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Chrysalis Records relaunches as frontline label, co-signs Laura Marling with Partisan

By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 26 February 2020

Chrysalis Records has announced its relaunch as an active frontline label, meaning it will be signing up and working on new releases.

Its first new signing is Laura Marling, via a partnership with fellow independent label Partisan Records. The two companies will jointly release Marling’s next album.

“There is a unique synergy between the diverse, immediately identifiable voices of Partisan and those of Chrysalis decades prior to our existence”, says Partisan MD Zena White. “We’re THRILLED to come together on its relaunch, and even more so to be working with the unmatched talent of Laura Marling”.

Chrysalis CEO Jeremy Lascelles adds: “Laura Marling, Chrysalis Records, Partisan Records. A match made in heaven”.

Founded by Chris Wright and Terry Ellis in 1968, the Chrysalis record label was acquired by EMI in 1991. Though Wright retained his interest in the other Chrysalis businesses, most notably the Chrysalis music publishing company, which was then acquired by BMG in 2010.

Shortly after the BMG deal, then Chrysalis CEO Jeremy Lascelles stepped down, and in 2014 co-founded new music company Blue Raincoat, with backing from Wright.

Then, in 2016, Blue Raincoat acquired the old Chrysalis catalogue and brand from Warner, which had in turn acquired it from Universal as part of the mega-major’s divestments following its acquisition of the EMI record company. You’re keeping up, right? Blue Raincoat them subsequently acquired some other Warner catalogue for the all new Chrysalis label to represent.

So, that’s all clear then, isn’t it? It’s not the end of the story though, because late last year Chrysalis Records was acquired by Reservoir – although it continues to be run by Lascelles and Blue Raincoat co-founder Robin Millar. They also remain in charge of the artist management and music publishing divisions of Blue Raincoat, which were not part of the Reservoir deal.

When Lascelles and Millar acquired Chrysalis in 2016 they were clear that they planned to sign new artists to the label as well as managing the catalogue, although to date the latter has been the main focus. But the investment from Reservoir has seemingly enabled the frontline label ambitions to be properly kickstarted.

Details of Laura Marling’s new album and further new Chrysalis signings are expected in the coming months.