Music Industry Moves: Three Six Zero Taps Caron Veazey, Partnering With Something In Common
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Three Six Zero has announced a new partnership with Caron Veazey and her international management company, Something In Common. The music, film and art business spearheaded by Veazey will join Three Six Zero to help propel and expand its global management and entertainment efforts.
Veazy’s official post as a partner at Three Siz Zero will see her bringing American singer and dancer Mette to the company. While a Minnesota native, Mette has sold-out headline shows in London, New York, and Los Angeles and also appeared in Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” as Video Girl Barbie. She joins Three Six Zero’s global roster including Calvin Harris, Willow, Majid Jordan, Skepta, FKA Twigs and Jabari Banks.
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Prior to forming Something in Common, Veazey managed the career of Pharrell Williams for nearly a decade and was general manager of his creative collective, i am OTHER. Veazey is also co-founder of the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), an advocacy group dedicated to addressing racism across the music industry, and creating parity for Black artists, executives, and professionals in all areas of the music business.
“I believe things happen at the right time, and now could not be a more perfect time to partner with Mark [Gillespie] and the team at Three Six Zero,” said Veazey. “I’m so impressed with what they have built and very excited about the ambition for the future. They are a group of big forward thinkers, and I am truly energized to join the team.“
Additionally, Veazey sits on the Advisory Board of the NYU Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, and most recently, announced joining the board of directors of Dice, the mobile ticketing and music discovery platform.
+ Sony Music Entertainment’s (SME) Premium Content Division has partnered with the nonprofit Sundance Institute to support the documentary fund in elevating the diverse voices of global non-fiction filmmakers.
Together, they are collaborating on a custom program in support of the Documentary Film Program (DFP). SME’s donation will provide general operating support to the DFP and “offer an unrestricted grant” to two documentary projects from BIPOC artists, per a press brief.
+ Sound Talent Group (STG) has announced the collective promotion of agents Beth Keith, John Pantle, Eric Powell, and Jake Zimmerman to partners at the agency.
About the decision to promote Pantle, Keith, Powell, and Zimmerman, company co-founder Matt Andersen said, “From day one, these four agents have been pivotal to our agency’s success. Their promotion to partners not only celebrates their invaluable contributions but also reinforces our commitment to cultivating talent from within.”
All four partners joined STG in 2018 and will continue to lead STG from their respective markets: Keith (Alexandra Kay, Story Of The Year, Currents) in Nashville, Pantle (Natalia Lafourcade, Hatsune Miku, Julieta Venegas) in Los Angeles, along with Powell (Ice Nine Kills, Dayseeker, Loathe) and Zimmerman (Knocked Loose, The Happy Fits, Lil Darkie) in New York.
Thursday, Oct. 26
Sony Music Group (SMG) will be pledging nearly half a million dollars for its second-annual “Season of Giving” campaign. Beginning in November, SMG will make donations to organizations addressing food insecurity, homelessness and education around the world together with its roster of artists and songwriters.
The company will facilitate charitable donations across Africa, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Continental Europe, Iberia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Over 20 charities will receive donations, among them are: Alexandria House (Los Angeles), Bread and Beyond (Canada), The Trussell Trust (U.K.), Lagos Food Bank (Nigeria) and the GO Foundation (Australia), to name a few.
Participating artists include BARKAA (signed to SMP Australia), Devon Cole and Voivod (SME Canada), Billy Talent (SMP Canada), Halle (Columbia Records), Ferg (RCA Records), MD Chefe and DomLaike (SME Latin Iberia), Mimi Webb (SME / SMP U.K.), Lostboy (SMP U.K.), Paige (SME New Zealand) and Shoti (SME Philippines).
“Giving back to local communities has always been a part of Sony Music Group’s mission and philanthropic approach,” commented Towalame Austin, executive VP of philanthropy and social impact for SMG. “This year’s Season of Giving campaign – for the second year in a row – reinforces that dedication and we’re thrilled to partner with such impactful organizations, alongside our artists and songwriters, to make a difference.”
+ OTM Music has partnered with producer Dot Da Genius for a worldwide exclusive publishing deal that includes the entirety of his discography including the debut film score for Kid Cudi’s Netflix special, “Entergalactic,” as well as his most recent single “Talk About Me” with Denzel Curry and JID. The deal was announced by OTM Music Founder and CEO, Alex Sheridan, Senior VP of Creative Melissa Woods Maskan, and Rilliwan Salam, who is Dot Da Genius’ longtime manager and business partner.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dot Da Genius and his Catalog to OTM for Worldwide publishing,” said Sheridan. “A true visionary and architect of the contemporary music landscape, Dot has constantly pushed barriers and created culture through both collaborations and his solo work, so it’s with great pleasure that we can announce his partnership with OTM for this next chapter of his story.”
