Audio Chateau Records has lined up as much as $9 million in fresh funding to grow its music and creator business. Jared Gutstadt, the man behind Jingle Punks, is leading the company, while hit songwriter Jason Poo Bear Boyd has joined as an advisor.
The plan goes beyond making records. ACR wants its artists to build careers through video, brand deals, live gigs, sports, and media projects. Gutstadt sees those links as part of artist growth from the start, rather than a step that comes after a hit song.
And Boyd brings serious pop credits. His work with Justin Bieber helped produce What Do You Mean? and the Despacito remix. He also worked on DJ Khaled's I'm the One, giving him three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 as a writer.
The pair have worked as a team before. Their Bear and a Banjo podcast had music by T Bone Burnett and a song with words by Bob Dylan. It later picked up two Webby nominations for its writing and sound work.
Boyd likes Gutstadt's focus on helping artists stand out through their brands, not just compete for chart spots. He believes the approach can help new talent gain fans and build careers beyond a single release.
ACR began as part of Audio Up Media and had already raised $4.5 million in an earlier round. That deal brought Glen Barros of Exceleration Music and Jonathan Schulman onto its board.
For the new Series A round, Schulman returned alongside Ben Lurie and Julie Gauthier of CW Ventures. The company has not said how much of the $9 million funding limit it has drawn.
Its music reaches streaming services through Virgin Music Group, which operates under Universal Music Group. The label also runs studios in Los Angeles and Nashville, giving artists access to space for creative work.
Names such as MGK, Ty Dolla $ign, and Miranda Lambert have used ACR's Los Angeles facility. Recent work at the label has featured Clayton Johnson, Miles Victor, and Ricky Retro.
Gutstadt has a long history of mixing music with other forms of entertainment. He helped start Jingle Punks, whose tracks reached more than 1,000 TV shows before Canadian music rights firm Ole bought the business.
His past deals also brought Lil Wayne into projects with Fox Sports, DJ Khaled into work with the Miami Marlins, and G-Eazy into a UFC tie-up. Those links help explain the business approach he's bringing to ACR.
Boyd has a separate history in music rights. Hipgnosis Songs Fund bought his full songwriting catalog in a deal covering 214 tracks. His role at ACR, though, is about helping shape what the next wave of artists can build.
The plan goes beyond making records. ACR wants its artists to build careers through video, brand deals, live gigs, sports, and media projects. Gutstadt sees those links as part of artist growth from the start, rather than a step that comes after a hit song.
And Boyd brings serious pop credits. His work with Justin Bieber helped produce What Do You Mean? and the Despacito remix. He also worked on DJ Khaled's I'm the One, giving him three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 as a writer.
The pair have worked as a team before. Their Bear and a Banjo podcast had music by T Bone Burnett and a song with words by Bob Dylan. It later picked up two Webby nominations for its writing and sound work.
Boyd likes Gutstadt's focus on helping artists stand out through their brands, not just compete for chart spots. He believes the approach can help new talent gain fans and build careers beyond a single release.
ACR began as part of Audio Up Media and had already raised $4.5 million in an earlier round. That deal brought Glen Barros of Exceleration Music and Jonathan Schulman onto its board.
For the new Series A round, Schulman returned alongside Ben Lurie and Julie Gauthier of CW Ventures. The company has not said how much of the $9 million funding limit it has drawn.
Its music reaches streaming services through Virgin Music Group, which operates under Universal Music Group. The label also runs studios in Los Angeles and Nashville, giving artists access to space for creative work.
Names such as MGK, Ty Dolla $ign, and Miranda Lambert have used ACR's Los Angeles facility. Recent work at the label has featured Clayton Johnson, Miles Victor, and Ricky Retro.
Gutstadt has a long history of mixing music with other forms of entertainment. He helped start Jingle Punks, whose tracks reached more than 1,000 TV shows before Canadian music rights firm Ole bought the business.
His past deals also brought Lil Wayne into projects with Fox Sports, DJ Khaled into work with the Miami Marlins, and G-Eazy into a UFC tie-up. Those links help explain the business approach he's bringing to ACR.
Boyd has a separate history in music rights. Hipgnosis Songs Fund bought his full songwriting catalog in a deal covering 214 tracks. His role at ACR, though, is about helping shape what the next wave of artists can build.
