In September of 2017, while Daniel Lafrance was receiving one of his many Publisher of the Year awards at the Gala SOCAN in Montréal, an article in Words & Music described him as a man too focused on the future to look back.
The Editorial Avenue team
Eight years later, the founder of Editorial Avenue is now one of Canada’s leading players in copyright management. He agreed to take a moment to reflect, on the 25th Anniversary of his organization, which he continues to lead with passion and enthusiasm.
Yet, when asked to share a few standout moments of the past quarter-century, he’s still gun-shy. “I’m hesitant to name specific people or moments that illustrate our journey because our work isn’t just about big signings or hit songs,” he explains. “When I think back on what we’ve built, what stands out most are the human relationships we’ve developed with artists.”
“It’s true that our work isn’t just about contracts,” adds Philippe Archambault, Vice-President of the Audiogram record label, who joined the Editorial Avenue team about 15 years ago. “Of course, I could name five or six key artists from Editorial’s history, but the moment I did, I’d come back with five or six more I forgot to mention.”
Throughout our conversation, Archambault reinforces the deeply personal approach that lies at the heart of every decision made at Editorial. “If I had to describe Daniel, I’d of course mention his encyclopedic knowledge of the music industry and his incredible instinct; but what really stands out to me is the human side. The fact that he’s been working with his son Guillaume for decades, for example: that’s something truly special.”
Archambault speaks from experience, having worked alongside his own father, Rosaire, for years at Audiogram. “And I don’t tell him this often, but what really impresses me is Daniel’s incredible ability to adapt,” he says. “Every time the industry goes through a rough patch, Daniel finds a new business model to adapt to it. And he’s been doing that brilliantly for 25 years, so I’ll take this opportunity to tip my hat to him!”
A New Model
When Rosaire Archambault and Michel Bélanger, the founders of Audiogram, decided to launch a new publishing company at the turn of the millennium, they entrusted Daniel Lafrance with the helm of Editorial Avenue. He has a wealth of experience in the industry as a musician, manager, producer, and music publisher, and he had just returned from an extended stay in France, where he helped implement the rights management software Ze Publisher! alongside Daniel Deshaime.
“They gave me carte blanche from the get-go,” Lafrance recalls. “Maybe they shouldn’t have,” he adds with a mischievous smile, “but they let me run with it!” Empowered by that independence, Lafrance led the acquisition of prestigious catalogues – including those of Jean-Pierre Ferland and Claude Léveillée – and quickly established a “preferred agreement” system, binding artists to their publisher for longer periods than was common at the time.
Audiogram already managed two publishing entities – Kaligram and Audiogram – and had to update its publishing contracts to reflect this new modus operandi. “Instead of signing a new contract for each album, we signed agreements that bound us to the artists for five to seven years, and covered the creation of multiple albums,” says Lafrance. “That completely changed the game.”
“It also completely transformed the nature of the relationship between the publisher and the artist,” adds Archambault. “We were building long-term relationships with songwriters.” It was a visionary approach, one that remains central to the company’s values, though always applied with flexibility, based on each creator’s needs.
“Sometimes, young artists don’t fully understand our role,” explains Lafrance. “Some think we just take a percentage of their rights, when, in fact, we can offer them so much more. What matters most to us is staying close to the songwriters,” he continues. “I teach publishing, and I often tell people. ‘We say we manage works, but really, it’s about managing people. These are human relationships we’re building with songwriters.’ We also help manage other works; we make suggestions, and so on, but at the end of the day, what we do is work with people. And if that relationship isn’t strong, if it’s at arm’s length, they’ll go elsewhere.
“When they take time to call me – which I encourage them to do – I always ask, ‘What do you need? Studio time? Instruments? Just a bit of feedback on your new songs? That’s what I’m here for!’ One great example is Soran. At the beginning of our relationship, he was a bit skeptical, and most of our communication went through his management team. But over time, things evolved. Not long ago, he said to me, ‘I’d like us to talk more often,’ and I thought, ‘Of course!’ I’ve been hoping for that since the beginning! So now he sends me songs, waits for my feedback, and we talk regularly. After eight years of working together, he finally realized we share the same goals, and it completely changed the way he sees what we do.”
Soran is a great example of an artist who’s perfectly in tune with today’s demands. A true multi-hyphenate – singer-songwriter, performer, and producer – Soran collaborates with artists, both from Québec and abroad, without being constrained by the old rules of the industry. Which, it’s worth remembering, looks nothing like it did when Editorial was just getting off the ground. “Since 2015, with the decline in mechanical royalties following the upheaval brought on by streaming, we’ve found new avenues for our artists — especially in neighbouring rights and sync,” explains Lafrance.
Today, even though Editorial Avenue manages an impressive catalogue – including legendary artists from Audiogram’s first generation (like Paul Piché); followed by those who emerged in the 1990s and 2000s’ and are now considered veterans (Daniel Bélanger, Pierre Lapointe, Ariane Moffatt, and the late Lhasa) – Lafrance and his colleagues remain focused on the future, always on the lookout for new talent.
“A deep back catalogue is great, but it’s not enough to keep a publisher alive,” says Lafrance. “You have to break new ground and discover new talent; they’re the ones who’ll create the catalogues of the future!”