October 8, 2025
Creators can participate in the app through direct briefs for specific campaigns with guaranteed fees, or challenge-based competitions where performance metrics determine payment.
Universal Music Group is elevating its influencer marketing strategy with a new app designed to centralize and manage all of its promotional content creation in one platform.
Quietly launched in the United Kingdom in September 2024, Universal Music Group’s new House of Carmen app enables the entertainment powerhouse to collaborate directly with content creators, eliminating the need for third-party intermediaries.
The platform, set to expand to Germany before hitting the United States, allows Universal to manage relationships with micro-influencers (individuals with at least 1,000 followers on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube) and creators, handling everything from outreach and campaign tracking to payment processing.
“As creator marketing has continued its growth trajectory, we realized there was a real need to bring it in-house,” Janey Stride, director, Commercial and Creative Innovation at Universal Music UK, told Music Business Worldwide. “Somewhere we could house a global creator database, appropriately categorize creators, effectively and directly communicate with them, deliver prompt payment for activity, and integrate all of our data sources to enable effective and timely analysis of campaigns. House of Carmen is our answer to this.”
Creators can participate in the app through direct briefs for specific campaigns with guaranteed fees, or challenge-based competitions where performance metrics determine payment. The gamified format encourages creators to compete for top-performing content tied to Universal’s artist roster and new releases.
The app’s debut highlights the music industry’s growing shift toward creator marketing and away from traditional celebrity endorsements to more grassroots influencer collaborations.
The low-key rollout occurred as the app operated in “stealth mode” while UMG established the necessary legal and tax compliance frameworks to support multiple markets. Its reach is set to expand even further, with new functionality allowing entire talent agencies and their full creator rosters to be onboarded, not just individual influencers.
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