GLOBAL SUPERSTAR KAROL G PARTNERS
WITH INTERSCOPE RECORDS
Global superstar Karol G has partnered with Interscope Records (IGA), for her future recordings, which reaffirms her long-term relationship with Universal Music Group (UMG). Karol G is currently one of the most successful Latin female artists in the world, generating nearly 80 billion global music streams to date.
This year, with the release of MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO, she became the first woman ever to debut at No.1 the Billboard 200 with a Spanish-language album. She recently announced she will bring her live show to stadiums in the U.S. this summer.
“Karol G is without a doubt one of the most powerful, creative and dynamic artists in the world,” said John Janick, Chairman & CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records. “We are thrilled to welcome her into the IGA family and look forward to working with her and her team on the next phase of her incredible career.”
“Our partnership with Karol and her team dates back to the beginning of her career, and it has been a thrilling journey filled with incredible music,” commented Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group. “She is simply one of the most exciting artists in popular music today and we’re honored she has chosen to deepen her partnership with UMG for many more years to come.”
Interscope Executive Vice President Nir Seroussi who oversees the company’s Miami operation commented stated, “Karol is one of the most talented, driven and astute artists with whom I’ve ever worked. She brings with her a world-class team in Noah Assad, Jessica Giraldo and Raymond Acosta, and we look forward to working with them to build upon Karol’s global legacy as an artist.”
Karol G signed with Universal Music Latin Entertainment in 2016. With four studio albums, the Latin GRAMMY winner has broken records starting with her first album, Unstoppable, which debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. She has since earned dozens of coveted awards, garnered billions of streams, received 199 Diamond certifications from the RIAA and amassed a fan base that spans over 170 million followers across social media platforms.
In 2022, she attained the highest grossing North American tour of all time by a Latin female artist and ranked in on Pollstar’s Top 10 most successful music tours in the world with her $trip Love Tour. Dominating digital streaming platforms, Karol broke the record this year for the biggest female Latin album by first-day streams on Apple Music and had the biggest debut ever for a Spanish Album by a Female Latin Artist on Spotify with MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO.
SEEKER MUSIC ACQUIRES FULL CATALOG
FOR UK HITMAKERS FUTURE CUT
Seeker Music, the music rights, publishing, and record company, has acquired chart-topping UK production duo Future Cut’s publishing catalog. The moniker for producers Tunde Babalola and Darren Lewis, Future Cut rose to global prominence in 2006, when they produced and penned much of early A&R Worldwide supported artist Lilly Allen’s 3x Platinum debut album, Alright, Still, which launched her to stardom. Their songwriting and production work has resulted in over 35 million in album sales, three No.1 hits, and countless international chart-toppers.
Future Cut began their music careers as promoters within the Manchester dance and rave scene in the mid-nineties before putting out their first releases on the legendary UK dance label Metalheadz. They signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2002, not knowing that they’d soon meet a then-unknown singer/songwriter named Lily Allen and transform from kings of the underground drum ‘n’ bass scene to curators of some of the pop world’s biggest hits. The writing and production sessions that began with Allen in a Manchester basement studio in 2004 eventually turned into the mega-hits “Smile” and “LDN” (and several other tracks) on Alright, Still.
Since establishing themselves as the force behind Allen’s signature sound, Future Cut has accomplished a rare feat in the industry: scoring major hits with some of the world’s biggest mainstream pop acts (Rihanna, Shakira, MIA, Little Mix, Tom Jones’ “Give A Little Love”) while remaining well-respected, active figures in the underground drum ‘n’ bass scene where they started out, collaborating with acts like Ulterior Motive and René LaVice in 2022.
Evan Bogart, CEO, Seeker Music – a chart-topping songwriter in his own right (Beyoncé’s “Halo,” Rihanna’s “SOS,” etc.) stated, “At Seeker, we exclusively align ourselves with music that we are passionate about and actively ‘seek’ out groundbreaking, cutting-edge and inspirational songwriting – and with Future Cut, what I love is that you get the music industry’s ‘best of both worlds.’ Darren and Tunde have made some of the most recognizable songs of the last two decades. These guys are always killing it, while still innovating, constantly changing the game, and breaking new artists, a balance and achievement that I personally connect with and admire. It’s a true honor for Seeker to have the opportunity to be working with them.”
