Copyright Law

New indie label started by Nellie Furtado

By Ty Rogers and Ray Beckerman

Thanks to Mind Booster Noori for bringing this to my attention.

Interesting report that Nellie Furtado, a singer signed to frequent RIAA plaintiff Interscope Records, has gone into competition with her label, launching her own "indie" record label:

Nelly Furtado Launches Indie Label

March 16, 2009 06:00 AM ET
Cortney Harding, N.Y.

Pop star Nelly Furtado is not the first major-label musician to start her own label, but she is one of the few to do it with an indie. Furtado is launching Nelstar in cooperation with the Canadian independent label group Last Gang Labels.

The Toronto-based electro-dance band Fritz Helder & the Phantoms is the first act signed to Nelstar and will release its debut album July 7.

"Nelly just wasn't that interested in doing a OneRepublic/Timbaland type of thing," says Chris Taylor, president of Last Gang and Furtado's longtime attorney. "She's an independent spirit, and she wants to make sure we build the band at the right pace. It's also very important to launch a band with indie branding behind them and be able to build them brick by brick."

Taylor points out that Furtado has close ties to the band, noting that two members are her backup dancers.

Furtado says she never considered introducing the Nelstar imprint via her label, Interscope.....

....When you are a new band and you sign to a major, you get thrown to the fire.

[Ed. note. Anyone taking bets on where Ms. Furtado will sign once her contract with Interscope has been fulfilled? -R.B.]

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Full post as published by Recording Industry vs The People on March 16, 2009 (boomark / email).