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Dialled In Records launches in London focused on South Asian music in partnership with The Collective, part of Universal Music UK’s Island-EMI
Universal Music Group UK’s Island-EMI has partnered with South Asian culture platform Dialled In to launch Dialled In Records, a new London-based label focused on developing artists coming out of South Asia and the diaspora.
The deal is structured through The Collective, an ‘entrepreneurial A&R’-focused department within Universal Music Group UK’s Island-EMI.
Dialled In Records launches with two acts. The first is Ahadadream, a producer and DJ born in Karachi, Pakistan, and one of Dialled In’s co-founders, whose production has drawn support from Skrillex, Fred again.., Four Tet, and Pete Tong. His single Bass Dhol, featuring Raf Saperra and Skrillex, is the label’s first release.
The second is Excise Dept, a New Delhi and Mumbai-based multidisciplinary collective that works at the intersection of experimental electronic music and South Asian identity, rapping and singing across multiple regional languages.
For Dialled In, which was founded five years ago by a group of South Asian entrepreneurs, curators and music professionals, the label launch comes as it now also covers live events, international touring, artist development, and cross-border collaborations.
“[Dialled in’s] take on what South Asian music is in 2026 is so refreshing -it challenges and breaks stereotypes.”
Callum Ross, The Collective/Island-EMI
Callum Ross, A&R Director, The Collective/Island-EMI, said: “Coming from an Indian family, I have always admired from afar what the Dialled In brand has meant to, and done for, South Asian culture. I knew I had to work with them in some capacity, and I’m so happy they shared my excitement about starting a record label.
“Their take on what South Asian music is in 2026 is so refreshing -it challenges and breaks stereotypes. There is a vast world of alternative, genre-bending artists across South Asia and the diasporas who are pushing boundaries. The mission is for Dialled In Records to bring them to the world and I can’t wait to get started.”
Dhruva Balram, Dialled In Co-founder, added: “Dialled In has always been about building the infrastructure that South Asian artists deserve but have not always had. We started as a group of friends who believed South Asian creativity could command the global stage. Now, with Dialled In Records, we have the full ecosystem to make that happen: from artist development and live platforms to recorded music and international distribution.
“This isn’t just a label launch. It’s a statement about what’s possible when you build from within the culture, with the right people, and refuse to compromise. Here, our signed artists Ahadadream and Excise Dept will shape their stories, sounds and identities on their own terms.”
“Dialled In represent the breadth and diversity of South Asia, and bring deep commitment to signing, developing and breaking artists on the global stage.”
Nicola Spokes,The Collective/Island-EMI
Nicola Spokes, Managing Director, The Collective/Island-EMI, added: “It’s incredibly exciting to launch Dialled In Records.
“Dialled In represent the breadth and diversity of South Asia, and bring deep commitment to signing, developing and breaking artists on the global stage. Launching the label is a truly special moment and I can’t wait to see what the team will achieve!”
The label launch will be celebrated at Dialled In’s 5th birthday festival on May 30, a one-day event spread across eight venues in Dalston, London, with a capacity of 3,000.
The timing comes as the music industry sharpens its focus on South Asian talent. In April last year, Warner Music Group partnered with entrepreneur and entertainment executive Anjula Acharia to launch 5 Junction, a JV label focused on discovering and nurturing US-based artists of South Asian heritage. Acharia played a pivotal role in launching Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ career in Hollywood and, according to WMG, “has long been recognized for her ability to connect talent with opportunity on a global scale”.
“This isn’t just a label launch. It’s a statement about what’s possible when you build from within the culture, with the right people, and refuse to compromise.”
Dhruva Balram, Dialled In
In 2024, Jay Mehta, Managing Director of Warner Music India, said: “It’s a big positive takeaway for us that many big US labels are now interested in signing South Asian artists.”
For UMG, the latest partnership marks the latest in a series of strategic deals involving South Asian partners and talents. In March, UMG formed an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, an independent record label recently launched by Indian singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander.
In January, UMG acquired a 30% stake in Bollywood production house Excel Entertainment in January in a deal that values the company at approximately $267 million.
