What is the mission of this record label?
SoPA SONIC RECORDS represents the songs and music of former and current students of Holland College’s School of Performing Arts (SoPA). With funding from college donors, we provide opportunities for artists to grow their careers by providing promotion, music career guidance, song and album release strategies, fan base growth and marketing, having our artist’s music licensed in film, television, advertising, and video games, and increased DSP streaming for their songs.
Our goal is to develop and increase revenue and sustainable ongoing music royalties for our artists.
Who runs the label, and what experience do they have?
The label is managed by music students in Holland College’s School of Performing Arts, guided by Music Performance instructor Craig Dodge and SoPA program manager Liam Corcoran - industry professionals with expertise in songwriting, music production, recording, music licensing, touring, and artist development. Thanks to our generous donors, our students are paid each semester to run our label, work with our artists, develop label and artist opportunities, and at the same time learn more about today’s music business.
What kind of deals do you offer (exclusive, non-exclusive, etc.)?
We offer non-exclusive deals, allowing artists to work with other music industry partners while collaborating with us.
Also, our contracts give our artists the ability to terminate the agreement with 30-days written notice. Our goal is to help our artists grow their careers and opportunities, so, if a bigger label comes a long, we are happy to see you move forward, and we’ll consider our job successfully completed!
What is the process for signing with the label?
You can submit by using the form on our website, and our team will get in touch to answer your questions and discuss the details with you. If we think that your music will fit our catalogue, we will definitely contact you!
Do I retain ownership of my masters?
Yes, artists always retain full ownership of their master’s.
Will I receive royalties, and how are they calculated?
Streaming and radio royalties are 100% yours.
If we license one or more of your songs in a film, television show, video game, or advertising, sync fees and licensing royalties are an industry standard 50/50 split between the artist and SoPA SONIC RECORDS. All revenue that we earn is used for scholarships for SoPA students.
What services does the label provide?
We will assist our artists in any way that we can. If we don’t have the answers or resources, we will point you in the right direction.
Do you assist with live performances or touring?
We assist in the promotion and marketing of our artist’s performances and tours; however, we do not currently offer financial supports to assist with live performances or touring.
What kind of promotion will I receive as an artist?
We promote your music through playlist pitching, radio submissions, and sharing your content on our social media and marketing channels. We’re proud of our SoPA students, so we take every chance that we can get to share their news!
Do you help with social media and brand development?
Yes, we support your social media efforts by sharing and amplifying your content, and we can help you develop a social media and marketing strategy to support your career.
How can I submit my music for consideration?
You must be a former or current student of Holland College's School of Performing Arts. You may submit your music through the form on our website.
What genres do you accept or specialize in?
We accept all genres, provided the music does not contain explicit language or hate speech. SoPA is a contemporary music school, so we love all genres of music!
How does licensing work with your label?
We work with sub-publishing partners to place your music in TV shows, films, advertisements, and video games. These partners have reach all over the world. Their contacts and clients include television networks, music supervisors, music editors, production companies, advertising agencies, and video game developers.
Can I license my music to multiple outlets if I work with you?
Yes, our non-exclusive agreements allow you to license your music elsewhere.
What kinds of licensing opportunities do you offer?
We focus on licensing music for TV, film, ads, and video games.
Are there upfront costs for artists?
No, we do not charge any upfront costs.
How does the label make money?
Licensing royalties and sync fees (50/50 split with artists), merchandise sales, and support from college donors.
All of SoPA SONIC’s revenue goes directly into scholarships for Holland College’s School of Performing Arts' Music Performance program.
Do I need to share revenue from my independent projects?
No, any revenue from your independent projects remains entirely yours.
What is the long-term plan for the label?
Our goal is to keep expanding our catalogue and music licensing library, support our artists’ careers by helping them move to new levels, and fund scholarships for future students. Our future goals include funding our artists recording projects, helping grow our music school, and be able to offer as many financial supports as possible to our SoPA students and SoPA SONIC RECORDS artists.
If you would like to inquire about one of our artist’s songs for licensing, discuss a possible business relationship with SoPA SONIC RECORDS, or you are looking for that perfect piece of music or song for your project (we’ll search our catalogue and present you with great choices!), please email us at: sopasonic@hollandcollege.com