Music Industry Moves: Ice Spice Producer RiotUSA Signs Global Deal With Warner Chappell Music
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RiotUSA, the songwriter/producer behind several of Ice Spice’s career-launching hits, has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM).
Riot has had a successful year landing five Billboard Hot 100 hits for his work with Ice Spice. He recently worked on Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s “Barbie World,” featuring an interpolation of Aqua’s “Barbie World,” for the upcoming “Barbie” movie – set to be released on June 23 with an accompanying music video. It’s the duo’s second collaboration produced by Riot, the first being Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj’s “Princess Diana (Remix),” which landed at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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“Warner Chappell showed me respect and made me excited to build,” said Riot. “Ryan [Press, President of North American operations at WCM] values my vision and goals as a creative, and I know what he’s brought to the table for other artists. I want to inspire others to chase their dreams, and Warner Chappell will help me achieve those goals.”
Adds Press, “Riot has quickly become one of the most exciting and in-demand producers to emerge from New York’s legendary hip-hop scene. He’s creating hit after hit with Ice Spice, and we’re super lucky to get to support him at this stage of his journey. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of hip-hop’s biggest music producers during the early stages of their careers, and I know Riot is well on his way to being one of the best producers of his generation.”
“After he scored multiple Billboard Hot 100 entries and radio hits, we knew it was the right time to find a publishing admin partner to support Riot’s works in syncs, licensing, and collection,” said James Rosemond Jr, CEO/founder of Mastermind Artists and manager to Riot and Ice Spice. “Ryan Press understood Riot’s goals, vision, and worth, and this next chapter with Ryan and the global Warner Chappell team, as part of our extended family, is only going to amplify Riot’s reach and raise his efforts to another level in this competitive space. I’m excited about what’s next for Riot.”
Pictured above (L-R): RiotUSA, Ryan Press
+ Independent talent agency 33 & West has tapped former UTA agent Peter DeSantis as its new head of talent and music crossover. The newly created position supports 33 & West’s roster of talent looking to crossover into different mediums to expand their brand, build new audiences, and increase their reach across multiple platforms.
“The artists on our roster and who we seek to work with possess a unique harmony of talent and imagination, and who, with guidance and experience like Peter’s, can provide clients within our ecosystem the extraordinary opportunity to transcend boundaries and cross over into different mediums,” said JJ Cassiere, co-founder of 33 & West. “Peter’s background aligns perfectly with our vision for growing the agency and he will be able to provide tremendous value to our current clients who are ready to expand beyond their roots.”
During his tenure at UTA, DeSantis served as a music crossover agent who worked with and brokered film and TV deals for the likes of Post Malone, Dominic Fike, Travis Bennett, Action Bronson, Alex Aiono, Princess Nokia, Jeremih, Russell Peters, Jesus Trejo, Gary Owen, and others.
+ San Francisco-based Brilliant Corners Artist Management has appointed manager Justin Little as the senior member of the firm’s Los Angeles division. Brilliant Corners, which also has staff based in Seattle and New York, represents artists including Death Cab For Cutie, the Postal Service, Toro Y Moi, the New Pornographers, Soccer Mommy, PUP, Josh Ritter, Momma, Real Estate, and more.
Little brings his clients the Midnight and Nashville-based alt-rock band Bully to Brilliant Corners. He previously worked at Constant Artists Management overseeing the careers of artists such as Future Islands, Explosions in The Sky, Foxygen, and Wolf Parade and, more recently, a partnership with Bailey Blues where he began working with clients such as Your Smith and Jake Etheridge.
+ Warner Music Spain and Warner Chappell Music Spain are hosting a summer songwriting camp at the Music Station in Madrid that kicks off this week. The event is bringing together some of the biggest Spanish and Latin American artists and songwriters to create new music, as well as perform in the Music Station’s live venue.
