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21 Feb 2024

Five Usher Albums Shake Up Billboard 200 After Super Bowl

Following Usher’s 2024 Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 11, four of his catalog albums surge on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Feb. 24), alongside the debut of his new release, Coming Home, at No. 2.

Coming Home arrives on the list with 91,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 15, according to Luminate. Of that sum, album sales comprise 53,000 – making it the top-selling album of the week, and the largest sales week for any R&B album in more than four years.

Four more Usher albums dot the Billboard 200: his former No. 1 Confessions, released in 2004, flies 92-15 with 33,500 units (up 199%), 2010’s chart-topping Raymond V Raymond re-enters at No. 68 (14,000; up 154%), 2001’s 8701 re-enters at No. 122 (10,000; up 187%) and 1997’s My Way re-enters at No. 197 (8,000; up 175%). The four albums house songs that Usher performed during his halftime show.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

In total, Usher’s catalog of albums, including Coming Home, earned 145,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Feb. 15 – up 428% compared to the previous week (27,500 units). Removing Coming Home from the equation, his albums earned 54,500 units for the week – up 98% compared to the previous week (27,500 units).

Meanwhile, Usher’s halftime closer, “Yeah!,” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, re-enters the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart at No. 20 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at No. 8. It’s the single’s first appearance on either chart since 2004, when the Confessions’ smash spent 12 weeks atop the Hot 100 and eight weeks leading the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs tally. In the week ending Feb. 15, “Yeah!” earned 13.4 million official streams (up 142%), 8.7 million in airplay audience (up 66%) and sold 11,000 downloads (up 636%).

21 Feb 2024

Boy George Responds to ‘Recycling’ Kylie Minogue’s ‘Tension’ Artwork

If imitation if the greatest form of flattery, Kylie Minogue should feel mighty chuffed indeed following the release of Boy George’s new single, “Religion.”

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The former Culture Club frontman this week shared the standalone single “Religion,” one of two songs included in the audiobook of his 2023 memoir Karma: My Autobiography (the other, “Suddenly I’m Wiser,” is not widely available on streaming platforms).

When “Religion” dropped on DSPs, X (formerly known as Twitter) had words. Eagle-eyed social media users spotted the cover art’s close resemblance to that of Minogue’s Tension album, which led the U.K. and Australian albums charts following its release in 2023.

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George batted away the critics left and right.

“I’m recycling everything. It’s all the rage. Even fashion is catching on?,” he wrote in one post. In response to one particularly agitated comment, he assured the copycat image was “utter genius.” He returned serve on one poster who described the artwork as “pathetic,” and quipped that he “broke wind,” a retort to a Daily Mail headline which reads, “Boy George breaks silence after ‘copying’ Kylie’s album cover.

Both artists launched their careers in the 1980s. George (real name George O’Dowd), the flamboyant singer with Culture Club, was, for a time in the early-to-mid ‘80s, one of the most recognizable artists on the planet.

Culture Club captured six top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including a No. 1 with 1983’s “Karma Chameleon.” Its parent album Colour By Numbers peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

When the band was dissolved in 1986, George embarked on a solo career, which was briefly derailed by substance abuse, controversy and legal problems, before the singer reinvented himself as a club DJ, returned to the stage and studio, and found regular work on reality TV. In 2015, he snagged the Ivor Novello Award for outstanding contribution to British Music, one of the U.K. industry’s highest honors.

Kylie is in a purple patch. The Aussie “princess of pop” recently signed with UTA for live representation in the U.S. and Canada, as well as “acting endeavors” worldwide. Her Vegas residency has been extended, she recently won her second Grammy, for best pop dance recording with “Padam Padam,” the U.K. top 10 hit from Tension; she’s nominated for international artist of the year at the 2024 Brit Awards, where she’ll receive its Global Icon Award; and next month, she’ll scoop Billboard’s Women in Music Icon Award.⁠

Tension is the ninth No. 1 album for Kylie in the U.K., where she is the first ever female artist — and second artist overall — to bag a No. 1 album in five consecutive decades.

