“Cowboy Carter” collaborator Willie Jones has signed with Gravel Road Records, the independent record label co-founded by Anthony Martini and Rich Barner.
Jones is known for his innovative blend of country, hip-hop and soul. He achieved success with hits like “Down by the Riverside” and “American Dream,” amassing over 200 million streams. He also sings alongside Beyoncé on her single “Just For Fun,” from her Grammy-nominated album, “Cowboy Carter.”
Jones said, “Beyond excited to partner with Gravel Road and get this music out. The past year has been one of the greatest years of my life, and now to have a team of people who believe in me and my vision who can help expand help the vibration of the world through music is truly an honor.”
Barner, co-founder of Gravel Road, added, “We’re thrilled to welcome Willie to the Gravel Road family. With his authentic storytelling and unique sound, we believe Willie will resonate deeply with country music fans and continue to push the boundaries of the genre. Together, we’re excited to embark on this journey and create music that speaks to the heart and soul of our listeners.”
Jones is working on his highly anticipated project set to release in early 2025.
+ Create Music Group has acquired the Manchester, England-based record label and music publisher Ostereo.
As part of the deal, founder Howard Murphy will exit the company and his longtime partners Ramin Bostan and Nick Kirkby will oversee day-to-day operations at the company. Founded in 2016, Ostereo has successfully used data analytics to identify and develop artists from various territories around the world, including Europe, UK, Korea, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and others.
“Over the last decade we have built Ostereo into a home to incubate and develop exciting new artists across multiple genres,” said Murphy. “Becoming a part of the Create family of companies gives me the confidence to step away to focus on my next endeavor. With Ramin and Nick handling things together with the global experts at Create, I know our artists are going to thrive.”
Create Music Group’s executive team, led by CEO Strauss, COO and co-founder Alexandre Williams and Senior VP of Global Corporate Development and M&A Eric Nguyen, will work closely with Ostereo’s team to ensure a seamless integration, prioritizing continuity for artists, partners, and staff.
+ Kobalt has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Ana Bárbara.
Bárbara has 10 studio albums that span mariachi, pop, banda, romantic ballads and more. The Latin Grammy winner is gearing up for the release of a greatest hits album in 2025. She is currently on her “Reina Grupera” tour in the U.S., and plans to expand the trek into Mexico and Latin America.
“Kobalt has built its reputation over the last two decades fiercely advocating for their songwriters around the world,” said Bárbara. “I’m excited to get to work with Teresa [Romo, Kobalt’s senior creative director for Latin America] and the entire Kobalt team on my music.”
Romo added, “Ana Bárbara is an iconic songwriter whose ongoing contributions to Música Mexicana have paved the way for the next generation of female artists and songwriters. Her musical legacy not only reflects her mastery of the stage but ability to connect with multiple generations, which has helped to push Musica Mexicana to become one of the most quickly rising musical genres in the world. We are thrilled that she has chosen Kobalt as the home for her new work as well as for her substantial catalog of songs.”
+ Concord has revealed the formation of its new advisory board to steer the publishing company’s strategic direction and innovation efforts. See more information here.
Inaugural Members of the Concord Advisory Board: Greg Ballard, Liat Ben-Zur, Janicza Bravo, Darien Dash, Marc Geiger, Nick Grouf, TJ Haynes-Morgan, Scott Pascucci, Jim Weber, Tom Whalley and Jake Wisely.
“Over the past decade, we at Concord have significantly grown in our catalog, frontline roster, headcount, and overall scale. We have truly established our position as the world’s leading independent music company. As Concord continues on this trajectory and the music industry’s ecosystem grows increasingly complex, having an advisory board of this caliber with such far-reaching expertise will be especially advantageous. I am delighted to have this group on the Concord team,” said Concord CEO Bob Valentine.
+ Seeker Music has acquired the publishing rights to indie-rock band the Wombats’ first four albums. Formed in Liverpool in 2003 and led by singer-songwriter Matthew Murphy, some of the group’s best-loved tracks include “Let’s Dance to Joy Division,” “Greek Tragedy,” and “Turn.” They’ve won an NME Award (and been nominated for several others) and sold over one million albums worldwide.