“I’m ecstatic to be partnering with a company like OTM that can help shape the next decade of music and innovation we strive for at HeadBanga Muzik,” added Dot Da Genius.
+ Shazam has announced a new feature on its app for music fans to discover upcoming concerts that are happening in their area.
Available in “My Music,” “Concerts” provides personalized event recommendations based on a user’s Shazam history. With the new feature, fans now have more ways to browse, search, and filter by artist, date, and location and explore trending concerts. Shazam will also offer the ability to save and revisit events, set reminders about upcoming shows, view tickets and unlock concert exclusives from select artists.
+ Create Music Group has upped Mark Hill Jr to senior VP of A&R and business development to guide both teams’ business and strategic partnership marketing. In addition, Hill will also sign and develop artists for the company as well as oversee recording projects for new and further expand the company’s growing roster of artists, songwriters and producers.
“Mark is at the forefront of music culture and has been paramount in the success at CMG,” said Jonathan Strauss, the company’s founder and CEO. Hill will report to Strauss and Co-Founder/Chief Business Operator, Wayne Hampton.
Hill began his career in music at Create, joining the team in 2016 as an intern while pursuing a business degree at the University of Southern California. Over the last seven years, Mark helped build Create’s A&R department, signing artists like YNW Melly, Lucki, Fredo Bang and recent signee DeeBaby also helping to cement deals with Tekashi 6ix9ine and Ice Spice.
“Working alongside Wayne and co-founders Jonathan Strauss and Alexandre Williams to build Create Music Group into the global company it is today,” said Hill. “ I am thrilled to continue under their leadership and take on this new challenge.”
+ Decca and Verve Forecast (US) has signed Grammy-award nominated artist Jordan Rakei to a global record deal to align with the release of his brand new single “Flowers.” Rakei has also announced a headlining show slated for October 2024 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
“‘Flowers’ is an homage to the journey of my first love, the patience it requires, and the pivotal moment I met my wife,” said Rakei of the new single. “It reflects on our memories and tells the story of the comfort I feel in that relationship.” On the signing, he added, “I’m super excited to be embarking on a new chapter of my career with Decca/Verve. They are steeped in deep history of some classic records and have always championed artists that push boundaries, so it feels like a big honour to be on the roster.”
The Decca team first worked with Jordan in 2020 when he appeared on “Blue Note Re:imagined” with his rendition of Donald Byrd’s “Wind Parade.”
Decca Co-President, Tom Lewis, said: “We are so thrilled to be working with Jordan. He is a pioneer with an extraordinary, immediate and soulful voice. It was a huge team effort to bring him to Decca and Verve Forecast but particular credit must go to Decca Head of A&R Rachel Holmberg who led things brilliantly. I love the fact that Jordan has joined the two labels whose histories include The Rolling Stones and The Velvet Underground.”
Tuesday, Oct. 24
Sports company Puma has tapped A$AP Rocky as its new creative director “for the category with a focus on the intersection of the sport and streetwear,” according to a press release announcing the long-term partnership between the fashion brand and rapper.
Rocky will work on Puma’s new collaboration with Formula 1, developing capsules designed by him that will influence the brand’s seasonal design directions moving forward. For the remainder of this year, Rocky will design visuals and video content for the brand, starting with his first campaign that explores car culture in America and the impact it has on streetwear and fashion.
Later this year, Rocky will drop a limited Puma and F1 collection as a sneak peek into a series of capsule collections that will launch in 2024. In the coming year, Rocky will focus his creative attention on several Grand Prix races beginning in Miami. He will curate activations at each race and serve as the creative director for all the marketing efforts surrounding these collections.
By 2025, Rocky plans to more fully immerse himself into the holistic product creative designs for all of the Puma and F1 products, spanning from racewear to fanwear to fashion.
“Working with brands as iconic as PUMA, and as innovative as F1, has been truly inspiring,” said Rocky. “When the world sees what we’re doing, I believe a shift will happen with how brands approach taking risks and working with diverse creatives.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to be working with A$AP Rocky,” said Maria Valdes, Puma’s chief product officer. “He’s incredibly talented, deeply thoughtful and invested in our brand. He will showcase his vision with elevated F1 race capsules globally which attract new audiences and undoubtedly disrupt the track. In the future, he will influence the broader Puma and F1 range and will continue to help push sport and culture forward.”
+ Sony Music Publishing has hired Robin Nastri as senior vice president of the global business office.
In this newly created role, Nastri will be responsible for advancing the company’s growth strategy by spearheading global initiatives to “streamline operations, enhance technology, and optimize processes,” per the company’s official announcement. Nastri will report to Sony Music Publishing’s Chief Financial Officer, Tom Kelly.