Future Cut added, “As a songwriter himself, Evan understands what it means to be constantly evolving, musically and creatively. We don’t want our songs sitting on a shelf – we want them to be worked in fresh, creative ways that are still in line with our artist-driven focus and ‘brand.’ Not a lot of publishers get that, but Evan and Seeker do. We also want to thank the Seeker team for making this deal happen and our attorney Marvin Katz for introducing us to Seeker and representing us in the transaction as well as Korda Marshall.”
Future Cut’s catalog joins other Seeker acquisitions including the full works of Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Gos, “We Got the Beat”), Christopher Cross, Run the Jewels’ first three albums, the catalogs of top modern songwriters Jon Belllion, John Ryan, Mozella, RuthAnne, Sam Watters, Teddy Geiger (via the Bunettas’ Family Affair), and classic copyrights performed by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Drake, Eminem, SWV, One Direction, DMX, Nelly, 2Pac and many more.
SPIRIT MUSIC GROUP SIGNS CREATIVE JV WITH
SONGWRITER/PRODUCER ERIK BELZ &
SIGNS PLAYDED TO GLOBAL PUBLISHING DEAL
Spirit Music Group has announced that they have formed a joint publishing venture with writer/producer/manager, Erik Belz. With this new deal, Belz establishes his publishing company Electric 88 Music, and will sign and develop his own roster of artists, writers, and producers. Belz has also signed a worldwide publishing deal with Spirit Music Group. The first signing to the Electric 88 Music joint venture is Patrick Ridgen, professionally known as PLAYDED, a Los Angeles-based producer, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. Electric 88 Music will be based at Belz’s recording studio complex in Encino, CA.
Erik has produced and written songs for artists across many genres, including Pitbull, Austin Mahone, Granger Smith, Thompson Square, Jez Dior, Kylie Morgan, Metro Station, Smoke Purp, Jake Paul, Slim Jxmmi and Lia Marie Johnson. Belz has served as co-manager for EDM star Slushii since 2021 (the two also work closely together writing and producing for Slushii’s various projects).
Erik’s music has appeared in TV shows such as CSI, Scorpion, Station 19, and The Equalizer. Belz has been working professionally as a producer since graduating from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in 2010.
“Spirit Music is excited to get to work with Erik as a writer/producer as well as a partner to sign and develop talent,” said Frank Rogers, Chief Creative Officer, Spirit Music Group/Chief Executive Officer, Spirit Music Nashville. “We are also thrilled to welcome PLAYDED to the Spirit family. We can’t wait to see what we can build together!”
“Spirit Music Group has been very supportive of my career and creative vision from day one,” said Erik Belz. “I am excited to partner with Jon [Jon Singer, Chairman, Spirit Music Group], Frank and the Spirit Music Group team to create opportunities for new talent and to kick things off with the signing of a proven talent like Patrick.”
PLAYDED is a Los Angeles-based producer, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. As well as producing, PLAYDED has toured extensively playing drums and bass for several artists/bands including Halsey, Reyna, 7715, MXMS and more. As a composer, he has produced and written the music and original soundtrack in its entirety for the Netflix movie Daddy Issues as well as producing the theatrical trailer for the blockbuster movie Insurgent from The Divergent series.
His artist project has accrued over four million streams between collaboration with other producers, artists, and remixes of songs. Playded’s style of producing and recent works span many genres including Pop, Rock, EDM, Hip Hop, and Country. Recent cuts include Excision, Aviella, Cham, Bela Pierce, Devora, Callie Reiff, and Linney.
PEER MUSIC SIGNS GLOBAL PUBLISHING DEAL
WITH KARL MICHAEL
peermusic Nashville has signed artist and songwriter Karl Michael to an exclusive global co-publishing agreement, as announced recently by Kathy Spanberger, President & Chief Operating Officer, peermusic Anglo American Region and Michel Knox, President, peermusic Nashville.
