Company Seeker Music Evan Bogart has been acquired by the music publishing company of the songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist. Simon Raymond , which includes his work as a long-time member of the group Cocteau Twins . Raymond is also a solo artist, producer and co-founder of the British indie label Bella Union (Beach House, Father John Misty, Flaming Lips).
Seeker Music Chief Creative Officer Stephen Melrose (pictured above, left, with Raymond) said, "Growing up just around the corner in Edinburgh, Scotland, these songs were always the soundtrack to my life. With beautiful melodies and Liz Fraser's incredible vocals, there's nothing quite like the music Simon has created and contributed to. When the opportunity to work with him arose, I said yes very quickly...it's a true honor.".
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Raymond said: "It seems that 30 years after the release of our last studio album, enthusiasm for our music remains high. Seeker Music has demonstrated this passion and enthusiasm since we began negotiations last year.".
Raymonde was represented in the transaction by Christy MacNaughtan of NMD Solicitors, and Seeker Music was represented by Henry Root of Counsel LLP and Seeker's general counsel Dan Stewart, along with Melrose and Bogart.
Company + 10K Projects announced a joint venture with Runway Records , a new hip-hop label founded and led by Ben Bijour, who recently joined Atlantic Music Group as vice president of A&R. Runway's first artist signing was Atlanta rapper Aziedoesntexist, whose debut release, "Everglades," became a TikTok hit. At Atlantic, Bijour has already signed Diamond*, Ksuuvi, Sorisa, and Russian rappers Gorilla Glue and Lil Nakur; he previously worked at Columbia's JV Signal Records.
«"Ben brings a keen sense of culture, a knack for identifying emerging talent, and an entrepreneurial spirit to Runway Records, and we at 10K are fully committed to that," said 10K co-president Niko Ziangas. "We look forward to collaborating with him and his team to further develop Runway's successful repertoire.".
+ Karon Treatment Centers raised $1.7 million at its 32nd annual gala in New York City on June 2 at Cipriani 42nd Street, where GlassNote Entertainment founder Daniel Glass was awarded the Thomas J. Moran Caron Music Award, and the Brock-Dixon family was awarded the Richard J. Caron Lifetime Achievement Award.
Proceeds from the gala benefit the Caron Foundation, a mission-driven foundation that helps individuals and families access addiction and mental health treatment, research, prevention, and education.
Each year, the gala raises more than $1 million to support scholarships for treatment and rehabilitation services, with the majority of the scholarships provided by the Caron organization in the New York metropolitan area funded through the event.
Glass was recognized for his contributions to the music industry and his long-standing commitment to supporting people in recovery; he also serves on the founding board of Caron's Neil Lasher Music Fund, which has raised nearly $2 million over the past five years and supported more than 100 members of the music community seeking treatment and support in their recovery.
«The Brock-Dixon family and Daniel Glass exemplify the power of leadership, service, and support for the healing process, and we were honored to recognize their outstanding contributions during this year’s gala,» said Todd Whitmer, national giving officer for Caron.
BMI Company announced promotions in the creative and corporate communications departments at its New York headquarters. In the creative department, John Ellwood was promoted to vice president of creative, and Deirdre Chadwick — to assistant vice president for creative work in classical and jazz music. In the corporate communications department. Jeff Gilligan was promoted to assistant vice president, creative director, and Jody Thomas — to Assistant Vice President for Corporate and Media Relations.
Company MPRS (pronounced "Empress"), a company that specializes exclusively in royalties from producers and engineers, announced the expansion of its platform by acquiring the rights to producer catalogs. Milk & Honey Company joined as a partner as part of a new acquisition structure.
Founded in 2021, Mprs has become a powerful player in the producer royalty management space, helping hitmakers organize, vet, monetize, and manage one of the most historically fragmented areas of the music business. Its mission statement is summarized as "doing for producer royalties what publishers do for songwriters." The company claims to manage eight-figure annual royalty payments and has provided over $5 million in advances to producers; it also "returns millions of dollars in previously lost revenue to clients annually.".
«"Royalties to producers and engineers are incredibly valuable, but their operational complexity is high," said Mprs CEO John McMillan. "Most catalogs are dispersed across labels, distributors, contracts, claims, and territories, to the point that many creators don't know how to assess the long-term value of their work. Before anyone can properly value these assets, they need to be properly understood and managed. This is precisely what Mprs has been working on for years to help producers.".
