Yahoo Movies Music Industry Moves: Jay Marciano of AEG Presents to Receive City of Hope’s Spirit of Life Award
Jay Marciano, chairman and CEO of AEG Presents, will receive the City of Hope‘s Spirit of Life Award at the cancer research and treatment organization’s gala dinner later this fall in Los Angeles. In tandem with its Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (MFEI) fundraising group, City of Hope will honor Marciano for his notable contributions to his community and profession.
“City of Hope is proud to honor the notable contributions of Jay Marciano and celebrate our continued philanthropic partnership with the Music, Film and Entertainment Industry group,” said Kristin Bertell, chief philanthropy officer at City of Hope. “Jay is recognized as an industry leader who is eager to accelerate City of Hope’s mission and focus on making breakthrough discoveries that move us closer to putting an end to cancer. We look forward to partnering with him and the larger music community to develop new cures, save patient lives and ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to secure their highest level of health.”
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Marciano began his remarkable career as a concert promoter in his late 20s — presenting shows from such artists as Madonna and Tina Turner – before moving on to senior leadership roles at Universal Concerts, AEG Europe and Madison Square Garden Entertainment, before returning to AEG in 2011.
Marciano has also prioritized the company’s global growth with the opening of several international offices and an expansion into Australia, Singapore, Japan and France. Read more about Jay Marciano here.
“City of Hope’s Music, Film and Entertainment Industry division and its board are so thrilled that Jay has accepted our invitation for him to lead the Spirit of Life campaign to benefit City of Hope,” said Alissa Pollack, executive vice president of global music marketing for iHeartMedia and MFEI board president. “In addition to being a top business leader in our industry, he leads by example through bringing together his professional community for the greater good.”
+ Artist Legacy Group (“ALG”) has signed a new deal to provide comprehensive management services for the Ronnie Spector estate.
ALG will oversee the licensing of Ronnie’s personality rights and administration of her official digital and social media assets. ALG CEO Ashley Austin will spearhead branded media, licensing and anniversary projects. Targeted branding and content initiatives with multi-generational appeal are said to be already in the works.
“On behalf of the estate, we are thrilled to partner with Ashley and ALG,” said Jonathan Greenfield, Ronnie Spector’s husband and managing director of her estate. “ALG is in sync with Ronnie’s aesthetic, energy and values. They are committed to furthering Ronnie’s legacy and imprint on the pop culture landscape and beyond.”
“The defining voice of our time, Ronnie had all of the ingredients of a true rock ’n’ roll star,” said Austin. “Talented, fabulous, influential and a fierce survivor, hers is a legacy due its rightful credit. We will see that she gets it.”
+ Primary Wave Music has added Julianne Wilson as senior director, creative sync, and the promotion of Peter Kurczaba and Derek Pierce. All three belong to the company’s sync and licensing team and will report to Marty Silverstone who oversees the department as president of global sync.
Wilson joins the company as senior director of creative sync and will be based in the company’s New York office. Based in Primary Wave’s Los Angeles office, Kurczaba has been promoted to senior director, creative sync, while Derek Pierce is upped to director, creative sync.
+ AI music company Splash has appointed music and technology industry veteran Tracy Chan as chief executive officer, effective immediately. Chan succeeds Stephen Phillips who resigned from his position as chief executive officer and will assume the role of chairman, help with Chan’s transition and continue to be involved in product strategy.
Chan joins Splash from SoundCloud, where he was chief content officer. Before joining SoundCloud, Chan was head of music at Twitch, where he enabled creators to interact with their fans, before that, Chan joined Twitch from Spotify. Chan’s startup CrowdAlbum, a social, photo, and video aggregator that created a “visual history” of musical events from around the world, was acquired by Spotify in 2016.
“I’m absolutely thrilled Tracy is joining the team,” said Phillips. “His experience working across Tech and Music, always with an eye on creating value for Creators and Fans is going to be a huge accelerant for Splash.”
“Music is ultimately about connection. I’m inspired by Splash’s vision to make music fun and accessible to anyone, and the momentum they’ve built within Roblox, using AI to power music experiences for over 400M players,” said Chan. “Across my career, I’ve seen that the best way to help artists make a sustainable living is by engaging and co-creating with fans. Bringing that strategy together with Splash’s talent, tech and audience is an unbelievably exciting opportunity.”
Thursday, March 28
Lil Yachty has officially launched Concrete Rekordz, a new record label joint venture with Quality Control Music and HYBE. The joint venture is said to expand the growth and success of Quality Control Music, which HYBE America acquired a year ago.
