Ben Farber Joins VERSION III Full-Time

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Photo: Josh Telles

Co-founder Ben Farber has joined indie label and management company VERSION III full-time alongside Co-Founder Josh Epple. 

After nearly two decades working across artist development, streaming, digital strategy, and audience growth, and most recently serving as Vice President of Streaming Strategy & Revenue at Warner Records, Farber has departed the major label to dedicate his full attention to VERSION III and its growing roster. Founded in 2021 by Farber, Epple, and Andrew Cramb, VERSION III takes a non-traditional approach to development, working closely with artists to build sustainable careers while maintaining creative integrity and authentic connections with their audiences.

“We started VERSION III because we wanted to build the kind of company we would have wanted to work with if we were artists,” says Farber. “The goal has always been to create a transparent partnership where we’re willing to take risks, think differently, and develop artists for the long term. After building this company while working full-time at Warner Records, I’m incredibly excited to give VERSION III my full attention. We’ve accomplished a lot so far between the two of us, and we’re just getting started. I’m so grateful for my experience being at Warner Records. The leaders, colleagues, and artists all contributed to preparing me for this chapter.”

“We’ve always wanted to be the company that gets in early, believes in the vision, and is willing to put in the work alongside an artist as that vision grows,” Epple adds. “The fact that we’ve been able to help build these careers while remaining independent is something we’re incredibly proud of. Bringing Ben on full-time gives us the opportunity to take everything we’ve learned over the past five years and scale it in a really intentional way.”

The company’s most notable success to date came with Dasha, who VERSION III signed in 2023. The label independently released her breakout single “Austin,” which has gone on to surpass nearly 2 billion global streams and earn 50× Platinum certifications worldwide before being upstreamed to Warner. VERSION III has also continued to develop artists across a diverse range of genres. Solya’s debut album, Queen of Texas, released in March 2026, debuted at No. 27 on the Billboard Top Albums Chart and No. 17 on the New Artist Chart, while selling more than 2,500 vinyl copies in its first week.

Artists developed by the company have also gone on to larger label partnerships, including country artist Dalton Davis, who was upstreamed to MCA/Universal; Americana-pop artist Ian Harrison, who was upstreamed to Sony Nashville; pop-metal duo Sace6, who signed with Sumerian Records; and hard rock artist Holy Wars, who signed with Rise Records. The label has also announced its newest signings –  singer-songwriter Laila Mach, Industrial Metal Band Heartline, Pop artist LEXXE, and country artist Antwane Tyler.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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