Parlophone

**Parlophone Records Limited** (also known as **Parlophone Records** and **Parlophone**) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. It's a subsidiary of EMI since 1931. It was Bat For Lashes's label from 2007 to 2016. *The Bride* was Bat For Lashes's final album with Parlophone, ending a four-album tenure. Her contract ran out in January 2017, ending a 10-year contract.

When Khan signed with Parlophone, they had high hopes on her being the next Kate Bush. "I think the label had high hopes that I’d be more commercial than I was, but I proved to myself and everyone else that I’m not."

> "I spent 10 years on a major label, and it was sometimes hard: I was signed to EMI by the two guys who originally signed Radiohead and Kate Bush, who were excited that I dabbled in lots of different art forms. However, they left and I was given the man who signed Lily Allen and Kylie, and after that I felt tolerated rather than supported.
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> I didn’t want to “go pop” or compromise my vision. Many of the artists I loved – David Bowie, Kate Bush, the Beatles – had been associated with EMI, and others such as Björk had also proved that it is possible to have commercial success and be unique and artistic."
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Although she was not present, Khan played *Two Suns* for her label and was told:

> They said, ‘Natasha, you’ve made a great album.’ But there were a few mutterings around like, ‘Natasha you’ve made a great album, but what are we going to do with it? Radio aren’t going to play it, y’know?’ They were happy for me on an artistic level, but I made their job a lot harder.”
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Khan revealed that Parlophone pushed her to write singles on *The Haunted Man*, which led her to meet with Justin Parker to write the album's lead single, "Laura". She added, however, they were “really supportive and are all helping me realise my vision.”

> “They always seem really surprised when people are interested in me,” she laughs. “They’re like, ‘ooh, everyone’s really excited?’, and I’m like, ‘oh thanks!’. Maybe they’re like that with everyone… unless you’re Tinie Tempah.”
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Khan told *DIY* in July 2016:

> “On the last album [the label] pushed me to write singles and I felt like I really struggled and lost my way, whereas with this one [*The Bride*] they accepted me as an artist and not someone who’s going to make big money for them on Radio 1. I’m on my final album with them now and we’ve come to a place where I’ve made my best work, in the way that I wanted to. I’m more of an artist than a pop writer and it feels good.”
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## References

1. ↑ Brandle, Lars (18 July 2007). "Parlophone Seals Bat For Lashes Deal". *Billboard*.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Bat For Lashes: Here comes the bride". 21 July 2016. *DIY*.
3. ↑ Reesman, Brian (9 September 2019). "Exploring Bat For Lashes' Cinema Of The Mind". *Grammy.com*.
4. ↑ Curran, Shaun (6 October 2016). "Bat For Lashes interview: ‘I’m not really into the feminist statement thing’". *Independent.co.uk*.
5. ↑ Kopotsha, Jazmin (3 September 2019). "Bat For Lashes Was Done With Music, Then The *Lost Girls* Found Her". *Refinery29*.
6. ↑ "Bat for Lashes: ‘Being half-Pakistani and half-English, I feel like a conduit between different cultures’". 5 September 2019. *Independent*.
7. ↑ "We’re losing sight of how valuable music is. I’m trying to carve a new path". 24 May 2021. *The Guardian*.
8. ↑ "A reluctant pop star, Bat For Lashes released the most personal record of 2009 and took ‘Two Suns’ around the world". 21 November 2009. *Loud And Quiet*.
9. ↑ "Bat For Lashes returns, minus the dress-up to deliver her most direct and honest album yet". 30 August 2012. *Loud And Quiet*.