MBW’s World Leaders is a daily sequence wherein we flip the highlight towards a few of the most influential business figures overseeing key worldwide markets. On this characteristic, we converse to Niels Walboomers, President, Recorded Music and Publishing, Benelux, Warner Music Group, which incorporates the powerhouse dance label Spinnin’ Data. World Leaders is supported by SoundExchange.
When Dutch pop sensation Roxy Dekker’s album Mama I Made It lined eight out of 10 spots within the Netherlands Spotify chart in March, and reached No.5 on the worldwide Spotify High Albums chart, it was a career-defining second.
Not only for the artist, however for the executives who signed and developed her.
The artist was first signed to Warner Chappell Music Benelux via Head of A&R Lekeisha Irion, then developed throughout each publishing and recording divisions.
The consequence: 4 No.1 hits within the Netherlands in 2024, an Edison Award for Greatest Newcomer, and her smash Sugardaddy that includes 100% Warner Chappell Music songwriters.
The Roxy Dekker success story exemplifies the built-in publishing and recorded music strategy taken by Niels Walboomers.
Walboomers joined Warner in 2022 from Sony Music Publishing, the place he served as Benelux Managing Director for 12 years, working with Eurovision 2019 winner Duncan Laurence, Grammy-winning producer Tierce “Kizzo” Individual, and others.
However his music business roots run a lot deeper. In 1996, Walboomers co-founded Walboomers Music together with his brother, beginning as a distributor for hip-hop, Latin, reggae and world music earlier than turning into a profitable unbiased label, writer, and artist administration firm.
That entrepreneurial spirit has confirmed invaluable at Warner, the place he’s been given vital autonomy to reshape the corporate’s Benelux technique.
He’s overseen the transfer to Amsterdam Music Harbor, a multi-level inventive hub that includes 4 high-quality recording studios alongside the corporate’s places of work, creating what he calls a “hit manufacturing facility” setting.
His acquisition technique has been equally impactful. In October 2024, Warner acquired distinguished Dutch label Cloud 9 Data, house to artists together with Claude (who represented the Netherlands in Eurovision 2025), Jaap Reesema, Kris Kross Amsterdam, Snelle, and Turfy Gang.
Concurrently, Warner Chappell Music Benelux struck an administration take care of Blue Skies Publishing, including round 100 songwriters and catalogs containing greater than 100 High 40 hits.
The publishing operation has been significantly lively in signings, just lately including breakthrough dance producer CYRIL – whose Stumblin’ In has generated virtually 570 million streams and peaked within the world Shazam High 5; and Amsterdam’s Mau P, whose Medication from Amsterdam topped Beatport‘s High 10 chart for over a month in 2022.
In March 2025, Walboomers added one other main accountability to his remit when he was appointed the top of Spinnin’ Data, the Amsterdam-born dance label acquired by Warner in 2017 in a deal value over $100 million.
Past his government roles, Walboomers has been deeply concerned in business governance, serving as Chair of the Dutch music publishers’ affiliation NMUV (2014-2018), as a board member of the Belgian music publishers’ affiliation BMPA (2014-2022), and as Secretary to the Supervisory Board of Dutch accumulating society Buma/Stemra (2011-2023).
Right here, Walboomers discusses his entrepreneurial strategy inside a significant label construction and the strategic benefits of overseeing each publishing and recordings. He additionally shares his imaginative and prescient for Spinnin’ Data and why he believes Europe’s accumulating society system desperately wants an overhaul…
Warner Music Benelux has seen vital progress below your management. What had been your key targets whenever you first took the function?
One of many predominant objectives was to attain a dominant place within the native market. Markets [globally] are localizing with increasingly more native music, so when you don’t contribute to that, it actually hurts your market share.
Warner struggled with that within the Benelux area as a result of twenty years in the past, WMG determined to close down the native operation. Then, 10 years in the past, whenever you already noticed a shift to extra native music, Warner tried to do extra in that aspect of the market, however they didn’t succeed.
“If you concentrate on younger expertise and develop it efficiently, it has an unlimited influence available on the market.”
My focus was on younger expertise as a result of, whenever you concentrate on younger expertise and develop it efficiently, it has an unlimited influence available on the market. Nearly everybody we’ve signed hasbeen between 16 and 23, with some minor exceptions.
I actually adopted my intestine feeling, as a result of radio on the time in Holland was saying, “We’re really not going to help a whole lot of native language music.”
My opinion was that when you look on-line, at TikTok and Spotify, the native presence is gigantic. So I made a decision to concentrate on that.
You’ve had expertise in each publishing and recorded music all through your profession. How vital was it so that you can have management of each side at Warner?
