Label Spotlight | November - TMRW Music Group

HOW WAS TMRW CREATED? WHAT IS TMRW ALL ABOUT?
TMRW traces its roots back to Ministry of Sound Australia, where we kicked things off in 2004. In those early years, we were signing a wide spectrum of international and homegrown talent, fuelling a booming compilation and touring business. For anyone who remembers, those releases defined the cutting edge of dance music at the time, setting the stage for many of the sounds and artists shaping today’s scene. Some of the DJs who featured on those albums and tours went on to become household names worldwide—a true breeding ground for global superstars.

When streaming began to disrupt the compilation market—and following Sony’s acquisition of Ministry of Sound in 2016—we evolved into TMRW Music. Our focus shifted toward championing Australian dance and electronic artists, with an eye on both domestic success and international impact.

From there, we expanded into the live space, building major event brands such as Eighty-Six Music (bass and drum & bass specialists) and Ministry of Sound Events, which bring globally recognised dance artists to unique venues. Alongside this, our touring arm, TMRW Agency, has become a powerhouse, representing leading Australian acts including Fisher, Stace Cadet, Timmy Trumpet, Hot Dub Time Machine, Interupt, and more.

Each year, we also tour 50–60 international artists - from Hugel and Roger Sanchez to 4am Cru and Hospital Records - whether as part of our headline events or through standalone shows.

On top of that, we’ve extended into artist management, rounding out our ability to support talent at every stage.

At TMRW, our mission is simple: to cover the full spectrum of the modern music landscape, providing the expertise, platforms, and opportunities that allow artists to thrive locally and globally.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE BEST WAYS FOR A LABEL TO SUPPORT THEIR ARTISTS?
Fundamentally understanding and using our resources to help tell the artist story, helping them craft that narrative and how to help them tell it in the most authentic manner are really at the heart of what we do.

The practical starting point is always just being a great creative and business partner to the project and adding value to everything the artist does. Like any relationship, if you can’t add value it won’t work. That can mean being there as a sounding board for ideas, providing the artist with constructive A&R and creative feedback, guidance on how to navigate DSP & social platforms for maximum effect, taking on as much of the strategic and planning burden as possible to free the artist up to focus on what they do best.

A lot of the time just being there to act as a sounding board and for support, checking in on mental health and personal wellbeing are also important aspects to the relationship. Tying into that, helping the artist to connect to a wider community of creatives is super important and rewarding.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN ARTIST AND THEIR INDEPENDENT LABEL?
Like any relationship, honesty always has to be at the core of it. Our best artist relationships are the ones where we have a bond that goes beyond just the creative output and goes a bit deeper. If we can all invest in an artist as a person it’ll always make for a better and more rewarding longer term working relationship and working towards a shared vision.

ANY ADVICE TO OTHERS WANTING TO WORK IN THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR?
There’s nothing better than firsthand experience doing your own thing. Manage acts, start your own label, try being an agent, promote your own shows, volunteer in community radio…there are a bunch of ways to build experience and a broad tool kit of skills. Particularly in an independent label, you need a swiss army knife’s worth of skills to get the job done.

WHAT ARE YOU DRAWN TO WHEN YOU DECIDE TO SIGN AN ACT?
Authenticity, a strong sense of identity, work ethic, sense of humour, a great story to tell and (obviously) music that moves me.

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE OF INDEPENDENT LABELS AND ARTISTS?
Loving the challenge of helping artists navigate a very fast-changing landscape at the moment. It keeps us on our toes and there’s a lot to learn and pass on. The changes we’re seeing in terms of the way social platforms and algorithms are evolving and the opportunities that AI can bring to the table make for a really exciting environment. Artists that are able to use discovery platforms in smart ways while maintaining their sense of identity are the ones who are best equipped to navigate what’s coming, and we’re feeling really energised by what we’re working on with our roster at the moment.

WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING AT TMRW (TOURS/SIGNINGS ETC)
There’s a lot of new things on our slate that I’m really pumped about at the moment. We’re about to release the first EP from Yes Boone which feels like a real moment for him and the records are just epic. We’ve been working with Mashd N Kutcher who are working on some really fun ideas, Dave Winnel is sitting on some pretty explosive new material and Alex Hosking has some brilliant new work to share. In terms of new signings, we’re excited for the world to see what Carter Walsh, BARTS, MAD.DAY and Tori Pepper have been working on.