Nick Raphael

Nick Raphael

1987 – present

Career[edit]

In the early 1990s, Raphael moved to Leeds, UK and organized, managed and promoted several night club venues such as Hi Flyers, The Gallery and The Warehouse. This led him to becoming a DJ and recording artist with partner Paul Fryer under the name 'TWA'. Raphael, Fryer and Suzy Mason then started the Vague club, which ran between 1993 and 1996.[3] His work throughout 1991 until 1994 as a Night Club promoter, DJ, recording artist and remixer led Raphael to his first corporate job in the UK music industry in 1994 at London Records UK, where he served as Product and later Label Manager for FFRR.[4] In 1996, he left London Records to start NorthWestSide (NWS) Records (at BMG) with Christian Tattersfield. They signed Jay-Z the same year.


In 2000, NorthWestSide Records was rolled into Arista Records and Raphael was appointed A&R Director. In 2007 Raphael was appointed as the managing director of Epic Records UK.[5] Raphael stayed with Sony for 10 years he left in 2011 with Jo Charrington to relaunch London Records for Universal Music. After Universal bought EMI they decided to launch Capitol Records in the US and UK in April 2013. London Records roster and staff were rebranded Capitol Records UK - with Raphael named as president. Over the next eight years the artists signed, A 'n' R'ed and released by Capitol Records UK included Sam Smith (the multi Grammy, Oscar and Brits award winner), 5 Seconds of Summer (the first band in Billboard history to have their first three albums to debut at #1 the Billboard top 200 album chart) and Liam Payne (from One Direction).[6]


In 2008, Nick Raphael together with Jo Charrington founded the companies Salli Isaak Songs Limited and Salli Isaak Music Publishing Limited. Collectively, the Salli Isaak roster has written twenty UK Top 10 singles, nine UK No.1 singles, and won multiple Ivor Novello Awards. in 2018, both Salli Isaak companies were acquired by Downtown Music Publishing.[7]


The End of 2021 Nick Raphael left Capitol Records UK to start a new venture with the ex Chairman of Warner Music UK Christian Tattersfield. The pair who had previously worked together have set up the NWS Music Group which includes records, publishing and sync (the latter two with Ben Bodie). [8]

UK – Product Manager 1994 - 1995

London Records

UK – Label Manager 1995 - 1996

FFRR

1996–2000

BMG UK

NorthWest Side Records UK – Label Founder – 1996 - 2000

* UK – A&R Director 2000 - 2001 [9]

Arista Records

UK –Managing Director 2001 -2002

Epic Records

UK – Vice President - 2002–2004

Sony Music

UK – A&R - 2004–2005 [10]

Sony/BMG

White Rabbit Records – Label owner - 2005 - 2007

UK –Managing director - 2007 - 2011 [11][12]

Epic Records

UK - President 2011 - 2013

London Records

UK - President 2013 - 2022[13][14]

Capitol Records

NWS Music Group - Owner/Founder 2022–Present[16]

[15]

Posts held at the following record companies since 1994;

at London/Capitol with Charrington.

5 Seconds of Summer

at Epic with Charrington.

Aloe Blacc

at NWS/BMG with Tattersfield

Another Level

Armand Van Helden

Big Brovaz

at Epic with Charrington.

Charlotte Church

at Epic with Charrington.

G4

,[18] with Tattersfield

Jay-Z

at Epic with Charrington.

JLS

at Epic with Charrington.

Lemar

Mylo

at Epic/Whiterabbit Records/Sony with Charrington.

Olly Murs

,[19] at Epic with Charrington.

Paloma Faith

at Epic with Charrington.

The Priests

at London/Capitol with Charrington.

Sam Smith

at Epic with Charrington.

Scouting For Girls

at Capitol Records with Colin Batsa and Jo Charrington

Aitch

at Salli Isaak Songs ltd with Jo Charrington

Jimmy Napes

at London/Capitol with Charrington.

The Gypsy Queens

Raphael (alongside Tattersfield and Charrington) has signed, and launched a number of artists including[17]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Music Week Awards[edit]

In 2010, Raphael and Charrington were recipients of the Music Week A&R award,[20] which they received again in 2015[21] making them the only A&R team to win the award twice.

Nick Raphael's profile on Music Tank - The University of Westminster's business development network

Interview, HitQuarters 25 May 2005

Recordoftheday.com