“Yachty has always had a profound vision since the day we met and to see him take his curatorial magic and expand it to discover and enhance other artists is exciting to me,” said Quality Control Music COO and co-founder Kevin “Coach K” Lee.
Concrete Rekordz’s first release is a new song and music video titled “Family Business,” from Concrete Boys — aka Yachty, Karrahbooo, DC2TRILL, Draft Day, and Camo! The new label will be home to Concrete Boys, who are set to release their first compilation album, “It’s Us Volume 1” on April 5.
Originally introduced to Yachty’s fanbase during the North American run of his “The Field Trip Tour,” the group released their first official single “Mo Jams” in December of 2023 on the Concrete Family’s YouTube channel. The group also caught attention after their appearance for “On The Radar Radio” went viral accumulating over 4 million YouTube views.
Label CEO and co-founder, Pierre “P” Thomas, adds, “I’m excited to see Yachty step into the role of executive alongside being one of the most formidable creatives in the world with such an eye for talent. Karrahbooo is a star and they are all going to be the new wave of cool that can bring something different to the culture that is so badly needed.”
Pictured above (L-R): Coach K, Lil Yachty, DC2TRILL, Karrahbooo, Draft Day, Camo! and Pierre “P” Thomas.
Watch the video for “Family Business” below.
+ Natasha Kilibarda has been promoted to VP of marketing and creative strategy of Island Records.
Based in New York, Kilibarda will continue leading campaigns for Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Remi Wolf, Brittany Howard, and other acts on the label. Kilibarda joined Island Records in 2022 after six years at Warner Music Group as director, marketing and artist relations.
“There’s no one we trust more to dive in, understand, and execute an artist’s creative vision,” said Justin Eshak and Imran Majid, co-CEOs of Island Records. “Her well-earned promotion ensures stability for the Island roster and provides reassurance that our artists’ passion is met with the dedication required for generational campaigns.”
“Nothing drives me quite like understanding the depths of an artist’s vision,” added Kilibarda. “To roll up my sleeves, dig in, & relentlessly work alongside them turning one dream after another into reality. I’m so grateful to Jay, Justin, and Imran for the opportunity to continue doing what I love most.”
+ Concord has hired industry veteran Stephanie Hudacek as president of Nashville-based label Rounder Records.
Founded in 1970 by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin, Rounder Records has consistently bolstered the careers of artists such as Norman Blake, George Thorogood, Alison Krauss, Nanci Griffith, Billy Strings, and Bela Fleck, among others. With 54 Grammys in its 54-year history, Rounder Records was acquired by Concord in 2010.
As the founder/president of Soundly Music, a music distribution and label services company she founded in 2017, Hudacek and her team bolstered the careers of several notable artists including Kaitlin Butts, Joshua Ray Walker, Tyler Ramsey, Aubrie Sellers, Maggie Rose, Pony Bradshaw, River Whyless, Darrell Scott, and many more. Concurrently, from 2022 to 2023, Hudacek was also the president of Late August Records and worked with artists such as Cody Jinks, Erin Viancourt, and Caned By Nod.
Hudacek was also a recording engineer and tour manager. She has worked with Joan Baez and Darrell Scott alongside Ray Kennedy, a 5-time Grammy-winning engineer, and producer (Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Chris Knight, Ray Davies, Reckless Kelly).
+ Avex USA has added Brennen Bryant as its new director of A&R, and publishing, and announced the subsequent signing of hip-hop/Jersey club producer DJ Smallz 732.
DJ Smallz 732, the hottest Jersey club producer in the world, is fresh off of his hit record with Nicki Minaj and Lil Uzi Vert, “Everybody,” the hit single from Minaj’s 2023 album “Pink Friday 2.” DJ Smallz also has remixes with Coi Leray and collaborations with Lil Durk, Kaliii and more.
Bryant will oversee the publishing division working closely with Avex USA’s publishing A&R team. Bryant previously worked for 2wenty 2wenty Music Group as a producer on Murda Beatz’s tour and a day-to-day manager before working at Hallwood Media and Range Music, with clients that include Jack Harlow’s engineer Nickie Jon Pabon and Italian producer Finesse.
+ Virgin Music Group has partnered with 3AM Entertainment, the label founded by Jay Sean, producer/executive Jeremy Skaller and manager/VP of Music at Range Media Partners, Jared Cotter.