Other India-focused deals made by UMG over the recent years include launching a new label called Pentertainment 0075 in partnership with superstar India-based rapper Badshah; striking a strategic partnership with Hindi film production studio Maddock Films and its newly formed music label Mad For Mussic; signing a strategic partnership with India-based talent agency REPRESENT to help introduce Indian music culture to global audiences; and launching label VYRL Punjabi in association with music composer Jatinder Shah. Universal Music India and Capitol Records also teamed up in 2021 on Jason Derulo’s rework of Tesher’s global hit, Jalebi Baby, which was released in 2020.
In 2024, UMG acquired the entire catalog of UK-based South Asian music label Oriental Star Agencies (OSA Ltd.). The deal includes all of the label’s recordings, as well as publishing rights “where held.”
OSA was founded in 1966 by Muhammad Ayyub and his brothers, who had migrated from Pakistan to the UK’s West Midlands in 1961. The business began by importing records from India and Pakistan to the Birmingham area, which at that time was seeing a large number of South Asian settlers who had little in the way of South Asian entertainment in the area.
Music Business Worldwide
What it takes to retire comfortably in America: Nearly $1.5 million, Northwestern Mutual says
Year-round warm weather, hitting the links, and kicking back with the grandkids has long been the quintessential American retirement daydream. While that’s still out of reach for many Americans, most still hope and expect to retire comfortably after 40-plus years in the workforce.
But what exactly does an ideal retirement look like for Americans? According to a Northwestern Mutual report released this week, Americans think they need $1.5 million to retire comfortably. That’s a $200,000 jump from last year, showing it’s climbing faster than most workers can even save.
The study, based on a survey of 4,375 adults, found that inflation, longer life expectancies, and growing anxiety about the future of Social Security are all pushing the ideal retirement figure higher.
“The new ‘magic number’ reflects a convergence of factors—from persistent inflation and longer life expectancies to uncertainty about the future of Social Security,” John Roberts, chief field officer at Northwestern Mutual, said in a statement. “Retirement is increasingly complex, and Americans are responding by setting higher expectations for what they’ll need.”
The gap between expectation and reality
The problem with retirement savings isn’t just that the target is high. It’s that most Americans are way off from hitting it.
Federal Reserve data show that the median retirement savings for Americans aged 55 to 64 is just $185,000, and for those aged 65 to 72, it’s only $200,000. That’s only about 13% of what Americans think they need to retire comfortably, according to the Northwestern Mutual data.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has also been outspoken about how unprepared most Americans are for retirement.
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management firm with $14 trillion in assets under management, surveyed 1,000 registered voters, asking how much they’d need to retire comfortably, and the average response was roughly $2.1 million—even more than the Northwestern Mutual study showed.
“That’s a lot. More than I was expecting,” Fink wrote in a 2025 shareholder letter. And “almost no one is close,” considering 62% of those surveyed had less than $150,000 saved for retirement (or only about 7% of what they think they need to retire comfortably).
Is $1.46 million even attainable?
For most Americans, achieving $1.46 million in retirement will depend heavily on when they start saving.
Northwestern Mutual did the math for us: assuming a 7% annual return on investments, a worker 35 years from retirement needs to save about $385 per month to reach $1.46 million. But if you wait until just 15 years out from retirement, that monthly savings amount would have to jump to more than $4,600.
The math is even tighter when you factor in that 33% of private-sector workers don’t have access to an employer-sponsored retirement account, like a 401(k), according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Plus, 74% of Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X say they’re struggling to save for retirement because of competing financial priorities, a phenomenon Goldman Sachs calls a “financial vortex,” with 42% of younger workers who say they live paycheck to paycheck.
And it’s not a problem that’s going away, according to Goldman Sachs’ 2025 Retirement Survey & Insights report.
“The long-term reality of managing competing financial priorities remains a persistent challenge for a substantial segment of the working population, particularly for those earlier in their careers,” according to Goldman Sachs.
To be sure: “Averages are interesting, [but] the amount you actually need to save is unique to you,” according to Northwestern Mutual. “Your need will be based on what your retirement might cost.” They suggest discussing with a financial advisor what you want to do in retirement, when you plan to retire, and how long you anticipate your life expectancy to be.