“I am deeply grateful to be joining Sony Music Publishing at such an exciting time. My heartfelt thanks go to Jon Platt, Tom Kelly, and the entire SMP team for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity,” said Nastri. “It is a privilege to work with such a talented and dedicated team, all with a passion for changing the world by supporting the songwriters who inspire it.”
“Robin will be a fantastic addition to the company as we build for the future of music publishing and continue to advance growth on behalf of Sony Music Publishing’s songwriters,” added Kelly.
+ Dice has launched in Toronto today marking its debut in Canada and furthering its expansion across North America. The company simultaneously is locking in new and exclusive deals with partners, including Collective Concerts (Toronto’s largest independent concert promoter), Transmit Presents, The Garrison, Baby G, Not Dead Yet, Soluna, Prepare the Ground, South Paw, and more.
“Toronto is the perfect stage for Dice’s Canadian debut,” said Dice President Russ Tannen. “With our new partners, we can bring fans in Canada the shows they love with an easy, innovative, and transparent ticketing experience that was designed for them.”
Dice also announces Dave Lock, director of venue and promoter partnerships, as its first Canadian hire.
Dice, an independent music ticketing platform, first arrived in North America in 2019 and quickly scaled into key markets across the U.S. including New York City and Los Angeles. In August, the company raised a $65M funding round led by MUSIC. This funding has gone towards accelerating Dice’s geographical expansion in North America and across the globe. Its debut in Canada also follows Scotland, Liverpool, and Miami as newer regions for Dice, in addition to landmark deals in Europe with institutions like Alexandra Palace and recent renewals with Troxy, amongst others.
+ The Circuit Group has announced a new partnership with Defected Records to help the label build its presence in North America, while Defected will support The Circuit Group as it expands its presence in the UK, Europe, and other territories around the world.
The Circuit Group was launched earlier this month between two established artist management companies – Seven20 and AYITA – to form a new kind of music enterprise. Circuit’s vision is to create a new business model centered around artists’ intellectual property, partnering with artists and strategic partners to create business verticals around recorded music, publishing, merchandise, brand partnerships, gaming, events, Web3 technologies, and cutting-edge music innovations. Circuit principals include industry veterans Dean and Jessica Wilson (Seven20), along with Brett Fischer, David Gray, and Harvey Tadman (AYITA).
Under the new agreement, Defected will provide Circuit with services to help them expand their record labels, publishing business, branded events and agency. In turn, Circuit will assist Defected with a variety of services in North America, including event and technology expertise, IP monetization, brand building and consultation on artist development across Defected’s roster and esteemed labels, including D4 D4NCE, DFTD, Glitterbox, Big Love, Soulfuric, Nu Groove, Classic, 4 To The Floor, DVINE Sounds, Stay True Sounds, and The Remedy Project.
+ HeadCount has hired CAA Foundation executive Travis Merriweather to its board of directors. In his newly appointed role, Merriweather will support HeadCount’s mission of engaging young people to participate in democracy through strategic partnerships across music, sports and pop culture.
Merriweather is currently an executive at CAA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Additionally, Merriweather leads CAA Civics, a non-partisan employee group dedicated to promoting civic engagement and citizenship. Earlier in his career, Merriweather mobilized grassroots support for President Obama’s legislative priorities and 2012 re-election campaign with Organizing for America. He also worked as a chief of staff intern to First Lady Michelle Obama.
HeadCount has registered millions of voters, largely through its work with endless music icons such as Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Madonna, Alicia Keys, Kehlani, Dead & Company and The Lumineers.
+ PRG (Production Resource Group), a provider of production tools for entertainment and live events, has announced the hiring of Ariane Coldiron as senior VP of corporate events. Coldiron will head the corporate events division, reporting directly to PRG CEO Stephan Paridaen.
Coldiron was most recently senior VP of brand experience at Freeman where she worked for nearly a decade. As senior VP, she drove the company’s agency business, developing and implementing go-to-market and long-term strategies while managing a large and complex portfolio of accounts including Google, SalesForce, Sage, and HP. She also held tenures at experiential agencies Jack Morton, InVision Communications, and TBA Global Events.
+ TruSauce publishing company, owned by Grammy-nominated producer Rogét Chahayed (“Sicko Mode,” “First Class”), has tapped Sarah Ferrie as its new head of creative.
Ferrie has held A&R roles at Columbia, Capitol, and most recently Warner Records, where she signed Maude Latour and Sofia Valdes. She also worked on Dua Lipa’s Platinum-selling “Future Nostalgia.”
TruSauce started in 2019 as a partnership between Chahayed and his longtime manager Greg Katz and administrator Kobalt. It recently notched a hit for writers Wes Singerman and Taylor Dexter with Joji’s single “Die For You,” and also counts Seattle-based producer/DJ Chong The Nomad, aka Alda Agustiano, among its writers.
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