Kei Henderson’s Third & Hayden Announces Joint Venture with SoundCloud

Today, Grammy award-winning music label executive Kei Henderson has announced she entered into a joint venture with SoundCloud to develop the next generation of artists via the label arm of her Atlanta-based full-service creative incubation hub, Third & Hayden. LA-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jordan Hawkins and Atlanta rapper Key! are the first signees on the Third & Hayden label.

The deal will bring together Third & Hayden and SoundCloud to foster the careers of artists utilizing the music company’s robust resources that include A&R, marketing, PR, distribution, and more, while also allowing talent to remain fully independent and keep ownership of their own masters. Together, the primary focus will be empowering creatives and expanding Third & Hayden’s fast-growing artist roster.

This new joint venture is part of SoundCloud’s roster business which is focused on providing independent artists with bespoke tools and services to advance their careers. Earlier this year, the roster team launched these efforts with its first joint venture deal – partnering with Solid Foundation, the management and creative services arm of the media conglomerate QC Media Holdings, both owned and operated by music industry veterans Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas.

“We want artists to find success as independents to set the foundation for long-term careers and move through their careers with leverage, and creative control. What we were able to build with 21 Savage early and again with SinceThe80s is the blueprint for the way we’re working with our artists and I’m so thankful to have been a part of both of these brands from the start,” said Kei Henderson, founder of Third & Hayden. “SoundCloud is typically one of the first touch points for indie artists and I feel a great part of my career has been brand building with artists from day zero – for this reason they’re the best partner for what we’re building. We’re being intentional on ground up development.”

SoundCloud’s Global SVP & General Manager, Jessica Rivera, comments:

“Kei has a proven track record of finding and fostering the next generation of talent so partnering with Third & Hayden was simply the right fit. We’re excited about developing this joint venture with such a respected industry leader and creative who shares SoundCloud’s dedication to providing solutions and empowering artists as they take their careers to the next level on their own terms.”