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Before signing with Rexius + FAQ

11 min read

Before signing with us, there are some important things to know and it’s better to make sure in the beginning that we’re a good fit for each other rather than two months into the project.

It’s essential for us to make sure that you know how we work and it still feels like a “hell yeah!”, even after the shimmer of being flattered by our interest in you fades away.

Who are we looking for? #

We look for talent in our own unique way:

  • talented independent artists with great lead vocals that…
  • would pursue a career in music no matter if we help them or not
  • want to remain in creative control but open to external feedback
  • want to go with a team (which means some things take more time than before)
  • are kind and driven
  • carefully considers a project with us as an investment for the future rather than something that will profit directly
  • are looking for a fun learning experience
  • have a growth mindset
  • have high ambitions hopes and goals, but are realistic in the time frame
  • understand how we work
  • have clearly expressed their needs

what’s not important to us:

  • how far you’ve come already
  • how large fanbase you have on social media
  • how much you are earning on your artistry at the moment
  • what genre you’re in (even though we are stronger within certain genres)
  • where you come from, how you look, or how you identify yourself.

Which project type is right for you? #

Have you considered what is most important to you in a project? We offer various ways of working, each with its own pros and cons. For instance, would you prefer to take on a larger financial risk for long-term benefits, or do you favor a different approach? How crucial is song ownership to you? By clearly communicating your needs to your A&R representative, we can help determine the best project type for you.

Traditional Campaigns vs. Evergreen Efforts #

Traditional marketing campaigns are designed to create a short-term surge in attention and listeners. While these can be effective temporarily, their impact often fades quickly, requiring artists to start from scratch with each new release. This cycle can be exhausting, financially draining, and ultimately unsustainable.

We do campaigns but focus on long-term strategies that benefit multiple artists simultaneously. For example, we curate playlist networks, optimize search engine visibility for your artist profile and songs, create educational resources, and enhance content for better algorithmic performance, rather than relying on one-time events.

This approach might be perceived as less attentive to individual needs, but it reflects our commitment to sustainable, long-term success. By understanding our role as a music company, we aim to provide the most effective support possible, ensuring lasting growth and visibility for our artists.

This also means that artists need to take an active role in their careers, handling some tasks they might expect a label to do for them. This could include personal engagement with fans, social media management, and content creation. By collaborating closely with us and taking ownership of their promotional efforts, artists can maximize their potential and achieve greater success.

Expectations #

In the Expectations Agreement we have listed the most common pitfalls and some really important things that you need to read before signing with us. We might ask control questions during the signing meeting.

General FAQ #

What is a typical project like at Rexius? #

Please read through our project guide on what our typical projects look like. Do note, that your project plan and scope can differ in between projects, genres and personas. We will keep updating our projects as we find continuous improvements and as the music business is evolving.

Where can I find information about parts of the scope in our agreement and FAQ for those?

Please see our overview here.

How long time will a project take? #

Our projects can vary a lot regarding how long time they can take. A project, with an already finished master and artwork, will probably take 3-6 months between start-up meeting and evaluation. If we are about to record an album and you haven’t written the songs yet, the project could take way longer. The longest project so far was about 3 years for one album release project.

The single most important marketing activity is to ensure the music is as great as it can be. Therefore we always prioritize music quality over an earlier release date.

One of the greatest mistakes we see artists do is to set a release date before artwork and all songs are completed. Another mistake is to set a release date as soon as everything is finished. A lot of stress and frustration will be created from this approach and often you’ll end up with bad results. Therefore, at Rexius Records, we are not discussing Release Dates before we have everything we need to distibute (Artwork, Songs and Meta Data) 100% completed.

Key takeaway – we don’t want to stress. It’s better to create great music than rush to deadlines.

Why do you only sign “project based” contracts? #

We do only sign contracts on a project basis. We don’t want to bind artists to a long agreement, as the artist shouldn’t have to stay with us if they don’t want to, and the same thing vice versa. We strongly believe that our collaboration will work better this way, and if successful, will lead to many more projects together. However, we always do think long term with the artists and releases we sign (hence the long term copyright on those songs) and our goal is to continue to sign new projects with you after our project is done. But it should not be a contractual obligation, both parties should want it!

