For Immediate Release, October 6, 2022: Sakamoto Music is excited to add another talented artist to its growing label roster, with the addition of emerging Canadian artist Raquel Cole. “Hate That I Need You” will be the first single from Raquel on the label, releasing to DSP’s on October 7 and Canadian country radio on October 11.
PRE-SAVE / PRE-ADD – “Hate That I Need You”
“Hate That I Need You” was created from the idea of hiding one’s vulnerability. When Raquel sat down with Grammy-nominated songwriter Bonnie Baker (Hunter Hayes) and Grammy-winning Engineer Chad Carlson (Taylor Swift) in a writing session, she was newly dating someone, and they urged her to dish. Always a strong and independent person, Raquel didn’t give up her emotions easily, finding it hard to admit that she felt she needed this person in her life. Raquel says, “I don’t know about you, but it’s really hard for me to open up and share vulnerable parts of myself. Turns out that’s the only way to get to know someone and to experience real connection.”
Of the new signings, Raquel says, “I’ve had an incredible last year touring because of Paul and the Sakamoto Agency crew. It seemed more than fitting to sign to Sakamoto Music in partnership with Warner Canada, to release my new music. I think all together I’ve got a fantastic team. Sakamoto truly feels like a family and I am honoured for them to welcome me in!”
“We are thrilled to be releasing new music from Raquel Cole,” says Joelle May of Sakamoto Music, “Raquel is a powerhouse vocalist and guitar player, and a bonafide Billboard Top 10 songwriter. She can command a room with just a microphone and a guitar, or comfortably rock out with the band. She’s got it all, and we can’t wait to share it with everyone!”
The sentiment is shared by Sakamoto’s President and Operating Partner Paul Biro, “Raquel has been a friend and artist we have believed in for several years and we can’t wait for the public to hear her new music and see her live show. We know they will love the music as much as we do, and we’re proud to release it with our partners at Warner Music Canada.”
Raquel Cole is also signed for bookings to Sakamoto Music’s parent company Sakamoto Agency, and is wrapping up the last western Canadian dates of a cross-Canada tour opening for The Washboard Union, this month. For announced tour dates, visit www.raquelcole.com.
UPCOMING SHOWS (opening for The Washboard Union):
October 21, 2022 Charles Bailey Theatre, Trail, BC
October 22, 2022 Key City Theatre, Cranbrook, BC
October 24, 2022 Tidemark Theatre, Campbell River, BC
October 25, 2022 Tidemark Theatre, Campbell River, BC
October 26, 2022 Cowichan Theatre, Duncan, BC
October 27, 2022 The Port Theatre, Nanaimo, BC
October 29, 2022 Quesnel & District Senior Centre Hall, Quesnel, BC
November 1, 2022 REM Lee Theatre, Terrace, BC
December 3, 2022 Stampede City Sessions, Calgary, AB
Tickets can be purchased at www.raquelcole.com/tour.
Sakamoto Music provides a home to artists that will help grow their careers, using a wholistic approach to match artist’s needs, and offer additional associated services for hire. To find out more about Sakamoto Music or Raquel Cole, visit www.sakamotoagency.com.
Press requests may be directed to Joelle May at [email protected].
MORE ABOUT RAQUEL COLE:
“A dynamite vocalist, songwriter and guitar slinger to boot!” is what American Songwriter Magazine called Raquel Cole in a recent interview. Her skill as a musician is one of the first things that her audience notices about this British Columbia native as she owns opening spots for artists like Carrie Underwood, Jonny Lang, Brothers Osborne, Scotty McCreery as well as Josh Turner, with whom she toured extensively. They are not the only ones catching onto the fiery and soulful music Cole is making, in 2017 she was named by The CBC and Radio Canada as “25 under 25 musicians everyone needs to know,” alongside Alessia Cara and Shawn Mendes.
She is a recipient of the CCMA Discovery Award and the winner of several accolades from the American Songwriting Magazine lyric contest, U.S. Today for their exclusive “Playlist” pick, and The International Songwriting Competition where her song, “Imogene” took home 2nd place in the Unsigned Only Category. Cole has also found success writing for other artists, and claims her first Billboard Top 10 Country Album charting song recorded by superstar, Marie Osmond.
MORE ABOUT SAKAMOTO MUSIC:
Sakamoto Music, a division of Sakamoto Agency, is a Canadian record label launched in 2022, and distributed by Warner Music Canada. Paul Biro is CEO of Sakamoto Music, and Joelle May is Director of Promotions & Artist Services, operating the day to day. Currently signed to the label are Chris Buck (Band), Raquel Cole, and Aaron Goodvin.
MORE ABOUT SAKAMOTO AGENCY:
Sakamoto Agency is an award-winning booking, talent buying, and event programming agency in Canada. With over 100 years of combined music industry experience among staff including booking, talent buying, management, radio promotions, publicity & marketing, and project management, Sakamoto Agency is an industry leader, named CCMA Booking Agency of the Year in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Along with 25+ years of various nominations, President and Operating Partner Paul Biro has also won CCMA’s Ron Sakamoto Talent Buyer or Promoter of the Year four times, from 2019 to 2022.
Sakamoto Agency has also received award nominations from the Canadian Live Music Industry Awards, and Western Canadian Music Awards (BreakOut West), for their 100 Homes: Concert Connections project, which provided over 300 personalized recorded concerts to care homes across Canada during the covid pandemic. Sakamoto Agency expanded it’s business in 2020, creating radio promotions subsidiary GPS Promotion in partnership with GrassRoots Promotion in Nashville. In 2022 Sakamoto Agency launched Sakamoto Music, a label subsidiary distributed by Warner Music Canada.