3AM Entertainment will focus on artists from the South Asian diaspora, regardless of genre. The first project to debut under the new deal is a new single, “Heartless,” from Jay Sean featuring Toronto-based Punjabi hitmaker Ikky, slated for April 5, with an album project to follow.
Skaller will be a co-president of 3AM Entertainment, handling global strategy. Cotter will also be a co-president of 3AM Entertainment, while serving as VP of A&R at Range Media Partners. Additional 3AM team members announced today include Jay Sean’s longtime manager, Thara Natalie, who has been named Chief Operations Manager; Madison Bickel, who will serve as general manager; and Mahima Sharma as A&R, based in New Delhi, India. Jay Sean’s co-manager Aayushman Sinha and his “Represent” team, will consult on A&R and strategy out of Mumbai, India.
“When I started my career 20 years ago, there was almost no representation of South Asians outside of their home region,” said Sean. “Today’s music business is truly global, and 3AM Entertainment will focus on supporting artists from the South Asian diaspora on their journey to becoming global stars. It is my goal and dream to see our culture be appreciated on mainstream platforms and resonate with global audiences in the same way that Latin music, K-pop and Afrobeat have found audiences outside their native culture. Virgin Music Group, with its powerful global footprint and team of experts around the world, is a perfect partner to join us on this mission.”
+ Arista Records has announced the promotion of Kathryn Sullivan to VP of marketing. She will continue to report to Head of Marketing, Sharon Timure.
Based in New York, Sullivan has been with the team since the re-launch of the label working across projects for Måneskin and JP Saxe as well as Luke Hemmings, Beach Weather and more. Before her five years at Arista, she got her touring credentials working across event production at CID Entertainment and was a founding member of PRMD Music/At Night Management’s US presence where she oversaw releases for Avicii, Cazzette and others.
“Kathryn has been an integral part of the Arista team from the beginning,” said President and CEO David Massey. “Her strong marketing leadership from inception to release and beyond is a valued asset and we are delighted to have her continue to grow her career here at Arista.”
+ Sphere Entertainment Co. has announced Ned McNeilage has joined the company as chief creative officer of Sphere.
In this new role, McNeilage will help shape creative and brand strategy for Sphere, leading in-house creative design studio and brand teams. He will also be responsible for the content that runs on the Exosphere – the venue’s fully programmable LED exterior – which features artistic content created by Sphere and renowned artists, as well as branded content from premier brands.
“I am pleased to welcome Ned to Sphere Entertainment,” said Jennifer Koester, president of Sphere Business Operations. “Sphere is redefining immersive experiences, including through the Exosphere, which is an unparalleled digital canvas for public art and brand storytelling. Ned has worked with premier brands to spearhead memorable campaigns, and he will bring that expertise to not only support our partners in creating impactful brand moments at Sphere, but also continue to build the Sphere brand.”
Before starting his Sphere stint, McNeilage served as chief creative officer at VML. In this role, he worked on campaigns for blue-chip brands including Microsoft, IBM and Google. Prior to VML, McNeilage served as chief creative officer at BBH LA, managing a team of creatives, entertainment specialists and technologists across brands including Samsung, American Express, and Activision.
Tuesday, March 27
Teddy Swims, the singer-songwriter behind “Lose Control,” has signed a new global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.
The RIAA platinum-certified single “Lose Control” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the latest tracking week after spending 32 weeks on the chart. Swims released his debut studio album, “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1)” via WCM’s sister label, Warner Records, last September, which peaked in the top 25 on the Billboard 200.
“Thrilled to be teaming up with Warner Chappell as my publisher,” said Swims. “Songwriting has always been the core of who I am as an artist and it will continue to be. It’s my therapy and having a team behind me that gets that means the world to me. So excited to keep it in-house with Warner Music Group and in the family with the best company on the planet! Let’s take over the world gang.”
Swims is best known for a blend of R&B, soul, country and pop music. He signed a record deal with Warner Records in 2019 and began to release his original music, including a series of EPs from 2021 – 2022. His third EP, “Tough Love,” gave him his first entrance on the Billboard 200 as an artist and included his hit songs “Love for a Minute” and “911.”
“Teddy has stayed true to himself every step of the way since we first met in 2020, and now he’s one of the most important new artists in music,” added WCM Katy Wolaver, senior vice president of A&R, and VP of A&R, David Goldsen. “His timeless voice, incredible knack for songs, and unrelenting work ethic make him such an exciting songwriter for us, and we’re so happy he’s chosen Warner Chappell as his publishing home.”
