SoundOn by TikTok partners with Headliner to support new artists

SoundOn, TikTok’s all-in-one distribution and promotion services platform for artists and creators, has entered a new partnership with Headliner, which is designed to boost the careers of exciting new talent.

The new partnership between SoundOn and Headliner will see The Pioneer Club - a grassroots venue and creative community hub in St. Albans - host monthly live SoundOn Sessions for up-and-coming artists.

The partnership kicks off in style on October 12, as SoundOn presents the first of two special MOBO UnSung events at the Pioneer Club, with five acts performing live on the night (Shack Santima, NEOne the Wonderer, Melica, Bea Anderson, and Kaniva) plus, a headline set from top UK artist and producer Ayo Beatz. Tickets and details are available here, while details of the second MOBO UnSung night will be announced shortly.

In addition to the special showcase event, each of this year’s MOBO Unsung stars will enter a comprehensive artist development programme, in which they will receive studio time, mentoring, A&R support and more.

Earlier this month it was announced that British drum and bass collective Rudimental have been confirmed as the headline act for an upcoming fundraising event at The Pioneer Club. Taking place on Saturday October 7, the band will perform with support from 220 Kid and Lo Lauren, raising funds for the Pioneer Music Charity and the venue itself, which relies on donations to operate.

To find out more about the work SoundOn is doing to support artist, as well as its new partnerships with Headliner and MOBO UnSung, we caught up with TikTok head of artist services UK, Nichal Sethi…

What is the purpose of SoundOn, and how does it support artists and creators?

SoundOn is TikTok’s all-in-one distribution and promotion services platform. It was designed to empower new undiscovered artists starting their career and provide them the tools for further career development and gain assistance from some of the best people we have at TikTok.

Do you have any examples of how the platform has impacted artists’ careers?

When I joined TikTok in January 2022 I helped launch SoundOn in the UK and the US and initially we had a massive influx of musicians and creators, but particularly a lot of artists who were very early on in their independent careers. And an early example that comes to mind is Venbee. We released her track low down with Dan Fable, which was a great track, and it was an absolute success on platform (TikTok) and other streaming services. She then went on to sign a major label deal with Columbia Records, so she was an early one that we thought was incredible.

Since then, we have worked with a whole host of different artists and they’ve had success in many different ways. Seb Lowe, for example, is an emerging artist who is building his following on platform and is now selling out his first tour, he signed a publishing deal, he’s seeing great success on streaming platforms. And we also worked with Stepz very early on in his career. He joined SoundOn in 2022 and then released a song called Pacman and he ended up being TikTok’s most viewed artist in the UK in 2022, which is an incredible feat.

We released a track by Kenya Grace back in the day called Oranges and now she is having an absolutely huge moment with Strangers with Major Records / Warner, and that’s also bringing some success back to Oranges again. We’ve got to a place now where we have developed further conversations with artists who are maybe a bit further along in their career, the likes of Rain Radio, who have had massive hits in the past. They joined us and we were able to secure them a great sync with a brand and they have had great streaming success on and off platform. There are a whole load more as well.

We initially built the platform to meet the needs of those emerging artists. For us it came down to non-exclusivity. We wanted to be really friendly in terms of giving back to the artist. So we pay 100% royalties for TikTok for all time, and we pay 100% royalties for streaming platforms for year one, and then take a small cut in year two. So, we have tailored our service to artists who need that help in terms of platform but also making sure they got the most friendly terms from a distribution platform.

How do artists access the platform?

It’s very easy and straightforward. You just go to the website and create a new account. Then you upload a song, and with that you have full flexibility, so you can choose everything from your artwork, your clip, your full length, whether you want to pre-release it. It’s pretty seamless. You essentially upload your song and then find it on the platforms you want on the date you want. We tried to make it as easy a process as possible.

Are there any tips you have for artists looking to use TikTok as a means of discovery?

I’d just say be authentic. There are so many artists posting things that aren’t music related and that is how they are growing their following. And engage with the audience. Take Ashnikko for example who leans into things they're passionate about like cooking sweet potatoes in hot springs, or rapper Stepz who's comedy has built him a massive audience. A simple comment on someone else’s comment goes a long way in showing you are there for the fans too. In terms of the music itself, put it out and find what makes the most sense in terms of the clip.

There are loads of things we are doing from a music product perspective as well. We have loads of new features we are releasing specifically for artists. We are trying to provide for artists on the platform, so lean into those when you see them. And join our artists newsletter with tips on the best ways you can share content. And our artists handbook also has some great advice.

Tell us about your new partnerships with MOBO and Headliner.

MOBO has a programme called MOBO UnSung, which is essentially for young independent artists. Kanya King (MOBO founder) came to us about doing something this year, and it felt like everything lined up and made sense. What MOBO UnSung does is very much in line with SoundOn and TikTok’s core values in terms of supporting up and coming artists. From a TikTok perspective, since day one we have served as a springboard for emerging artists and that made for a natural fit. But after having a few conversations, we thought that SoundOn would be the best platform for them, because there was more we could do in terms of a distribution perspective, but we also add new value as TikTok as well.

MOBO UnSung has historically done all of its entries via a website, but this time artists could enter via TikTok by posting a video of them singing a song and using a hashtag. So, the competition ends up with 20 people performing live with judges on a panel who select a final 10. We as TikTok had six finalists come through TikTok and 14 via the normal route. We then whittle that down to 10 finalists, who are Ace Clvrk, Bea Anderson, DEJA, Josh Barry, Kaniva, NEONE The Wonderer, Young Athena, Gabriel Sanches, Melica and Shack Santima.

We also had a TikTok day where the artists came in and we ran through a programme of different areas of the industry, providing them with a full background of the music business which was a very valuable resource. It’s a great programme and it supports exactly the type of artists who need that chance. They are all very special and we are so pleased we could support them and their releases.

This partnership is also linked to a new partnership with Headliner and its St Albans grassroots venue (a joint venture with Enter Shikari) The Pioneer Club, which will be hosting two special SoundOn presents MOBO UnSung nights. Tell us how that came about.

So, Rian Zoll Khan, who is Wes Nelson’s manager, has been a big advocate for SoundOn since the first campaign we did with Wes, which was absolutely amazing. He and Headliner owner and CEO Paul Watson came to meet me at TikTok and essentially presented this opportunity with Headliner and what it would mean for SoundOn and for artists. From my perspective it was a no brainer. It’s similar to the MOBO UnSung partnership where emerging talent is at the forefront. That was so key, but there is also the community element and the charity element with Headliner. And enabling artists to take their craft outside of TikTok and into a live space was an incredible opportunity without even seeing the venue.

Then I saw the venue and what we were supporting and what was being created. And it’s this amazing venue with a bar and a skatepark and an incredible studio that’s being built. Plus, there are plans for young people to come in and learn how to make music. It’s just such a great way for us to give back to Headliner in terms of what they are doing. It’s a great space to support these artists and for us to be part of the Headliner and Pioneer Club community.

And this opportunity with Headliner allows us to do SoundOn Sessions at the Pioneer Club with new talent on a monthly basis. And that opportunity intertwined nicely with MOBO UnSung.

What does the future hold for SoundOn as we enter the close of 2023 and head into 2024?

We want to keep growing the community within SoundOn. What we’ve been able to do so far in just a year and a half has been pretty amazing. To work with such a high calibre of artists has been incredible. We were recently nominated for Best Artist and Label Services UK at the A&R Awards by MBW, so within a year and half to even be considered for an award like that alongside people who have been doing this for a lot longer is a real honour. And that’s a sign of things to come.