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Following his 2023’s breakthrough album, Whitsitt Chapel, Jelly Roll has become a country superstar widely embraced for the former rapper’s confessional, salvation-seeking songs and his larger-than-life personality, as well as his redemption arc as a former convict.
As he began promoting and releasing songs from his follow up release, Oct. 11’s Beautifully Broken, Jelly Roll also made it very clear on social media that debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 would be the realization of a dream. That dream came true this week, when the set entered atop the chart with 161,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. for the week ending Oct. 17, according to Luminate — the artist’s best week ever by units and the third-largest week, by units, for any country album in 2024.
The work began more than a year ago, as Jelly Roll began writing and recording songs for the new album. He worked closely with Katie Kerkhover, vp of A&R for Nashville-based BMG/BBR Music Group (which released the album in conjunction with Republic), whose own background as a musician helped inform her work with Jelly Roll. And her contributions to Beautifully Broken help earn Kerkhover the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
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Here, Kerkhover discusses the making of the album from the “vision” Jelly Roll took into its creation, his sense of purpose in recording every song and the intention behind picking his duet partners from several different genres, as well as the non-stop promotion efforts that brought it over the line.
Beautifully Broken debuted at No. 1, something that Jelly Roll made clear was his goal. What decisions did you make in the making of the album that you felt would increase its chances for a No. 1 debut?
Jelly has a very strong vision for the impact he wants to make with his music. It has a purpose. Every song he writes has a purpose. Making sure his heart and the gravity of his messages was the constant that was guiding everyone was critical in making the album. Encouraging those involved, who have their fingerprints on it with him, to bring that emotion out of their own contributions was vital. Making sure the production and mixes were mirroring Jelly’s emotions. He was creating until the absolute last moments, so having trust in each other when we were counting the hours on the final touches was also extremely important. Don’t forget, he was finishing this album while he was in the middle of tour.
This album was a joint project with Republic. What was the division of duties in terms of the A&R?
Jelly started working on this album in 2023. He had already defined a solid foundation and clear direction, so when Republic joined the team, we all knew what we were aiming at. There wasn’t so much a division of duties as more of how we work together to add the most value to Jelly. What strengths do we have separately and together to elevate his vision and hit his goals.
Was there a mission statement from the moment you started recording tracks for what Jelly Roll wanted the album to be?
There wasn’t any more of a mission statement than what you hear him continuously say, “I make real music, for real people, with real problems.” When we started to go through songs in 2023, we listened to every song he had written and focused on the ones with the strongest impact. Did we feel something? One of the things I admire most about Jelly is he always comes back to the purpose and to the why. “Why am I cutting this song? What purpose is it filling on the album and in the lives of others?”
Jelly Roll duets with a number of artists, country and otherwise, on Beautifully Broken, including Halsey, Keith Urban and Wiz Khalifa. How were his duet partners chosen and how does the diversity of the artists broaden the album’s appeal?
The collaborators were chosen by who Jelly felt the song would resonate with. Who would be the best person to add their talent and continue to elevate the song? As far as the broader appeal, Jelly is a huge music lover and that’s why you see so much diversity in his collaborators on this album. I think it’s only natural that the appeal is broadened because he creates without boundaries and, ultimately, the human factor is what connects all of us. Fun fact: he also knows more about the history of songs, artists and genres than anyone I’ve met, so his well of potential collaborators runs deep.
“I’m Not Okay” tackles mental health and is a Hot 100 hit for Jelly Roll. How has that song brought him a new audience?
We all have times we struggle and are not okay. The message of this song transcends genres and resonates deeply with listeners. Jelly has the courage to share his personal struggles through candid lyrics, revealing a vulnerability that really enables him to connect with a broader audience, including those who may not have been familiar with his earlier work.
There are several different configurations of Beautifully Broken, ranging from 14 to 28 tracks. How was the sequencing for each project decided to convey a cohesive work no matter what variation fans were buying?
We selected the initial 14 as the first collection for vinyl because he was still writing. The sequencing is tied together by the overarching message that Beautifully Broken is a reflection on his experiences with mental health and addiction, and the idea that winning comes from losing. The road to atonement has no shortcuts and there will be highs and lows along the way. It all began once he selected “Winning Streak” to be the opening track of the album.
Beautifully Broken achieves the third largest week for a country album in 2024, behind Beyoncé and Post Malone. What does that mean to Stoney Creek/BBR?
Jelly’s success speaks volumes about the incredible connection he shares with his audience. His fan base is broad and deeply passionate, showing up in full force for every project. This relationship helps fuel our growth as a team, pushing us to innovate and strategically add resources that make sense. Our collaboration with Republic on this project is one example.
