EXCLUSIVE: Universal Launches Caroline Label Services Arm

Universal Music Australia have officially launched their new Caroline Label Services division today, theMusic.com.au can reveal, with Tim Janes the General Manager of Caroline Australia.

A Facebook page was launched over the weekend, with staff notified of details for the new division this afternoon. Alongside Melbourne-based Janes, George Dalziel has been named the Label Manager and also based out of Melbourne while Gabrielle Ryan has left Bossy Music to become the National Publicist for Caroline and Spunk Records. Ryan will work from Sydney.

The division launches with Spunk, Popfrenzy, Dine Alone, Cooking Vinyl, Resist and Spinefarm as its initial label partners with early releases made up of She And Him Volume 3 (Spunk – out now), Laura Marling's Once I Was An Eagle (Virgin), and City & Colour's The Hurry and The Harm (Dine Alone).

The label services division with claims it will provide “flexible” solutions to artists and labels, while being backed by Universal – who will take care of physical distribution.

Today Janes said, “We are thrilled to be kicking off with such a great clutch of labels and are really excited about the future of Caroline. For us it's about providing the best possible services to artists and labels. We feel there's a huge opportunity to offer flexible deals to potential partners, but with the ability to opt-in to services that Australia's leading major label in UMA can offer.”

Universal's Chairman Of Australasian George Ash added, “The launch marks the start of a great new independent label with a formidable heritage not only in independent music but also in market leading label services. With incredible label partners and artists already joining I am sure Tim and his team will build an exceptional and musically diverse new home for creativity.”

Caroline was originally launched as part of the Virgin stable in the '70s and the credible indie imprint has since evolved into the label services market.