The Wombats said “We are absolutely thrilled to be working with the team at Seeker and can’t think of a better team to help build our catalogue over the coming years.”
Seeker’s Global Head of Creative, Steven Melrose, said “So excited to be working with Murph and the band on the next phases of their growth and careers. And with Simon [Bobbett, Director/Founder of SB Music Management, who led the deal on The Wombats’ side], we know we will have a great team going forward across all of our joint endeavors. Onwards!!!”
+ Sony Music Publishing MENA (SMP Middle East and North Africa) today announced the signing of Egyptian songwriter and composer Aziz El Shafei to an exclusive global publishing agreement. This deal includes his entire back catalog and future releases under the SMP MENA umbrella.
Aziz El Shafei said, “I am looking forward to this new stage and the broader horizons in my artistic journey, and I’m excited that a respected company such as Sony Music Publishing will be a partner for these next important steps.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Aziz to our extensive family of creative composers. Aziz is renowned for his prominent role in developing Arabic music in Egypt and the region, and we are excited to work with him. We believe that this collaboration will contribute to enhancing cultural and artistic exchange worldwide,” said Dounia Chabaan, managing director, Sony Music Publishing MENA.
Tuesday, Nov. 19
HarbourView Equity Partners has purchased the master royalty income of jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter George Benson. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
With 36 studio albums, and 8 live albums, the 10-time Grammy-winner is known for contributions in the pop, R&B, soul and jazz charts. Benson’s 1976, three-time Grammy-winning album, “Breezin’,” boasts the pop-jazz vocal hit “This Masquerade.” His 1980 smash, “Give Me The Night,” produced by Quincy Jones and written by Rod Temperton (Michael Jackson), also rocketed to the top of the soul single charts.
HarbourView Equity Partners founder and CEO Sherrese Clarke Soares said, “We maintain a commitment to be a canon for legendary culture movers such as George Benson. His artistry is distinct in its sound, with acoustics that forever stir emotions of a musical era that means so much to so many of us. We are proud to stand in partnership and welcome him to the HarbourView family.”
Fox Rothschild served as legal counsel to HarbourView in this transaction. George Benson was represented by Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.
+ UnitedMasters has promoted Gerardo Mejia to senior lead of Latin Music, as announced Tuesday.
Mejia previously served as an A&R for UnitedMasters, signing rising artist Floyymenor. Under Gerardo’s watch, the 19-year-old Chilean upstart scored a No. 1 single, “Gata Only” featuring Chris MJ. The latter has reeled in north of 1.2 billion Spotify streams.
UnitedMasters Founder and CEO, Steve Stoute commented, “Gerardo lives and breathes music. He has been a major force in the explosion of Latin music globally. He has an impeccable ear for talent and a knack for artist development, while empowering his artists to exceed their potential time and time again. It’s a pleasure to announce this much-deserved promotion.”
Gerardo added, “UnitedMasters has really granted me the runway and latitude to follow my instincts and seek out artists who are unconventional, yet undeniable. They’ve given me the utmost trust, and it’s been incredible to continue my journey here. I’m very thankful and excited for what the future holds. The sky is most definitely the limit.”
Monday, Nov. 18
Smirnoff has named Troye Sivan its new “Chief Vibes OFFicer,” marking the start of a new multi-year partnership deal between the alcohol brand and the Grammy-nominated singer.
The partnership was announced by the brand on Monday with a video that mimicked a press conference announcing Sivan’s new “CVO” position. The launch will be followed by Smirnoff’s sponsorship of Troye’s Australia and New Zealand tour with after parties in both Sydney and Melbourne.
“For me, Smirnoff has always been omnipresent – whether it’s at house parties, backstage at shows, or nights out with friends,” Sivan said in a statement. “I see the brand all around the world, and whenever I do, it feels like something I want to be part of. ‘Go OFF’ is all about getting people together and being ourselves, something I’ve really embraced in this part of my life and something I’m excited to continue to do with this partnership.”