Combining information and publishing was a key objective. With Sony [Music Publishing], I had limitations in working with the recording aspect. Most of my profitable acts had been [signing with] Common Recordings, which was the first participant within the Benelux market.
I at all times discovered it unlucky as a result of, as a writer, you’re employed behind the scenes, however you could have an even bigger function than lots of people understand. Lots of people don’t actually perceive what a writer does and what an excellent writer means.
“As a writer, you’re employed behind the scenes, however you could have an even bigger function than lots of people understand.”
As an illustration, we developed Duncan Laurence, who received Eurovision with Arcade. Not one of the labels had been excited by him. After which we instantly had this music, which went to Common and received Eurovision after 41 years of Holland not successful. However the report was with Common, in order a writer, when you do the event and a recording firm steps in, you form of lose the inventive management.
Now with Warner, I’ve the chance to work on each side. It feels such as you’re in full management of the entire course of – from selecting one thing up, going into the studio, discovering path, making a imaginative and prescient with the A&R crew, working intently with the social groups, after which placing it out there.
How have you ever managed to use your entrepreneurial ideas inside the company setting of a significant label?
In case you have your personal firm, you even have constraints. It is advisable to pay taxes, that you must have your admin so as. So so long as it’s clear what the constraints are, and I’ve sufficient freedom to maneuver inside them to do what I feel we have to do, then I can nonetheless hold my entrepreneurship.
What helps is that my boss [Man Moot] will not be in Amsterdam [laughs]. He’s in LA, Simon [Robson] is in London, so it nonetheless appears like my very own firm, though I do know I work for Warner.
They deal with me rather well and gave me the liberty to do what I feel must be completed, with the workplace, with the funding within the new workplace (The Amsterdam Music Harbour), and with the staff we’ve.
I actually had the liberty with out having to ship an in depth 100 page-plan. They gave me the belief: “We’ve seen what you’ve completed thus far. It’s been profitable. Listed here are the keys.”
Inside the main system, when you have a look at the alternatives it offers you rather than the constraints, it gives a lot of potentialities. So it’s really extra balanced in a optimistic approach than a unfavourable approach. At the very least that’s my expertise thus far.
How has your publishing-first strategy impacted the best way you develop artists?
It goes each methods. Some issues can begin at publishing and go to recordings. Different issues can begin with recordings and go to publishing. Publishing has a longer-term scope and provides you the time and room to develop.
As an illustration, if an artist sends a demo and also you assume, “That is good, this has potential, nevertheless it wants room,” with the publishing aspect you possibly can say, “This individual is absolutely gifted. It’s not prepared but for the recording aspect, however let’s get them within the household.”
As quickly because it develops, you possibly can have a look at it and say, “It’s nonetheless not there for the recording aspect, however let’s put it in distribution with ADA,” after which you possibly can develop it from there. They’re already a member of the family, which makes it a lot simpler to have a dialogue about doing a report deal later.
With Roxy Dekker, who grew to become a phenomenon in Holland, my publishing A&R had a huge impact on getting the deal, and along with my recording A&R, Soraib El-Jelali, each working collectively really elevated the possibility of doing a deal.
With one other artist, Antoon, who’s additionally one of many largest native artists, we had been making an attempt to signal him whereas he was talking with our competitors. No one talked about publishing besides us. We mentioned, “Let’s attempt to have a look at each side.” And funnily sufficient, they appreciated it and mentioned, “We like the corporate. We just like the folks right here. Why don’t we put it in a single place? It’s far more handy.”
Amsterdam Music Harbor appears to be a big a part of your technique. How vital is that this inventive hub to your imaginative and prescient?
It’s a game-changer, particularly having studios within the workplace. In most firms, studios are within the basement or hidden away, however with us, it’s on the identical stage as the corporate.
We had Cyril there writing for a month. We’ve got Roxy there, and after we’re engaged on a brand new [artist], Roxy sees them within the hallway and says, “Let’s make a TikTok put up.” Out of the blue the artist has 1.1 million views on TikTok. It’s pure.
No one pays for the studios. If the masters and publishing are with Warner, we management it, however there are many exterior folks too – there are not any restrictions. Everyone needs to be there. Different artists on the lookout for a deal come alongside and say, “That is the place the place I need to be.”
It’s actually some of the important issues in our providing. Lots of people speak about knowledge, databases and all that. Sure, it’s true, we want knowledge and it’s vital, nevertheless it nonetheless comes all the way down to bringing expertise collectively and creating the precise setting. I don’t assume that’s ever going to vary.