21 Feb 2024

Sophie Ellis-Bextor Sets First Headlining Tour of North America

Just weeks after making an unlikely U.S. chart debut, Sophie Ellis-Bextor is taking her show on the road for a first-ever headline tour of North America.

The British pop star sets a seven-date stretch, starting March 30 at San Francisco’s August Hall, followed by dates in San Diego, CA; Washington, DC, Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY; and wrapping June 8 at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, ON.

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The New York show at Webster Hall “sold out in a day,” she writes on social media. “My band and I are coming for you! Super excited. Come and dance with me.”

Ellis-Bextor is, of course, flying high with her 2001 hit “Murder on the Dancefloor,” which is synced to the final sequence in the hit dark drama Saltburn.

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The scene, in which the film’s lead Barry Keoghan dances nude to the song, kicked off a dance trend on TikTok – and saw the song power into charts around the world.

Last month, “Murder” cracked the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, at No. 98, then lifted to No. 51, its new peak.



In her homeland, “Murder” recently returned to its all-time peak position of No. 2 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, and is one of her six top 10 hits there. She also boasts a No. 1 hit as the uncredited singer on Spiller’s 2000’s release “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)”. The track has also reentered the top 10 on Australia’s ARIA Chart.

“It actually feels really magical, and if I’m honest, I don’t think I’ve completely processed it really,” Ellis-Bextor told the BBC following the revival for “Murder”. “It’s a song I’ve been singing for over 20 years. I still love singing it. I love the way people react when I do it live. But for new people to be discovering it, for it to be making new memories with people, is kind of beautiful.”

Ahead of her North America jaunt, Ellis-Bextor has strutted her stuff on national TV, performing the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and for the BBC’s coverage of the BAFTAs.

The English artist kicks off a tour of Continental Europe next month, starting in Groningen, Netherlands on March 1. More concerts are locked in across the U.K. and Europe later in the year.

20 Feb 2024

Garth Brooks Invites Travis Kelce to Sing ‘Friends in Low Places’ at Brooks’ Honky Tonk and Bar Opening

Travis Kelce truly has at least one friend in low places. 

On Garth Brooks’ Inside Studio G episode Tuesday night (Feb. 20), Brooks invited the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end to the official opening of Brooks’ Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk in Nashville on March 7. The Super Bowl champ famously sang a portion of the song, in a seemingly very inebriated state, during the Chief’s victory parade in Kansas City on Feb. 14. 

“Did you guys see Travis Kelce’s version of ‘Friends in Low Places?’ Did you see him sing this? I loved it, I thought it was fantastic,” Brooks asked during the episode. “It blew me away because I’m sitting there watching it as it’s going down, right. I never expected that.” 

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Though Brooks had said that he and his wife, Trisha Yearwood, did not plan on being at the opening, he would make an exception if Kelce decided to come. “Big man, I’m just telling you this. I will be at grand opening if you’re there,” he continued. “I’ll send a plane if you want another shot at the title. If you want to come sing that, I’ll send a plane. You can come by yourself or bring your brother or your gang, whatever you want to do. The plane holds 11, just remember that. So, yes, I’ll be happy to send this invite out to you if you want to try a little ‘Friends in Low Places’ in Friends in Low Places.” Check out Brooks’ invite around the 20 minutes mark.

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Brooks did caution, however, that “We’re going to do it early, Travis,” perhaps before Kelce would have much time to imbibe. 

Brooks’ Friends in Low Places bar had a soft launch several weeks ago, with two of the four floors open several days a week. However, on March 7, all four floors of the 54,715 square-foot space will now be open. The first floor features two bars and a dance floor. The second floor offers two additional bars and a mezzanine overlooking the stage below. The third floor will house intimate private event spaces and a patio, while the rooftop fourth floor has two full bars. 

Kelce warbled “Friends in Low Places” shortly before the parade’s end when two shooters opened fire, killing one attendee and injuring at least 25 others. Kelce has since made a $100,000 donation to two siblings, both of whom were shot in the incident. 

20 Feb 2024

Jennifer Lopez’s This Is Me…Now Tour: How to Find Affordable Tickets Online

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J.Lovers, get ready! Advance presale tickets for Jennifer Lopez’s This Is Me…Now: The Tour went on sale on Tuesday morning (Feb. 20).

