Over the last quarter of a century, Relentless Records has been one of the most reliable sources for breaking artists out of the United Kingdom. And now it’s heading across the Atlantic, as the label plans to celebrate its silver jubilee by setting up its first American office.
Relentless founder/president Shabir “Shabs” Jobanputra was not expecting the label to enjoy such longevity when he set it up, initially as a joint venture with Ministry of Sound, in order to release hip-hop, R&B and dance records on vinyl.
That was a bold strategy at the dawn of the Napster age. But Jobanputra’s own remarkable journey means he has never been afraid to take chances in the music industry: He came to Britain aged five as a refugee from Idi Amin’s Uganda and had what he describes as a “tough” upbringing in London, before becoming one of the first Asian presidents of a major label at Virgin Records U.K. in 2009.
As it turned out, the first ever record released on Relentless – Artful Dodger feat. Craig David’s “Re-Rewind (the Crowd Say Bo Selecta)” – became a No.2 smash in Britain and kickstarted both the U.K. garage movement and an avalanche of Relentless hits. Acts discovered and broken by the label over the years include KT Tunstall, Joss Stone, Cage the Elephant, So Solid Crew, Seth Lakeman and even Baby Shark. Together, Relentless acts have generated over 30 billion streams (the “Baby Shark” video is the most-watched YouTube video of all time), although Jobanputra did walk away from the chance to sign Amy Winehouse, as he felt he didn’t have the bandwidth to take her on with Tunstall and Stone already taking off.
Jobanputra sums up the label’s approach to signings as: “We believe in people that other people don’t believe in, but that makes us believe in them even more. We go to where no one else really wants to go or feels comfortable going.”
He admits that has become a more high-risk strategy in recent years, in a more algorithm-ruled world where British talent is struggling to make any impression, particularly internationally.
“The transfer of British culture globally is proving really tough,” he says. “The way Britain has sold itself to the market, and Brexit, have not helped at all in the way that we sell what we do. We have to work harder and be better than we have done in the past to export our culture.
“All of us need to be honest with ourselves when we’re signing things,” he adds. “Is that really a global act? Or is it just an act that Britain’s going to like and will stop at these shores.”
To compound matters, British labels now often find themselves in competition with American record companies when it comes to signing top U.K. talent – Jobanputra tells Variety he has missed out on a couple of signings in this way in recent times.
“When the [U.S.] market is five or six times as big, you could argue why wouldn’t you sign yourself out there?” he says. “The challenge we face is taking the artists we’ve got and being able to think globally — not just thinking Britain and then global.”
That is one of the reasons why Relentless – which has been a joint venture with Sony Music U.K. since 2012 – is working with Sony to set up a U.S. operation in 2025. Although Relentless has had success with artists from Latin America and India as well as Korea’s Baby Shark, Jobanputra does not anticipate signing much U.S. talent, at least initially, but says the U.S. arm will help the label’s artists on the path to global success.
“We’ll be a small creative shop, but one really focused on artist development out of the U.S.,” he says. “America is the global powerhouse, even more so than it’s ever been, so we need to think about what we’re doing and how we’re developing.
“We’re making most of our records in the U.S. now,” he adds. “Which tells you where it’s going – the talent pool of writers, producers, mixers, mastering is there. We’re here in London, which is fine, but it logically takes you to the point where having a satellite office in the U.S. isn’t just something we want to do, it’s something we need to do.”
Relentless will also launch a new alternative music imprint, with Jobanputra confident that guitar bands will be the next to have their moment in the streaming sun.
“They’re the last thing left that doesn’t stream!” he laughs. “If I’d told you five years ago that country music would be streaming as much as it has, you’d probably have gone, ‘You’re mad’ – but it’s been a brilliant success.
“We can see alternative artists that really excite us and next year, with Oasis and the like, it’s going to be one of those years when British culture and guitar culture can travel from this country,” he adds. “It feels like an exciting year in that area because there are a lot of talented young artists who have got a global desire.”
Relentless is celebrating its anniversary with the release of a vinyl box set “Relentless ‘25”, featuring some of the label’s greatest hits. And Jobanputra has also formed the Relentless Music Group, which – as well as the label – features an artist/label services division; artist management company Relentless Talent; legendary West London venue Notting Hill Arts Club (which played a key role in launching the careers of Mark Ronson, Lily Allen and the Libertines); a music publisher; and the Notting Hill Academy of Music, which teaches and trains future creative and executive talent.
“With Relentless Music Group, our passion for music can be fulfilled through many different channels,” Jobanputra says. “The businesses are all complementary: you want someone who’s studied at the Academy to work at the club and then come and work for the label, they sign the next big artist and off we go… We’ll go with them through the highs and the lows, the champagne or the tears. More champagne than tears, hopefully!”
Jobanputra has the bubbly on ice for Relentless’ new generation of signings, starting with singer-songwriter Mackenzy Mackay, who has been targeting the U.S. market from day one and will play 17 dates in North America from February 18, 2025.
“Our energy is completely undimmed,” Jobanputra declares. “Who knows what the next 25 years will bring, but the one thing we will continue to do is work with artists we passionately believe in and help them crack the code. That’s getting harder, but the labels who persevere with their acts, stay with them and have a great relationship with them will win out – and that’s what we want Relentless to do.”