You’ve taken on the function of President at Spinnin’ Data. How do you see the label positioned inside Warner Music globally?
Spinnin’ is in a singular place as a result of they’ll make use of the most important system, however they’re not absolutely into the most important system. So we’ve flexibility to do issues in another way than what’s typical within the Warner system. It offers us a whole lot of alternatives to be a extremely world firm from the Benelux.
It must be the powerhouse of dance for Warner. The historical past was focusing on native expertise, which is logical as a result of that’s the place it began. That’s nonetheless actually vital as a result of there’s a whole lot of expertise in Holland, and nonetheless a whole lot of massive names coming from there.
What I need to do is get again with a few of these skills to work once more, but additionally concentrate on future younger expertise, and that might be a lot broader than solely Holland. One instance is Cyril. Spinnin’ discovered him when he was dwelling in Australia, making music in his room at house, and now he’s grow to be a world pressure in dance. Stumbling In was the No.1 airplay music in Europe final 12 months and his new single There She Goes is #1 Viral on TikTok within the US this week
The ability of Spinnin’ has not been actually maximized within the Warner system but. I solely assume in alternatives, and I feel there are numerous extra alternatives for us to discover within the Warner world.
We have to discover extra massive stars. In fact, it’s difficult, however we don’t want to seek out 100 stars. We simply must discover a couple, after which we are able to actually make an influence within the Warner system, exhibiting that we are able to make a distinction on this aspect of the market.
You’ve made some acquisitions just lately, together with CLOUD 9. What’s the technique behind these offers?
It aligns with the objective to grow to be the primary native participant. With Cloud 9, we received offers with some magnificent artists. That’s why we’re doing Eurovision with Claude. We’ve got Kris Kross Amsterdam. They’re additionally at all times engaged on new expertise.
Raymond [van Vliet], who based Cloud 9, remains to be working for us and taking a look at how we are able to develop the Cloud 9 model. The model isn’t going to vanish as a result of it has a robust repute within the Benelux market.
The final couple of weeks, we grew to become the market chief in Holland, each on radio and within the charts. Cloud 9 contributed to that.
What are the largest challenges for artists within the present market?
One of many massive challenges is that there are such a lot of releases, each domestically and internationally. How do you grow to be seen? How do you be certain that folks can join together with your music or with you as an artist?
Authenticity is absolutely vital. I don’t assume AI will be genuine. Individuals these days, as a result of they’re so immersed within the on-line world, can actually see what’s actual and what’s manufactured.
One other problem helps artists get a sustainable profession, so that they want to have the ability to make a dwelling from it. Not simply have that one hit after which be out of it, however actually construct for the long run.
With Warner, we hope to supply them with the precise setting to develop and develop and really feel safe, and still have the time to try this, which generally is a problem. With publishing, you possibly can actually say, “This takes years.” With information, it additionally must be now, due to the enterprise dynamic behind it, in order that makes it more difficult on the recording aspect to work on these careers.
If there was one factor you may change in regards to the music enterprise, what would it not be?
If I’m actually sincere, I hope an outsider will problem the present accumulating society system, with all these societies throughout Europe doing the identical factor however individually. If any individual would take into consideration a system right this moment, it wouldn’t seem like it does now. Hopefully, at some point, it is going to be extra clear and extra environment friendly.
What’s lacking is a GRD [Global Repertoire Database]. I do know it’s been tried for years to construct. I feel, really, with AI, you may construct it fairly quick. It’s nonetheless complicated as a result of it’s a fancy market, however it could make sense to have a physique for all of Europe, if not all around the world.
“The inventive neighborhood is already turning into a world neighborhood, and the system ought to observe that. But it surely appears like all people’s on their very own island, defending their very own territory, whereas the world is related.”
The inventive neighborhood is already turning into a world neighborhood, and the system ought to observe that. But it surely appears like all people’s on their very own island, defending their very own territory, whereas the world is related.
Not having a database exhibiting who has the rights geographically makes it so difficult. It goes additional than songwriters and publishers, as a result of it additionally impacts manufacturers wanting to make use of a music. “I need to do a world advert with this music.” However the rights in America are with this firm, the rights in Europe are with that firm.
It’s very complicated for everybody, and I feel that’s really a limitation to rising enterprise. Opening that up will create extra alternatives than simply effectivity. It would additionally develop the enterprise.”
SoundExchange was independently fashioned in 2003 to construct a fairer, easier, and extra environment friendly music business via know-how, knowledge, and advocacy. The one group designated by the U.S. authorities to manage the Part 114 sound recording license, SoundExchange collects and distributes digital efficiency royalties on behalf of 700,000 music creators and rising.
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