Because Music, home to legendary acts like Daft Punk, Justice, and Christine and the Queens, has officially celebrated its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of redefining what it means to run an independent record label. Co-founder Emmanuel de Buretel, reflects on the label’s evolution, its unique approach to artist development, and how Because has positioned itself as a truly multinational, multicultural record company of the future.
The anniversary milestone was highlighted by a headline-making moment: Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter performed his first DJ set in 16 years, sharing the stage with electronic icons Busy P, Erol Alkan, and Fred again... This historic performance served as the grand finale to Because Beaubourg, a three-day exhibition at Paris’ Centre Pompidou attended by 40,000 visitors. The immersive event featured installations, talks, performances, and even a roller disco, all celebrating the label’s eclectic 20-year history.
“We don’t like the auto-congratulation of anniversaries,” de Buretel says. “But this event symbolized what an independent record company should be—creative, adaptive, and focused on real artistry.”
Because Music was founded in 2005 by de Buretel and Eric Bielsa after both departed major labels. From the beginning, the label emphasized a boutique, artist-focused approach, signing acts that majors often overlooked. Their first release, Dimanche à Bamako, a Grammy-nominated collaboration between Malian duo Amadou & Mariam and French-Spanish legend Manu Chao, set the tone for a roster that now includes Parcels, Oklou, Snow Strippers, Shygirl, Bambii, Justice, Cerrone, Christine and the Queens, and the artists of Ed Banger Records, including Justice, Myd, and SebastiAn.
Because Music also manages the legacy of Daft Punk, co-creating projects such as The Daft Punk Experience within the Fortnite video game platform, marking one of the largest activations in Epic Games history. Upcoming releases include Kiss The Beast, the first album with electronic stalwart Sébastian Tellier, out January 30, 2026.
De Buretel emphasizes that the label’s philosophy differs sharply from major labels. While majors may only have a few months to develop an artist, Because focuses on long-term artist growth, often investing seven to ten years in cultivating acts like Justice. “We’ve been patient, growing little by little, and they have all succeeded,” he says.
The label’s strategy includes a selective, tight roster, prioritizing raw talent and live performance authenticity over social media metrics or streaming numbers. “The art of tomorrow often comes from the street, not from galleries,” de Buretel explains. This approach has helped launch underground electronic acts like Snow Strippers and Oklou, as well as Belgian rapper Shay.
Because Music operates with an integrated international infrastructure, including offices in Paris, London, and Los Angeles, two Paris venues (La Boule Noire and La Cigale), a festival (We Love Green, co-founded by Because), and a network of booking agencies. The label is dedicated to giving artists all the tools they need—from records to publishing to IP management—to succeed globally.
De Buretel is particularly proud of the label’s international reach, citing artists like Christine and the Queens, whose debut album sold 1.5 million equivalent units worldwide, with half of the sales outside France. “For Justice or Shygirl, the number one territory is the U.S., sometimes number two is Mexico,” he says. This global outlook contrasts with many major labels, which often cannot allocate sufficient resources to market artists worldwide.
The boutique approach has yielded both commercial and critical success. In 2025, Because Music added a Grammy and an Academy Award to its accolades through Justice and Camille, while Justice also scored its first No. 1 on Alternative Airplay with the 2024 Tame Impala collaboration “Neverender.”
Looking ahead, Because continues to adapt to the changing music landscape. The London office has recently relocated to Shoreditch, and in 2026, the Paris office will move to Montmartre to accommodate staff and growth. De Buretel stresses the importance of maintaining strong industry relationships with Merlin, other indie labels, and majors while advocating for fairer streaming revenue models for independent artists.
“Right now, we operate worldwide with a direct-to-platform model, without intermediaries,” he says. “We are an international development company for new artists and catalogues. We are the antithesis of a traditional distributor, and we’ve built the record company of tomorrow.”
Because Music’s 20-year journey illustrates how a small, visionary label can thrive by focusing on artist development, cultural authenticity, and global strategy—showing that the independent model can be both innovative and commercially successful.
Comments are closed.