Originally from London, England, Karl Michael moved to Nashville in July of 2020 to pursue his career as a songwriter and an artist. After coming off a European tour opening for Teddy Swims in May 2022, Michael has set his focus on songwriting while working on his next EP, with plans to release new material in the fall of 2023. Michael has already written with some of the biggest names in music – “Can We Dance,” which he wrote with Bruno Mars, racked up more than 81 million streams on Spotify for The Vamps, where “Beautiful Me” amassed more than 16 million plays on YouTube for Dappy. Other past and current collaborators/co-writers include Yungblud (“Loner”), Teddy Swims (“Liar”), Mitchel Tenpenny (“Save Me”), Dallas Wilson, Spencer Rabin, On the Outside, and more.
Karl Michael stated, “Working with the team at Peermusic is a dream come true. This is a team of outstanding music publishers and to be able to leverage their global reach and network is a great opportunity.”
Kathy Spanberger added, “Karl’s talent is undeniable. I can’t wait to see what he does next, and I’m thrilled that he has joined the peermusic roster. We know that we can leverage our global network of offices to help further the impressive impact he has made in a short amount of time. The support he’s receiving from other artists and the creative community is really exciting.”
Michael’s improbable life story is evidence that persistence pays off. Growing up in a rough neighborhood, Michael relied on that resilience to beat the odds and break from the cycle of crime and poverty that surrounded him. At 16, he struck out on his own for Nashville, where a family friend had offered to help him get a fresh start. When he landed in the States, though, Michael found himself singled out by a customs officer who was suspicious of his status as an unaccompanied minor. Despite possessing the appropriate paperwork, he was detained, questioned for more than five hours, and eventually handcuffed and forcibly sent back to England. He first landed a job at McDonald’s and eventually worked tirelessly to get to the point of being able to follow his life’s dream with acting and music – showing that hard work, self-belief, and persistence eventually pays off!
In addition to working with Karl Michael as a recording artist and singer/songwriter, the peermusic team will be supporting him as a writer for outside projects as well as getting him involved in writing for sync opportunities.
A&R WORLDWIDE — “EXPOSED”
Each week, A&R Worldwide shares a snapshot of creatives and executives that we have collaborated or worked with in various music markets around the world, albeit in recent or previous times!
Enjoying a wonderful dinner in Berlin, Germany with rising US-based singer VELLA are (L-R) Jannik Kleber (Junior Manager A&R + Marketing, Central Europe, Universal Music Group; Sat Bisla (President & Founder, A&R Worldwide), Laura Minutolo (A&R Manager, Virgin Music, Germany), VELLA, Tjark Hartwig (A&R Executive & Founder, Chapter Management, Germany), Robin Shaw (A&R / Founder, Whizz Kids Music Group, Germany) and Adrian Hillekamp (Sr. A&R Manager, Concord Music, Germany).
INDIA’S RISING STAR KING SIGNS UK DEAL: A&R Worldwide has learned that rising Indian rapper and Hip-Hop star King (real name Arpan Kumar Chandel) is signing a UK label deal with Parlophone Records. The Indian star signed with Jay Mehta, Managing Director, Warner Music India and Abhishek Patil, Head of A&R, Warner Music India last year. King reached No.1 spot on the Spotify Daily Top Songs India last year with his single, “Maan Meri Jaan,” from his album Champagne Talk, as well as making an impressive mark on the Spotify Global Charts which garnered international A&R attention. King is one of many Indian artists making a global impact with international deals including Badshah (Universal Music Group), Divine (Sony Music), early A&R Worldwide featured artist Prateek Kuhad (now signed to Concord Music Group), A&R Worldwide supported Ananya Birla (who has worked with A&R hitmaker Ron Fair and global hit songwriters Diane Warren and Jenna Andrews), AP Dhillon (on the cusp of announcing a worldwide major label deal), Armaan Malik (who signed with Arista Records in the U.S., but is now on the verge of signing a new major label worldwide deal), as well as the hotly-tipped Diljit Dosanjh who became the first Punjabi artist to play a main stage at this year’s Coachella and is said to have just signed a co-management deal with Scooter Braun (Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and more). A&R Worldwide has spent the past 17 years building strong relationships within the Indian music market and has a very strong connection to the overall territory.
