_{By Andy McFerren}

On February 29, 2024, Joyful Noise Recordings announced via social media that they have signed a record deal with Provo’s own Little Moon. Little Moon won NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest last year for their song “Wonder Eye” and is no stranger to this publication (to read more about the band and their experience with NPR Tiny Desk Contest and subsequent tour, click here). 

When asked for comment on the signing, lead singer Emma Hardyman called the entire process of signing to a record label “wild and honestly incredibly stressful.” The band was approached by both major and indie labels in the last year following the Tiny Desk win, and the process of negotiating and signing took a total of about 5 months. 

So, what set Joyful Noise apart from the rest? “Their dedication to being the most artist friendly label out there and for being a label that consistently pushes against the grain,” says Hardyman. “Their core values really aligned with what I wanted. I came into this with some pretty high expectations and ideals that conflict with ‘industry standard’ practices. This made me wonder if I was cut out for any label! But Joyful Noise set themselves far and apart from everyone else to make it clear that I can safely and enjoyably create, experiment, expand, and thrive in my craft. Joyful Noise gave me wings.”

Joyful Noise is an independent record label based in Indianapolis, Indiana. It has been the home to a diverse group of artists and musicians over the years, including Son Lux (Everything Everywhere All at Once (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)) and Kishi Bashi. In addition to striving to allow as much artistic freedom to their musicians, the record label often strives for social justice, using their platform to organize benefit releases for marginalized communities around the world.  

The much anticipated forthcoming album from Little Moon following their Tiny Desk Contest win will be released via Joyful Noise later this year. Be sure to follow Little Moon on Instagram, and we’ll keep you updated on Little Moon’s journey as well.