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Lowell Launches Emerging Talent and Label Imprint in Partnership With Arts & Crafts

The hitmaking songwriter and producer has established For The Love Of Pop (FLP), announcing that its inaugural signing is rising Calgary artist Hayley Isabel, who will release new music in 2027. The label and imprint exist in tandem with Lowell's Universal Music Canada partnership.

Lowell

Lowell

Sean Brocklehurst / CBC

Lowell has launched a new emerging talent and label imprint.

The hitmaking songwriter and producer — known for collaborations with Beyoncé, Tate McRae and The Beaches, among others — had founded For The Love Of Pop (FLP), described as “a new home for emerging talent and label imprint.”


FLP is co-owned and operated by Lowell, born Elizabeth Lowell Boland, and Toronto record label Arts & Crafts.

The label and imprint model “is designed to nurture artists at the earliest stages of their careers, giving them the time and space to develop before identifying the right long-term partners to help take their music to the next level.”

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Their first signing is emerging country singer-songwriter, Hayley Isabel. Hailing from Calgary, the 14-year-old artist initially met with the songwriter and producer two years prior. “The moment I met Hayley, I knew,” Lowell says. “I’ve spent my entire career searching for that rare combination of talent, character and drive, and she checked every box.”

At such a young age, Isabel has earned some early-on recognition, including finishing in the top 5 at the 2025 Diamonds in the Rough Showcase during Canadian Country Music Week and winning four 2025 North American Country Music Association International awards.

“Hayley reminds me of artists like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran — not because of sound, but because even before the world knew them, they were putting in extraordinary work. At just fourteen, she’s already played hundreds of shows, relentlessly pursuing every opportunity to grow,” Lowell continues. “That’s the kind of foundation you build an extraordinary career on.”

To elevate her live performance representation, Isabel has also been signed by The Feldman Agency and its president, Tom Kemp. In 2027, Isabel is set to release new music through FLP.


At the label and imprint, Lowell will “formalize” her approach to artist development, “with a focus on finding extraordinary talent early and surrounding artists with a small, world-class team deeply invested in every part of their growth.”

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Throughout the years, Lowell has become an acclaimed member of the Canadian music industry. At Billboard Canada's inaugural Women in Music vcelebration in 2024, she took home the first-ever Non-Performing Songwriter Award in partnership with SOCAN, followed by the first songwriter of the year (non-performing) Juno The following year, Lowell, along with producers and songwriters Shawn Everett, Dave Hamelin, Megan Bülow and Nathan Ferraro, earned a Grammy nomination for their work on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter hit “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

In addition to work with major acts, Lowell has developed a knack for nurturing rising talent, including Lu Kala, Sofia Camara and Baby Nova. Camara has scored a handful of songs on the Billboard Canada charts, notably with her monster hit “Girls Like You,” co-written by Lowell, which landed on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 and multiple Billboard Canada Airplay charts.

Recently, the Nova Scotia-born Baby Nova — who was tapped as one of Billboard Canada’s artists to watch in 2026 — was co-signed by Lowell and Mike Caren of Artist Partner Group, whom she describes as a mentor. Since the signing, Baby Nova has released music with singer-songwriter Carter Faith and performed at this year’s Osheaga.

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“Lowell has a rare ability to recognize talent, piss them off with rare honesty, and evolve into the quintessential partner and guide,” says Caren. “She understands where music and culture are headed. I’ve watched her find artists early, nurture them and help build careers from the ground up. Launching FLP feels like a natural evolution of something she’s already been doing for years.”

Last year, Lowell signed a strategic partnership with Universal Music Canada, integrating her creative insights with UMC's A&R team, focusing on artist development. As FLP rolls out, she will continue to work with the major Canadian label.

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"I see the two as complementary: different artists need different teams and structures, and I want to help each artist find the right home," she tells Billboard Canada, exclusively. "It’s the same artist-first approach that led me to sign Baby Nova directly to APG when I knew that was the right team for her. I’m currently working on signing an artist directly to Universal Canada who is a great fit for them, but not necessarily for FLP."

She confirms that any music released by FLP-signed artists will be distributed through UMC. "We’re open to joint ventures and deeper partnerships when the right opportunity comes along. It all comes back to creating more pathways for artists rather than trying to fit every artist into the same model."

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