Label focus. (Talent).

If you haven't already heard of west London's Xosa Music, chances are you will have, or will soon be hearing about one of their artists. One of the company's vocalists, Terri Walker, is currently the subject of much word-of-mouth in urban circles and is set to keep up the pace now she has signed a licensing deal with Def Jam.

Walker's emergence is the result of hard graft on the part of Xosa, which has over the past five years developed into what looks set to become the blueprint for small independent music companies. The management company has an in-house studio, its own producers and writers and has recently added a marketing, promotion and record label arm to its activities. "Our roots are in management, but by doing everything else it allows

us to build things up and set the pace," says Dean Zepherin, founder of Xosa.

The company's development is aimed in part at removing the obstacles that stop some new UK urban talent achieving its potential, according to Zepherin. "We find that the DJs and the public are really into something, but then the buck stops with the record companies, he says.

Walker's debut single Guess You Didn't Love Me (featuring Mos Def) is a good example of how Xosa's approach is beginning to pay off. The singer has been involved in session work at Xosa's studio over the past few years and has slowly been developing a unique American-sounding style. In fact, it was Def Jam's US office that first became interested in Walker. "I didn't even play her to anyone in the UK at first because we'd got used to having little record label interest in the UK," says ...