Music in Exile

What Music in Exile does

Music in Exile is an Australian not-for-profit record label and registered charity that supports musicians with lived experience of migration or displacement who are living and working in Australia. Founded in 2020 and headquartered on unceded Wurundjeri Land (Kulin Country) in Melbourne, the organisation operates under an explicit "artist first" principle, ensuring musicians retain ownership over the tools, networks, and resources required to build sustainable careers in the arts. Its core constituency is culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) artists who face structural barriers entering the Australian music industry; this includes a documented roster spanning South Sudanese, Ethiopian, Hong Kong, Brazilian, Iranian, Senegalese, Chinese-Australian, and other diaspora backgrounds.

The organisation's product surface consists of the Artist Accelerator Program (AAP) as flagship incubator, an in-house record label releasing albums, EPs and singles (38 catalog items reaching 50+ countries), curated live event programming (including the Crossings series and appearances at major festivals such as WOMADelaide, Dark Mofo, Sydney Festival, Perth Festival, and Adelaide Festival), merchandise sales (vinyl, apparel, accessories priced $15-$70), and digital radio content distributed via Worldwide FM and Triple R. International creative development includes the Jutna residency at Old Carpet Factory on Hydra, Greece (late 2024) and cross-border recording sessions in London. Underlying technology is not proprietary — the platform is the curated community, Bandcamp and SoundCloud for digital distribution, Sound Merch for physical fulfillment, Humanitix/Oztix for ticketing, and Mailchimp for newsletters. Artist development follows a co-designed, horizontal methodology emphasising IP retention and revenue sharing (any profit from releases is split evenly between artist and organisation).

Revenue mechanics blend earned income (record sales, merchandise, ticketed events, streaming royalties) with philanthropic income (donations and government/private foundation grants). Cumulative artist payments have reached $792,455 AUD under the 50/50 profit-sharing model. The organisation is governed by a six-person board (Chair Luke de Zilva) and led by founder/CEO Joe Alexander, supported by a lean team of approximately 8 employees including Events & Partnerships Coordinator Nadeem Tiafau Eshraghi and AAP Manager Sia Ahmad. Performance metrics include 100+ original compositions recorded, 1,000,000+ annual streams worldwide, and 300+ live performances across all Australian states and territories.

Name

Music in Exile

Legal name

Music in Exile

Website

https://musicinexile.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Music in Exile is an Australian not-for-profit record label and registered charity that supports musicians with lived experience of migration or displacement through an Artist Accelerator Program, in-house label releases, festival programming, and merchandise, serving culturally and linguistically diverse artists across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Record Label

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs) (HSACAHAA)

Keywords

• Independent record label
• Music production services
• Artist development
• Music distribution
• Charity music releases

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Record Label Releases: Physical and digital music releases through the Music in Exile label including LPs, EPs, singles, and merchandise. Any profit from artist releases is shared evenly between artists and the organisation.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of artist merchandise including vinyl records, t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories through Sound Merch online storefront.
3. Live Events: Revenue from live performance events, festival appearances, and showcase presentations.
4. Donations: Charitable donations from supporters to fund ongoing operations and artist support programs.
5. Grants and Funding: Government and private foundation grants to support not-for-profit operations and artist development programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Music in Exile is a not-for-profit record label and registered charity based in Melbourne, Australia that supports musicians with lived experience of migration or displacement by producing, releasing, and promoting their recorded music. The organization functions as an incubator and label for migrant and refugee artists, providing recording, production, and release services alongside its charitable mission.

Product overview

Music in Exile is a not-for-profit record label and registered charity that operates as a music incubator supporting musicians with lived experience of migration and displacement. The organization functions through an 'artist first' principle, offering the Artist Accelerator Program (AAP) as its flagship initiative alongside an in-house record label releasing albums, EPs, and singles. The portfolio includes live music event programming and festival curation, merchandise sales through its shop, and digital radio content. All products and services are designed to help artists build viable careers in the Australian arts industry while maintaining ownership over their creative work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Artist Accelerator Program (AAP): Music in Exile's flagship music incubator program focused on welcoming artists with lived experience of migration or displacement into the Australian arts community, providing personal growth investment, platform for work, and industry connections.