TALE OF US BRINGS ITS AFTERLIFE LABEL TO INTERSCOPE: Interscope Records has announced that it will partner with Afterlife, the label helmed by the musical duo Tale of Us which is comprised of Carmine Conte (MRAK) and Matteo Milleri (Anyma). Interscope is set to release Anyma’s debut album and any other past or future recordings from Afterlife. The first track that is poised to release is “Welcome To The Opera,” which features the artist Grimes. Afterlife launched in 2016 with their debut compilation, Realm of Consciousness, which featured singles from Mind Against, Recondite, Woo York, and others.
CONCORD MUSIC SIGNS LINDSAY ELL: Concord Music Publishing has announced the signing of country pop singer, songwriter, and guitarist Lindsay Ell. The worldwide publishing agreement, effective immediately, will include a selection of Ell’s future works. Lindsay Ell was born in Calgary, influenced by blues and love of playing the guitar, she started writing songs at age 10. She met guitarist Randy Bachman at age 13, who quickly became her mentor and produced her first album, Consider This, which was released in 2006 when Ell was just 17. During the next decade, Ell released numerous Top 20 country singles as well as EP Worth the Wait and album Alone (2009), and The Project (2017), which reached No.4 on Billboard’s Country charts. She has a US Platinum and No.1 single “What Happens In A Small Town,” featuring Brantley Gilbert as well as two Canadian No.1 singles under her belt, including “Criminal” and “wAnt me back.” In August 2020, Ell released her solo album Heart Theory, a concept LP about the seven stages of grief, reaching No.5 in Canada. The deal was secured with the support of Brad Kennard, Sr. VP A&R at Concord Music Publishing in Nashville. Read more HERE.
ROSTRUM RECORDS INKS GLOBAL DISTRO DEAL WITH ADA: ADA Worldwide, the independent label and artist services arm of Warner Music Group has announced their partnership with leading independent record label Rostrum Records. The deal will see ADA cover global distribution services for Rostrum’s entire label catalog and new releases. Celebrating 20 years in 2023, Rostrum Records has discovered and launched the careers of chart-topping superstars including Wiz Khalifa and the late Mac Miller. This year, the label is releasing new music from its growing roster. On May 3rd it released Fat Nick’s debut pop-punk single “Songs on the Radio,” which was followed by DC The Don’s “Funeral,” which came in at No.7 on Spotify’s Top Debut Albums. DC is currently on $NOT’s U.S. tour in promotion of his third studio album. The label also dropped new music from Alé Araya and Brevin Kim, who have already seen great DSP support from the likes of Spotify’s New Music Friday, Apple’s New Music Daily, and TIDAL Rising. Upcoming releases include Fat Nick, Lou Phelps, and My Favorite Color.
CHUGG MUSIC, SELECT MUSIC & DAN BIDDLE FORM NEW BOOKING AGENCY: The Australian-based Wheelhouse Agency has announced the formation of a new booking agency, which is in partnership with Chugg Music, Select Music and artist manager Dan Biddle. Biddle retains his role as special project manager at Chugg Music and Dan Biddle Management, and lead as co-head of Wheelhouse Agency. Working with Biddle is Rob Giovannoni, who keeps his role of senior agent at Select Music. The agency will launch with a roster which includes Amy Sheppard (Sheppard), Casey Barnes, James Blundell, Loren Ryan, and Shannon Noll. The agency states that consumption of country music had increased greatly over the past decade and has become a global leader in ticket sales, streaming figures, and social followers. The growth of country music in Australia over the last few years has been well documented and it was clear that the market needed a new agency to service the many great new artists coming through along with the established artists who are kicking major goals,” stated Michael Chugg, Founder & CEO, Chugg Music
UNIVERSAL MUSIC’S BRAVADO UNVEILS NEW LEADERSHIP: Universal Music Group’s (UMG’s) merchandise and brand management company, Bravado, has announced the new leadership appointments of Alyssa Tobias, Vice President, Head of Creative Services; Bill Ashton, Head of A&R; Keith Taperell, Vice President, Global Brand Partnerships and Energy Marketing; and Kim Youngberg, Head of Legal effective immediately. In making this announcement Matt Young, President of Bravado said, “As Bravado’s roster continues to expand, our company has evolved to ensure that we are giving our artists best-in-class support and services and excited to announce that Alyssa, Bill, Keith and Kim have joined our senior leadership team.” Read the full story HERE.