Milk & Honey founder Lukas Keller added: "MPRS has created something truly unique in the royalty management space for producers. Their understanding of the operational side of these assets is incredibly deep, creating real value for creators. Our collaboration was a natural and organic result of five years of dedicated work providing our clients with a platform and watching the company grow into a best-in-class company.".
Independent publishing house Third Side Music extended the contract with the composer, performer, songwriter and two-time Juno Award winner Colin Stetson , extending their 15-year collaboration. Stetson's recent projects include the horror thriller "Something Bad Is About to Happen," the film "Mayday," and the IMAX documentary "Stormbound." He was also nominated for a World Soundtrack Award, a Hollywood Music in Media Award, and an International Film Music Critics Association Award for his work on "The Menu.".
«"Alex Kelman and everyone at Third Side Music have been loyal and active supporters of my music, both in my film work and in my solo recording career. They have always been and remain truly close to me, caring, attentive, and supportive. I am immensely grateful for all their dedication and guidance over the years," Stetson said.
Agency Blackstar, specializing in artist promotion strategy and audience development, appointed Ed Watson Director of Artist Strategy. Recent campaigns include collaborations with Nine Inch Nails, Outkast, André 3000, Lenny Kravitz, Hayley Williams, Muse, Robyn, and Djo. Watson will be based in New York and previously held senior positions at BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, and the Asian Network.
Blackstar founder Olivia Hobbs said, "Ed possesses a rare combination of strategic thinking, creative flair, and cultural awareness. His experience working closely with artists and teams, coupled with his understanding of social platforms and fan communities, makes him the perfect fit for our work.".
Tuesday, June 2
Primary Wave Music Company announced a partnership with a Mexican group Intocable , a Grammy Award-winning group. Under the terms of the deal, the publisher will collaborate with the renowned group on their music catalog, as well as the use of their name, image, and likeness.
The group, formed in the early 1990s, has sold over 4 million albums, won two Grammy Awards, played sold-out arenas across America, and is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The deal includes hits such as "Fuerte No Soy," "Mi Gusta Mi Vida," "Sueña," "Te Amo (Para Siempre)," "Si Me Duele, Que Duela," and "Un Poquito Tuyo.".
«"We're excited to partner with Primary Wave and begin this new chapter together," said Ricky Munoz. He continued, "Their vision, passion for music, and commitment to preserving artistic heritage make them the perfect team to help us continue to expand the reach of Intocable's music for generations to come.".
Intocable was represented in this transaction by Jeremy Rosen, Oscar Carrasco (Manager), Diana Zapata (Catalog Manager), and Alex Hartnett (Associate).
Australian singer and songwriter Julia Jacklin signed a contract with label 4AD , which the company announced this week. Jacklin is a two-time ARIA Award winner, has toured with Mitski and Lana Del Rey, and performed at numerous festivals, from Glastonbury to Newport Folk and Primavera.
Along with the announcement, Jacklin unveiled dates for her North American and European tour, which will begin in October in San Diego and run through next year.
Merlin Company , the digital music licensing partner of the world's leading independent labels and distributors, announced a number of promotions to the leadership team of its Partnerships division.
The main event in my career growth was the promotion Emma Robinson to Vice President of Partnerships. She joined Merlin in 2018 from the communications agency Name PR.
The company also raised Shannon Bradley to Director of Commercial Partnerships in New York; Alice Moss и Daniele Yandel to directors of partnership operations in Berlin and New York, respectively; and Simon Marcel to Partnership Operations Manager in London.
Charlie Lexton, CEO of Merlin, stated: "These promotions recognize the leadership team that has been instrumental in strengthening Merlin's partnerships and operational capabilities during a period of rapid change in the digital music landscape. As the digital ecosystem continues to evolve, from artificial intelligence and social platforms to new rights management challenges, investing in the people who help our members navigate this complexity remains a key priority for Merlin.".
United Talent Agency signed a contract with a country artist Josh Weathers for global representation across all areas. UTA will work to secure opportunities in concert touring, media, film production, brand partnerships, and more.
