About Westway Music
Westway Music was formed in November 2020 and is based in London, England. Set up by live music agent and producer Neil O’Brien, the label has become the home of The Music of Theatre. The first release was a new original Christmas song, In My Arms for Christmas, performed by stage and TV star, Lee Mead, written by Adam Dennis and rush released in December 2020. The New Year of 2021 saw the appointment of Rhydian Roberts as A&R Director and Rachel Agnew as Label Manager and the signing of some of the biggest names in UK musical theatre – Kerry Ellis, Ramin Karimloo, Samantha Barks, Cassidy Janson and Joe Stilgoe.
In 2021, we released our first studio album, Into The Unknown, from Samantha Barks, the extraordinary star of the West End production of Frozen. Also released was a live CD and DVD from Lee Mead, who had celebrated his 40th birthday concert at The London Palladium, and Ramin Karimloo offered the DVD of his now-legendary film of a concert featuring his Broadgrass Band, made during lockdown at London’s Clapham Grand Theatre.
2022 was a very busy year for Westway. In March we released the beautiful gospel album From My Lips To God’s Ear by West End favourite Rachel John. Also in the Spring, Joe Stilgoe’s hugely ambitious orchestral album Theatre was released, recorded with the world-famous Metropole Orkest in The Netherlands. In October we were thrilled to release our first Original Cast Recording under our new imprint Westway Original. The show, My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?), had hugely successful runs at the Turbine Theatre and Edinburgh Festival and enjoyed two West End runs. In October 2022, it ran at the Garrick Theatre and in early 2023, the show ran to sold out houses at the Ambassador’s Theatre.
November 2022 was a very busy month for us with the release of the stunning musical theatre album Centre Stage, from star of stage and screen John Barrowman, the 10th Anniversary Edition of I Love Musicals, from Swedish musical theatre sensation Peter Joback and the release our first vinyl album, with a deluxe double vinyl edition of Joe Stilgoe’s Theatre. Also, Ramin Karimloo released his eagerly, and long awaited third EP in the series he started back in 2014. The Road To Find Out North with another six stunning tracks recorded in his unique broadgrass style.
2023 has started very well with the brilliant release in March from Jason Manford of the album of Assembly Bangers, following our release of his single of the same name in November 2022. The Assembly Bangers project has been a fabulously nostalgic reworking of the hymns and songs Jason remembered singing at school. May saw the long-awaited album from The Queen of the West End Kerry Ellis. Kerry’s album Kings & Queens, is a joyous country rock album of mostly original material and includes guests Sir Brian May and Newton Faulkner. In June we welcome our second vinyl album with Assembly Bangers being released and also release our first single with new signing Tom Ball who has wowed TV audiences across the world with his performances on Britain’s Got Talent. An album will follow later in the year.
Also later in 2023, we are very excited to release a new album from star of West End and Broadway, Rachel Tucker as well as a very exciting new album featuring the best of the West End celebrating the writing genius of Stephen Schwartz in his 75th year.
Westway’s aim is to allow our artists the opportunity to make the music they love and to create something they are truly proud of. The Music Of Theatre is something we believe passionately about and something we think compliments the unforgettable live experience of performing in front of audiences.
We will continue to release studio recordings, live recordings, and film and to create a truly international label releasing music from artists worldwide. We’d love you to join the family – a family of world-class singers, musicians, actors, producers, and designers, who together make up Westway Music!
