LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – Global independent label Red Bull Records announced the signing of South London’s breakout R&B singer/songwriter, James Vickery. The soulful rising talent first gained recognition with his captivating COLORS session (35M views), ahead of releasing his critically acclaimed EP Overture, which features heavyweights like Kenny Beats and SG Lewis.
With a full album, Vickery is breaking all barriers as a partially deaf musician and redefining what the next generation of UK R&B looks like. Red Bull Records will support Vickery’s vision next year with new music to come soon.
Vickery shares, “I’ve been patiently waiting for the perfect partner to take my music to the next level of my career – the moment I met Kenny Salcido, Greg Hammer, and the rest of the Red Bull Records team, I knew instantly it would be the ideal home for me. Being a part of Red Bull Records is a total dream come true, and I cannot wait to see what amazing things we will do together.”
Vickery is the fifth artist to sign with Red Bull Records this year, expanding the roster to fourteen acts – the most the label has ever welcomed in one year. Additional newcomers in 2023 include alt-pop/R&B singer-songwriter and producer Chris LaRocca, the latest signee to Grammy-nominated producer WondaGurl’s joint imprint Wonderchild; Maryland rapper Joony and LA upstart Jay Millian, both new to the EVGLE roster in partnership with Grammy-nominated hip-hop trailblazer Blxst; and hyperpop artist to watch, rouri404.
Red Bull Records Managing Director Greg Hammer adds, “I’m proud to look back on what we’ve accomplished this year and know that we’re just scratching the surface of our potential. We’ve celebrated chart-topping albums from artists that have been with us for over a decade and new partnerships with artists who are just beginning their journey. We have one of the most musically diverse rosters in the independent label landscape, and we’re so excited to bring James Vickery into the fold. His raw talent is undeniable, both on stage and as a songwriter, and we’re looking forward to sharing it with the world next year.”
Red Bull Records released six albums and ten EPs from artists across the genre spectrum this year. Most recently, in October, the billion-streaming rock band Beartooth released their fifth record on the label. It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums and has accumulated 100 million streams to date. Its lead single, “Might Love Myself,” hit No. 1 on the Mediabase Active Rock Radio chart and No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, surpassing tracks from Blink-182 and Metallica. In June, indie-pop act The Aces released their third album on the label, earning 28 million streams and chart debut at No. 4 on Alternative New Artist Albums and No. 25 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album chart. The lead single, “Always Get This Way” landed on Seventeen’s “Best Songs of 2023” list, and the band just wrapped their 30+ date world tour with sold-out shows across Australia and Japan.
Red Bull Records also works with Grammy-nominated guitarist and founding member of The Strokes, Albert Hammond Jr. This summer, he dropped his 19-track album, Melodies On Hiatus, which featured brilliant collaborations with the likes of GoldLink, Matt Helders, and Steve Stevens. Blxst released two fan-favorite EPs on the hip-hop side, including Sixtape 3 with Bino Rideaux and Just For Clarity 2. The latter spawned the single “Passionate” featuring Roddy Ricch, which peaked at No. 18 on Rhythm and No. 23 on Urban radio charts.
