Groningen - Wed Apr 30 2025
Ryan Babel Joins SmartLabel B.V. as strategic Advisor to champion artist empowerment through streaming platform TraXs
Leveraging Ryan Babel’s industry insight to advance artist-first streaming
Groningen - Wed Apr 30 2025 - SmartLabel B.V. is proud to announce that former professional footballer, and recording artist Ryan Babel has joined the company as a strategic advisor. His collaboration underscores a shared commitment to redefining the music industry's landscape by placing artists at the forefront of innovation and control.
Central to this initiative is TraXs, SmartLabel's pioneering blockchain-based streaming platform designed to address longstanding challenges faced by artists in the digital age. Unlike traditional streaming services, TraXs empowers artists with full ownership of their content, data, and revenue streams. By leveraging blockchain technology, the platform ensures transparency, security, and direct engagement between artists and their audiences.
Ryan Babel's decision to join SmartLabel stems from his firsthand experiences in the music industry and a desire to foster meaningful change. His involvement will focus on strategic development, artist outreach, and promoting the platform's mission to create a more equitable ecosystem for creators.
Over the past few months, I’ve been working closely with Jonathan Oudekerk and the team at SmartLabel on TraXs — a new streaming platform built on the blockchain. It’s designed to give artists control over their data, protect their IP, and build real relationships with their audience. That experience made it clear: I’m all in.Ryan Babel
Innovative Features of TraXs
• Artist-controlled pricing: Artists can set their own pricing for streams, providing flexibility and fair compensation for their work.
• Direct fan engagement: TraXs enables artists to identify and connect with their listeners, facilitating personalized interactions and exclusive offerings such as early access to new releases, merchandise discounts, and event invitations.
• Fractional royalty investments: Artists have the option to tokenize portions of their future royalties, allowing fans to invest directly in their favorite creators and share in their success.
• Pay-As-You-Go model: The platform's flexible payment structure caters to both superfans and casual listeners, often resulting in a more cost-effective and enjoyable music experience.
About SmartLabel
SmartLabel was founded in 2022 by Jonathan Oudekerk and Joost Rohde, who together bring a unique balance of personal experience and technical expertise to the company. Jonathan, the son of reggae artist Johnny Baby - who played, among others, with UB40 - witnessed firsthand how even successful artists can lose the rights to their work, as his father did after signing a contract that cost him both his album and its earnings. Motivated by this legacy, Jonathan teamed up with Joost, whose deep roots in both music and technology, as well as his close connection to artists, have been essential in shaping SmartLabel’s innovative, artist-first approach. Their complementary backgrounds at the intersection of music, business, and tech ideally position them to address the longstanding challenges faced by creators in the industry.
SmartLabel LinkedIn
Co-founder Jonathan Oudekerk - Linkedin
