WME | IMG Acquires Oz Music-Booking Powerhouse Artist Voice
CEO Brett Murrihy founded Artist Voice in 2010 with Matt Gudinski as part of Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Group to book local and international music acts for tours and performances throughout Australia and Asia, with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and Hong Kong. Artist Voice’s clients span a variety of musical genres and include 5 Seconds of Summer, Angus & Julia Stone, Broods, Chet Faker, Chvrches, Cloud Control, D.D Dumbo, Empire of the Sun, Jagwar Ma, Jarryd James, Kimbra, Matt Corby, Meg Mac, Neil Finn, Paul Kelly, Raury, Tegan and Sara, The Jezabels, The Naked + Famous, The Sleepy Jackson, The Temper Trap, The Vines, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and ZHU.
WME | IMG’s acquisition will conclude Mushroom Group’s shareholding of Artist Voice. The acquisition further strengthens WME’s music roster and global footprint. AV will be absorbed into the company’s music division, and Murrihy will become WME’s Head of Asia Pacific for Music, reporting to WME Music Head Marc Geiger.
“We have admired what Brett has built at Artist Voice, and are incredibly excited to welcome him and his team to WME | IMG,” said WME’s Head of Music Marc Geiger. “We share the same passion for our artists and entrepreneurial approach to business that made this partnership a natural fit. This addition will help us continue to elevate the level of service we are committed to providing our clients around the world.”
In his new role, Murrihy will be responsible for expanding and managing the agency’s presence in the music space throughout the region. He will be joined by six agents from Artist Voice. Prior to launching Artist Vice, Murrihy built his career as a tireless advocate for his artists and management.
“I am excited to join Marc and his incredible team,” said Murrihy. “This acquisition will significantly enhance the opportunities for all of our artists and their management, and I look forward to remaining at the forefront of the live music landscape and expanding our footprint throughout Asia Pacific.”
Chairman of the Mushroom Group, Michael Gudinski said, “We have enjoyed a strong working relationship with William Morris Endeavor over the past 35 years and William Morris Endeavor opening its doors in Australia can only help put further international attention on Australian artists. I wish William Morris Endeavor every success and look forward to continuing to work closely with Marc and Brett in the future.”
The acquisition of Artist Voice furthers WME | IMG’s expansion throughout Asia Pacific. With offices in Melbourne and Sydney, IMG represents some of Australia’s leading sport and entertainment entities, and is the force behind many of Australia’s premier events. In addition, WME | IMG’s partner company Droga5 has its second largest office in Sydney. IMG also has offices in cities including Hong Kong, Beijing, Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo and works with a variety of properties in the region including The Color Run, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo, ATP Malaysian Open, and WGC-HSBC Champions.
WME’s music division was recently named Music Agency of the Year by industry trade Pollstar. Additionally, WME’s clients, including Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, Rihanna, Sam Smith, The Band Perry, Jack White, and Pharrell Williams, received more Grammys than any other agency this year.
Earlier this year WME | IMG acquired James Dixon’s management firm Dixon Talent, bringing over Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Bill Simmons, as well as MADE Fashion Week, golf firm ICON sports management, and Global eSports Management (G.E.M.).
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