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, StubHub, Seat Geek and OntheJlo.com.

Lopez’s first tour in nearly five years launches June 26 at the Kia Center in Orlando. The tour will stop in Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Washington D.C., Cleveland, Montreal, Toronto and more cities across North America, including New York City, where the Bronx native will take the stage at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 16.

Read on for details on how to get tickets and how much they cost.

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Where to Get Tickets

Advance presale tickets to the This Is Me…Now: The Tour became available Tuesday at 9 a.m. local time. Presale tickets are available via the On the JLo Fan Club, Verizon Up and Citi card.  

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VIP packages include the Ultimate JLo Meet and Greet Package, the Gold JLo Lounge Package, the Can’t Get Enough VIP Pit Package and the Silver J.Lo Merch package.

How to Get Tickets at StubHub

Looking for cheap tickets? Resale tickets for the tour are currently available at SeatGeek, Vivid Seats and StubHub, averaging around $60-$100 for the cheapest tickets.

If you want to be in the building for opening night, you’ll have to act fast. Tickets for the Orlando show are selling fast at StubHub (and Vivid Seats).

Prices start at $42 to $370 for the most affordable seats. However, most of the good seats are priced between $255-$400.

Want to get even closer to the stage? It’ll cost around $450 for the more affordably priced tickets. Some of the more expensive tickets that we’ve seen online are priced from around $700 to over $1,000 (some tickets are going for as much as $1,500 each).

If you’re looking to save money on concert tickets, it’s usually better to buy tickets early — unless you enjoy the thrill of waiting until the last minute. As demand increases, ticket prices for cities like Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles and Miami could end up being more expensive than smaller cities such as Rosemont, Ill., and Edinburg, Texas.

Right now, most of the tickets are around the same price, regardless of the city, but prices are subject to change as the tour gets closer.

How to Get Tickets at SeatGeek

SeatGeek usually offers cheaper tickets than most of the other resale sites, but not by very much. Although tickets start as low as $39, many of the good seats are priced from $250-$350, while the more expensive tickets are priced from around $400 to $1000+.

How to Get Tickets at Vivid Seats

At Vivid Seats, tickets start as low as $40 to $77 for the cheapest seats, but the brunt of tickets cost around $255-$400. If you’re waiting for a good deal, now’s your chance to secure tickets at a decent price.

Use code BB2024 to save $20 off when you spend $200 or more at Vivid Seats.

The upcoming tour will be Lopez’s first jaunt since 2019. The “Rebound” singer announced the tour on Feb. 16, a day before dropping her new album, This Is Me Now... and the film This Is Me Now: A Love Story.

Next up, Lopez is slated to perform tracks from her new album along with some of her previous hits in Los Angeles on Thursday. The concert will stream live on Apple Music and Apple TV+.

Lopez’s new documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, premieres Feb. 27 on Prime Video.

20 Feb 2024

Ayra Starr on Success of ‘Rush,’ Her First Grammy Nomination & More | Billboard News

Ayra Starr talks about the international success of her song “Rush,” becoming the youngest African female artist to surpass 100 million views on YouTube, getting her first Grammy nomination, her aspiration to be a teenage pop star, the growth of popularity of the Afrobeats genre and where she sees the future of the genre going and more!

Ayra Starr
I wasn’t here two years ago, now I’m doing an interview with Billboard.

Rania Aniftos
Fresh off the Grammys, girl.

Ayra Starr
Hello, I’m Ayra Starr and you’re watching Billboard News.

Rania Aniftos
Hey everybody, its Rania Aniftos with Billboard News and I am so excited. We have the Afrobeats queen herself in the studio today, Ayra Starr.

Ayra Starr
Hello!

Rania Aniftos
Welcome to the studio.

Ayra Starr
Thank you for having me. I’m excited.

Rania Aniftos
You were just nominated for your first-ever Grammy nomination. How did that feel?

Ayra Starr
Amazing. I had a great time at the Grammys. All the parties even before the Grammys, I was just like, oh, like, I’m at the Grammys. You can see me at the red carpets. I was having a good time. Let me tell you.

