Shortly after unveiling the world’s first on-property music festival series, WAKE UP CALL, W Hotels now launches a new music venture: W Records. This record label and artist resource is designed to support handpicked talent through development, access to recording space, video production locations, mixing and mastering, live performance opportunities, streaming distribution and limited-run vinyl manufacturing. W Records will produce recordings using W Sound Suites located at W hotel properties.
“Over the brand’s 20-year lifespan the music industry has changed beyond recognition, and we have changed with it. Intimate live performances in our Living Rooms have evolved into weekend-long music festivals throughout our hotels. The curated soundtracks of years ago have given way to late night recording sessions in our W Sound Suites. That’s because one thing remains constant: travel and the allure of a W hotel room inspiring musicians around the world,” said Anthony Ingham, global brand leader, W Hotels. “W Records is, undoubtedly, a natural next step for W and music. It represents a complete 360-degree approach to our innovative music programming — one in which we support emerging talent, provide them a place to record, distribute their music and act as a live venue. We’ve accomplished each of these tasks in increments before, but now we can do it all.”
Recording sessions will take place at select properties, including W Hollywood, W Barcelona, W Bali and W Seattle. After tracks are completed, W Records will press a limited run of 500 vinyl copies for distribution to DJs, industry tastemakers and members of Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott Rewards. Each artist will also produce a music video filmed at a W location and perform a live set for hotel guests to showcase the release.
The inaugural W Records artist is R&B singer, songwriter and producer Amber Mark. Her first exclusive release for the label is a cover of “High on Your Love” by Kings Go Forth. Mark performs a set at W New York — Times Square that includes the premiere of her music video, which was filmed at W Montreal.