Charles Kirby-Welch is the CEO and Founder of Kartel Music Group.
He launched the UK-based label services company in 2002.
Charles Kirby-Welch: Career so far
Prior to founding Kartel Music Group, Charles Kirby Welch worked in dance & regional promotions for Virgin Records from 1999 to 2002. He studied audio engineering at the SAE Institute in London.
Through Kartel, Kirby-Welch has worked on releases from artists including Fatboy Slim, British Sea Power, Peaches, Fat Freddys Drop, Ady Suleiman and Gemma Hayes, as well as with labels such as Alcopop!, Xtra Mile, Tru Thoughts and Mr Bongo.
In an op-ed for MBW in 2017, Kirby-Welch explored the concept of accountability, noting: “At Kartel, we believe the opportunity to bring artists greater choice, transparency and creative freedom comes with responsibilities. Artists and managers are by definition not record label executives. That should be a good thing – but it means we must be honest and realistic about the challenges of trying to become a record label.”
“If the recorded music business is perceived to be the riskier end of an artist’s income, who is accountable for its profitability in a label services model?”
Charles Kirby-Welch in mbw
Music Business Worldwide