Fast-rising R&B singer Brent Faiyaz, whose debut full-length “Wasteland” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200, has renewed his global publishing deal with Pulse Music Group. Faiyaz initially signed to the company in 2016; Carron Mitchell represented Faiyaz in the renewal deal. (Pictured above, L-R: Scott Cutler, co-CEO, PULSE Music Group; Jayne Andrew, Partner and Co-Owner, Colture; BrentFaiyaz; Ashley Calhoun, President, PULSE Music Group; Ty Baisden, Partner and Co-Owner, Colture; and Josh Abraham, co-CEO, PULSE Music Group.
“I’m excited for the future. This is only the beginning,” said Faiyaz.
“With Brent and Ty, we found kindred spirits,” said Pulse’s Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham. “They are both fiercely independent and will not compromise. We have been part of Brent’s journey from the early days and have always had a real understanding of his vision. Ty and Brent play by their own rules, and we very much relate to that.”
+ Grammy-nominated artist and producer Tommy Parker has signed a global publishing agreement in partnership with 10K Projects, Champagne Therapy and Coup D’Etat Music.He is represented by Dan Shulman and Jordan Gutglass at Eisner LLP and Matt Geffen, Brian White and Jamil Davis at The Revels Group.
The L.A.-based musician has produced hits for J. Cole, Young Thug, Ariana Grande over the past year, along with tracks for Muni Long & Saweetie, Vince Staples, DaBaby & NBA Youngboy, Roddy Ricch and more.
“I have been writing the best music of my life over these past years on a mission and since my first meeting with 10K Projects, their passion about my production, songwriting and artistry made me realize it was the perfect home,” Parker said. “I couldn’t be more excited to begin this new chapter and partnership with my new family at 10K Projects, The Revels Group/Coup D’Etat, and my partner and brother since the beginning of our career, Tommy Brown (Champagne Therapy).”
+ ShoreFire Media has promoted Max Lefkowitz and Andrea Evenson to directors of publicity. Both joined the company in 2015 and were previously senior account executives.
Lefkowitz, based in the company’s Brooklyn office, has worked on campaigns for Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Alejandro Escovedo, Los Lobos, Amos Lee and many others. Evenson, based in Nashville, has worked with social media influencers Alex Warren, BenOfTheWeek, Doctor Mike, Jacob Sartorius, Morgan Simianer, Nabela Noor as well as artists including Aloe Blacc, Amythyst Kiah, Craig David, Lee Ann Womack and more.
Tuesday, July 19
BMG has acquired the key music interests of veteran Scottish rock bandSimpleMinds, the company announced Tuesday. The agreement with the band’s core members Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill includes the publishing rights to more than 240 songs across the group’s five U.K. No. 1 albums, as well as its neighboring rights and royalties from their entire recorded catalogue.
The deal marks the culmination of a long-standing relationship between BMG andSimpleMinds. BMG has previously served as the administrator of the band’s publishing catalogue and released their 2018 album“Walk Between Worlds,” and is slated to release its next, “Direction of the Heart,” in October. While the group’s biggest hit, 1985’s “Don’t You (Forget about Me),” was written by Keith Forsey and does not fall under the publishing acquisition, BMG will collect recorded and neighboring rights royalties from the track.
Kerr said, “We are very pleased to have struck this deal. It feels like the right time for us and our families. We look forward to working with everyone at BMG.”
Alistair Norbury, BMG’s president of r epertoire & marketing U.K., said, “There are few bands who can claim to have changed music, but over a period of 45 years Simple Minds have done precisely that. It has been a long courtship, but we are delighted to have the opportunity to be custodians of their outstanding catalog. We are thrilled that BMG is now the musical home of Simple Minds, past, present and future.”
