Universal Music Launches “House of Carmen” — The Major Label’s Bold Move to Own the Creator Economy

By Indie By Nature Radio Staff
Published: October 2025

A Quiet Launch That Could Shake Up Creator Marketing

Universal Music Group (UMG) has quietly rolled out a new creator marketing app called House of Carmen, designed to connect influencers directly with the label’s artists and pay them to post content on TikTok and Instagram. The platform aims to “bring creator marketing in-house,” and it could redefine how labels leverage social creators. “As creator marketing has continued its growth trajectory, we realised there was a real need to bring it in-house — somewhere we could house a global creator database, deliver prompt payment, and integrate all of our data sources to enable effective and timely analysis of campaigns.” says Janey Stride, Director of Commercial & Creative Innovation over at Universal Music UK (Music Business Worldwide, 2025)

How House of Carmen Works

Launched initially in the U.K. in September 2024, House of Carmen allows creators with at least 1,000 followers to join and collaborate on label campaigns. Creators can receive:

• Direct briefs, offering guaranteed payments, or

• Challenge-based campaigns, where compensation depends on performance metrics such as reach and engagement.

The app gamifies participation, allowing users to compete for top-performing posts tied to major releases. Universal manages the entire process, from campaign creation and payment to analytics and compliance all within the app.

UMG is operating the project in “stealth mode,” refining its systems before launching in new territories. Expansion to Germany is already planned, with a U.S. rollout expected soon (Music Ally, 2025).

InGrooves’ AI Tech: The Data Engine Behind the Vision

UMG’s move toward a creator-led marketing ecosystem aligns with its parallel innovations through InGrooves Music Group, a UMG subsidiary specializing in AI-powered promotion tools (Universal Music Group, 2024).

InGrooves recently secured multiple patents for machine learning technologies that predict which online trends will translate into streaming growth. The company says one system can drive streams at nearly double the rate of traditional marketing. InGrooves’ latest AI system can even detect rising music trends on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, allowing marketers to spot viral moments early. Dr. S.K. Sharma, Chief Analytics & AI Officer, stated: “We are now able to use those insights to invent and power the most innovative solutions available to artists anywhere.” (Music Business Worldwide, 2025)

Why It Matters for Indie Artists and Creators

UMG’s House of Carmen represents a new kind of power play, one that combines creator marketing, AI analytics, and major label scale into a single ecosystem.

• Direct control over influencers: UMG no longer relies on third-party agencies to run campaigns.

• Built-in data optimization: By connecting creator performance data with InGrooves’ AI tools, the label gains real-time insight into what content drives streaming conversions.

• Opportunities for micro-influencers: With only 1,000 followers required, smaller creators can collaborate with one of the world’s biggest labels.

• New competition for indie artists: The system may make it harder for independent campaigns to compete for social attention without similar infrastructure.

The influencer marketing industry is projected to exceed $32.5 billion in 2025, according to Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2025 Benchmark Report. “Brands and labels are investing in creators because audiences trust peer recommendations far more than traditional ads” (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2025).

What to Watch Next

1. U.S. Rollout: Will Universal launch House of Carmen stateside in 2025?

2. Creator Rights: How transparent will UMG be with payouts and usage rights?

3. Indie Access: Will independent artists be allowed to collaborate through the platform?

4. Competitor Response: Will Warner or Sony follow with their own creator networks?

The Indie By Nature Take

For independent artists, House of Carmen is both a warning and an opportunity. It demonstrates how far major labels are willing to go to establish their relationships with creators, but it also highlights the growing value of authentic creator influence.

Indie By Nature will continue tracking how apps like House of Carmen impact creator pay models, indie artist exposure, and the overall digital music landscape.

References

Influencer Marketing Hub. (2025). Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2025. https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report-2025

Music Ally. (2025, October 7). UMG launches House of Carmen app for influencer campaigns. https://musically.com/2025/10/07/umg-launches-house-of-carmen-app-for-influencer-campaigns/

Music Business Worldwide. (2025a, October 7). Universal has quietly launched a creator marketing app that pays influencers to post content on TikTok and Instagram: Meet House of Carmen. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-has-quietly-launched-a-creator-marketing-app-that-pays-influencers-to-post-content-on-tiktok-and-instagram-meet-house-of-carmen/

Music Business Worldwide. (2025b, September 25). InGrooves just won a patent for new marketing tech that it says drives streams at a rate nearly double that of traditional methods. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/ingrooves-just-won-patent-for-new-marketing-tech-that-it-says-drives-streams-at-a-rate-nearly-double-that-of-traditional-methods/

Universal Music Group. (2024, March 4). InGrooves issued third AI/ML music marketing patent. https://www.universalmusic.com/ingrooves-issued-third-ai-ml-music-marketing-patent/

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