Rania Aniftos
Was there something that surprised you over the course of the week that you were like, I was expecting this, but this happened instead.

Ayra Starr
To be honest like anytime I come to LA, I’m always like indoors and never do anything and people like people know me, but people don’t really know me. They know my music, but they don’t know me. This time, every room I walked into: Ayra Starr! I was fangirling over the people who are fangirling over me, like, “You know me!” And it was the best thing.

Watch the full video above!

20 Feb 2024

Ayra Starr Talks the Importance of Making ‘High Vibrational Music,’ New Single ‘Commas’ & More

Ayra Starr is fresh off her first Grammy nomination, with plenty of new music in store for 2024, and she sat down with Billboard‘s Rania Aniftos to discuss her breakthrough career.

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“It’s been a long time coming,” she says of the new Grammy category, best African music performance, which she was nominated for at the 2024 ceremony. “African music has been it and has been popping for such a long time. Afrobeats has been taking over the world. I feel like this is very validating for everyone who put effort into this.”

She added of the genre: “It’s high vibrational music. God blessed us.”

The star also recently released her emotional new single “Commas,” which she says she loved experimenting with during the songwriting process. “People used to feel very touched by my voice. When I would sing in secondary school, I would see people cry because I would sing the saddest songs,” she said. “My voice always had that thing where it would make people feel no matter what I’m singing. I was like, ‘You know what? I want people to feel this song.’ I had 15 versions of ‘Commas.’ […] I wanted people to transcend when they listen to it. I want people to feel good.”

She added that “Commas” will be featured on an upcoming album, which will show off a new, more evolved and feminine side of the singer. “The Ayra Starr I want to introduce is excellent, sonically amazing. This album is unique, because I’ve been evolving sonically,” she says.

Watch Billboard‘s full interview with Ayra Starr above.

20 Feb 2024

Fuerza Regida’s ‘Dolido Pero No Arrepentido – EP’ Debuts in Top 10 on Top Latin Albums & Regional Mexican Albums

Fuerza Regida earns its sixth top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as Dolido Pero No Arrepentido – EP debuts at No. 7 on the list dated Feb. 24. The romantic six-track set also starts at No. 3 on Regional Mexican Albums.

According to Luminate, Dolido Pero No Arrepentido, released Feb. 9 via StreetMob/Rancho Humilde/Sony Music Latin, starts with 14,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 15.

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One unit equals to one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.

Most of the album’s opening sum derives from SEA units, which equates to 18.44 million official on-demand U.S. clicks of the album’s songs in its first week.

As the EP arrives, Fuerza Regida captures its sixth top 10 on Top Latin Albums and its ninth on Regional Mexican Albums. Here’s a look at the San Bernardino, Calif.-based group’s six visits to the upper region on the overall Latin albums tally:

Peak, Title, Peak Date
No. 8, Del Barrio Hasta Aquí, July 20, 2019
No. 4, Adicto, April 25, 2020
No. 2, Sigan Hablando.: II, Jan. 28, 2023
No. 3, Pa Que Hablen.: I., April 15, 2023
No. 2, Pa Las Baby’s Y Belikeada, Nov. 4, 2023
No. 7, Dolido Pero No Arrepentido – EP, Feb. 24

Further, as Dolido debuts on Top Latin Albums, it joins another Regida album in the top tier: Pa Las Baby’s Y Belikeada, which holds strong at its No. 2 debut for a third week.

Regida also stirs up things on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs ranking, as the complete new EP debuts. In total, the five-member group scores 37 chart visits, the most for a regional Mexican ensemble this decade. Only one other regional Mexican act has collected more in the ‘20s: Peso Pluma, with 44 total entries.

