Emerging Imprint Frequency Is Redefining What It Means To Be An Independent Label In 2022

by Edward Hopkins · August 26, 2022

Curating incredible electronic music, along with breaking the indie and pop stars of tomorrow, Frequency is an independent imprint to keep on your radar.

Initially launched as a YouTube channel back in 2013 by Kelvin Ruijters, who noticed a lack of royalty free music online, Frequency has undoubtedly come a long way. Now a combination of two brands – Frequency Music and Frequency Recordings – alongside a new publishing arm, the company has become a one stop shop for artists, with results that are more than impressive.

Driven by a mantra to explore, create and share music together across the world, Frequency is a true independent label, where young and aspiring artists are given opportunities to explore and develop themselves, while enjoying tried and true methods of connecting with fans and building an audience. One of the label’s first successes, which helped cement it as a leading player in the promotion of fresh talent, was Swedish producer Arc North, who amassed 65 million global streams on Spotify just in 2021, on top of having built an audience of 1.2 million followers on TikTok. This success proved to be no accident, as the likes of Rival, Cadmium and Jon Becker followed not long after, each finding their own footing through Frequency and going on to enjoy fruitful careers as producers and musicians.

Kelvin quickly saw the potential in Frequency through its initial success, and evolved it into a record label where of utmost priority would be the focus on artist development, visual identification and musical quality. In 2021 the company was split into two different imprints, with Frequency Music focusing on electronic music releases by producers and DJs, and Frequency Recordings catering more to singers and songwriters, as part of the team’s continuous desire to experiment with new genres and styles of music. One of Frequency Recordings’ first success stories was Scottish prodigy Euan Allison, whose acoustic and relaxing brand of pop music immediately caught the attention of Spotify’s editorial team, earning him extensive support on the platform.

This year Frequency has platformed incredible releases by the likes of Jack Shore, STRX, Kleak & Veebu, Jim Yosef, Westerlund and so many more. Aiming to be a true competitor to all the widely-known and respected (major) labels with their continuous output and artist-first mentality, there is no doubt that the label has a bright future laying ahead.