Finley Power interview: The rise and rise of Sersa Records
We caught up with Finley Power, the head honcho of one of the most respected house music labels in the North of England, Sersa Records, to talk about the label's meteoric rise and its plans for the future
Last updated: 6th Dec 2023
Originally published: 14th Sep 2023
Sersa Records is one of the most respected house music labels in the North of England, if not the entirety of the UK. Founded in 2019 by Bradford-born Finley Power, what began as icebreaker parties at dusty working men’s clubs in Leeds, then became Sersa, the record label and event planners that have grown astronomically and now book some of the most sought-after artists in the electronic world.
Existing as one of the sole providers of house music events in the North, Sersa has solidified its position in the scene, providing little room for competition. Counting the likes of Ben Hemsley, Cloonee, Mella Dee, and Hannah Laing as friends of the label, Sersa through the years have star-studded their lineups giving them a following unlike anyone else in the North.
Finley Power celebrates his 4th anniversary of the label this September with a fresh headline of Sam Divine at Leeds’ long-standing, well respected, O2 Academy. DJing along the way, Power gets stuck into his job, never gives up, and puts the artists he works with in the spotlight. We spoke to Power about how it all started with Sersa.
The name Sersa is engaging and to the point. Where did it come from?
“I basically woke up one morning and totally rebranded. We were originally called Sona (translating to sounds in Spanish) but we wanted to change for the record label side of things. The name came to my head naturally and I liked the sound of it; it was unique and exciting, like the future.
“To us, Sersa is family, a huge network of DJs, producers, and behind-the-scenes people to make our events happen. Sersa is music and we provide good vibrations and good vibes with a motto of “Join the Sersa Experience” being at the forefront of our ethos.”
Sersa Records label founder, Finley Power. Image credit: Joe Ooga
Beginning with icebreaker parties back when you were 16, what were these parties like, where were they, and how long until things started to pick up?
“Icey-B’s! I am originally from Bradford and when I was in sixth form, people wanted parties but no one was putting them on. I was always a budding businessman and entrepreneur and had a history of selling sweets in the corridors during my younger days, so I took on the challenge. I started selling wristbands in the common room when I should have been doing homework and in a year, I had hosted 5 ice breaker parties in different venues around Leeds with the entirety of my sixth form being in attendance (300 people).
“I booked DJs, played myself, and made money; I realised this was something that I loved and was good at. When I turned 18, I decided to continue to get into events alongside my job as an engineer. I enjoy a mix of genres but house music was always the drive for me so I started Sersa - or Sona, as it was called back then - and things seemed to spiral from that point on.”
We know you’re a huge fan of house music in general, how would you describe Sersa’s sound?
“I have a massive love for house music. I like how it’s such a broad genre with the four main pillars being progressive, tech, deep, and electro which then split into subgenres of bass, ambient, garage, future, and acid. I've never believed in setting your sound within one narrative, and with 10 releases under our belt with 2 number ones in the world, we like to cater to multiple audiences.
“Our bookings play a huge part in our sound and we like to book for the individual as well as the music. Each DJ and producer is unique in their own way and we like the artist to speak for themselves, allowing them to stretch their legs if they want to.
“DJ Zinc played for us in 2021 whose sound is quite heavy and bassey whereas Hannah Laing, a recent booking back in February 2023, is tech with trance influences. Rather than bringing a Sersa sound, we like to think of it as bringing a Sersa energy. If I like the artists, then I’ll book them.”
Moving from event planner to record label is a huge deal. When did you make the transition and how did it go?
It took a bit of time to build the label side of things, with challenges such as covid providing an understandable hurdle. The first release was 2 years ago now back in February 2021 with ‘Power, Sean Davies Remix’. We don’t put releases out all the time and I wouldn’t want to saturate. I like having the slow build giving Sersa a chance to give love to all of our artists and the same goes for the people we book for the events. The record label was a huge deal but it's great having a mix of the two.”
Is there an event or moment that you remember was the turning point in your career as the owner and founder?
“Cloonee was a massive one for me. That was in November 2021 and the crowd we generated was electric. Cloonee at the time was one of the most talked about artists in America and he blew up in the UK following his Sheffield roots.
