Nina Nesbitt has launched her own label, Apple Tree Records.
The label has officially launched today (March 8) with the release of Nina Nesbitt’s new single, Pages, which marks a return to her folk roots. A second track, On The Run, has also been released.
Nesbitt and her manager, Vicky Dowdall, of VDM Music, are equal partners and owners in Apple Tree Records.
The name of the label is a nod to the first independent EP release 12 years ago, The Apple Tree EP, by the Scottish singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. It was also the first project of Nesbitt’s that Vicky Dowdall worked with her on.
All releases on Apple Tree will be distributed globally by Fuga. There are plans for the label to release music by up-and-coming artists in addition to Nesbitt.
Apple Tree Records will be awarding royalty/master points to songwriters involved in all releases on Apple Tree Records. It was an issue that Raye urged the industry to act on during an acceptance speech at the BRIT Awards.
“I’m so excited to announce the launch of Apple Tree Records,” said Nina Nesbitt. “A secret garden in which seeds can be planted and beautiful things can take their sweet time to grow.”
Vicky Dowdall said: “I’m so honoured to become business partners with Nina in our own label, Apple Tree Records. I started getting a few offers in for Nina and she simply said 'Don’t waste your energy, I want to do it with you.' This shows true loyalty, faith and belief in each other and a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I’ve met my match with Nina. We are both fiercely ambitious, passionate and share the same work ethic and morals.
“I’m also a manager of songwriters and I’m proud to say we will be offering writers on Apple Tree Records releases master points. I can honestly say this is Nina’s best work yet and her true authentic self. I’m so proud of her and I can’t wait for you all to hear our first release. Let’s keep supporting independent artists and women in music.”
Nesbitt released 2014 No.11 debut Peroxide on Island and followed that with charting albums via Cooking Vinyl. As well as 1.1 million monthly Spotify listeners, Nesbitt found viral success via TikTok where she has 692,000 followers. She passed a billion streams in 2022.
“As a songwriter and storyteller I’ve always wanted to find somewhere that celebrates and champions that part of me,” said Nesbitt. “A place that doesn’t try and reshape me or water me down. A place that revels in every lyric and favours the deep cuts. I’m excited to let my roots grow wild here. I’m also happy to say we will be awarding master points, from the label side, to songwriters involved in any releases on Apple Tree Records.”
“After a decade of highs and lows in this industry, I think I’m ready to take full control of my career and become the artist I’ve always dreamt of being,” added Nesbitt. “No compromises.
“I’ll be running Apple Tree Records hand in hand with my wonderful manager of 12 years, Vicky Dowdall. The name of the label is a nod to our first release together when I was just 17 years old. A time in which I was naively fearless and had an unwavering self-belief. Vicky has always instilled such a strong sense of confidence in me, that together we can do anything we put our minds to and I hope that every release on our label has this ethos woven into it.”
PHOTO: Wolf James
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