Social Security isn’t the safety net it used to be
On top of Americans having to worry about saving enough money for retirement through a 401(k) or other savings accounts, there’s also a looming threat to Social Security. According to a new report from the Penn Wharton Budget Model, Social Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is on track to run dry by 2032—just six years away. Without congressional action, beneficiaries could face cuts of up to 24% in their payments, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
The average Social Security retirement benefit rose to roughly $2,071 a month in 2026 following a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment. That’s a meaningful difference, but nowhere near enough to bridge a seven-figure savings gap.
Experts have also said America’s broader retirement system earns just a C-plus grade, with persistent gaps in coverage, savings adequacy, and longevity protection.
“The U.S. sits in the middle of the global rankings while countries like Australia lead the pack,” Chris Mahoney, the global retirement leader at Mercer, wrote in a March commentary for Fortune. “Without reform, more Americans risk reaching retirement without enough income—or the tools to access what they’ve saved.”
The Savings Expert: Passive Income Is A Scam! Post-Traumatic Broke Syndrome Is Controlling Millions!
Morgan Housel, global expert on personal finance, shares powerful lessons on Warren Buffett’s hidden struggles, Elon Musk’s sacrifices, money trauma and financial habits, how to invest wisely, and the psychology behind saving, spending, and success.
Morgan Housel is a partner at Collaborative Fund, former columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and a speaker on investing, saving, spending, and financial independence. He is also the bestselling author of books, such as: ‘The Psychology of Money’ and ‘The Art of Spending Money’.
He explains:
◼️ Why more money rarely solves unhappiness
◼️ How envy and social comparison drive overspending
◼️ Why extreme wealth often comes at the cost of health and relationships
◼️ How inflated definitions of “wealth” fuel endless consumerism
◼️ Why true happiness comes from family, friends, and health – not luxury
00:00 Intro
02:21 The Importance of Spending Money
04:31 Why Will This Podcast Make My Life Better?
07:42 Is There Something Wrong With Chasing Status?
10:14 What’s the Evolutionary Basis for This Stuff?
15:31 There’s Always a Trade-Off
17:43 Saving Addiction
19:29 Can Money Make You Happy?
24:56 Are We All Stuck in a Status Game?
29:02 Is the “Freedom” Culture Actually Making People Unhappy?
31:00 Your Favorite Form of Saving Is Spending
33:05 Jealousy of Other People’s Wealth
35:04 The Spectrum of Financial Independence
38:45 How Do People Achieve Financial Independence?
41:20 How Does Dopamine Factor Into All of This?
48:55 We’re Wired to Want More
54:39 People Retiring Early Tend to Wish They Hadn’t
55:40 Passive Income Myths
57:54 Ads
58:55 Do I Need to Know Economics for This?
1:04:49 What’s Going On in the World?
1:08:43 How Wealth Inequality Is Dividing People
1:10:38 The Charlie Kirk Shooting
1:18:52 Is There a Way Back From This Divide?
1:23:27 What Should We Be Doing to Help?
1:25:16 Are You Optimistic About the Western Economy?
1:27:11 Favorite Chapter From the Book
1:32:22 Ads
1:34:30 Why You Should Try New Things
1:37:17 Are You Chasing a Lifestyle That’s Not Right for You?
1:40:35 Does Jack Think Steven Is Happy?
1:49:25 Should We Feel Guilty About Lacking Contentment?
1:52:37 The Relationship Between Money and Kids
1:55:30 The Exact Formula for Spending
2:01:53 Humble Bubble
2:03:55 Do You Have Major Regrets in Life?
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Target & Walmart: Free Honest Flushable Wipes Via Social Nature Rebate
The Offer
- Social Nature is offering a 100% rebate on honest flushable wipes purchased at Target & Walmart up to $10.99.
Our Verdict
Not sure how these companies are still able to advertise these as flushable considering the plumbing damage and fatbergs they cause.
When Payrolls Matter Most | EI Blog
The headline monthly payroll estimates are produced by the BLS through the Establishment Survey, part of the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program. The survey collects responses from roughly 119,000 businesses and government agencies, covering about 622,000 individual worksites.
