Ólafur Arnalds announces partnership with Decca Records & Wise Music around OPIA Community Project

Imagined by Ólafur Arnalds, OPIA Community is a project encapsulating a travelling festival series (OPIA Festival), a record label (OPIA Community) and a community hub made up of creators, thinkers, art lovers and everything in-between, with the desire to create an environment that encourages experiments and collaboration. OPIA was originally founded in 2019 as a one-day festival. The first edition was a sold-out takeover at Southbank Centre, followed by a sold-out launch event in Berlin’s Silent Green in October 2023.

Following the success of the first OPIA Festival, Ólafur proudly announces the second edition of the travelling festival.  Due to take place on June, 2nd 2024, in Utrecht’s Tivoli Vredenburg, Netherland.

Good news never arrives on its own, Costa-Rican, Berlin-based pianist and composer Sofi Paez is officially revealed as the first artist signing to the OPIA Community label, with the release of her debut album planned for May 2024 and first single out today. Inspired by daily life and the nature that surrounds her, using both the Spanish and English language in her work, Sofi was handpicked to perform at Ólafur Arnalds’s OPIA launch event.

About the news, Sofi says “Life works in wonderful ways. I am so thrilled and grateful to have found a home in OPIA Community. I am really excited about this new chapter in my life and what it will bring for the future. To be working alongside this wonderful creative team is really beyond my wildest dreams! “

Decca Records will act as exclusive partner and distributor for the label-wing of OPIA, while Wise Music will handle the publishing side for the OPIA label artists. 

Tom Lewis, Co-President of Decca Records says: “Ólafur and his OPIA team presented a clear, exciting and irresistible vision of a new musical community. A global community of like-minded, adventurous musicians and creators; and a space in which new talent can be discovered and nurtured. We are delighted to be partnering with them to bring this vision to life. And we are particularly excited to be expanding the ways in which Decca, Mercury KX and Ólafur are working together."

Michael Ohst, Managing Director of Bosworth Music GmbH/ Wise Music Group adds: “We at Bosworth/Wise Music are delighted to be able to contribute to OPIA with our network as a publisher. The idea of OPIA as a label, publisher and concert organizer for young artists has convinced us very much. We are convinced that many exciting projects and artists can be developed in the OPIA environment with Ólafur Arnalds and the other teams involved.”

Speaking about the announcement, Ólafur Arnalds explains: “I’m ecstatic to further expand my collaboration with my trusted partners at Decca and Wise through our work on OPIA Community. Both have been integral parts in my creative life over the last few years. I’m excited to see where our partnerships on OPIA take us and watching these great opportunities bear fruit for our growing roster of incredible artists. One of whom is Sofi Paez – a Berlin-based composer, pianist and singer originally from Costa Rica. We originally got in touch through our OPIA online community and we’re proud to announce her as our first official signing”.