Involved artists include Spanish musicians such as Álvaro de Luna, Andreew, Beret, Blas Cantó, Leo Rizzi, Paul Alone, Recycled J, and Soge Culebra, among others. International stars such as Yng Lvcas, DannyLux, Yami Safdie, El Arturo, Franco Rey, Gino Mella, Leon Leiden, Natalie Perez, Angela Torres, Dahro and Dahili are also featured on the lineup.
Producers such as 3KMKZ, Andres Saavedra, Dodo Foie, FakeGuido, Garabatto, Jorge Chapas, Kabasaki, Kickbombo, Lowlight, Menend and Nuviala are on hand to facilitate and drive the studio sessions. Those performing this week are Yami Safdi and Paula Cendejas, as part of the She Sounds showcase, as well as Leon Leiden, Recycled J and Marina Reche.
+ Armada Music has hired Jason Ellis (formerly Positiva) as global senior A&R director. Ellis will also serve as an acquisition consultant for BEAT Music Fund, Armada’s recently-launched dance music investment arm.
Ellis will be responsible for sourcing and developing up-and-coming talent and will consult on future acquisitions as BEAT continues to scale. He will be based in Armada Music’s London office
“Joining Maykel and the team at Armada and the recently launched BEAT Music Fund feels like the natural next step in my career, given the exciting opportunity to utilize my considerable network and experience built up over many years,” said Ellis. “It’s a very exciting time for both companies on many levels, but fundamentally it’s all about building and nurturing the best music and artists. I can’t wait to get started!”
Ellis joins from his previous post at Universal Music Group-owned UK dance label Positiva Records. He most recently served as managing director, combining the role with senior A&R duties at Virgin, Virgin EMI and most recently EMI Records, where he signed Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Jonas Blue, whilst overseeing campaigns for the likes of Avicii, Gorgon City, Sub Focus, David Guetta and deadmau5.
Wednesday, June 14
New York rapper-producer Cash Cobain has signed with Irving Azoff’s Giant Music and is celebrating the announcement with a new track called “Slizzy Gods.” The track follows the release earlier this year of his “Slizzy Day” EP and last year’s critically feted “2 Slizzy 2 Sexy” mixtape; along the way he’s collaborated with Lil Yachty, Lucki, Bktherula and has teased a forthcoming collaboration with PinkPantheress.
Cobain says, “With the signing –– I feel wonderful, I feel great, I feel like this is perfect timing. I think I’m really about to take over the world with the label and we are about to really go up! The reason I wanted to sign is because I wanted to go to that next level –– we went really far by ourselves and we wanted to find someone to elevate our brand and take us to new heights and Giant was a great fit. This is going to be the slizziest year ever.”
“Cash is an incredibly exciting signing,” says Giant Music President Shawn Holiday. “He’s from the birthplace of hip-hop and an authentic voice for the culture. We’re happy he’s a part of the Giant family. We’re looking forward to being a part of his story and helping to develop and grow his career.”
+ Alexandra Moore has been appointed the new chief business officer of Empire, where she will be responsible for leading strategic business and revenue-driving functions including content distribution, international market expansion, e-commerce, and business development, along with mergers and acquisitions.
She arrives at Empire from her previous post as founding managing director of a $100 million growth equity fund focused on consumer and entertainment investments. Before that, she led Amazon Music’s global strategic initiatives and strategy team. Moore also spearheaded talent deals and was responsible for landing Nicki Minaj’s “Queen Radio” show.
“As a Bay Area native, it’s always been an aspiration to work for a local powerhouse,” says Moore. “Empire has been innovative for the last 15 years in its approach to both working with artists and building music businesses, and I couldn’t be more excited to join the team to lead the company’s continued business growth and expansion globally.”
Prior to joining the Amazon Music team, Moore was an executive on Amazon’s central corporate development team where she led global investments and acquisitions for digital content and media, consumer internet, and consumer product businesses.
