R&R Records Sets Joint Venture with Warner Bros. Records

R&R Records has inked a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records (WBR), it was announced by WBR Co-Chairman & CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck and R&R founders Ben Persky, Mason Klein, and Will Perliter. Based in L.A., R&R was launched in 2016 with the goal of providing an alternative approach for independent artists, focusing on an aggressive digital strategy. In its first two years, the label amassed a quarter billion streams, introducing artists such as Mt. Joy and Sorcha Richardson. The first two signings under the new R&R/WBR deal are acclaimed singer/songwriters Dijon and Wens.

In making the announcement, Bay-Schuck said: “I’ve been following Ben and Mason’s careers for years now and I’ve been impressed by the level of artists and songwriters they’ve been championing, on both the management and label sides. They have great taste, an authentic approach, and a clear vision of what R&R represents. Dijon and Wens are compelling, original voices and fantastic artists to kick off our partnership. Tom Corson and I are thrilled to welcome R&R into the WBR family.”

Persky and Klein commented: “Through this partnership, we’re excited to establish a global presence and offer our artists more comprehensive support. Aaron and Tom have been encouraging of our vision from the beginning, and we love what they’re doing at Warner Bros. They have an amazing team, and it’s an exciting place to grow talent. We’re incredibly proud to launch our joint venture with Dijon and Wens, two artists whom we feel represent the ethos and direction of R&R.”

Persky and Klein, who have been friends since they were four years old, started Mixed Management in 2010, while they were college sophomores in New York City. Their first client was RL Grime, whom they had grown up with in Los Angeles. Their second signed was Baauer, whose “Harlem Shake” became a worldwide viral phenomenon, going No. 1 in multiple territories and prompting Billboard to include video streams in their chart data.

The duo moved back to their native L.A. in 2012, working with Tobias Jesso Jr., whose critically acclaimed debut album, Goon, started his songwriting career. He went on to co-write “When We Were Young” with Adele and “Slow Hands” with Niall Horan, and has since penned songs for Shawn Mendes, John Legend, Charlie Puth, Florence + The Machine, and others. Persky and Klein also manage the Grammy-nominated production duo DJDS, who worked on Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo, as well as collaborating with Khalid, 6lack, and others.

Maryland-born singer/songwriter Dijon, now based in L.A., has earned widespread critical acclaim for his unique folk/R&B-influenced style. His 2018 single, “Nico’s Red Truck,” was named one of the top songs of the year by The New York Times reporter, Joe Coscarelli and by Gia Tolentino of The New Yorker. His debut EP, Sci Fi 1, has just been released. 20-year-old L.A. native Wens is already making her mark with her eclectic, and atmospheric approach to pop music. She made her recording debut in 2016 and released her first EP, That Really Long Night, last year.