GRIMES’ AI-ASSISTED COLLABORATORS DISTRIBUTE SONGS VIA TUNECORE: TuneCore has announced a partnership with Grimes and AI development studio CreateSafe. The initiative enables TuneCore artists to distribute collaborations created through Grimes’ Elf.Tech AI to all major streaming platforms. Also, Grimes is able to give permission for the use of her voice in other creators’ releases, have control of the content that is distributed, and participate in the revenue from those releases at scale. The program will allow artists and fans to use Elf.Tech to upload pre-recorded a capellas, or record their own original songs, and transform them into a GrimesAI voiceprint. Once the track is uploaded and released there is a 50% royalty split between Grimes and the creators, once Grimes has approved the collaboration.
WARNER MUSIC JOINS FORCES WITH SWEDISH GAME STUDIO: Warner Music Group (WMG) has joined forces with award-winning Swedish game studio, Hello There Games, to release Invector: Rhythm Galaxy, a narrative-driven rhythm game set to a soundtrack of 40 hit songs from a variety of music genres. Invector: Rhythm Galaxy allows players to navigate breathtaking, celestial landscapes while mastering the beat of chart-topping hits from artists such as Charlie Puth, PinkPantheress, Duran Duran, and others. Invector: Rhythm Galaxy follows on the heels of AVICII Invector, the critically acclaimed rhythm music game, co-developed by Hello There Games and the late EDM icon himself. Leveraging WMG’s roster of global artists and its deep catalogue of recorded music, Invector: Rhythm Galaxy takes the game to new heights, appealing to a variety of musical tastes. Players can embark on a cosmic journey through song and space, flying through eight vibrant cosmic landscapes. Play solo or put the party into hyperdrive with 2-player and 4-player local multiplayer, bringing head-to-head competition to life. With options to choose from four difficulty levels, the game offers a fun challenge for all skill levels. This is WMG’s first foray into games publishing.
FUGA NAMES NEW UK GENERAL MANAGER: Technology and marketing-focused distribution company Fuga has appointed Lara Baker as its new General Manager for the UK market. Baker takes over the role from Liz Northeast who has been promoted to Sr. Vice President, FUGA, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa). Baker was most recently the Director, Business Development at associated Downtown company Songtrust for the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Baker’s new role will see her spearheading and leading the business development strategy and client relations for the UK. Baker brings over over 15 years of experience to FUGA having held former senior roles as Marketing & Events Director at AIM and Head of Sessions Content & Programming at BBC Music Introducing Live. Baker’s promotion coincides with FUGA’s new agreement with leading UK management company ATC Management who represent Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Billie Marten, Faithless and many others. ATC Management will work with FUGA to exclusively release the new album from Swedish band The Hives – their first full-length release in over a decade.
CTM OUTLANDER ACQUIRES SHANE MCANALLY CATALOG: CTM Outlander has acquired the publishing catalog and writer’s share of Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Shane McAnally. CTM Outlander’s deal includes other works of SmackSongs’ Matt McGinn, Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, and Trevor Rosen. The agreement includes specific elements of Shane McAnally’s royalties from his catalog of 200-plus master recordings as a producer, as well as an exclusive four-year go-forward co-publishing deal, inclusive of non-dramatic rights to certain songs featured in the Tony-nominated Broadway musical Shucked. CTM Outlander took control of Ten Music’s publishing assets in 2021 and the catalogs of Natalie Hemby, Ben Burgess, and Michael Tyler in 2022. Shane McAnally became the highest nominated songwriter in Country Music Association history. His cuts include songs recorded by Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Halsey, Sam Hunt, The Jonas Brothers, Miranda Lambert, John Legend, Old Dominion, Reba, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, George Strait, Keith Urban and Morgan Wallen, among others.