“Alex is a proven leader with strong business and operational acumen,” said Empire founder/CEO, Ghazi. “She has a wealth of relationships in the music, talent, and consumer internet industries and beyond and I am confident she will be a key player to amplify our global presence.”
+ Veteran Latin singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz has signed an international recording deal with Sony Music.
“I’m very happy to join the Sony Music family, a place where I have many friends who share the love for music,” said Sanz. “I’m confident that together we will have fun doing what we love the most.”
“We are honored and excited to welcome Alejandro to Sony Music, and we genuinely hope that this will be a very happy phase in his life,” added Afo Verde, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Latin·Iberia. “It will undoubtedly be a privilege for all of us to work with such a wonderful artist, not only because of his professional excellence but also because of his human qualities.”
Verde also added a dedication to the artist: “Dear Ale, thank you for your trust. Thanks to you and your amazing team: Iñigo Zabala, Alex Mizrahi, and Octavio Padilla. Welcome to your home. From the bottom of our hearts. This is just the beginning…”
+ Byron Messia has signed to Ztekk/Simple Stupid/Geffen Records. The 23-year-old, Jamaica-born rapper is best known for his viral hit “Talibans” which went No. 1 in 13 countries on Apple Music. In addition to that, Byron’s 2023 album “No Love” hit No. 8 on Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart.
+ Revelator has made several promotions to their team including Rich Masio as vice president of partnerships; Golda Bitterli as VP of sales; Noah Roth as chief commercial officer; and Miriam Lottner as VP of customer experience. Amram Ben-David also joins Revelator leadership as VP of research and development.
“We’re looking forward to expanding the services we offer at Revelator as the music market expands,” noted Revelator CEO Bruno Guez. “Rich, Mimi, and Amram each bring incredible expertise to their roles and will play a crucial part in this endeavor.”
+ UnitedMasters has partnered with Nigerian producer Sarz (Wizkid, Drake, Tiwa Savage, CKay, LoJay, and Chris Brown) for the launch of his new 1789 imprint. The goal will be to discover, develop, and empower the next generation of African artists, as the sounds from Africa continue to dominate global stages and platforms.
Under this collaboration, UnitedMasters will power 1789 to partner and develop African artists across the continent while leveraging UnitedMasters’ platform inclusive of brand, sync and artist services. UnitedMasters will also support Sarz’s various initiatives, including the Sarz Academy Foundation, which fosters the growth of artists and producers.
“Our goal is to become a bridge connecting global markets through our platform,” said Steve Stoute, founder and CEO of UnitedMasters. “Sarz possesses an incredible eye and ear for talent, has an impressive track record and is the ideal partner for us as we expand to Africa. This collaboration represents the first step towards achieving our mission of empowering independent artists at all steps of their career globally.”
Added Sarz, “My team and I have always been committed to supporting the development and empowerment of African music producers. Through this collaboration with UnitedMasters, we can now create even more global opportunities and resources for both artists and producers on the continent. As our partnership with UnitedMasters grows, we will explore different avenues to enhance the African music industry.”
+ Greater Than Distribution has announced a new global distribution deal with Virgin Music. Adding to the alliance, Greater Than Distribution partners with Randy Jackson alongside A&R executive Paula Moore.
“Over the past decade, the music industry has undergone significant evolution, offering an abundance of artists and genres to explore. However, breaking through the crowd has become increasingly challenging for artists. With Virgin, we have found a partner to help us expand our reach globally,” remarked Jackson and Moore. “I’m excited to join Paula and Greater Than Distribution as we redefine artist development, equipping them with the necessary tools for success in today’s competitive landscape,” added Jackson.
“Randy and Paula have an innovative approach to the modern music industry and are looking to grow artists in new and innovative ways,” said JT Myers, co-CEO of Virgin Music Group. “Through our partnership, we will leverage our global team, services, and technology to help their artists reach and engage new audiences around the world.”
