Believe and Az Cohen Strike Strategic Partnership to Launch AZTEC, A Record Label Built for Artists Playing The Long Game

The Joint Venture, Believe's First in the United States, Blends Cohen's Next Generation Artist-First Development Strategy with Believe's Digital Expertise and Global Reach

NEW YORK, May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In collaboration with global artist development company Believe, music executive Az Cohen has launched a new record label, AZTEC. The joint venture combines Cohen's deeply personal, artist-first approach to long-term career growth, with Believe's global infrastructure, data-driven marketing capabilities, and proprietary audience development tools. The partnership was announced jointly today by Cohen, AZTEC's President and Romain Vivien, Believe's Global Head of Music.

To AZTEC, Cohen brings more than a decade of experience at the highest levels of the independent music business. He was instrumental in shaping 300 Entertainment into one of North America's biggest success stories, helping scale the company through its landmark sale to Atlantic Records. Within 300, Cohen also built and launched Sparta Distribution, the label's independent distribution and artist development arm, which has generated more than 8 billion streams across its catalog since its inception. Earlier in his career, Cohen managed Post Malone, playing a pivotal role as the artist broke into global stardom.

"Our joint venture with AZTEC reflects Believe's continued commitment to building artist-first partnerships and supporting entrepreneurs who deeply understand the creative and cultural landscape," said Vivien. "Az brings an exceptional ability to spot talent and build sustainable careers, and together we are creating an ecosystem designed for the next generation of artists."

With AZTEC, Cohen seeks to create a culture where artistry, individuality and long-term vision drive every decision. "In an industry that's become increasingly about quick wins and short-term virality, we are artists, engineers, planners and warriors with a singular focus: building empires with our artists and partners," Cohen said. "AZTEC is about patience, commitment and shaping careers that stand the test of time."

Through the partnership, AZTEC gains access to Believe's global network, as the company continues to scale its international footprint and expand to the US. Cohen and his team will operate out of the company's New York City offices. AZTEC's initial artist signings will be announced in the coming months.

Commenting on the new partnership with Believe, Cohen added, "The success of artists today often starts with hyper-local stories, and it is our job to champion those around the world. Believe's unique position as a truly global company with massive local expertise, via boots on the ground, allows AZTEC artists to be certain that their stories will be shared with new fans, no matter where that fan lives."

This initiative further expands Believe's growing portfolio of entrepreneurial partnerships worldwide, such as Tenace Records - a recently launched joint venture with Tileyard Music in the UK - or electronic music-focused label All Night Long, launched with French management firm Kidding Aside. These complete a wider portfolio of in-house imprints and acquired brands like Play Two, one of France's most established labels; Think Music, one of the leading South India based music labels; and Ok Music!, specializing in Forró music in Brazil.

About Believe:

Believe is a global artist development company. We empower local artists, labels and publishers to grow their audiences at each stage of their careers with expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Operating in 50+ countries, with more than 2,000 employees, Believe offers a full range of services including audience development, publishing, marketing and distribution, with a tailor-made approach to fit any artist, label or publisher. With a leading portfolio of brands that includes Nuclear Blast, naïve, TuneCore, Groove Attack, Sentric, AllPoints and Byond among others, Believe champions independence and innovation through a unique model that combines local expertise with a global tech platform, delivering exclusive solutions for artists to promote and monetize their music thanks to strategic partnerships with leading global digital service providers. Believe is a simplified joint-stock company under French law. Learn more at www.believe.com

About AZTEC

AZTEC is a new record label founded by music executive Az Cohen, dedicated to reimagining artist development for the modern era. Rooted in nurturing one-of-one talent, AZTEC blends personal commitment with the scale and infrastructure of Believe, empowering artists to build careers and legacies that last. Learn more at aztec.nyc

Media Contact

John Graffo, Believe, 1 6782066668, [email protected], www.believe.com

Maria Ho-Burge, Believe, 1 9179294888, [email protected], www.believe.com

SOURCE Believe