Stephanie Jacoby, senior vice president of Global Vodkas, said: “We are so excited to partner with Troye – as someone who radiates joy and shares our ‘We Do We’ spirit he is the ultimate vibe shifter for his fans all around the world. We knew from the moment we first spoke to Troye and his team that this was going to be something truly special – we share a passion for fun, for bringing people together and for not taking ourselves too seriously. I am delighted to welcome our new Chief Vibes OFFicer to the team, Troye is the perfect fit, and we can’t wait to collaborate over the coming months together – exciting things to come!”
+ MusiCares is partnering with Moms in Music to host a free Women’s Wellness Clinic on Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at MusiCares HQ in Santa Monica, Calif.
The clinic will offer essential health and wellness services to women working in the music industry, including mental health resources and support in navigating the unique demands of balancing career and family life. The event will feature a range of wellness services, including: mental health screenings, physical therapy screenings, holistic chiropractic services, custom earmolds for hearing protection, massage therapy and yoga.
Throughout the event, information about MusiCares services specifically for women, covering areas such as mammogram support, cervical cancer screenings, childcare, and more will be available. MusiCares is partnering with women-owned businesses and providers to offer these services.
+ Republic has promoted Kevin Lipson to Chief Revenue Officer, as announced today by Republic President and COO Jim Roppo.
In this newly created position, Lipson will lead revenue strategies for all artists across the rosters via the Corps Collective of Republic Records, Mercury Records, Def Jam Recordings, and Island Records. In his new role, Lipson will continue to oversee the team that encompasses streaming, e-commerce, data, retail, gaming, sports marketing, media planning, catalog initiatives and more. Additionally, his team will spearhead innovation campaigns that will open new opportunities for audience and revenue growth.
About the promotion, Roppo stated, “Kevin’s not only one of the most tenacious music executives in the business, but he’s also a true innovator at heart. With a fresh perspective, he’s constantly looking for unconventional ways to break new artists and maximize global repertoire revenue for our roster of superstars. He’s a consummate leader, and it’s an honor to break this news.”
Lipson has held several senior level management positions within the Universal family of labels at Republic Records, Island Records, Def Jam Recordings and Universal Music Group Distribution in Los Angeles and New York. He is based in the label’s New York headquarters.
+ SoundExchange and the South African Music Performance Rights Association (SAMPRA) have jointly announced a reciprocal agreement that will see United States and South African performers paid royalties for the use of their recordings in the United States and South Africa, respectively.
This agreement is a result of SoundExchange’s efforts to ensure American creators are treated the same as their South African counterparts in the country. It marks the first time U.S. performers will be paid neighboring rights when their music is used in South Africa.
Retroactive to the 2022 distribution period, the multi-lateral agreement between SoundExchange and SAMPRA will benefit performers from both countries whose music is played in a variety of applications (referred to as “neighboring rights”) in the United States and in South Africa. The agreement, which also includes the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund, will also benefit non-featured artists (studio musicians, backup singers, etc.), who will also see South African royalties deposited into the Fund administered by The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
“The successful execution of this agreement is directly tied to the advocacy SoundExchange demonstrates around the world on behalf of the creators we represent,” said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “I am pleased that our case for fairly paying creators for their work resonated so deeply with SAMPRA and has resulted in a significant step forward for U.S. performers.”
+ Meirav Savyon has been named head of creative licensing at music company Baxter House. She previously held the same title at Milk & Honey.
Helmed by OneRepublic songwriter and producer Brent Kutzle, Baxter House has extensive experience writing songs for artists including Anderson Paak, Rauw Alejandro, Tate McRae, Karol G, U2, Diplo, OneRepublic and Portugal. the Man.
Said Kutzle, “I’m beyond excited to have Meirav come aboard to elevate and impact the work Baxter House does in the licensing space. It’s clear she’s not only a professional, but an empathic friend to anyone she encounters with a genuine interest in listening and serving the needs of those around her including the supervisors, agencies and brands she’s collaborating with. We cannot wait to see where we go with her.”
