Phoebe Bridgers heads new record label and signs first act: Claud
Photo Courtesy of Uproxx
Los Angeles-based indie musician Phoebe Bridgers is partnering with her current label, Dead Oceans, to own and operate a new label, Saddest Factory. The announcement comes just months after Bridgers released her sophomore album “Punisher.”
Bridgers has made a name for herself as a solo artist through her dreamy lyrics and haunting melodies, using dark metaphors and allegories to unpack stories of trauma, pain and devastation in her music. In addition to her work as a solo artist, her collaboration with other musicians has resulted in the formation of multiple groups such as Better Oblivion Community Center with Conor Oberst as well as Boygenius with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. Her first album, “Stranger in the Alps,” debuted in 2017 and included songs like “Motion Sickness,” which remains her most streamed song on Spotify, garnering over 47 million streams.
“We’ve built an incredible team of digital marketing gurus, street team wizards, future investment and wealth counselors and other incredible and experienced interns globally,” the Saddest Factory website reads. “It’s an organic and global approach where we think out of the box so long as Phoebe is steering us in that direction.”
When Bridgers made the announcement about Saddest Factory via Instagram in early October, the musician also announced that the label had already lined up its first artist. That artist turned out to be 21-year-old musician Claud Mintz, who releases music under the name Claud. Their newest single “Gold” is an indie-pop track that depicts a flawed relationship through a combination of simple metaphors, colorful phrases and an upbeat melody.
“‘Gold’ is about contradictions,” Claud said in a press release. “An instructor attempting to teach a class of monsters proper manners so they can assimilate; a relationship getting so tired and so old that even gold starts to rust (which isn’t scientifically possible).”
Claud has written and released songs about their experience in the LGBTQ+ community including “Wish You Were Gay,” which has been streamed over three million times on Spotify. They have also appeared on tours with The Neighbourhood, Bleachers and Girlpool, to name a few.
Although Bridgers has not given any indication as to when the next artist will be announced, the record label’s website is taking “unsolicited submissions,” giving artists the chance to submit their work directly to the label. She also indicated that the label will not be confined to music that resembles her own.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a label because I’m also such a big music fan,” Bridgers said in an interview with Billboard. “The vision of the label is simple: good songs, regardless of genre.”
The “Gold” music video is available to stream on YouTube and both Claud and Bridgers can be streamed on Spotify.