Dolido’s six new tracks join seven other Regida songs. Here’s the countdown on Hot Latin Songs which blends radio airplay, streaming data, and downloads:

No. 4, “Harley Quinn,” with Marshmello
No. 9, “Que Onda,” with Calle 24 and Chino Pacas
No. 14, “Tu Name” (debut)
No. 18, “Brillarosa” (debut)
No. 20, “Excesos”
No. 22, “Crazyz”
No. 24, “Barbiez”
No. 26, “Enculada” (debut)
No. 27, “Una Cerveza,” with Manuel Turizo
No. 30, “Tacata (Remix), with Tiagz & El Alfa
No. 32, “Falsa” (debut)
No. 35, “Oye” (debut)
No. 44, “PXTXS” (debut)

In addition to its top 10 premieres on Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums, Dolido begins at No. 69 on the all-genre Billboard 200, Regida’s second-highest debut among four entries, after the No. 14 debut and peak by Pa Las Baby’s Y Belikeada last Nov.

The new Feb. 24, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Feb. 21, one day later than usual, owed to the Presidents’ Day holiday in the U.S. on Feb. 19.

20 Feb 2024

Machine Gun Kelly Debuts Massive Blackout Tattoo ‘For Spiritual Purposes Only’

Machine Gun Kelly’s tattoo collection just got larger.

The “Bloody Valentine” rocker took to Instagram on Tuesday (Feb. 20) to show off his new ink, a massive blackout tattoo that covers his chest and arms. The negative space on the chest area shows a cross, while his arms create a peek at his previous tattoos. His old ink on his stomach is still visible, including his “Locals Only” piece and “I want change” tattoo.

“For spiritual purposes only,” he captioned the post, tagging his tattoo artist Roxx. See the post here.

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Last year, MGK took to Instagram to share a photo of his 13-year-old daughter, Casie Colson Baker, wielding a tattoo gun and black surgical gloves as she added to her dad’s formidable collection of tats with a new image on the inside of his right wrist. “My daughter said summer vacation, we ended up at hellfest,” he captioned the series from the festival in Clisson, France, which also included images of him standing shirtless on the ledge of his hotel, a snap of father and daughter looking super high-fashion in a Dolce & Gabbana shoot and another cute one in which the rapper holds her hand as he takes a nap in the back seat of a car.

MGK shares Casie with his ex, Emma Cannon; the teen contributed some spoken word bits to dad’s 2022 Mainstream Sellout album alongside Kelly’s pal Pete Davidson on the L.A.-dissing interlude “Wall of Fame.”

Trending on Billboard

20 Feb 2024

Signed: Jon Pardi Is Head Over Boots for WME, British Rockers Sleep Token Bunk With RCA

Capitol Records Nashville artist Jon Pardi (“Head Over Boots,” “Heartache on the Dance Floor”) signed with WME and will be represented by multiple departments across the agency, including touring, brand partnerships, TV, film and digital. Pardi is managed by Red Light Management’s Gaines Sturdivant and C3 Management’s Charlie Walker. – Jessica Nicholson

British rock band Sleep Token signed with RCA Records. The group is an anonymous, masked collective led by a singer who goes by the name Vessel. Sleep Token is represented by manager Ryan Richards at Future History Management; booking agent Nick Storch at Independent Artist Group for North and South America; and booking agent Paul Ryan at UTA for the rest of the world. It was previously signed to Spinefarm/Universal.

Australian band Crowded House signed a global record deal with BMG for its upcoming eighth studio album, Gravity Stairs, which is slated for release on May 31.

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Bluegrass singer-songwriter Wyatt Ellis signed with WME for global representation. Ellis, who recently released his debut album Happy Valley, is represented by Red Light Management’s Neil Mason and Tom Lord, with Morris Public Relations/Alison Auerbach P.R. overseeing public relations/artist development. The Andrea Roberts Agency is handling radio promotion. “Blue Smoke” feat. Marty Stuart, a song from Happy Valley, was recently in the top spot on Spotify’s New Grass Playlist. – Jessica Nicholson

WME also signed musician and comedian Morgan Jay, whose TV credits include MTV’s Wild’n’Out, Peacock’s Girls5Eva, NBC’s Bring the Funny and Night Court. Jay boasts nearly 3 million TikTok followers and will soon announce a global tour, in addition to already-scheduled dates. He will next be seen in Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Featuring special and the Netflix Is a Joke Festival. He’s managed by Matt Sadeghian of Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Josh Sandler of Granderson Des Rochers.

