BIG LOUD RECORDS LAUNCHES PARTNERSHIP WITH NICOLLE GALYON FOR FIRST-EVER FEMALE-FOCUSED LABEL, SONGS & DAUGHTERS
Further establishing its reputation for innovation, BIG LOUD RECORDS has announced SONGS & DAUGHTERS, a brand-new, female-focused label partnership with ACM award-winning songwriter NICOLLE GALYON. Galyon will serve as President of Songs & Daughters, and the label’s flagship artist is gifted singer/songwriter MADISON KOZAK.
The mission of Songs & Daughters is to be a music home for female creatives that nurtures the art (the song) and the artist (the daughter). Providing a platform for these women to tell honest stories about real life, the company will shine a spotlight on a new generation. Galyon created the company to provide the mentorship and strong female leadership she wished she had when she first moved to Nashville 17 years ago.
“The heart behind Songs & Daughters is to be rooted and liberated at the same time,” shared Galyon. “For me, this role is an extension of something I already am — and that’s a mother. I hope to nurture the song, I hope to nurture the daughter, and I hope that the artists matter just as much as the music that we’re making. Songs & Daughters is a bigger way to tell young female creatives, ‘yes you can’.”
“Nicolle Galyon has become a beacon to what this community is all about. I’ve watched first-hand how she has encouraged young artists to be confident, to be themselves, and — most importantly — never be afraid to speak their truth,” praised Big Loud partner Seth England. “It’s been our vision to eventually create unique and strategic partnerships with like-minded professionals. Nicolle is ready to take the next step in her professional journey, and Big Loud couldn’t be more thankful she chose us to be her partner.”
Kozak will relesase her first track under Songs & Daughters across all digital platforms this Friday (7/26) titled “First Last Name.” Inspired by her close relationship with her father, who instilled in her a love of Country music, the song was co-penned by Kozak with Claire Douglas and James Slater.
A 22-year-old native of Ontario, Canada, Kozak attended Belmont University and is currently signed to Big Loud’s hitmaking publishing arm.
“It feels full circle with my background to come from a big family, small town, and then to connect with Nicolle who has the same upbringing,” Kozak says. “It feels like a very natural step to take with Big Loud. They have been watching from a distance the past year, letting me grow on my own with their help. I'm so grateful for their support and that it's such a natural flow.”
Revealing the news yesterday (7/22), Songs & Daughters hosted a pop-up celebration at Nashville’s Ruby event space. A wall-to-wall crowd of industry insiders sipped on specialty-themed cocktails among chic, modern décor while the announcement was foreshadowed with an all-female Country playlist floating through the room. England first took the stage to introduce Galyon, who articulated her vision for the company before introducing Kozak and revealing her as the first signee. Then, attendees were treated to a moving performance of “First Last Name” by Kozak, leaving the room buzzing with applause and anticipating more from the exciting newcomer.
View photos from the Songs & Daughters launch party here.
Billboard had an exclusive interview with Galyon and Kozak on the unprecedented partnership – read here.
For more information on Songs & Daughters, visit SongsAndDaughters.com. Follow Songs & Daughters on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
For more information on Madison Kozak, visit MadisonKozak.com. Reach out to her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
ABOUT BIG LOUD RECORDS
Founded in 2015 as an expansion of Big Loud to take chances where others would not, Big Loud Records boasts an instant success story that is still unfolding. Right out of the gate, the independent firm sent then-newcomer Chris Lane’s “Fix” to GOLD-certified #1 status (the label’s first ever release), and backed it up two more Top 10 hits. Today, Big Loud Records continues to punch above its weight, adding big wins by signing proven star Jake Owen to the roster and returning him to the top of the radio charts. “I Was Jack (You Were Diane)” became a GOLD-certified #1 in 2018, and “Down to the Honkytonk” notched another GOLD-certified Top 10. Big Loud Records has also launched the career of party-starting phenom Morgan Wallen, who just scored back-to-back #1s on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with the PLATINUM-recognized “Up Down” featuring Florida Georgia Line and GOLD-certified “Whiskey Glasses.” The Big Loud Records family also includes lyrically gifted upstart HARDY and viral sensation Mason Ramsey, and so far its roster has accounted for more than 1.8 Billion on-demand streams in the US alone, and global totals topping 2.7 Billion (Nielsen Music). As of July 2019, Big Loud Records was the #1 streaming market share holder among true independent country labels and #6 overall (country currents YTD, Nielsen Music), with its reputation for shaking things up extending to staff as well. Big Loud Records VP/Promotion, Stacy Blythe, was awarded the year's top honor for SVP/VP at the 2019 CRS/Country Aircheck Awards.
ABOUT NICOLLE GALYON
Nicolle Galyon is an award winning, multi-Platinum singer/songwriter/producer from Sterling, Kansas. Galyon has earned five No.1s including Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert’s duet, “We Were Us,” Kenny Chesney’s “All The Pretty Girls” and Urban’s “Coming Home.” Galyon also penned “Automatic,” Lambert’s chart-topping lead single from her critically acclaimed album Platinum, which debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and featured five songs by Galyon. “Automatic” went on to win NSAI and ACM Song of the Year and was nominated for multiple Grammy and CMA awards. This past year Galyon celebrated the success of Dan + Shay’s 2x Platinum, multi-week No.1 hit “Tequila,” which was named ACM Song of the Year and earned Galyon Grammy and CMA nominations for Best (Country) Song. Following these successes, Galyon was the only female to receive a Triple Play Award, an honor recognizing songwriters who have achieved three or more No.1s in a year. Galyon made her debut as a producer with Warner Bros. artist, RaeLynn’s album Wild Horse, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, placing Galyon in an elite category of few female producers to have topped the Billboard album charts. She co-wrote Camila Cabello’s pop single, “Consequences,” which earned an iHeartRadio Award for Best Lyrics earlier this year. Galyon’s songs have also been recorded and released by Luke Bryan, Billy Currington, Thomas Rhett, Lady Antebellum, Florida Georgia Line, Brett Young, Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Ray, Lauren Alaina, Walker Hayes, Ryan Hurd, Danielle Bradbery, Martina McBride, Eli Young Band, Jana Kramer, Cale Dodds, Maggie Rose and many more. Galyon is heavily involved in the CMA Foundation’s music education initiative and served as an NSAI Board Member and CMT Next Women of Country mentor in 2018. Most recently, Galyon partnered with Big Loud to launch the female-focused record label, Songs & Daughters. The label was announced in July 2019 and has signed Madison Kozak as its flagship artist. For more information on Galyon, visit nicollegalyon.com.
ABOUT MADISON KOZAK
Singer/songwriter Madison Kozak is the flagship artist signed to Songs & Daughters – a female-focused label spearheaded by Nicolle Galyon and Big Loud Records. A graduate of Belmont University, Kozak scored a publishing deal with Big Loud during her junior year, and is continuing to build an arsenal of impactful, honest songs written alongside esteemed songwriters including Lori McKenna, James Slater and Craig Wiseman. With a list of influences that includes Johnny Cash, Shania Twain and timeless Grand Ole Opry stars Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, the small-town Ontario, Canada native fed her love of performance from an early age. She has taken the stage in front of audiences of up to 12,000 people at fairs and festivals, and has since shared the bill with Keith Urban at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.