director Mark Holland has seen first-hand “their drive, tenacity, and hunger to succeed in the music business first-hand and am keen to help find and nurture the future generation of musicians alongside them.”

Comments Adit, “our goals and approach have always been the same - to help artists build long-term, meaningful careers, and the EMI Australia team is world-class with a proven track record in breaking artists”. So, he adds, “we are thrilled about partnering with this talented group to bring a new generation of Australian artists to the forefront.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 16: (L-R) Spenny, Celly and Lekks of ONEFOUR attend the world premiere screening of "ONEFOUR: Against All Odds" at SXSW Sydney on October 16, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney)

The partnership, say reps at UMA, forms a key part of the music giant’s strategy to discover, develop and break Australian artists here and abroad.

“We have always invested significantly in developing Australian artists and supporting the local music community, with over 90% of our local staff directly, or indirectly, supporting Australian music and Australian artists,” comments Sean Warner, president, and CEO of UMA.

The team at One Day, “combined with our team at EMI Australia,” he continues, “will bring something unique and fresh to the domestic music ecosystem.”

The strategic agreement comes at a time when Australian artists are struggling to impact the domestic ARIA Charts, an issue senior managers have raised with the recent announcement of Michael’s Rule, a campaign that urges concert promoters to support and market local talent on every major tour of these parts.