Digital music company Believe launched PLAYCODE, a new imprint dedicated to the Japanese hip-hop scene, and signed three artists: ¥ellow Bucks, Red Eye and Issei Uno Fifth. This marks Believe’s latest expansion in Japan after launching operations in the country in October.

Melbourne, Australia-based band Glass Beams signed to Ninja Tune ahead of the release of its new EP, Mahal, which is set for release on Mar. 22. The band’s booking representatives are Wasserman agents Brad Owen and Tom Windish in North and South America and Wasserman’s Michael Harvey-Bray for the rest of the world, excluding Australia and New Zealand, where the group is repped by James Ware at WAT artists.

Alt-rock band Dexter and the Moonrocks signed with Nashville-based Severance Records, a division of Big Loud Rock. Its first single on the label, “She Likes Girls,” was released Wednesday (Feb. 14). the band is represented by Mike Krug at WME and manager Chris Schoemann at Lion’s Claw Entertainment.

Rapper and singer-songwriter TK Kravitz (“Ocean”) signed with MNRK Music Group for management. Currently without a label, Kravitz is also represented by VA Premiere Booking out of Atlanta.

MNRK also signed Cleveland-based alternative metal band A Killer’s Confession to its MNRK Heavy imprint globally. “Greed,” the first single under the deal, will be released on Mar. 15, with an album slated for fall. The band is represented by booking agent Andrew Goodfriend at TKO.

French-born singer, model, dancer and actor Lucky Love signed with UTA for live representation worldwide, excluding France. Love released his debut EP, TENDRESSE, in April 2023; he is signed to Belem Music.

Country singer-songwriter Jenna Paulette signed with indie label Leo33. Her debut album, The Girl I Was, was released in March 2023.

Sugar Pit, the rock project of Carbondale, Ill.-based artist Kian Stevens-Winston, signed with Atlantic/Good Luck Have Fun. His debut single on the labels, “Pay Me,” releases on Wednesday (Feb. 21).

Country singer-songwriter Carson Wallace signed with Red Light Management, where he will be represented by Enzo DeVincenzo and Anthony DeVincenzo. Wallace also recently signed a global publishing deal with Relative Music Group in partnership with Sony Music Publishing.

UTA signed Nasvhille-based country singer-songwriter Ian Harrison, a contestant on season 22 of NBC’s The Voice, for global representation in all areas. Harrison is managed by Zach Beebe at OTR Management and Laurel Kittleson-Cobb at Rainier Entertainment. He currently has no label.

Singer and actress Freya Skye signed with Hollywood Records, a division of Disney Music Group, as well as Disney Music Publishing as a songwriter. Skye, who will next appear in the fourth installment of Disney’s Zombies film franchise, previously represented the United Kingdom in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with the single “Lose My Head.” She will soon record her debut album. Skye is represented by Link Entertainment.

Singer-songwriter Jenna LaMaster signed a management deal with Maverick Nashville. She previously signed to Sheltered Music for publishing. Her representative at Maverick Nashville is Marne McLyman.

WHY&HOW partnered with Audio Up and Audio Chateau Records to manage Uncle Drank, the fictional character created by Audio Up founder Jared Gutstadt and voiced by Will Sasso. The character was first created for the hit Uncle Drank podcast, on which he was voiced by Sasso. Uncle Drank will release a debut album titled Eternal Sunshine of the Tropical Mind via Audio Chateau and Virgin in June, to be followed by a tour. “In the spirit of Spinal Tap and Cheech and Chong, the album will thrill music aficionados and comedy nerds alike with plenty of beer, babes, bananas, boats, bong hits and most importantly beaches,” reads a press release.

Production, label, artist management and publishing company Handcraft Entertainment partnered with long-running Japanese label and entertainment conglomerate B Zone Japan, which signed Handcraft artist Anna Aya. Her debut single, “Someone Else,” was produced by Louis Bell and Michael Africk. The single was distributed by Virgin Music globally, with the exception of Japan. Aya is also a model who has worked with Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Valentino, Fendi and Louis Vuitton and appeared in numerous advertising campaigns.