Milk & Honey, hitherto best known in the music industry as a songwriter, producer, and DJ management house, is getting into the label game.
The Los Angeles-headquartered company has today (October 21) announced the launch of Milk & Honey Records, which it says will be focused on pop and dance music, with a physical and digital distribution agreement in place with The Orchard.
Milk & Honey, which also runs a sports talent agency and a music catalog M&A brokerage, said in a press release that its new record company will be “the first label to offer songwriters a sizeable amount of gifted master points… giving songwriters as much as double digits worth of points perpetually accounted directly to them as a production royalty”.
The company added that its label will be focused on “transparent marketing commitments”, and would consider single-track recordings deals in the right circumstances.
Discussing the label launch, Milk & Honey founder, Lucas Keller, said: “Today, artists and their managers have become more independent from the major labels and are building tremendous cottage industries, so we decided that now is the right time for us to enter the space. Milk & Honey is a house built by songwriters, and the firm has never lost its way in putting them first.”
Directly addressing artists, Keller said: “Bring us your songs that you might have sent to another label where you wouldn’t be given points. You don’t need to be a Milk & Honey songwriter or artist; we want to be in business with you.”
“Bring us your songs that you might have sent to another label where you wouldn’t be given points. You don’t need to be a Milk & Honey songwriter or artist; we want to be in business with you.”
Lucas Keller, Milk & Honey
He added: “We live in a world where the working songwriter has a difficult time deciding what to spend their time on… there are so many artists, and a label model that doesn’t support making the writer as wealthy as the artist, or the company. The way songs are fractured now – with 16 writers and 7 producers – it is nearly financially impossible to be a songwriter.
“Major companies who publish many writers on hit songs are just as successful as always, but in key markets like Los Angeles and Nashville, there are fewer songwriters than ever that make a real living. At Milk & Honey, we’ve always been focused on making this into a big business for each songwriter and producer.”
Brad Navin, CEO of The Orchard, said: “Over the past decade, Milk & Honey has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to identify and cultivate talent. Their expansion into the label space is a natural progression that will undoubtedly lead to exciting developments.
“Over the past decade, Milk & Honey has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to identify and cultivate talent.”
Brad Navin, The Orchard
“Both The Orchard and Milk & Honey are deeply committed to fostering an environment where creativity thrives. We will leverage our respective strengths and networks collaborating to create substantial value, enhanced exposure, expanded resources, and a wider global reach, empowering artists to connect with new audiences and achieve their full potential.”
Keller has tapped Dana Shayegan to run the label. Shayegan is an industry veteran who spent 20 years across posts at iHeartRadio, Studio71US and The Collective where his music network drove over 1 billion+ views monthly. He was the co-founder of Monk Music, releasing 3,000+ songs across Caribbean and African music.
Continued Keller: “Songwriters are discretionary about who they will give their records to, and in today’s world they have to be opportunistic about who they can make the most publishing money with.
“In the earlier days of streaming, songwriters tried to take royalty points from producers which optically devalued the work that a producer puts into making a master recording and the craft that goes into being a record producer. When there is scarcity, people are fighting for scraps and it’s bad for everyone.
“Instead, the labels should be the ones chipping in points for songwriters. Today, the major labels are blocking songwriters who ask for master points. Even if an A&R approves it, business affairs will block it.”
“labels should be chipping in points for songwriters. Today, the major labels are blocking songwriters who ask for master points. Even if an A&R approves it, business affairs will block it.”
Lucas Keller, Milk & Honey
David Frank, Esq., Milk & Honey’s Head of Artist Management & Sports, said: “Milk & Honey Records is our answer to a changing industry — one where songwriters deserve a seat at the table and artists need faster, more nimble ways to release music. We’re building a label that puts creators first, offering real ownership, transparency, and speed without the red tape.”
Dana Shayegan said: “Lucas, Milk & Honey, and I are all wired the same way. We fight for artists like they’re our family, we love and respect the history of the music business, but we know that tomorrow’s business will never look the same as yesterday’s.
“In that spirit, we’re launching a label that honors proper old-school A&R while also embracing data and new technology to stay steps ahead in artist advocacy and deliver fans the music they want, how and where they want it.”
Commenting on his hiring of Shayegan, Keller said: “I’ve received countless resumes from major label A&Rs who I didn’t believe could enter the new world gracefully. I wanted someone who understands digital and knows how to go deep into the internet to both source research records and break them, and to be scrappy – Dana is that guy and I am excited to have him as part of the next chapter of Milk & Honey.”
Milk & Honey will reach 60 employees by the close of 2025. Its staff includes a 15-person creative team and a 15-person electronic dance music team, plus a staff of synch, media and content, marketing, A&R Admin employees.
The company’s clients received 19 Grammy nominations at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
Recent successes have included client hits such as Doja Cat’s Jealous Type (written & produced by client Y2K), Alex Warren’s Ordinary ( written by client Mags Duvall), K Pop Demon Hunters (client songwriters and producers Jenna Andrews and Stephen Kirk), Ed Sheeran’s Camera (songwriter David Hodges), CharliXCX’s Brat (client and producer Finn Keane), and Post Malone’s I Had Some Help and Guy for That (client, songwriter and producer Hoskins).
Milk & Honey clients also claimed cuts on 23 songs across Justin Bieber’s SWAG I and II (client & songwriter Jackson Morgan), plus Kendrick Lamar and Sza’s 30 for 30 (client producer and songwriter J White).
Additionally, Madonna’s Confessions 2 is coming from M&H client and songwriter Stuart Price later this year.Music Business Worldwide