+ Music, the investment company launched byMattPincusandLionTreeearlier this year, has namedSun-Ui Yum as a principal at the company. In this newly created role, Yum will report directly to Pincus, helping to identify and negotiate investment opportunities for the company, a partnership between Pincus, LionTree, JS Capital Management and Schusterman Family Investments and was capitalized with $200 million in April 2022. Yum previously served as an investor and advisor on the core music coverage team at the Raine Group, where he worked on the company’s investment in SoundCloud and Downtown Music Publishing’s sale to Concord, among several other advisory deals in the music space.
+ Country singer/songwriter CoreyKenthas signed with Sony Music Nashville’s RCA Nashville imprint. “My team and I were humbled to have interest and offers from multiple labels across the country, but over time it became very apparent that Sony was the right team for me,” Kent said. “They really shared my vision and had passion for the brand of country music I’m creating. I don’t see signing this deal as the finish line… I see it as the starting block.”
+ LiveNationhas hired Ricardo Taco to lead Latin music strategy for the company’s concerts division across all of Canada. It has also hired Claudia Valencia as a new tour director based in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Maritsa Restrepo as a ticketing coordinator, based in Los Angeles. Taco will leadLiveNationCanada’s Latin music strategynationally and work closely with chairman Riley O’Connor and the company’s global Latin booking team. He has worked as an independent promoter for the last 15 years in Ontario, working with Wisin Y Yandel, Ozuna, Maluma, J Balvin, Rosalia, Juanes and others.
+ LewisBrisboisannounced that entertainment attorneys Matt Cottingham and Austin Wells have joined the firm’s Nashville office as partner and associate, respectively, in its Entertainment, Media & Sports Practice. The duo bring with them clients Brittney Spencer, Lily Rose, Ashley Cooke, Chris LaCorte, and Matt Roy.
“This was an opportunity to get in on the ground floor and to help build the Nashville office, while coordinating with the other entertainment lawyers in New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles” Cottingham said. Wells added, “This is an opportunity for me to follow a mentor of mine and help build something unique in the Nashville music space.”
+ Create Music Group has named Chris Hercheto the newly created position of senior VP of music operations and marketing. Herche will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company’s music division, which distributes and markets more than 25,000 artists and 5,000 label clients around the world. Herche joins from Cinematic Music Group, where he was CMO for the past five years.
Monday, July 18
Sony Music Publishing U.K. has signed Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse, to a worldwide publishing agreement. The musician, producer and composer is known for his long list of diverse projects which include Gnarls Barkley’s 2006 smash hit “Crazy” and his respective album, “St. Elsewhere.” Burton is also a part of the indie duo Broken Bells.
As a producer, Burton has worked alongside powerhouse artists like Beck, Gorillaz, the Black Keys, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, A$AP Rocky, Norah Jones and Adele.
Said Jon Platt, Sony Music Publishing chairman and CEO: “Danger Mouse is not only a brilliant songwriter, but a true innovator who pushes creative boundaries and challenges listeners to think outside the box. We look forward to working alongside Brian and his team in this new phase of his career.”
+ TaP Music has signed producer and mixer Rich Costey for management under the guidance of TaP’s René Symonds.
Over the course of his two-decade career, Costey has worked with the Foo Fighters, Charli XCX, the Killers, Haim, Keith Urban, My Chemical Romance, Major Lazer, Snoop Dogg and more.
“Year after year, Rich has attached himself to incredible projects across the musical spectrum in pop, alternative, hip hop, everything,” said Symonds. “He has worked on some of my all-time favorite albums. While he’s been attached to huge luminaries, I love that he’s always looking out for the next exciting artist to come through the door. It is going to be a fun journey together.”
Costey joins a TaP Music roster that also includes such artists as Lana Del Rey, Ellie Goulding, Noah Cyrus, CL, Dermot Kennedy and Caroline Polachek.
Added Costey: “I am thrilled to become a part of the fantastic roster at TaP. Rene brings both vision and grit to his work, and is tireless in pursuing goals. He, along with Ben, Ed, and the whole team, have an innate ability to comfortably ride the nexus between artist creativity and long-term careers. I feel lucky to be here.”