“During the weekend, he played only in the north with Sersa putting on the show for him at The Warehouse. It felt magic to book him and it was a point of realisation that we could have big bookings. After that, Ben Hemsley, Hannah Laing, and Sam Divine were to follow and we garnered a lot of respect in the industry and from our customer base. It gave us the chance to really solidify who we are.
“Suddenly people were saying that they wanted to go to a Sersa Event. We became trusted and the lineups just kept getting better and better.”
Sam Divine live at Defected Festival in Leeds 2023 / Image credit: Elliot Young
You’re currently celebrating 4 years of the label which is a great achievement. Your booking of Sam Divine next week is a huge milestone for you guys, and a celebration of everything that’s happened so far, what will the event mean to you?
"As the face of Defected Records, having Sam Divine is a huge achievement for us as a house-orientated brand. Headlining our event at the O2 Academy means a lot to me. As one of the most respected and biggest venues in Leeds, with one of the most respected women in house music, the build-up to the night is going to be the biggest three weeks of my life. It’s such a great way to close off the Summer. Not only are we thrilled to work with such a big name like Sam but it means a lot to the residents as well with the night being one go the biggest shows of some of their careers too."
You’ve achieved so much for a young person, what’s driven you over the years to keep you going and can you remember any challenges you’ve faced?
“It has been a crazy four years and I’m glad I started my business young. It’s hard to get your foot in the door. Covid was certainly a challenge, we could have easily given up but it helped us in a way. We put on live streams from bedrooms and it gained us a following.
“We’ve lost money, we’ve earned money and now we're at the level where after four years of graft, we want to expand to different cities. Don’t get me wrong, the industry can be draining but having a strong team of people BTS and with our residents too, I couldn’t have done it without them. I'm a big drive to it but when everyone comes into play it makes a huge impact. My motto is never to give up and I stand by that.”
Is there a moment that you’re most proud of?
“Having asked to be a brand partner with Defected is always going to be one of the biggest achievements of my life. I cried. I couldn’t believe we were asked by the biggest house music label in the world to head one of their stages at the Defected Festival in Leeds. It was so unexpected, a real foot in the door and they created a space for us to thrive too. Defected is a brand we’ve always looked up to, and the fact they wanted to work with us - well that blew my mind.
“We also launched an app this year which was massive, it's a place where we can shout about our artists and events and show all things Sersa. It's great to have everything that we are in one place.”
You’ve worked with several acclaimed talents over the years, Cloonee, Hannah Laing, Ben Hemsley, and DJ Zinc to name a few. How has working with these artists shaped you as a label?
“Bookings get people talking. By presenting some of the most in-demand artists in the game, the word of Sersa gets about. It's all well and good putting on an event but if it's not done in the right way, by keeping everyone happy, success doesn’t usually follow through. The big names trusted us and the bookings that followed show that. We always try to put our best foot forward with care and attention to the artists being at the forefront.”
Let's look at the future of Sersa. What are your ambitions, do you have a dream that you would love to make a reality?
“In terms of the immediate future, I would like to sell out O2 Academy in Leeds for the Sam Divine gig, which would really solidify people’s support of Sersa.
“This year, I’m looking to expand to other cities but I like to take things step by step. Getting a European date next year is already in the mix with potential Ibiza plans and with the possibility of going international too. In 2 years time, I want to have our own Sersa Festival and in 5 years, I want to have our own venue with a camping festival to go with it.
“I want Sersa to be in people’s playlists by default. I want to release more, work hard, and achieve exactly what we’ve set out to do - which is having people “join the Sersa Experience”.”
Thanks to Finley for his time and to his team Leon Barker (Promotions Director), Mia Waugh (Marketing Director), and Joe Ooga (Creative Director). Want to see what the label's all about for yourself? Grab tickets to Sam Divine's Leeds show below.
Download the Sersa Records app at: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/sersa-records/
Isabel Armitage
Tickets for SERSA 4th Birthday Anniversary presents ODEN & FATZO LIVE | Friday 8th March 2024 | Mint Warehouse in Leeds
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