Because these figures are derived from a sample rather than a full count of employment, they are subject to statistical estimation and revision. The closest approximation to a comprehensive count of jobs is the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), which compiles administrative records from unemployment insurance filings and covers roughly 97% of US employment. For this reason, the QCEW serves as the benchmark to which nonfarm payrolls are periodically revised.
Each year, the BLS benchmarks the CES data to the QCEW. In this process, the payroll level for the previous March is compared with the QCEW estimate, and the difference is distributed evenly across the prior 12 months, rather than applying it all at once (a linear “wedging” adjustment). The result is that the level of nonfarm payrolls is brought into alignment with QCEW data for March of the given benchmark year.
In recent years, these benchmark revisions have been relatively large and persistently negative. Over the past three years alone, adjustments have reduced previously reported payroll employment by a combined 1.75 million jobs.
March HECM bump masks a deeper slowdown
Endorsements of Home Equity Conversion Mortgages surged noticeably last month from a short February, but volumes are still showing weakness compared to second-half 2025 levels.
Processing Content
HECM endorsements increased 16.3% month over month in March to 2,117 loans, according to the latest data from Reverse Market Insight. While welcome news for lenders of the product, monthly numbers from the last two months are still at the slowest pace since last summer.
Compared to one year earlier when endorsements totaled 2,128, March’s numbers came closer to par, inching down by just 0.5% year over year.
Recent downward HECM trends do not necessarily point to lack of interest in reverse products, though, RMI said.
“What we can piece together looks like the growth in unit volume has been almost entirely in the proprietary products for several years, particularly when we exclude the HECM refinance waves from 2018-2022,” RMI noted in its monthly endorsement report.
Unlike the Federal Housing Administration-backed HECMs, proprietary loan originations are not required to be reported in the same manner, making exact comparisons challenging, researchers acknowledged. The
This week, Finance of America, which once consistently topped the HECM leaderboard, announced expansion of a private second-lien draw products to three more states.
Growth by regions
The largest growth in endorsements came from four different government-designated regions: Rocky Mountain, Northwest, New York/New Jersey and Mid Atlantic. All saw loan volume grow by approximately one-third from February to between 133 and 178 endorsements.
Warmer-weather markets continued to top the list on a per-unit basis, however, led by Pacific/Hawaii at 498 HECMs, followed by the Southeast/Caribbean geographic region with 469.
The top 10 HECM lenders by volume remained the same from February to March, but a change at the top saw Finance of America at 454 endorsements pulling ahead of Mutual of Omaha Mortgage with 409. The latter company continues to lead year-to-date activity with 1,249 compared 1,216 for Finance of America.
At the same point in 2025, both companies recorded 1,450 HECM loans.
Rounding out the top five for March were Longbridge Financial at 332, Goodlife Home Loans with 107 and
Previously known as Liberty Reverse Mortgage, the HECM lending subsidiary of Onity announced it would cease originations
Boards Are Falling Short on Cybersecurity
At this point, most boards are convinced of the necessity for cybersecurity investments. They get that a serious cyber event is a costly, brand-damaging situation that can devastate operations, dismantle consumer confidence, and even conjure up existential concerns. However, as boards become more focused on cybersecurity, are they paradoxically getting worse at governing it? Year-over-year the cybersecurity situation keeps getting worse. For example, the 2024 FBI crime report, published last spring, revealed that cybercrime losses increased 33% compared to the previous year.
United Increases Checked Bag Fees Starting April 3
United Increases Checked Bag Fees by $10
United Airlines is increasing checked bag fees by at least $10. JetBlue was the first airline to increase these fees due to a surge in fuel costs over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, history shows that other airlines quickly follow suit and prices never come down even after fuel prices drop.
For United Airlines tickets purchased on or after April 3, 2026, fees will go up by $10 for your first and second checked bag and by $50 for your third checked bag in most markets.
Than means that you will pay $50 for the first checked bag on flights within the U.S., Mexico, Canada and Latin America. A second bag will cost you $60. If you’re thinking of checking in a third bag, that will cost you $200. You can see the announcement here.
United Chase credit card holders, MileagePlus Premier members, active military members and customers traveling in premium cabins still get free checked bags. Plus customers in most markets get a $5 discount when they prepay for their bags online 24 hours or more before departure.
