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Universal Launches New Latin EDM Label Aftercluv Dance Lab

If you thought that Universal had named its Latin Grammy after party “The After” for obvious reasons, you were wrong.

The event name was also a play on words, referencing Aftercluv Dance Lab, a new dance music label focused on the Latin marketplace region-wide.

The launch of Aftercluv was formally announced today (Dec. 3) by Jesús López, Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Latin America & Iberian Peninsula.

Aftercluv will fall under the UMLE umbrella but will be associated with PM:AM Recordings, Universal Music Group’s global dance network. It will be the first major Latin label operating in the entire region dedicated to dance and EDM and will act as a one-stop-shop entertainment company that includes label, management, promotion, booking and merchandising operations.

“Aftercluv Dance Lab positions us even closer to today’s Latin American youth consumer habits and to the fastest growing musical genre of the last decade,” said López.

Aftercluv will operate in nine cities: Los Angeles, Miami, México City, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Río de Janeiro, Lisbon and Madrid.

To date, Aftecluv has six signed acts: Mexican trio collective 3BalMTY, Spanish DJ Juan Magán, Venezuelan duo Atellagali, Brazilian Marcelo Cic and Portugal’s Buraka Som Sistema. The goal is to sign Aftercluv acts to full 360 deals that encompass touring, a big revenue driver in the EDM world.

In addition, the label will also do promotion and booking for mainstream acts in Latin America. These include Suzie del Vecchio and Dutch DJ D-Wayne, who’s mixed for the likes of Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez and is currently releasing on Afrojack’s Wall Recordings.

“We are opening the world to Latin acts and we are easing entry into Latin America for mainstream acts,” says Luis Estrada, who will act as executive director of Aftercluv, adding to his current duties as GM for Universal Music Latino, Machete and Capitol Latin. Estrada will continue to report to Victor Gonzalez, president of UMLE.

Pedro Guzmán, currently UMLE’s VP of A&R, will be EVP of Aftercluv, reporting to Estrada, and will oversee day-to-day operations. Aldo Gonzalez, who currently works as senior director of A&R for UMLE, will also join Aftercluv’s marketing and A&R team.

Aftercluv will also launch a merchandising division that will include a clothing line. All label information and news will live on its website. 

[Billboard Biz]