But the real driving force behind this achievement is Jelly himself. The sheer amount of work he poured into creating and promoting this album is nothing short of mind blowing. For two months leading up to its release, Jelly didn’t have a single free minute. Every ounce of his energy was devoted to making this album the best it could be, and the results speak for themselves. His work ethic, paired with the passion of his fans, made this project a true success.
You come from a publishing background. How did that help you approach picking songs for this album?
I’ve had a long and extensive career as a touring musician, having played violin since the age of four. Before I turned 20, I was performing hundreds of shows a year with Nashville artists like Sara Evans and Billy Currington, playing at the biggest country festivals and stadiums.
What I set out to do was take my real-life musical experience and transform it into a tool to help songwriters and artists master their craft. A great example of that is from late 2020 when I joined BMG as a publishing A&R. One of the first things I did was bring in the incredibly talented songwriter/producer Austin Niveral, just as the label was signing Jelly Roll. I immediately saw the potential for the two to collaborate, [then-BMG Nashville president] Jon Loba recognized my strengths and ultimately appointed me to lead A&R for the label side. As we know, Jelly and Austin would go on to write the massive hit “Need A Favor” from Whitsitt Chapel, and they continued their partnership with Beautifully Broken, setting the tone for the album with “Winning Streak.”
Time to drop the needle on the latest Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music.
Read on for mostly good news and also check out Billboard‘s annual list of music’s highest compensated executives, plus our weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive, our helpful calendar of notable events, and have you ever wanted to look at tchotchkes inside the office of an executive while reading their in-depth answers to the most important questions facing the biz? From the Desk Of is probably your jam.
Sphere Entertainment announced the departure of David Byrnes, the company’s executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. Byrnes will remain in his role during a transition period while the company searches for a new CFO. The NYC-based media executive has been Sphere’s finance lead since January of this year and held that same position at MSG Entertainment before that. During his tenure at Sphere and MSG, he has played a key role in major transactions including the spin-off of MSG Entertainment, the sale of a majority interest in Tao Group Hospitality, and two stock offerings. Byrnes joined MSG following a nearly 14-year run in senior roles at CBS (and later ViacomCBS), rising to executive vp of corporate finance and then exiting prior to the company’s name change to Paramount Global in early 2022. Byrnes has not announced his next move.
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Sphere Entertainment, which opened its spectacle-invoking Las Vegas venue in September 2023 with U2’s residency, has since hosted live-wired artists including Phish, Dead & Company and current residents Eagles (they play tonight and tomorrow), and multimedia shows like Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth. During its fiscal year ending June 30, Sphere reported $273.4 million in revenue and full-year revenue of $1.03 billion, nearly double the prior year’s $573.8 million.
Meanwhile…
BMG appointed Melanie McAllister as its global chief human resources officer (CHRO), effective Nov. 1. Reporting to CEO Thomas Coesfeld, she will join the executive board and oversee key HR functions across 20 offices, including hiring, performance, development, DE&I and aligning HR strategies with overarching business goals. McAllister brings extensive experience from her previous roles as Chief People Officer at EasyPark Group and Megaport, and nearly a decade as Chief HR Officer at Arvato. She has also held senior HR positions at Oracle and other global tech firms and holds a Master’s in Strategic HR from Liverpool JM University and serves on the board of ENABLE Trust. Coesfeld expressed enthusiasm for McAllister’s role in shaping BMG’s future, adding “Her expertise, vision, and proven track record of combining innovative thinking with people excellence will have a transformative impact on our company.”
Johnny Pinchard was promoted to head of A&R at Believe UK, advancing from his role as senior A&R Manager. Reporting to Malena Wolfer and Panos Polymatidis, he’ll continue working from the London office. Since joining Believe from RCA Records in 2021, Pinchard has signed notable artists like Sea Girls, who reached No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart, and rapper Blanco, who has earned over 140 million streams in less than a year. He also signed Grammy-nominated electronic artist HAYLA, who won Vocalist of the Year at the 2024 EDMA’s. Pinchard is committed to developing new talent, including Sainte, Leon Vynehall, Grace Davies, and Sevdaliza. Believe UK Managing Director Alex Kennedy praised Pinchard as being “absolutely vital in identifying, signing and developing a wide range of artists that have formed the cornerstone of our success and that fit the Believe ethos perfectly.”
Jessica Vaughn
Raedio appointed Jessica Vaughn as vp of creative synch sales, a new role at the audio company. Vaughn will lead efforts to expand Raedio’s music library and sync services, aiming to deliver “Audio Everywhere.” Her responsibilities also include developing growth strategies for Raedio’s one-stop music library and collaborating with industry partners to secure music placements across film, television, advertising and gaming. Outside of her day job, Vaughn is a veteran singer-songwriter who gained attention in the late aughts as Charlotte Sometimes, releasing her debut album on Geffen and appearing on the sophomore season of The Voice. She now performs and records under the name LACES. In 2023, Vaughn penned a guest column for Billboard advocating for more creatives joining executive ranks across the industry.
