MorningStar Records to be powered by ElasticStage in 2025. Read more below.
An update from label founder and flagship artist, Mike Haggith.
Friends,
It’s no secret that the past few months have been a transitional period for MorningStar Records. Since September 2024, we’ve been searching tirelessly for a new on-demand supplier to maintain our label’s vision. Our catalyst for change came on the heels of Kunaki LLC’s announcement that they would temporarily discontinue international shipping due to rising costs and complications. While Kunaki served us well, their decision posed a challenge for a label that prides itself on an inclusive, global roster of artists. With a growing lineup of both American and Canadian talent, and an eye toward affiliating artists from around the world, continuing on our previous path would have been too restrictive.
After a careful and thorough search, I’m thrilled to announce that the MorningStar Records Webstore will be powered by ElasticStage, an innovative on-demand manufacturer of vinyl LPs and CDs based in London, UK. This exciting development marks a significant milestone in our label’s journey, poised to elevate our product quality, operational efficiency, and global reach for the benefit of both our artists and their audiences.
Our move to ElasticStage promises a step up in almost every dimension. Their LPs are simply a superior product; in addition to beautifully printed outer and inner sleeves that allow for greater creativity in artwork and storytelling, each side of an ElasticStage LP can hold up to 23 minutes of music without compromising audio quality, compared to Kunaki's 19. ElasticStage’s vinyl also boasts a richer sound spectrum and increased stereo width, allowing for a level of quality we've never before heard from one-off LP production. If vinyl is your passion, rest assured that the records you’ll receive through our new partnership will exceed your expectations. CD enthusiasts will also see a noticeable improvement. ElasticStage manufactures CDs with full-color, 12-panel booklets- an expanded canvas for our artists to share their vision, liner notes, lyrics, and artwork. These enhancements deliver a more immersive experience, inviting listeners to interact with the art they're consuming.
Before this shift, our fulfillment workflow was cumbersome, with multiple platforms and fees chipping away at revenue. We previously hosted our store on BigCartel (at a roughly 11% fee), processed transactions via Stripe (another 11%, give or take), and then manually fulfilled orders through Kunaki- a logistical gauntlet, to say the least. Now, ElasticStage will host and manage MorningStar Records’ Webstore, handle every aspect of manufacturing and fulfillment, and pay out a straightforward 20% revenue share to the label on all sales. From there, we will maintain our existing payout structure to artists (80% to the artist, 20% to the label). This consolidated approach streamlines our administrative duties and allows us to focus more energy on what truly matters: discovering great music, nurturing our artists, and delivering an exceptional listening experience to you.
The new partnership isn’t just more efficient, it also opens doors for improved margins. Vinyl has always been a challenging medium when it comes to balancing quality, cost, and profitability. With ElasticStage’s model, not only do we get a better product, but our artists stand to benefit from improved financial returns. Artists can place bulk LP orders (25 or 50 units at a time) at discounts of up to 40% off the lowest retail price, subject to the discretion of ElasticStage. These savings empower artists to invest more strategically in their marketing efforts, touring budgets, and creative endeavors. Meanwhile, bulk CD orders will continue to be fulfilled by Kunaki for the time being, as we’ve found their pricing and turnaround times to be the most competitive and efficient, meeting the expectations of many long-standing artists in our collective.
As we work closely with ElasticStage to list our existing catalogue for the upcoming launch of our new Webstore on 01 January 2025, we couldn’t be more excited for what lies ahead. The start of the new year will not only bring a refined approach to our physical product sales but also herald new additions to our evolving roster of artists. We believe that this restructuring paves the way for a transformational chapter in the history of the MorningStar Collective. The mission of MorningStar Records has always been to serve as a conduit for original music, offering artists and audiences the best possible platform to connect. In the coming weeks, that mission will be further amplified by our alliance with ElasticStage. We’re confident that this will yield a more vibrant, accessible, and rewarding experience for everyone involved- artists, listeners, and music lovers around the world.
Stay tuned for what’s next, and thank you for continuing to support MorningStar Records and its growing collective as we take this significant step forward. We're just getting started.
With gratitude and anticipation,
Founder, MorningStar Records