Exploring the multitude of record labels that shape today’s music is the purpose of our “Label Focus” series. This time, we’re making a stop in Bucharest to present you Romania’s biggest label: Global Records.
In reality, and as its name suggests, Global Records’ scope of operations extends far beyond Romania. Over the past decade, Global Records has made waves across Europe and across the oceans, bringing its own take on Europop and dance-pop music genres.
We spoke with Olga Juverdeanu, Managing Director of Global Records, about the label’s vision, history and strategy to find out how Global Records developed into one of the leading labels in Central and Eastern Europe
Let’s imagine we don’t know about you yet. How would you describe Global Records in a few words?
Olga Juverdeanu: Global Records is one of the largest entertainment ecosystems in Europe, built around the biggest independent label in Central and Eastern Europe, with a portfolio of over 150 talents. Everything we do, from music publishing, music production, booking and live events, endorsements, and film production, is designed to develop our roster of talents, their artistic projects, and incorporate all revenue streams, both locally and internationally.
From the beginning, we have focused on performing at the highest level in everything we do. While each of our divisions operates with full independence and accountability, they are stronger together, drawing on shared infrastructure, cross-industry expertise, and the kind of synergies that only a fully integrated entertainment group can offer.
Our mission is to create a better today for all our artists and their fans — whether through the music they listen to, the concerts and festivals they enjoy, the films they watch, or simply their interactions with our artists on social media.
Global Records has been around for quite some time now. Could you tell us what sparked its creation, and how the label has developed over the years?
Olga Juverdeanu: It all began with one song. INNA‘s debut – Hot – shot to the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay and UK Dance charts, catapulting the Popcorn genre onto the world stage. A string of international hits followed, including Sun Is Up and Déjà Vu, while the momentum she helped build propelled other Romanian artists, like Alexandra Stan, into the global spotlight.
Following years of international experience, Global Records launched in Romania in 2014 with a publishing-first model. The company made a decisive early bet: world-class studio infrastructure and an impressive roster of songwriters and producers. This enabled the emergence of new talents who rapidly became, and still are, some of the biggest names in Romanian music.
We scaled in 2016 with the launch of booking and endorsement agencies. In less than 10 years, Global Records became the biggest player on the Romanian market, with a catalogue valued at over €100 million.
The business model remains one of a kind on the European market, continuously evolving to stay ahead of industry trends, while never losing sight of what matters most: the needs and aspirations of its artists.
Since partnering with Believe in 2024, how has that changed what you’re able to unlock for your artists, and can you share a moment where that really made a difference?
Olga Juverdeanu: Believe was one of the first partners Global Records had in the music business — it all started with a distribution deal signed over 10 years ago. The relationship evolved naturally from there, and the bond we built together supported both sides through everything the digital revolution brought to the market.
Believe acquiring a minority stake in Global Records in 2024 was a natural next step. More than anything, it was a validation of what we’ve built. We share the same values and the same ambitions for the future of the music industry in CEE and beyond.
It’s hard to point to a single moment or milestone in our collaboration, because honestly, that’s not where the real value lies. The real value is in the continuity – the ongoing work of finding the right opportunities for each artist and making sure we’re delivering the best possible results around them, every single day.
It’s hard to point to a single milestone in our collaboration, [with Believe] because that’s not where the real value lies. The real value is in the continuity – the ongoing work of finding the right opportunities for each artist.
Olga Juverdeanu
Managing Director, Global Records
Which artists are Global Records currently working with?
Olga Juverdeanu: We proudly represent a roster of over 100 active music artists, songwriters and producers, and over 150 content creators. On the music side, we work with some of the most established names in the industry: INNA, Carla’s Dreams, Irina Rimes, Antonia, The Motans, Alina Eremia, Minelli, Theo Rose, Alex Velea, Delia, Mario, just to name a few. But equally important to us is what’s coming next. We are constantly breaking new artists who are already shaping what the next chapter of Romanian music is going to sound like.
From your own perspective, what are the most exciting projects you’ve worked on recently?
Olga Juverdeanu: Given our integrated 360 model, we focus on exploiting all the synergies between our business lines while also treating each individual project as a priority in its own right, with a dedicated team behind it. As always, the next release is the most important, the next festival edition is the most exciting, and every project is a vector in the trajectory we’re on.
But the thing I’m perhaps most proud of isn’t any single release or moment. It’s the consistency. The music industry is full of one-hit-wonder stories, and what we’ve tried to build instead is something that lasts: artists who keep showing up year after year, both at home and on bigger international stages. That’s the part I care about most.
The thing I’m perhaps most proud of isn’t any single release or moment. It’s the consistency. The music industry is full of one-hit-wonder stories, and what we’ve tried to build instead is something that lasts.
Olga Juverdeanu
Managing Director, Global Records
What’s coming up next for Global Records?
Olga Juverdeanu: The most important thing in music is, well, music. So my first answer is: a lot of new music!
Beyond that, we are particularly thrilled about our US expansion. A few years ago, we took a majority stake in independent US music publisher Honua and it’s already yielding some incredible results. Our songwriters and producers have had cuts on worldwide hits like The Weeknd and Playboi Carti‘s “Timeless”, JIN‘s “Don’t Say You Love Me” – which went to number one on the Global Spotify charts, and contributions to Grammy-nominated albums by Teddy Swims, Leon Thomas and Giveon. And we’re just getting started there.
The approach is the same one Global Records was built on: publishing first. We believe in that model deeply, and we’re applying it the same way in the US, investing in the right people, building the right infrastructure, and letting the results speak for themselves.
On top of that, we keep developing our catalogue, breaking new artists, and pushing our music into new territories. There’s a lot of ground left to cover and a lot of excitement to make it happen.