The contract signing took place in the midst of his "Life Still Happens Tour," a follow-up to his latest project, "Neon Never Fades," released earlier this year. The singer is represented by Adam Hale of One Twenty One Management.
Singer, songwriter, guitarist and surfer Hendrix Frankenreiter, living in Hawaii, signed a contract with Severance Records label in cooperation with Big Loud Rock , beginning the partnership with the single "Wanna Go.".
«"I've been working on a lot of new music for the past year, and 'Wanna Go' felt like the perfect way to start this new chapter," Hendrix shared. "The opportunity to release it on Severance/Big Loud Rock made it even more exciting.".
«"Every artist we sign with Severance has a unique voice, and from the moment I saw Hendrix Frankenreiter perform at the Peppermint in Los Angeles, I knew his voice was unmistakable," said Severance Records president Steve "Stevo" Robertson. Big Loud Rock co-founder and president Joey Moy added, "Hendrix is an undeniable talent who perfectly blends effortless energy and witty songwriting into his music.".
Creative production agency Killian + Company appointed Shaun Alexander senior vice president of strategy and business development, the company announced this week.
Alexander joins Killian + Company from her role as Vice President of Business Development at Empire, where she oversaw partnerships and initiatives related to the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Game, and Grammy Week. Previously, she held leadership positions at SoundCloud, The Fader, and Moog.
Founder Joe Killian says, "Shauna's industry experience and entrepreneurial approach to brand strategy and storytelling make her the perfect addition to our dynamic team of creative marketers. We're excited to see how we can continue to grow as an agency and expand our services using the knowledge, connections, and cultural perspective Shauna brings to our work.".
Company The Familie, Los Angeles-based artist management and representation firm has appointed Kenny Hamilton Senior Vice President of Development and Strategy. Most recently, Hamilton headed CSH Management Group, representing artists such as Rotimi, Inaya, and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Dixon, as well as professional tennis player Taylor Townsend. Previously, he served as tour manager for global superstar Justin Bieber's SB Projects and held positions at Beats Music and Apple Music.
«"Throughout his career, Kenny has consistently identified opportunities before the rest of the industry," said Familie founder and CEO Steve Astefen. "He has built strong relationships across the music, entertainment, technology, sports, and cultural industries, bringing a modern perspective to talent representation that perfectly aligns with our company's direction.".
Chairman and CEO Universal Music Publishing Group Jody Gerson announced his appointment this week Sunita Kaur President of Asia. Based in Singapore, Kaur will oversee the company's operations across the continent and report to Gerson. Previously, she was a visiting scholar at Singapore Management University and held senior positions at Twitch, Spotify, Facebook, Microsoft, and Forbes.
Gerson said: «Asia represents one of the most exciting and important regions for the future of music publishing, and I am delighted that such an experienced and knowledgeable executive as Sunita is joining UMPG to spearhead our continued growth in the region. She has a deep understanding of the evolving digital landscape and the opportunities it creates for songwriters, and her leadership skills and connections in the region will be invaluable to us as we continue to support and promote the next generation of songwriters.».
UMPG Chief Operating Officer Mark Cimino added: «Sunita brings an exceptional combination of strategic thinking, operational experience, and strong connections in the region to the company. Her experience in both the music and technology industries gives her valuable insight into how our business is evolving, and she is ideally suited to lead the next phase of our work in Asia. I am proud to welcome her to the UMPG leadership team.».
Warner Music Company appointed Jean-Sebastien "Seb" Permal Senior Vice President, A&R, EMEA and Central Europe. In this new role, Permal will oversee all domestic activities within the newly expanded Warner Music Central Europe division, as well as its labels in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
Permal will also lead the company's talent acquisition and acquisition strategy, artist scouting and signing, and strategic partnerships.
Permal joins Warner Music from Sony Music, where he most recently served as Vice President of A&R for Continental Europe and Africa. He reports to Simon Robson, President of Warner Music EMEA, and Niels Wallboomers, President of Warner Music Central Europe.
Robson said: "Seb is a world-class talent acquisition and development leader who combines an intuitive eye for talent with a deep understanding of the cultural nuances that shape today's global marketplace. With Seb's leadership, we are ideally positioned to expand the reach of our artists and connect them with audiences on a truly global scale.".
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