“We’re super proud to be working with Teddy as he takes on this next chapter,” said Ryan Press, WCM’s president of North America. “He’s in a league of his own with one of the most unique voices we’ve heard in a while, and his music both moves and inspires people of all backgrounds. Here’s to many more No. 1’s!”
+ Universal Music Publishing Group has tapped Adriana Ramos as its new managing director of UMPG Brazil, effective immediately. Based in Rio de Janeiro, she will report to Alexandra Lioutikoff, president of Latin America and U.S. Latin. Ramos replaces longtime Brazil MD Marcelo Falcao who has decided to step down from the role.
Ramos joined UMPG in 2013 and most recently served as head of UMPG Brazil’s creative team – A&R and Sync. As senior manager, she was responsible for overseeing creative and licensing music operations for advertising, film and TV, and games. She also worked closely with the company’s A&R team in building diverse avenues to promote UMPG’s writers.
Lioutikoff said, “With tremendous vision and dedication, Adriana has been instrumental to the success of UMPG Brazil and her promotion is much-deserved. As we look to the future, I am confident that Adriana will bring enormous value and energy to UMPG Brazil, both furthering our creative strategy and continuing to ensure that our songwriters are treated with the best care in the world.”
Ramos added, “I am excited to mold the future of Universal Music Publishing Brazil alongside our outstanding team, creating new possibilities for our songwriters and pushing UMP forward as the most innovative, proactive and creative-driven publisher. It is also a historical moment and I’m very proud to extend UMP female leadership to Brazil. I would like to thank Jody Gerson and Alexandra for their trust and support in giving me this opportunity that I take with honor, respect, and commitment to always keep our songwriters first!”
+ Artist Publishing Group has promoted Matt MacFarlane and Olly Sheppard to senior VPs of A&R. Together, MacFarlane and Sheppard will continue to oversee the publishing company.
Over the past few years, MacFarlane has overseen A&R for Taz Taylor and Rio Leyva (Internet Money). MacFarlane, who started as an intern at APG over nine years ago, will continue to drive publishing signings while continuing to develop the A&R team.
In collaborating with the APG Publishing team, Sheppard played a critical role with his team in the signing of Pink Slip, Faangs, JBach and Cate Downey, as well as Inverness and M Phazes, in partnership with Cirkutbreaker.
+ Paulo Londra has signed a new label deal with Argentine label Dale Play Records. Dale Play Records is also home to Duki, Bizarrap, Nicki Nicole, Rels B, Milo J, among others.
With his first album, “Homerun” (2019), Londra amassed enormous international attention and after two years, he released his latest “Back to the Game.” The album featured collaborations with such artists as Ed Sheeran, Travis Barker, Timbaland, Feid and Duki.
In 2022, Londra also performed “The World is Yours To Take,” the official song for the FIFA World Cup alongside rapper Lil Baby.
+ Chingy has signed a new deal with full-service entertainment company Action Entertainment Collaborative (TLC, Billy Ray Cyrus) headed by Nick Meinema.
Chingy charted on the Billboard Hot 100 over eight times after achieving success with his double-platinum RIAA-certified debut album, “Jackpot.” He has also appeared in TV series including “My Wife and Kids,” “One on One,” “George Lopez,” “Yo Momma,” as well as cameos in several films, including “Scary Movie 4” and “Speed Dating.”
Said Meinema, “Chingy is a celebrated globally beloved entertainer – we’re thrilled we got the call to represent him exclusively for all areas of live booking.”
+ Downtown Artist & Label Services has signed singer-songwriter Beto Vega and announced it is expanding a current partnership with Mexican record label Kartel Music (Luis R. Conriquez, Tony Aguirre)
Nominated in 2018 for best regional Mexican music album at the Latin Grammy Awards for “Volveré A Ser El Rey,” Vega will benefit from Downtown’s global distribution and marketing offering. He will also be able to utilize the company’s catalog management and full-service campaigns for future releases, including the forthcoming track, “Los Brothers” with Edgardo Nuñez.
Carlos Santos, label manager of Kartel Music commented, “The industry vets at Downtown have been a great team for us to distribute and market our artists’ music, and we’re always happy to work with them. The work they have done for projects like Luis R. Conriquez makes us feel comfortable and confident in their skills – we always feel prepared, and know that while working with them, we’re always ready for what’s next.”
As part of their expansion into música Mexicana, Downtown has added Lorena Cabral to the company as senior manager of A&R for the territory. Cabral reports directly to the Global Vice President of A&R, Bryan Mooney. Cabral also joins Daniella Gutiérrez, who was promoted to senior marketing manager for the region. Also growing the local workforce are Yusim Aladro and Frida Bolio, Latin project manager and regional account manager respectively.
