Indie Canadian Music Company MCMXVI Inc. Forms Strategic Label Partnership With Slaight Music

Canadian record label, management and publishing company MCMXVI Inc. has announced a new strategic label partnership with multi-faceted Toronto-based music company Slaight Music.

Carlos Pineda, MCMXVI Inc. president and founder, says that the support of Slaight will accelerate the vision of "building culturally impactful artists with global potential."

“Slaight Music’s vision has always been to support the development of Canadian music artists and that’s why we are excited to be partnering with Carlos Pineda and his team at MCMXVI on this new endeavour,” says Derrick Ross, president of Slaight Music. “MCMXVI has the experience in developing artists from a management level and combining our complementary strengths reinforces our commitment to providing artists the best opportunity for success here in Canada and abroad.”

The announcement of this partnership coincides with the release of “Cold Feet,” the latest single from Toronto-based indie folk meets R&B singer-songwriter John Fellner. A Juno-nominated producer and songwriter, his work has amassed more than 80 million career streams. Look for a new EP later this year.

"Our relationship with Slaight Music developed organically," Pineda tells Billboard Canada. "My artist, John Fellner, won the Slaight 'It’s Your Shot' contest, which created the initial connection. From there, we began building a dialogue that naturally evolved into a partnership. There was a mutual recognition that we were aligned in vision and values and that we could build something meaningful together."

MCMXVI was founded by Pineda, a Latino-Canadian entrepreneur. It began as a boutique management firm and evolved into a full-service independent label and talent development company. Working with artists like Haviah Mighty, successful producers KTOE, BEDRM and more, the company has built a reputation for developing culturally impactful talent with international reach across hip-hop, R&B, pop and country — a foundation that makes its partnership with Slaight Music a natural next step.

Last year, Billboard Canada named Pineda and partner Andrew Thompson on its Managers To Watch 2025 list, in part for their work with key client Haviah Mighty. That feature noted that "Pineda has worked with major artists including Kardinal Offishall and Haviah Mighty. With over a decade in music, nightlife, and brand strategy, Vice President Andrew Thompson, a.k.a. Drew Smoothy, brings a lifestyle-forward vision to MCMXVI INC. Together, they are creating an atmosphere where music, culture and global influence cut through the industry’s noise."

Beyond Fellner’s release, the partnership with Slaight Music, powered by a distribution deal with Universal Music Canada, supports a broader slate of upcoming projects across the MCMXVI roster. Rapper, producer and songwriter KTOE will release his REEKO EP this summer, preceded by its first single, ”KID CUDI,” on March 26. KTOE has recently worked with notable artists such as Megan Thee Stallion, Cootie, Smiley, NBA YoungBoy, Pooh Shiesty, Skip Marley and Sadboi. This spring, emerging dark R&B, pop, and hip-hop artist Notifi will release “Flashing Lights,” the first single from a forthcoming EP.

Also on the artist roster is Country Music Association of Ontario rising star award nominee Ryan Langdon who, since his 2020 EP Lit In The Sticks and its breakthrough title track, has more than 16 million career streams. He recently released a new single, “My Best Dance Moves,” as he works on his next EP.

Pineda tells Billboard that "Slaight Music had an existing relationship with Ryan Langdon [he was previously signed to Slaight Music/Hidden Pony]. Through our growing partnership and conversations about long-term strategy, it made sense to bring him into the fold. It was a collaborative decision rooted in shared belief in his talent and potential."

Looking ahead, Pineda notes that "We’re always evaluating opportunities, but growth must be intentional. For 2027, I’m open to expanding the roster if the right artist and strategic fit present themselves. Our focus remains on long-term artist development."

Earlier this month, the Ontario provincial government announced it is investing $20,000 to support the growth of MCMXVI Inc., through the Ontario Music Investment Fund’s Music Creation stream, delivered by Ontario Creates. This investment will enable MCMXVI Inc. to further build its record label infrastructure while directly supporting the creation and release of new music Fellner, Notifi and KTOE.

Last year, MCMXVI Inc. received a $7,000 Ontario Creates grant in 2025 through the OMIF – Global Market Development for Music Managers program.