In what quality do my demos need to be when we send them to you? #

We do not focus on the quality at all when we are listening to demos, but it is important that we can hear what’s happening in the song. For example, it’s better to send just the piano and vocals rather than a rehearsal studio demo where the sound is crappy. You don’t need to send a complete song either, but the bare minimum is a verse and a chorus.

How many demos do I need to send? #

We don’t expect you to send a certain amount of demos, but the first time around we ask that you send us a maximum of 10 demos. Please make sure to choose the ones that best reflect your musical capabilities and the style that you aim for. We will take these into account when we create an upcoming deal for you.

What happens if I don’t have a budget? #

There are many ways forward even if you don’t have a large budget to work with but it requires that you can do a lot on your own and it may just take a little bit longer time. Sometimes, we work with recoups and in those cases it is better to start small. Please ask us for more info.

Do you recoup your share before us? #

Only in specific cases where there is a financial or tax benefit for the artist, otherwise, we split royalties based on the contracts percental split between us from day 1. We believe that everyone should get back at least what they put into the project, and hopefully more.

If I know a great Photographer or Music Producer, is it ok to work with them? #

Sure, you should always work with people you trust. It’s important, however, that the photographers/music producers are aware of our processes and feedback process.

Will you deny releasing certain songs? #

Sometimes, yes, but usually no! We operate from a default that you are in creative control! However, we won’t release songs with technical fallacies (out of tune, bad quality, etc.), or lyrics or artwork that are against our policies. We do want you to be able to go all-in with your art and feel comfortable to live out your artistry!

Will I get back the investment that we make?

To be fully transparent, there’s a significant chance that this project may not provide a direct financial return.

It’s important to note, however, that very few artists today recoup their investments purely from royalties on master rights. Our collaboration is not primarily a financial investment but rather an investment in your growth as an artist. Just as building a strong foundation is essential for a house, our aim is to create a solid platform to help you reach your artistic goals. This includes developing your talent, providing access to a professional team, improving your marketing presence, and gaining real listeners.

Not everything we offer will directly translate into financial returns, such as royalties. For example, providing access to contract templates and other resources helps reduce risks and smooth out potential challenges down the road. These services may not immediately bring financial rewards, but they are crucial for building a stable and sustainable career and could lead to unlocking future income bringing opportunities later on, like live performances and collaborations. It’s important to evaluate the overall value you receive from working with us rather than focusing solely on the financial return from any one campaign or project.

At the very least, you’ll receive valuable support for your artistic project, at a subsidized cost, with long-term financial benefits, that build your career as well as reduce your risks. Many artists have been satisfied working with us, even if they haven’t yet achieved financial profit.

Why do you subsidize a project if an investment does not always give a return on investment?

We carefully select projects where we believe we can make a real impact and create future income opportunities. By subsidizing part of the project in exchange for royalties, we share both the risks and rewards with you. This approach ensures we both have a vested interest in your success, even if not every project guarantees a financial return from royalties of the invested amount.

While we do take on some risk by subsidizing our services, we don’t have the financial capacity to fully fund a complete artist project. Our investment policy is still to keep things sustainable on a project-by-project basis. Our vision is to support carefully selected artists with small bets that can make a difference and spread the risk between multiple projects.

I have a Publisher, will this interfere with the agreement with Rexius?

Given our usual setup, receiving offers from publishing companies should not inherently cause conflict with potential offers from Rexius Records, primarily because:

  1. Publishing Rights vs. Master Rights: Publishing companies typically deal with the publishing rights of the music, which include the composition and lyrics. These rights are separate from the master rights, which pertain to the actual recordings of the songs. Since Rexius Records focuses on the master rights, there’s a clear delineation of interests.
  2. Non Exclusive Sync Rights: If we have offered a deal including non-exclusive sync rights which means the company shares the ability to license music for sync opportunities with others, including potentially a publishing company. This arrangement usually does not conflict with the agreements that publishing companies have with artists, as those often focus on the composition and lyric rights.

However, it’s crucial to review the specific terms of any offers from publishing companies to ensure there are no clauses that could potentially limit your or Rexius Records’ ability to exploit the master recordings or sync rights effectively. For example, if a publishing deal includes exclusive rights that restrict licensing opportunities for sync, it could potentially limit the non-exclusive rights arrangement with Rexius Records. Transparency and open communication with both Rexius Records and any publishing companies involved will be key to navigating these agreements successfully.

 

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