+ Transgressive Records continues its growth in North America with artist manager Moriah Berger joining the company as A&R / marketing manager for the region.
Berger began her career at Paradigm Talent Agency before moving on to Mick Management and later helped launch Other Operation. During her time in management, she worked directly with breakout artists including Muna, Sharon Van Etten, Of Monsters and Men, and Angel Olsen, amongst others.
+ Rimas Publishing has extended its exclusive publishing agreement with multi-platinum singer-songwriter and producer Lyanno.
In a press release, Rimas said the deal “marks a significant milestone in Rimas Publishing’s dedication to modernization,” as it prioritizes its “older contracts to better align with the evolving needs of its clients, prioritizing the empowerment and satisfaction of music creators.”
Lyanno, the Puerto Rican-born hitmaker, first signed with Rimas Publishing in 2017. He has co-written songs and collaborated with top artists, including Anuel, Eladio Carrión, Cazzu, Lenny Tavárez, Rauw Alejandro, Wisin, Young Miko, and more.
“We are ecstatic to continue our successful relationship with Lyanno for many more years and are deeply honored by his decision to continue placing his trust in us. In an industry that is constantly evolving, we understand the significance of ensuring that our artists’ contracts remain adaptable to the creator’s needs,” said Emilio Morales, managing director of Rimas Publishing. “This reaffirmation underscores our unwavering dedication to modernization, emphasizing our steadfast support for our artists. We strive to foster genuine partnerships that prioritize their individual needs and aspirations.”
+ George Kalivas, A&R head at Warner Music Canada, has left the company to launch Swing, a Toronto-based management company. The first artist signed to Swin is Diamond Cafe, who Kalivas discovered and signed to Warner Music Group.
Kalivas is a Toronto-based music executive, who currently serves as the head of A&R at Warner Music Canada. Kalivas has created creative campaigns for artists including Jack Harlow, Roddy Ricch, A-Boogie wit da Hoodie, Ali Gatie and more. He has also signed unique talents such as Crash Adams, Diamond Cafe, and AR Paisley among others.
+ Hallwood, a full-service record label and management company, has added Roderick “PushaRod” Bullock to the company as VP of A&R/management.
PushaRod was formerly A&R of Urban Music at Interscope, Geffen, A&M Records, where he cultivated a roster of talent including Rich The Kid, Moneybagg Yo, Kamaiyah, Ian Connor, Neechie, Arin Ray, Mitch, and Co Cash. His vast experience led to the spearheading of record labels 4Hunnid and 10Summers and his contributions extend to albums and focus tracks, including YG’s “Stay Dangerous” and “My Krazy Life,” Ty Dolla $ign’s “House on the Hill,” and Moneybagg Yo’s “43vaHeartless,” among others.
As VP, PushaRod will continue to build Hallwood’s roster of talent and work hand in hand with its robust roster of songwriters and producers.
+ Merlin and Deezer have renewed their partnership in an effort to integrate Deezer’s royalty model across Merlin’s membership of independent record labels, distributors, and other rights holders.
Deezer’s new royalty model, which is currently being rolled out in France, includes an incentive for artists with a consistent and engaged fan base, rewards engaging content, and reasserts a focus on music, as well as enhanced fraud detection measures.
“I’m very happy to see that Merlin and its members are embracing Deezer’s artist-centric model and joins us in redefining artist remuneration in the streaming era, to make sure artists are paid more fairly for their music,” said Jeronimo Foglueira, CEO, Deezer. “From the start, our ambition has been that the new model should serve all artists with a consistent fan base, including the indie acts represented by the membership of Merlin.”
“Merlin’s mission is to ensure that the voices of its independent members are heard and that they have access to the most innovative opportunities in the digital marketplace while ensuring their artists are fairly compensated,” said Jeremy Sirota, CEO, Merlin. “We have worked with Deezer to ensure their new model works for the benefit of our members, representing a path forward in ensuring that high-quality music, and the artists who create it, are recognized and rewarded in the manner they deserve.”
+ Management company The Familie has signed Warner Records artist Cecilia, artistically known as CIL.
The Denver, Colorado-born 22-year-old opened for Stevie Nicks at iconic venues, including Madison Square Garden. She is currently working on her first complete music project.
