An executive at one of the world’s leading record labels has said a Dubai-based duo could be the next big thing on the global music scene.
Hollaphonic’s debut single, ‘I Don’t Want It To End’, shot to No.1 in the iTunes UAE singles charts within 24 hours of its release - ousting PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’ from top spot. After hearing the tune by duo Greg Stainer and Olly Wood, EMI Music Arabia marketing and sales director V T Ravi knew he couldn’t let any other label represent Hollaphonic.
The duo are the first UAE electronic dance act to be snapped up by EMI and Ravi admitted: “It’s one of those things in the business that’s hard to explain but the moment we heard the song we knew - here is something special.”
“We signed them because their track had that ‘wow’ factor. Something strikes you when you hear it and you know you’re on to something good.”
He added: “Hollaphonic has all the right ingredients to appeal to a wide international audience - the debut track has already created a big impact.” Radio 1’s One breakfast presenter Danny Cee was the first to play Hollaphonic’s track on air and he said that the response has been outstanding.
“Immediately we got text messages and tweets from listeners asking who they were and what the next song was going to be,” Cee revealed. What was even more unexpected was that Hollaphonic managed to topple viral sensation ‘Gangnam Style’ without releasing a video.
“A video is, of course, a very important aspect of the business but at the end of the day it’s all about the music - the music speaks for itself,” said Ravi. However, the sudden success of the single still caught Stainer and Wood off guard. “We didn’t expect it all,” admitted Wood.
“We couldn’t have imagined moving PSY off the No.1 spot.”