+ BMG has acquired the recording catalog of the Hollies in a deal that includes more than 20 studio, compilation, live, and tribute album titles and rarities, wholly owned by the group, spanning 1967 to the present. Many of those titles feature the classic lineups of Bobby Elliott, Tony Hicks, Allan Clarke, Eric Haydock, Terry Sylvester, Bernie Calvert, and Graham Nash.
In a statement from the Hollies, the group said, “BMG’s history as a trusted custodian of some of music’s greatest works assures we know our music and legacy will continue to live on for generations to come.”
Thomas Scherer, BMG’s president of repertoire and marketing in New York and Los Angeles, said, “The Hollies spearheaded the ‘British Invasion’ of the Sixties, and we are delighted to have secured rights to their golden period in the US, including ‘Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress)’. We are honored to represent their continuing creative legacy.”
In the past two years, BMG has concluded acquisitions for rights and/or royalties in the work of artists and/or songwriters including Tina Turner, John Legend, Mötley Crüe, ZZ Top, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Frampton, Harry Nilsson, John Lee Hooker, Simple Minds, Primal Scream and Jean-Michel Jarre among others.
+ Sony Music Publishing Nashville has signed songwriter, producer and musician Seth Mosley to a global publishing agreement.
Mosley co-wrote Gabby Barrett’s latest single “Glory Days,” Colton Dixon’s “Build a Boat,” and has achieved hits alongside King and Country including “Fix My Eyes” and “Joy.” According to the press release, Mosley has upcoming releases with Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Madeline Edwards and Kylie Morgan.
“I’m so thankful to be partnered with Sony,” said Mosley. “They have the best publishing team in the business. It’s an honor to work with people who take our songs as seriously as we do as writers. I genuinely feel like I have incredible champions in Kenley, Rusty, and the rest of the top-notch creative crew. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
+ Kobalt has announced the signing of producer/songwriter OZ, who joins the company under a worldwide publishing agreement, including global synch and creative services.
Ozan Yildirim, also known as OZ, is best known for his hand in chart-topping collaborations: Drake’s “Toosie Slide,” Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” and “Highest in the Room” and Future’s “Life Is Good,” to name a few. In 2022, he was awarded SOCAN’s International Achievement award and ASCAP’s Rhythm and Soul award for production on Drake’s “Girls Want Girls.”
“I chose Kobalt because I feel they truly recognize talent for its worth,” said OZ. “The Kobalt team has consistently shown their commitment in taking my creative process to the next level as well as connecting me to some of my favorite collaborators.”
“Having produced for some of the biggest artists in the world with multiple No. 1s under his belt, OZ is undeniably one of the most talented producers at the forefront of music today,” commented Jamie Kinelski, senior VP/head of West Coast Creative. “Kobalt is committed to providing him with the resources, support, and creative freedom he needs to continue pushing the boundaries of his craft. We are honored to be working with him and his exceptional team.”
Monday, June 12
Elf.Tech, Grimes’ newly minted AI program, has partnered with TuneCore to let artists distribute collaborations created through Grimes’ Elf.Tech AI to all major streaming platforms.
The pilot program will allow artists to employ Elf.Tech, created by Grimes in partnership with CreateSafe, to co-create music with her AI voice and split 50% split of the revenue with her. The “GrimesAI voiceprints” can be exported and included in the creator’s original compositions, then uploaded to TuneCore with GrimesAI as a main or featured artist once Grimes has approved the collaboration.
TuneCore will be responsible for surveying the content to ensure it adheres to DSP guidelines, validate accurate royalty splits and ultimately distribute the music to streaming platforms around the world. The initiative is part of Believe’s (TuneCore’s parent company) AI strategy.
Grimes added, “Very stoked to be working with CreateSafe and TuneCore to enable their users to distribute collaborations with GrimesAI to all major streaming platforms!”
The Elf.Tech model for developing Grimes voiceprint has been trained exclusively on vocals and content that Grimes owns and GrimesAI does not claim any ownership of the sound recording or the underlying composition (unless that composition is a cover of a Grimes song).