Let’s see which airline is next…
United Checked Bag Fees
Starting with United flights book on or after April 3rd, you will pay the following fees for checked bags:
- 1st Bag $50 ($45 when you prepay)
- 2nd Bag $60 ($55 when you prepay)
- 3rd Bag $200 ($195 when you prepay)
Got $1,000? 1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock to Buy and Hold for the Next Decade and Beyond
Shares of technology behemoth Amazon (AMZN 0.41%) have had a surprisingly tough run so far in 2026. As of this writing, the stock has dropped about 9% year to date, meaningfully underperforming the broader market during that span.
Given the company’s dominant position in both e-commerce and cloud computing, a sell-off of this magnitude might seem alarming to some shareholders. The primary culprit appears to be Wall Street’s anxiety over the staggering cost of competing in the artificial intelligence (AI) arms race, which requires unprecedented levels of infrastructure spending. And geopolitical uncertainty probably isn’t helping either.
But while those capital requirements are certainly real, the underlying fundamentals suggest this recent pullback might actually be a gift for patient investors. Here is why deploying $1,000 into Amazon stock today could be a smart move for the next decade and beyond.
Image source: Getty Images.
AWS revenue growth is accelerating
At the core of Amazon’s AI strategy is its highly profitable cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS). While the company’s sprawling retail operations remain the most visible part of its empire, AWS is its true profit engine. And right now, that engine is inflecting upward.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, AWS revenue surged 24% year over year to $35.6 billion. This represents a meaningful acceleration from the 20% growth the segment posted in the third quarter. Demand for generative AI applications is driving enterprises to aggressively modernize their data infrastructure, and Amazon is benefiting.
To meet this surging demand, however, Amazon is spending heavily.
Management guided for capital expenditures of roughly $200 billion in 2026 — up sharply from $131 billion in 2025.
This $200 billion outlay represents a massive financial commitment for a company with a market capitalization of about $2.25 trillion.
But Amazon CEO Andy Jassy sought to alleviate investor concerns during the company’s Q4 earnings call, noting that management has “deep experience understanding demand signals in the AWS business and then turning that capacity into strong return on invested capital.”
A strong return on invested capital on $200 billion of invested capital would be material — even for a company with a market capitalization of $2.25 trillion.
The cash flow story is widely misunderstood
If Amazon were purely reliant on AWS to fund its ambitious AI goals, the heavy infrastructure spending might be a heavier burden. However, the company benefits from incredible diversification across its business empire.
Yes, Amazon’s trailing-12-month free cash flow plummeted to $11.2 billion, down from $38.2 billion in the year-ago period. But this metric is highly distorted by the company’s aggressive spending on its data center build-out. A much cleaner way to measure the underlying health of Amazon’s core operations is operating cash flow. On that front, trailing-12-month operating cash flow jumped 20% year over year to $139.5 billion.
Further, Amazon’s total Q4 operating income rose 18% year over year to $25.0 billion, fueled not just by AWS, but also by high-margin segments like advertising and subscription services. This diverse, cash-generating revenue base means Amazon can afford to self-fund its AI infrastructure investment cycle without heavily diluting shareholders or taking on crippling debt.
Today’s Change
(-0.41%) $-0.87
Current Price
$209.70
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$2.3T
Day’s Range
$204.93 – $212.22
52wk Range
$161.38 – $258.60
Volume
1.3M
Avg Vol
51M
Gross Margin
50.29%
A compelling setup for long-term investors
Of course, investing in Amazon right now is not without risks. If the broader market’s appetite for AI software fades, or if the financial payoff from its massive data center build-out takes longer than anticipated, the stock’s valuation could face further pressure.
Still, the current setup looks highly favorable overall. Investors have the opportunity to buy a dominant, well-diversified technology leader that is seeing real acceleration in its most important business lines.
Ultimately, I believe Amazon stock looks attractive after its recent 9% year-to-date sell-off. The underlying business is throwing off an incredible amount of operating cash to fund its next wave of growth. For investors with a long-term horizon and $1,000 to put to work, this is an AI powerhouse worth buying and holding for the next decade and beyond.