YOTO PARTNERS WITH WARNER MUSIC GROUP: Yoto, the audio platform for kids behind the critically acclaimed and award-winning screen-free Yoto Player and Yoto Mini, has struck a deal with Warner Music Group (WMG). Their collaboration will see music from some of WMG’s legendary roster of artists available on a portable audio player that is home to a host of children’s music and entertainment brands. Inspired by Montessori principles of education, Yoto is the brainchild of digital music pioneers Ben Drury (Founder 7digital) and Filip Denker, who created a device that enables young children to access the best kids’ audio, without being exposed to ads, unsuitable content or racking up too much screen time. Yoto and Warner Music Group’s partnership kicks off this month with music from Super Simple Songs, enjoyed in homes and classrooms all over the world, becoming available on Yoto Cards. Super Simple Songs is a popular YouTube channel that has more than 38 million subscribers and has racked up over 44 billion views for their videos based on original children’s songs and traditional nursery rhymes. Their music has been distributed by WMG’s Arts Music division since 2020. In 2024, Yoto will create cards with music from a carefully selected and curated group of WMG’s pop, rock, and soul artists, all of which will be suitable for its young users.
REED SMITH NAMES MANAGING PARTNER FOR EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST: Reed Smith has announced members of its new Senior Management Team. This includes Gregor Pryor who has been the co-chair of the Entertainment & Media Industry Group since 2015. Reed Smith notes that he is “widely recognized as one of the world’s leading lawyers in digital media” and has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2022 and chairs its Innovation & Strategy Committee. Pryor will succeed finance partner Tamara Box and begin his duties at his new position at the start of July.
DISTILLER PROMOTES IAN CAREW TO LEADERSHIP ROLE: Ian Carew has been named Head of Marketing & Operations at Distiller Music Group. Carew joined Distiller Music Group in 2021 after 11 years at Universal Music Group, where he was in charge of marketing campaigns for artists such as Bastille, CHVRCHES, Katy Perry, Elton John, Emeli Sandé, Laura Marling and Massive Attack amongst others. He also held senior marketing positions at Sony Music Entertainment. Carew will oversee a variety of third-party consultancy projects alongside his work for Distiller Music Group. Additionally, the company has also announced the promotions of Becca Price as Campaign Manager, Lois Burdett Proctor as Label and Publishing Assistant, Nancy Thirkell as Finance Assistant, and Jessie Gunton as Junior Campaign Manager. All four are based in the company’s London offices and will report directly to Ian Carew.
MILK & HONEY MUSIC + SPORTS NAMES NASHVILLE HEAD: Lucas Keller, CEO & Founder of Milk & Honey Music + Sports (M&H) has named Jeff Skaggs as Head of Milk & Honey South, reporting to Keller, General Manager, M&H partner Nic Warner and multi-Platinum and Grammy winning artist David Hodges. Skaggs will be in charge of signing talent and working closely with the label’s songwriter and producer roster, in addition to cooperating with the company’s other offices in Los Angeles and London. M&H have spent several years bringing top-tier songwriters, producers, and artists into Nashville from other markets. In Skagg’s new role, he will maintain this tradition whilst building a local country and pop book of clients. Since the company began, Milk & Honey has acquired a catalog of artists such as Carrie Underwood, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerina, Lady A, Maren Morris, Rascal Flatts, and more. “Jeff Skaggs is a long-time friend of ours, and friend of Nashville – we look forward to having him at the helm of Milk & Honey South as we manage and publish great writers and producers, and to continue building a great office in pop and country music,” stated Lucas Keller.
BELLA FIGURA JOINS IMPEL: Bella Figura, the indie music rights management company was founded by former BMG UK boss Alexi Cory-Smith recently joined IMPEL, the global collective licensing agency representing digital music publishing rights. Bella Figura represents artists such as Guy Chambers, David Gray, Placebo, Lil Peep, Missy Higgins, and others. Bella Figura is self-described as a purpose-built, artist-centric music company that uses “best-in-class technology to support the active administration and licensing of its music rights, as well as hands-on, creative in-house marketing to promote the rights it owns and manages.”