“By joining forces with Grimes and CreateSafe, TuneCore becomes a first mover in the space, providing artists the opportunity to engage with AI technology in an innovative, streamlined process that provides tangible value and enables consent, control and revenue splits at scale,” said Andreea Gleeson, CEO of TuneCore. “Going forward we’re eager to explore similarly innovative initiatives on behalf of our artists.”
Daouda Leonard, CEO of CreateSafe, also commented, “Elf.Tech is the first showcase of our TRINITI operating system, a landmark platform for generative music AI. It empowers artists to train AI on their audio, visual, and literary IP, codifying and protecting their creative DNA and opening up pathways for other artists and fans alike to make new works that directly attribute and compensate the original source.”
+ Nile Rodgers — the legendary Chic co-founder, songwriter/producer for David Bowie, Madonna, Diana Ross, and president of the Songwriters Hall of Fame — has been announced as Apple Music’s Artist in Residence focusing on Spatial Audio.
“What Apple is doing with Spatial Audio, is the gateway to the future,” Rodgers said in a statement. “Streaming, and the portability that comes with it, has completely changed the way we consume music and today everything we do is accompanied by a soundtrack of our favorite songs. That came with a sacrifice to audio quality but now with Spatial Audio you can have the convenience you want while getting a completely immersive audio experience. When I first put up my master tapes and listened back in Spatial I started to lament the fact that I didn’t have it back then. Like ‘The Beatles in Mono,’ our creativity was limited by the technology of the time. The fact that I could have done more artistically would’ve been incredible to me and now thanks to Spatial Audio I can. This is a real gift for music lovers.”
To officially kick off the partnership, Rodgers appears in a short Apple Music video where he shares his process for re-mastering his catalog in Dolby Atmos and breaks down the creative intent, the technicality of the music, and the possibilities that Spatial has brought to his body of work.
Additionally, Rodgers and Apple Music will host several live Spatial Audio playback sessions and educational events throughout the summer, including a special evening in Los Angeles at the Dolby Screening Room Hollywood Vine as well as retail events at Apple Store locations in New York and London as part of the “Today at Apple” programming beginning in June. For more information, see here.
+ Spotify has disclosed its plans of re-selling Soundtrap, a cross-platform music creation online workspace, to its original founders nearly six years after its original acquisition in 2017. Details on the finances of the deal have not been confirmed although the Stockholm-based Soundtrap has plans to operate independently.
+ Spotify will be hosting Casa Spotify: Puerto Rico, a week-long music and creator residency in the heart of San Juan, from June 20 to 23. Casa Spotify: Puerto Rico will serve as a hub for the music industry, with a range of educational sessions for artists and aspiring creatives, workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions, industry networking opportunities, showcases, and an interactive museum experience that dives into the history of reggeaton.
The line-up of showcases includes:
El Nuevo Urbano: This showcase highlights some of Puerto Rico’s strongest emerging talent and includes a special appearance by Arcángel.
Mujeres en Música (Women in Music): RaiNao, Ana Macho, and panelist Chesca will come together to perform in celebration of women and LGBTQ+ artists in music.
Sonidos de la Isla: Following the panel discussion on the various sounds coming out of Puerto Rico, iLe and Luis Vazquez will perform at the Sonidos de la Isla showcase along with Buscabulla.
Rompiendo Puerto Rico: Rompiendo Puerto Rico will be celebrating Urban artists on the island, with performances from Brray, Dei V, and Hozwal.
Fan Experiences: Top fans of Chencho Corleone, Young Miko, and Arcángel in San Juan will be invited to participate in exclusive fan experiences throughout the week.
Spotify will also be tapping into its own talent to lead workshops on various topics ranging from how managers and artists can take full advantage of Spotify for Artists, masterclasses on writing and publishing music, and the best practices when crafting pitches. To view the full itinerary see here.
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