Ghanaian-American singer-songwriter Amaarae has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Concord Music Publishing in partnership with rights management company Immensum Music.
The deal encompasses her full catalog and all future works, including her 2023 album “Fountain Baby,” which Variety listed as one of the best albums of the year so far. The record blends R&B, hip-hop, punk rock, and Afropop across its 14 songs. Amaarae has collaborated with other top artists such as Kaytranada and Amine, Stormzy, Baby Face, Janelle Monáe, Kali Uchis and global artists like CKay, Tiwa Savage and more. In celebration of Marvel’s sequel “Black Panther: Wakana Forever,” Amaarae released “A Body, a Coffin” on the movie soundtrack EP alongside artists such as Tems, Santa Fe Klan.
“I feel very much at home among Concord’s roster of stellar artists and I’m confident that the teams at Concord and Immensum will ensure my music is optimized in all the right global spaces,” said Amaarae.
Koch Okoye, founder of Immensum Music, added: “This deal for Ama is one we can truly call an accomplishment. I remember watching her first video for ‘Fluid’ back in 2018 and being instantly blown away by the creative merger of her unique vocal ability and visual expression. We had hoped to work with her instantly and have followed her career progression closely ever since. We’re all very happy to finally be playing on the same team.”
Jeremy Yohai, senior vice president of A&R at Concord Music Publishing, added: “Amaarae’s unique vision and approach to songwriting, place her as one of the most exciting new voices in pop music.”
In 2024 Amaarae will launch the “Fountain Baby” tour, with stops in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Toronto and more.
+ Reservoir Media has announced a new global publishing deal with Joe Walsh, a member of American rock bands James Gang and the Eagles. The deal includes hits from his time in both groups and his catalog as a solo artist and for his future work.
Walsh cemented his stardom as the frontman and hitmaker of the James Gang, whose first three albums all made appearances on the Billboard Top 200 in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These albums featured several tracks co-written by Walsh, such as the songs “Funk #49” and “Walk Away.” In 1975, he became an international phenomenon as a member of the Eagles and the first album to feature Walsh was 1976’s “Hotel California.”
On signing with Reservoir, Walsh said, “It is such a pleasure to be partnered with a team who are hands-on and personal and who have shown their passion for and dedication to my work. I look forward to a great partnership and future with Reservoir.”
In addition to his success with the Eagles, Walsh earned acclaim as a solo artist, releasing 11 albums including “The Smoker You Drink,” “The Player You Get,” and “But Seriously Folks,” which feature co-writes by Walsh. He’s won five Grammy awards and was also inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his contributions.
+ Bianca Ortega has been promoted to VP of marketing and digital at Atlantic Records.
Bianca has spent the last 10 years working for Atlantic and helping spearhead key projects including Charlie Puth, BRELAND, Oliver Tree, “Barbie The Album” and more. Working out of Los Angeles, Ortega reports directly to Brian Dackowski, executive VP of viral marketing and analytics.
+ FREENOW has launched its new “Ride for Music” initiative, pledging £1 per ride to save grassroots live music venues with Music Venue Trust, a leading charity that acts to protect, secure and improve UK Grassroots Music Venues. Ed Sheeran, Steve Lamacq, Amy Lamé, Academy Music Group (AMG) and Ticketmaster join the sector in support.
In support of the campaign Sheeran said, “Like so many musicians, I started out playing in grassroots music venues. They are such a vital part of the music ecosystem. Without them, I definitely would not have had the chance to hone my craft and become the artist I am today. I applaud the Ride for Music campaign and hope it raises loads of money for Music Venue Trust, who work tirelessly to both protect and promote these wonderful spaces.”
Mark Davyd, founder and CEO of Music Venue Trust, added: “The Ride for Music initiative from FREENOW gives every music fan in the UK an incredible opportunity to play a role in directly supporting grassroots music venues. It’s exactly the type of joined up, creative thinking that we need to tackle the crisis facing our grassroots sector.”
All funds raised through Ride For Music go to the Pipeline Investment Fund from Music Venue Trust. The Pipeline Investment Fund (PIF) is a grant-giving fund established by Music Venue Trust with the support of venue members of the Music Venues Alliance.
+ The Orchard has appointed Lanre Masha as the new director of its West African operations. Based in the company’s Lagos office, he reports to Prashant Bahadur, executive VP/head of strategy and works alongside Ben Oldfield, VP of market development for Africa.
Masha leads operations for the Orchard in West Africa, providing distribution, release strategy, and regional support to the Orchard’sroster of artist and label clients, as well as identifying and signing new talent. During his short time with the Orchard, Masha has also accelerated the company’s expansion into French-speaking West Africa and Ghana, as well as growing the Lagos team.
Masha’s influence led to the Orchard striking a global distribution deal with the Ghanian duo R2Bees, who have earned international success collaborating with Wizkid, Davido, King Promise, and Wande Coal. Masha has also led a string of key signings including Nigerian gospel artist Ty Bello, Afro-fusion artist MUIS, Afro-pop star YKB, and Melodi from Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Masha joins The Orchard from an 8-year tenure with Trace Media, where he was general manager for music and editorial, playing a pivotal role in supporting and building artist presence both locally and globally. Masha said, “West Africa is no longer a young market. We are leading the global expansion of music from the region, connecting artists with fans worldwide. The Orchard’s cutting-edge technology, vast global network, entrepreneurial spirit, and best-in-class solutions to not only build but sustain a global business, are how we offer unparalleled support to our clients. I look forward to working with the team to bring the rich talent of West Africa to the world.”
+ Universal Production Music has launched Universal Music for Creators, a new subscription music licensing service that provides content creators with claim-free, premium music and sound effects for online videos at an all-inclusive price.
Universal Music for Creators provides consumers with unlimited access to its pre-cleared music and sound effects library, starting at $5.99 per month. The program hosts over 50,000 tracks and 200,000 sound effects, powered by a team that is constantly sourcing and creating the newest sounds to meet the dynamic needs of today’s creators.
Jody Gerson, UMPG Chairman and CEO, said: “Universal Music for Creators delivers our unparalleled production music library to content creators everywhere for the first time. Innovative programs like this exemplify why Universal Production Music continues to lead the industry.”
+ The jump.global Annual Summit, an inaugural professional and personal development event for those working in the music business, has announced entertainment attorney and activist Dina LaPolt and mental health and addiction medicine specialist Dr. Drew as its featured speakers for the Nov. 14 event.
“I am honored to sit down with Dr. Drew at the jump.global Annual Summit and share my own story of addiction and recovery and discuss the tools I have acquired over the last 25 years to be able to navigate high-stress environments and politically charged situations,” said Dina LaPolt.
“I am looking forward to having this important discussion with Dina and hope we can both shed some light and offer solutions on navigating the mental health aspects of a high-stress industry like the music business,” said Dr. Drew.
In an effort to “make the music business more human”, the jump.global Annual Summit is set to launch November 12-14 as a multi-day educational and community-building event exclusively for those working in the music industry. The panels, workshops, and keynotes will not focus on industry hot-button issues such as AI, streaming, or distribution. Instead, topics are meant for the betterment of music executives and professionals and will include stress management, leadership training, effective communication, goal-setting, personal identity, financial literacy, among others. A full list of programming and speakers can be accessed here.