Canvas Music onboarded former Spotify UK & Ireland managing director Tom Connaughton as partner and senior advisor of the independent boutique distributor. Connaughton joins to support Canvas Music’s mission of offering artist-centered, indie label-like distribution services. Canvas was launched in 2020 by Richard Lyne, who said the company’s goal is to “provide a great service with a great product but with more focus and less volume.” Connaughton expressed excitement about joining and highlighted the potential of Canvas to bride the gap between artists, tech and audiences in a “fair, artist-centered way.” Connaughton hit the exits at Spotify in late 2023 after five years in leadership roles at the streaming giant. Prior to Spotify, he served in various roles at Vevo.
Ineffable Records appointed Sage Ressler as head of synch, effective immediately. Ressler previously worked at Spirit Music Group, where she negotiated licensing deals and secured placements across a plethora of media formats. At Ineffable, she will work with marquee artists across the reggae, indie and Caribbean music spaces, including Sean Paul, Sublime, Govana, Protoje and Bob Marley: One Love star Hector “Roots” Lewis. Ressler will lead the label’s first formal synchronization department, which will focus on securing high-profile placements for the label’s catalog across film, TV, advertising, gaming and more. “The opportunity to help shape and lead the synch department feels like a natural next step for both myself and the company,” said Ressler. “Synch has become a uniquely powerful tool for storytelling, and it’s opening doors for artists in ways we’ve never seen before.” –Kyle Denis
NASHVILLE NOTES: Opry Entertainment Group promoted Jordan Pettit to vp of artist relations and Jenn Tressler to director of artist and industry relations. Pettit, who joined OEG in 2018 and has been instrumental in initiatives like Opry NextStage, will now lead OEG’s artist relations team, developing programs to strengthen artist and fan connections. Tressler has built strong industry relationships since joining OEG in 2020 and will continue to focus on creative artist engagement strategies, especially for the Grand Ole Opry … Rachel Derosia has been promoted to senior vp of comedy at Outback Presents. She’ll work with co-CEO Brian Dorfman and co-svp Joel Bachkoff to expand the division. The Rochester, NY native started her professional career in music, working at Sony Music before shifting to comedy at Zanies Comedy Club, later joining Outback Presents as a coordinator. She has managed and produced numerous tours, helping comedians transition from club to theater-level performances … Chandler Thurston joined Position Music’s A&R team as the first hire for their new Nashville office. Previously, he was senior creative director at Anthem Entertainment, managing talents like Jamie Paulin and Meghan Patrick, and overseeing hits such as Florida Georgia Line’s “Talk You Out of It.” Before Anthem, Thurston worked at Major Bob Music, where he helped sign and develop writers like Alysa Vanderheym. He’ll be based at Position Music’s Nashville office, set to open in Q3 of 2025.
Jaime Kelsall joined Paladin Artists, effective immediately, reuniting with former colleagues from APA and The Agency Group. Based in Los Angeles, Kelsall brings over 20 years of experience, having represented clients like Dionne Warwick, Fitz and the Tantrums, ZZ Ward, and Michelle Branch. She began her career as an intern at the House of Blues in New Orleans, later working at Absolute Artists Agency in San Francisco, where she met Paladin partner Bruce Solar. Kelsall then joined The Agency Group in Los Angeles before spending over 20 years at APA. “We are all thrilled have the talented Jaime Kelsall join our team at Paladin,” said Solar. “We are excited to have her continue her journey with us that started so long ago and bringing her expertise and professionalism to our company.”
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Fairchild Media Group, a division of Billboard parent Penske Media Corporation, promoted Jim Fallon to chief content officer for WWD and FMG. Fallon, with 45 years of industry experience, will oversee editorial and content creation for FMG’s brands, including WWD, Beauty Inc, Sourcing Journal, and Footwear News. Reporting to CEO Amanda Smith, Fallon will focus on enhancing brand positioning, expanding audiences, fostering collaboration, and developing new editorial products. Fallon previously served as editorial director of Fairchild Fashion Media and held leadership roles at Fairchild Publications, including editor of WWD.
