Label Publisher

WAYU Publishing - independent music publishing

INDEPENDENT MUSIC PUBLISHING

Music publishing
built on values.

We help independent artists and songwriters collect their royalties, protect their rights, and make the most of their music.

  1. Transparency

    Honest reporting. No surprises. Trust is built through clarity, and that's non-negotiable.

  2. Fairness

    Fair deals and respectful publishing support.

  3. Collaboration

    A growing community of creators who support each other, share what they know, and believe there's room for everyone to succeed.

  4. Education

    The tools and know-how to understand how your music earns, and how to protect it.

A song has
two halves.

One song, two separate copyrights, and different ways to get paid. Understanding the difference is the first step to knowing what you're owed.

That's us

The composition

Melody + lyrics · Songwriters & publishers

Earns mechanical royalties every time it's streamed or downloaded, performance royalties when it's played in public, and sync fees when it's paired with picture.

The sound recording

The master · Artist or label

The actual recorded version of the song. Earns from streams, downloads, physical sales, neighboring rights and sync of that specific recording.

Mechanical

Earn royalties when your music is streamed on demand, downloaded, or reproduced on physical formats like vinyl and CDs.

SpotifyYouTube MusicAppleBeatportVinylMore...

Performance

Earn royalties when your music is streamed, broadcast, or played in public, from Spotify and radio to live shows, clubs, restaurants, and shops.

RadioTVLiveClubsRestaurantsShopsMore...

Sync

Earn money when your music is licensed for use in films, TV shows, advertisements, or video games.

FilmSeriesAdsGames

Our story

We're music people who believe independent creators deserve a fair shot. We're not here just to manage your music. We want to be part of your team, part of your story, and grow together.

Julian CastañedaCo-founder
Leonardo Ortegon (MIICHII)Co-founder

Two friends, two perspectives. MIICHII, a lifelong musician with a degree in Music Business, knew firsthand how frustrating publishing could be. His longtime friend Julian Castañeda, a developer and music executive with roots in 2Many Records and founder of WAYU Records in 2017, saw an opportunity to bring technology and his industry experience into music publishing.

One shared idea. Between missing royalties, scattered registrations, and labels collecting on behalf of artists without providing statements, it was clear something needed to change. Together, they set out to build a simpler, more transparent way to manage publishing, starting with MIICHII's own catalog.

Built for more than us. What began as a project between friends quickly proved its value. Realizing other independent artists faced the same challenges, they turned their solution into WAYU Publishing. Not just to manage music, but to become part of the team, part of the story, and grow together.

Demystify rights ✺ Collect it all ✺ Grow beyond streams

Artists & Songwriters

How we
back you.

The help and know-how to collect every royalty, protect your rights and actually understand the publishing game.

Collect

Every royalty, everywhere.

Fairness

Every play counts

Your music travels. Your royalties should follow. We help collect publishing royalties across a growing network of territories.

USAMEXCOLESPBRAARGCANUK
Transparency

Transparent payments

Know what you’ve earned and where it came from, with clear royalty statements and regular payouts.

  • Spotify · mechanical
  • Radio · performance
  • Ad campaign · sync
Your payout On time ✺
Collaboration

Sync opportunities

Get your music heard beyond streaming. We pitch your songs for films, TV, advertising, and games.

FilmTVAdsGames

Protect

Your rights stay yours.

Transparency

Rights management

Your music deserves proper recognition. We help register your compositions with the right societies around the world.

RegistrationWorldwide
Fairness©

Rights protection

Stay in control of your work. We help identify registration issues, conflicting claims, and potential royalty disputes.

Claim reviewDispute support

Grow

Know the game, build the career.

Education

Educational resources

Music publishing shouldn’t be a mystery. Explore practical guides and resources to better understand your rights and royalties.

ArticlesGuidesTools
Collaboration

Community support

Connect with independent creators who share knowledge, support each other, and believe in growing together.

PeersShared insights
Collaboration

Career development

Your journey doesn’t end with a release. We’re here to share what we know, explore opportunities, and help you take the next step.

1:1 mentoring

Got songs?

Are your compositions currently represented by a publisher or administrator?

Whether or not you’re currently represented, are you open to exploring new publishing or administration options for your music?

Roughly how many original compositions have you created or co-written in the past 12 months?