For songwriters at any level, securing a music publishing deal can be career-changing. Not only do these agreements further maximise their royalties across the globe, but publishers can also help their music creators unlock new opportunities while boosting their income.
But how do publishers go about building and then supporting their roster of musicians? In our new series Behind the Signing, we’ll be speaking to a host of publishers to get an insight into how their respective processes work and the ways in which they empower the songwriters they sign. We’ll also hear from one of their notable signings to get their view on how working with their publisher has boosted their career.
Sentric are the independent Liverpool and London-based publishers whose diverse roster includes the likes of Enter Shikari, Wunderhorse and Sugababes. In the spotlight this time is trailblazing UK rapper Abra Cadabra, who first started his publishing journey with Sentric in 2017.
‘Our journey with Abra has been really special,’ Peter McCamley, Sentric’s Creative Director, tells M. ‘He originally came on board using our online platform to sign up for our 28-day rolling agreement [which offers artists an 80/20 royalties split in their favour] before signing a longer-term deal with us three years ago which has just recently been extended again. It’s been a fantastic working relationship and we’re incredibly proud to be part of his future.’
'We're incredibly proud to be part of Abra Cadabra's future.' - Peter McCamley, Sentric
Peter says that Sentric’s flexible and artist-friendly publishing model has become a particular go-to for artists in the grime and drill space. ‘Historically in the world of rap and hip hop, artists have been ripped off left right and centre. So, naturally, a lot of artists in those genres are very dubious of signing paperwork and contracts. The 28-day rolling deal didn’t need any of that, instead offering easy and flexible access to global publishing. For us, it’s great to be able to empower artists and let them retain their copyrights as well. That sense of freedom is really important.’
For Abra, the opportunity to keep his options open from the outset with Sentric was a big appeal. ‘As I’ve become more experienced in the music industry and I’ve understood how it goes, the freedom of being able to be in a publishing deal that gets results without any long-term commitments was really helpful when I was breaking through,’ he tells M. ‘It was helpful to just have the peace of mind of knowing that none of my royalties were going missing around the world.’
After using Sentric’s rolling agreement for several years, Abra says that he then felt ready to enter into a longer-term agreement — one that provided the necessary financial support to help him focus on his music.
‘It helped me invest in my craft and support that next chapter in my journey,’ he adds. ‘A deal like that is really important as it means you can build up properly without spreading yourself too thin. The support brought me freedom in general, and that’s been the biggest part of it for me.’
Beyond global royalty collections and day-to-day administration of Abra’s catalogue, the Sentric team are also supporting the rapper by pitching for sync opportunities across film, TV and advertising. The team were recently successful in landing a sync placement for his 2020 track Spin This Coupe, which is set to feature in an upcoming TV show.
Sentric sync executive Elizabeth Perryman says Abra’s high-energy sound is at the forefront of their minds when it comes to pitching: ‘He’s a flagship name within his genre and is perfect for a variety of briefs we work on across UK film and TV.’
Sync, Elizabeth adds, can be invaluable in so many ways for artists of all levels. ‘It can be helpful financially for the artist, helping them receive a fee that they can then invest back into other parts of their career,’ she explains. ‘The exposure that comes with a sync placement can also be game-changing for our artists in terms of their visibility. We work on a lot of sought-after soundtracks that can skyrocket sales and streaming figures.
‘Sync can also be powerful when aligned with the artist's own creative vision. It can always then have a snowball effect in that when one happens, it can open the door for further opportunities down the line.’
'The exposure that comes with a sync placement can be game-changing for our artists.' - Elizabeth Perryman, Sentric
Having already surpassed his previous career targets, Abra believes that his ‘longevity has been based on my musical versatility’. ‘I’m now just trying to unlock and explore different sounds,’ he adds. ‘I want to keep challenging myself and tapping into different markets of music.’
Previously driven by metrics such as streaming figures — he has over a million monthly listeners on Spotify alone — Abra says that he is now more focused on the ‘longevity’ of his career.
‘I focus on the music, I don’t expect it to go crazy within 24 hours now, I’m happy with a slow and steady pace as long as it goes up. If you believe in your music, then everything else will fall into place. I might look back on them in a year or two, but otherwise it will stunt your growth. If you focus on the art, the numbers are just an added bonus.’
With his latest single Faces Not Cap, which features the fast-rising rapper Clavish, evidence of the ‘tons of music [he’s] constantly producing’, Abra acknowledges that it’s an ‘exciting time’ for him creatively. With the backing of Sentric on the publishing side of things, Abra says that if he were able to advise his younger self about the industry, he’d tell them to keep ‘a closer eye’ on the business side.
‘Everything happens for a reason in the world of music, but I’d just tell myself to keep a closer eye on things,’ he says. ‘Initially I was never too bothered about the industry side, but I am now and I’m better for it. I’d encourage everyone just to be more in tune with the business.’