WENDY DAY JOINS BEATBREAD ADVISORY COUNCIL: The AI-driven music funding platform, beatBread, has added Wendy Day to its Artists Advocacy Council. Day founded the Rap Coalition and PowerMoves and has played a vital role in launching Eminem and Master P’s careers. Additionally, she has built a career on forging opportunities for artists to achieve success through their own independence. She is also the author of the book How to Get a Record Deal, and is currently building an incubator for rappers, Artist-Centric. The beatBread Artists Advocacy Council connects managers, A&R leaders, and industry executives to assist its independent artist support and new feature development on beatBread’s platform. The council meets frequently to strategize on potential features for the beatBread platform.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
Luke Wood, Daniel Werman, David Vodicka, Rachel Kurstin, Shauni Caballero, Sajid Maklai, Eric Greenspan, Jen Malone, Paul Hourican, Lucie Sort, Kyle Hopkins, David Ball and Edison Waters.
JACKASS OF THE WEEK
Have you ever sent a text message you regretted, clicked on the wrong link, posted an inappropriate message or image on social media, accidentally replied “send all” on an E-mail, or made a total ass of yourself? Yes, we’ve all had a jackass moment at one time or another in our lives. Since the pandemic, it seems that people’s patience levels have diminished quite considerably. Click HERE for a snapshot of short-tempered people who let their anger get the best of them, but to their detriment!
NEW BEAT FUND
New Beat Fund comprises a trio of talented individuals, namely Jeffrey Laliberte, Paul Laliberte, and Shelby Archer. Hailing from the vibrant California music scene, this alternative band possesses a knack for crafting pop music that defies predictability. Building upon the success of their debut album Sponge Fingerz in 2016, which featured the standout single “No Type,” the band swiftly cemented their position by securing opening tour slots alongside renowned acts such as blink-182, AWOLNATION, and Dirty Heads. Their music garnered widespread recognition through national radio airplay, global playlist additions, and commanding performances at prestigious music festivals across the US. In 2018, New Beat Fund released the captivating Chillanthropy EP which was met with critical acclaim, serving as a catalyst for the band’s ever-growing cult following. Demonstrating their versatility and passion for artistic expression, the trio embarked on a new endeavor under the moniker “The Fund,” leveraging their Los Angeles-based studio to write and produce music for other talented artists. This venture proved immensely fruitful, with their remarkable contribution to Tessa Violet‘s viral sensation, “YES MOM.” Their prowess as producers was further underscored by securing numerous sync opportunities with NBC, Fortnite, WEBTOON, and Riot Games. New Beat Fund has returned with an invigorating collection of fresh musical offerings. Giving a tantalizing glimpse of what awaits their devoted fan base, their latest single, “What’s It All For?” is an infectious summertime anthem. Listen to “What’s It All For?” HERE and contact Shelby Archer at Thefundmusic@gmail.com as New Beat Fund are available for sync and radio opportunities.
GIANT ROOKS
Giant Rooks, a quintet that was established in 2015, has demonstrated remarkable progress ever since its inception. This German musical ensemble has garnered millions of combined streams, acquired a vast listenership on Spotify, and achieved global success last year with their rendition of “Tom’s Diner.” This captivating cover soared to No.37 on the Spotify Weekly Top Songs Global Charts, making an impact in 30 markets and securing a spot in the Top 200. Their 2022 headline tour across Germany, the United States, Mexico, Europe, and Canada was a resounding success, with tickets nearly sold out at every stop. The debut album Rookery (Universal Music Germany), released in 2020, stirred up significant excitement in Germany, rising to No.3 on the official album charts. Internationally, it amassed over 200 million streams, resulting in remarkable chart placements in a number of countries. As the year drew to a close, it was revealed that Giant Rooks would be joining Louis Tomlinson on his Faith in The Future World Tour during the US leg, commencing on June 19th in Sioux Falls, SD, and concluding on July 29th in New York City, in addition to their own upcoming headlining tour in the states. The band’s first release of 2023, titled “Bedroom Exile,” arrives alongside a highly anticipated music video shot in Berlin, skillfully directed, filmed, and edited by the talented videographer Ante Milio. You can watch the captivating video for “Bedroom Exile” HERE, and for inquiries or opportunities with the band, you may reach out to Alex Ruhl a.ruhl@arentertainment.de.
