Az Cohen Launches Independent Label AZTEC, Signs Beeson as First Artist
Az Cohen has launched a new independent record label, AZTEC, and its first signing is Beeson, an indie pop singer-songwriter from Arizona. Billboard reported the launch on 12 November 2026.
AZTEC is a joint venture with Believe, which means the two companies share the label and work on it together. An independent label operates outside the three major groups, Universal, Sony and Warner. The venture is Believe's first label partnership in the United States.
Cohen's background is in the business side of records. He is the son of Lyor Cohen, YouTube's global head of music. Before starting AZTEC, he spent more than a decade at 300 Entertainment, where he ran Sparta, the company's distribution engine. Distribution is the work of getting music to stores and streaming services. 300 Entertainment is now owned by Warner Music Group.
Beeson has been releasing music independently since 2023, the same year she graduated from Brigham Young University. She has performed more than 100 shows in Utah. Her first EP, Last Shot, came out in 2023, and her second, Ritual, in 2025. Her single "Going" was released in July.
Her first release on AZTEC is the song "Worse Not Better," due on 4 December, about three weeks after the launch. For a musician who has built her audience one show at a time, that date is the next thing to watch. It will show how the new label goes about releasing her work.
