Meet the people behind Chess Club Records, who helped Mumford & Sons make it big

Mumford & Sons released their first EPs with Chess Club Records after playing at their night in London

You may not have heard of Chess Club Records but they've helped to launch the careers of some of the UK's biggest acts.

The label started as a new music night in London a decade ago and helped the likes of Mumford & Sons and Wolf Alice achieve their initial success.

They've also joined forces with Sony Music to nurture new talent.

"We didn't know what we were doing at the start," William Street, founder of Chess Club Records, tells Newsbeat.

"There was no master plan. Some of the artists we worked with early on were the right ones... we haven't looked back since."

Will Street started Chess Club Records in 2007

Will launched Chess Club Records with two mates (Peter McGaughrin and Chris Dashwood) and their music night hosted the likes of Bon Iver, Florence and the Machine and MGMT.

He says finding acts for the night, and eventually the label, was as simple as "trusting your gut and believing in the artists you decide to put your name to".

"We decided to start off a label so we could start working with the artists we were booking and help artists make their first steps.

"One of the bands we worked with early doors were Mumford & Sons.

"It sort of snowballed form there."

Wolf Alice worked with Chess Club Records early in their career

Initially though, Chess Club struggled to hang on to some of its bigger names.

"We didn't have the infrastructure to push things internationally.

"We had some success stories coming through but we'd do a few releases then major labels would swoop in and sign them once we'd done all the development.

"It's a bit disheartening when you have to wave goodbye and see them winning Mercury Awards and headlining Glastonbury."

Sundara Karma are one of the bands Chess Club Records is working with now

That changed in 2011 when Sony Music showed interest in Chess Club.

Will explains: "They said, 'We want to help you make it bigger so you don't have to leave acts.'

"That's when I joined the guys at [Sony-owned label] RCA.

"Now, when things get super-exciting... they [RCA] help give it worldwide support. It's the best of both worlds."

Billie Marten first met Chess Club when she was 15 and says her deal with them was "for the long run"

One of the acts Will aims to have "a long and special career" with Chess Club is 18-year-old singer-songwriter Billie Marten.

"There was a week where I was meeting labels and they were just names and faces," says Billie, explaining her first meeting with Will.

"He was the only one who came up to see me. I live in Yorkshire. It was nice and it was noticeable."

She released her debut album with Chess Club in 2016 and is looking forward to being able to stay with them.

"I would hate to move around and never really feel like you had a home.

"Sometimes you just want your own bedroom and your own space and that's Chess Club. It just works."

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