Nano Tissera, senior VP of music for The Familie, shares, “We’re thrilled to welcome Cil to our Familie. After meeting her, it was a no-brainer; we had to be a part of her journey. Cil’s talent has a unique and powerful way of drawing people in, and we’re eager to showcase her work to everyone. Ann Perkins, one of our talented young managers, will be leading the way for Cil. The whole Familie is excited to support and bring Cil’s work into the spotlight.”
+ Cinq Music has signed Lil Mosey and his label Love U Forever in a global distribution partnership, ahead of the release of his untitled forthcoming EP, to be released in Spring 2024.
Cinq Music, an indie distributor, record label and publisher, includes creators across hip hop/R&B as well as culturally significant performers in Latin music. They are set to amplify Lil Mosey to connect with and expand his global fanbase.
“Lil Mosey is a true superstar,” said Barry Daffurn, Cinq president and Co-Founder. “From our very first meeting, it was clear that Mosey possesses a unique talent and has a clear vision of where he wants to go. Supporting him on this journey and growing our partnership is paramount for us, and we’ve only just begun.”
“I’m excited to finally be able to release independently,” said Lil Mosey. “I’m grateful to have a partner like Cinq and Barry. I know that we will do great things together.”
+ TBA Agency has announced several key promotions and new hires in its branding department across its New York and Los Angeles teams.
Katie Nowak has been promoted from head of marketing to VP of marketing and partnerships. At the same time, Corynne Fernandez has moved from marketing and partnerships coordinator to director of marketing and artist development. In addition, Ashley Torres has been promoted from marketing assistant to marketing and partnerships coordinator.
Additionally, creative services consultancy The Department is partnering with TBA. Founders Jack Pitney and Kosta Elchev will work hand in hand with TBA Agency to foster innovative, creative opportunities for the roster. Pitney and Elchev have built culture-defining collaborations across art, entertainment and technology with artists and organizations such as Grimes, Endel, Solange Knowles, The Getty, Dropbox, WeTransfer and Burberry. Nina Moss is joining as a marketing assistant.
In the last year, TBA has executed some of its most successful tours yet, including Jungle’s “Volcano Tour,” which included shows at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum and New York’s Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, and headline runs for Faye Webster and Ethel Cain.
+ Nova, a new, curated creative freelance network and marketplace, has launched and is now availble in the App Store.
Nova, which started as a private Instagram page, has been shepherded by a number of noteworthy advisors and creative ambassadors including Troy Carter, La Mar Taylor (the Weeknd, XO), Media Empire Ventures (Grimes, Mac Boucher, Daouda Leonard), Daniel Caesar, Sam Teller (SpaceX, Tesla) and Humberto Leon (Opening Ceremony/Burberry/Kenzo), among others.
Over the course of 2023, Nova soft-launched a private Instagram account where they built a grassroots community of creatives that, according to the company, has allowed them to staff “hundreds of jobs in the creative industry weekly. In less than a year, Nova has filled approximately 7500 jobs, ranging from one-off gigs to full time staff positions.”
+ The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) SONGS Foundation (Supporting Our Next Generation of Songwriters) has unveiled a new board of directors.
Founded in 2015 to help aspiring songwriters, the SONGS Foundation has offered scholarships and provided direct financial assistance in addition to other partnerships.
Songwriters joining the board include:
Oscar, Grammy, Tony, and Olivier Award-winning songwriters/producers Justin Paul and Benj Pasek (Kobalt); Grammy song and album of the year winner Dan Wilson (UMPG); Grammy nominee and BMI songwriter of the year Lauren Christy (Reservoir); Grammy-winning artist-songwriter Allison Russell (Concord); Grammy-winning songwriter Jordan Reynolds (Warner Chappell); Latin Grammy and Grammy Award winner Gaby Moreno (peermusic); and Grammy-nominated artist-songwriter Cam (Sony Music Publishing). Grammy-nominated artist-songwriter Jewel will continue her service on the board.
Industry executives joining the board include:
Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt; Warner Chappell Music Co-Chair and COO Carianne Marshall; Reservoir Founder and CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi; peermusic President and COO Kathy Spanberger; BMG General Counsel and Executive VP Keith Hauprich; Concord Chief Publishing Officer Jim Selby; Kobalt’s Head of Creative Alison Donald; and Universal Music Publishing Group Executive VP and Co-Head of A&R Jennifer Knoepfle. NMPA’s President and CEO David Israelite, Executive VP & General Counsel Danielle Aguirre, and Senior VP of External Affairs Charlotte Sellmyer will retain their positions on the board.
The board will officially launch during its annual fundraising golf tournament in Los Angeles on April 15.
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