Last Friday, March 15, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Abbey Cone shared the news of her inking a music distribution deal with Downtown Artist & Label Services.
Marking this momentous career move, Cone released her first project under the group: a live cover of Leonard Cohen's melancholic classic "Hallelujah" that was recorded live at Nashville's iconic Ryman Auditorium.
Alongside the announcement, Cone is continuing her efforts to build an independent team to complement her status as an independent artist, which comprises manager Amanda Quinton of Quinton Digital, Wasserman Group for booking, and Warner Chappell Music/T.R.U.T.H. for publishing.
"One of the many lessons I've learned in my almost 10 years in the music industry is how important it is to have a team of people that will actually get in the trenches with you and figure out how to build a sustainable and authentic career," shared Cone.
Abbey Cone's Wins Since Becoming an Independent Artist
According to Cone, her transition from being part of a label into going indie is incredibly rewarding, saying, "Small wins feel bigger when you're an independent artist."
"For the first time, I've actually been able to make money from my music because I own my masters," she explained. "It's empowering to be able to choose how to reinvest that money and also be able to choose who I work with. I feel free."
Cone's journey as an independent artist has been triumphant from the start, with her first year being "surprising in so many ways."
For one, she opened for country music icon LeAnn Rimes at the hallowed stage of The Ryman at the tail-end of her inaugural year free from any label. This is also where she performed her moving rendition of Hallelujah she released on Friday.
Of the cover, Rimes said: "I've always loved this song because of how powerful it is, and how much it moves people," adding, "It's representative of the kind of music I want to create and the way I want to move people with my music, too."
Before The Ryman performance, Rimes was also called to perform at 2023's Stagecoach and CMA Fest events, both of which preceded her debut appearance at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in August following the invitation of Opry member and 22-time-GRAMMY-winner Vince Gill.
In this particular appearance, Gill and Cone unveiled the first-ever live performance of an unreleased song they both co-wrote.
In terms of recent projects, Cone is fresh off of a series of successful performances at London's C2C Festival at the world-famous O2 music venue; a surprise appearance at the CMA Songwriter Series; and a 17-show tour across the western US, supporting the band Trousdale.
This follows Cone's release of her first single as an independent artist, 2023's "If You Were A Song," which has accumulated over 15 million streams across popular platforms since its release. You can watch the single's MV right below:
As for her "Hallelujah" cover, fans can now listen to it on major streaming platforms by clicking here.