PASSPORT APPROVED™ PLAYLIST – 6/11/2023
“PASSPORT APPROVED” PLAYLIST FOR Sunday, June 11th, 2023: The weekly import show. Heard on more than 50 radio stations on six continents weekly including: Flux FM Berlin, Germany; NINETYSIX Radio (Indonesia); JioSaavn (India); Radio Doble Nueve, Lima, Peru; WZRH–FM New Orleans, LA; KWSS “93.9FM”; Phoenix, AZ; KRML “102.1FM”; Carmel, CA; KFRR “New Rock 104.1FM”; Fresno, CA; Radio 1, Mumbai, India; WCNR Charlottesville, VA; KIWR “The River”; Council Bluffs, IA; 2XM Ireland (national radio); 96.2 ZFM The Netherlands; WAPS–FM “The Summit.FM”; Akron–Canton, OH; WKTL–FM Youngstown, OH; 105.5FM XFM Nairobi, Kenya; PUK–FM Johannesburg, South Africa; Rock 96.5FM Zambia; 897 FM Bratislava, Slovakia; WITH “90.1FM”; Ithaca, NY; UCFM 87.8FM Australian Capital Territory, Australia; WRUR 88.5FM Rochester, NY; WCRU–FM Hamilton, NY; KZND Anchorage, AK; KQCJ Quad Cities, IL; Allgauhit–FM Bavaria Germany; Indie Xfm Los Angeles and on The Independent FM (iHeartRadio) in the United States, as well as many others internationally.
Listen to this two hour show by clicking HERE:
NOTHING BUT THIEVES – “Welcome To DCC” (AWAL, UK)
LAVIN – “Live, Learn, Die” (AWAL, Sweden)
THE GOA EXPRESS – “Portrait” (Communion Records, UK)
INHALER – “Just To Keep You Satisfied” (Polydor, UK)
BELOT – “Cool Whip” (Submarine Cat Records, UK)
THE ROYSTON CLUB – “Shallow Tragedy” (Run On Records, UK)
MERCI, MERCY – “Shovel” (Liberation Music, Australia)
THE PALE WHITE – “How Far Can You Push A Man?” (Unsigned, UK)
IAMJJ – “King Size” (Unsigned, Denmark)
THE PIGEON DETECTIVES – “Falling To Pieces” (Unsigned, UK)
NEW BEAT FUND – “What It’s All For” (Unsigned, N. America)
THE DREAM MACHINE – “Lola, In The Morning (Unsigned, UK)
HONEYMOAN – “Sorry Like You Mean It” (Believe, South Africa)
MASI MASI – “We Don’t Care” (Unsigned, UK)
BOY DESTROY – “No Sleep” (Warner Music, Sweden)
LAUREN WALLER – “Backseat” (Unsigned, N. America)
GOOD LEKKER – “Life In Real Time” (Good Intent, Australia)
DOLORES FOREVER – “When I Say So” (Sweat Entertainment, UK)
THE VICES – “At Least That’s What They’re Saying” (Mattan, Holland)
COACH PARTY – “All I Wanna Do Is Hate” (Chess Club Records, UK)
THE LATHUMS – “Lucky Bean” (Island Records, UK)
SAHARA BECK – “Hunter” (Believe Music, Australia)
CHILLI JESSON – “Thick Skin” (Fiction/UMG, UK)
DUAL – “Lights Out” (Warner Music Group, New Zealand)
HUNDRED REASONS – “So So Soon” (Fierce Panda/SO Recordings, UK)
TALISCO – “C’est Ici” (Talisco Music, France)
ONLY THE POETS – “Jump!” (EMI, UK)
PARLIAMO – “You’re An Animal” (Alt Waves Records, Scotland)
NEON WALTZ – “Thoughts / Dreams / Regrets” (Fierce Panda, UK)
KAMRAD – “Feel Alive” (Sony Music, Germany)
CRYSTAL TIDES – “Just Friends” (Run On Records/Modern Sky, UK)
KARIM – “Don’t Tell Your Friends” (Unsigned, Germany)
LIME GARDEN – “Bitter” (So Young Records, UK)
BARBERA MARI – “Hunter” (Unsigned, Czech Republic)