Products and services

• Recorded music releases
• Artist development program

Quantifiable outcome

• $792,455 paid to artists
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Old Carpet FactorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecording studio partner on Hydra island, Greece for international creative development. The Old Carpet Factory hosted the Jutna project in late 2024 where seven musicians gathered to explore how music moves across borders, following global migration patterns.
• Mnemosyne ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of the Jutna project with Music in Exile and Old Carpet Factory. Jutna was a collaborative recording project featuring seven musicians from Senegal, Burkina Faso, France, UK and Australia.
• Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange (Z*F*E*X)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative EP Deep Heat/Tropical Storm released between Ausecuma Beats and Z*F*E*X. The nine-piece West Africa via Melbourne-based Ausecuma Beats worked with the improvised collective Z*F*E*X in a remote collaboration recorded across studios in Melbourne, Berlin and London.
• Sydney Opera HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSydney Opera House's Shortwave Commission awarded to Nū through the Music In Exile Artist Accelerator Program. The short film A Being, Of Course (dir. Kalu Oji) scored by Nū played at the Sydney Opera House in January 2026.
• Asylum Seeker Resource CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organisation in Melbourne where Music Yared members Anbessa Gebrehiwot and Haftu Reda met third member Dale Gorfinkel and formed the ensemble.
• Major Australian Arts FestivalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCuration and performance opportunities at major national festivals including: Darwin Festival, Perth Festival, Adelaide Festival, Sydney Festival, WOMADelaide, Port Fairy, Golden Plains, Meredith Music Festival, Strawberry Fields, Dark Mofo, Parramatta Lanes, RISING, The Great Escape, and more.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Songlines: UK-based world music magazine and media organization covering artists from across cultural traditions. Comparable as an established platform amplifying world and diaspora musicians in English-speaking markets, though its primary output is editorial rather than label releases.

Direct peers

• Strut Records: UK-based independent label specializing in reissues and new recordings across jazz, soul, Afrobeat and world music. Comparable in operating a culturally diverse catalog with global distribution and live-event support.
• Real World Records: UK-based independent label focused on world and roots music from across the globe, founded by Peter Gabriel. Most directly comparable as a label releasing recordings by artists from diverse cultural backgrounds with a curated, mission-aligned catalog.
• Sahel Sounds: US-based label focused on West African music discovery and release. Comparable in surfacing recordings from musicians in West Africa and the diaspora and supporting them through international showcase opportunities.
• Sublime Frequencies: US-based label and imprint dedicated to releasing traditional, folk, and popular music from across the world. Comparable in operating as an independent world-music label prioritizing cultural authenticity over commercial packaging.
• ARC Music: Canada/UK-based independent label releasing world, folk and fusion recordings across many cultural traditions. Comparable in maintaining a diverse, multi-region catalog and supporting artists from varied linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• Soundway Records: UK-based independent label focused on music from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Comparable in curating and reissuing culturally diverse recordings and in coordinating international touring and showcase events for its artists.
• Awesome Tapes From Africa: US-based reissue and release label dedicated to African music across genres. Comparable in curating and amplifying recordings from African and diaspora musicians and distributing them to a global audience through digital platforms.
• Ostinato Records: US-based independent label partnering with musicians from underserved regions to release high-quality archival and new recordings. Comparable in its mission-driven approach to amplifying recordings from culturally diverse and often marginalized communities.
• Analog Africa: Germany/Switzerland-based reissue label specializing in African and Latin American music. Comparable in its curation of recordings from culturally diverse artists and its international touring and event presence supporting those releases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/musicinexile
• Instagraminstagram.com/music.in.exile/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Music in Exile