ICYMI:
Eric Wong
Warner Music said Eric Wong will shift from chief marketing officer to the role of global head of A&R, recorded music. He’ll also assume the presidency of East West Records. As part of that transition, WMG’s evp of global marketing Jessica Keeley-Carter has been promoted to chief marketing officer, recorded music … Chris Moncada is promoted to COO at MNRK Music Group … and former C3 Presents promoter Sophie Lobl was named vp of Rolling Stone Live. [KEEP READING]
Last Week’s Turntable: Sweet Relief Makes It Official With Executive Director
Former BMG executives Dominique Casimir, Maximilian Kolb and Justus Haerder have formed a new rights company, umn — pronounced “human” — that will be based in Berlin. The new company today announced a forthcoming project from German pop star Max Giesinger, whose new album Menschen comes out Sept. 13. But the company will operate […]
BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld says taking his company’s digital distribution in-house and operational changes — two initiatives launched during his first year at the helm — are paying off.
The Berlin-based music company reported on Wednesday (Aug. 28) that it generated 459 million euros ($491.7 million) in revenue in the first half of 2024, marking an 11.1% increase from the year-ago period thanks to strong growth in digital income streams. Digital revenue, which contributed nearly 70% of BMG’s overall revenue for the period, rose 20.3% in the first half 2024 compared to 2023, as BMG exited a contract with Warner Music Group (WMG) and moved oversight of its digital distribution business in-house.
“This move is paying off,” Coesfeld tells Billboard of taking control of BMG’s 80-billion stream digital business. BMG now has greater insight into its streaming data, which enables it to provide “better marketing insights, more timely campaigning and iterations of that campaign [and] better tools around fandom” to its artists, who include Jelly Roll, Kylie Minogue and Mustard, Coesfeld says. Also, BMG saves money not paying fees to WMG’s ADA.
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“One or two years ago we had this plan, we said this is what will happen,” Coesfeld adds. “And [these earnings] show it works.”
BMG’s first-half organic revenues grew by 12.5% while operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) — a closely watched measure of growth — rose by 35.5% to 122 million euros ($130.7 million). EBITDA margin was 26.5%, up from 21.7% in the first six months of 2023. BMG’s catalogs again underpinned that margin figure, as the company acquired 10 catalogs during the first half of the year. Details of those deals were not disclosed.
The close of the first six months of 2024 coincided with the end of Coesfeld’s first year as CEO. After taking the reins of BMG from longtime CEO Hartwig Masuch on July 1, 2023, Coesfeld has set a tone that communicates BMG is open to change, even if it means taking advantage of artificial intelligence and collaboration with historic rivals.
“We figured only if we anticipate trends a little earlier do we have a chance to win in this very competitive market,” Coesfeld says. “We are looking at a fundamentally attractive market that is growing. It is driven by tech and if we adopt it and don’t fight it there is huge opportunity for BMG and artists.”
One example of this approach is BMG’s partnership with a generative AI lab at Munich’s Technical University, through which they have successfully launched a pilot program that uses gen-AI to market BMG’s deep catalog. Students at the lab generated short videos that have proven to be more cost efficient and effective at getting the audience to engage with the music.
Last fall, BMG also began a structural reorganization that included letting go of around 40 employees. It was a “tough period… but a business necessity” and part of a broader strategy meant to help the company respond quickly to industry trends, Coesfeld says.
“The operational changes, which we enacted — digital distribution, better able to monetize our repertoire and catalogs and our reorg, which is complete, is making us way more agile and faster in delivering our service and making decisions,” he adds. “We are much more agile on a day-to-day.”
BMG has appointed Celine Joshua to the newly created role of executive vice president of global marketing, putting the industry veteran in charge of the company’s marketing strategy and operations across its 20 offices worldwide. The Los Angeles-based leader reports directly to BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld, who late last year unveiled a “local where necessary, global where possible” strategy that shifted much of its recorded music division into global roles.
“These recent changes further enhance our ability to deliver top-tier service to our artists and songwriters on a global scale, and we’re excited to have Celine at the helm of our marketing team,” Coesfeld said in announcing Joshua’s hiring. “Her sharp digital acumen and artistic instincts will be invaluable in identifying innovative commercial opportunities for our artists, songwriters and music catalog.”
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Joshua started her career as a music-tech futurist — her first industry job was in Warner Music’s IT department before shifting to e-commerce roles in the company’s catalog division, Rhino Entertainment. From there, she was a top digital executive at Disney Music, where she worked across Hollywood Records and Walt Disney Records, and then on to Sony Music, where she was senior vp of digital for nearly five years.
In 2018, Joshua joined Universal Music Group as GM of commercial content and artist strategy and quickly formed her own Web3-focused label — called 10:22PM because that’s when she thought of it one night. The joint venture, touted as the first Web3-based imprint at a major label, was tasked with signing and developing not just recording artists, but also social media influencers and digital creators with a focus on “advancing new forms of storytelling.” 10:22PM arguably made its biggest splash by creating KINGSHIP, a first-of-its-kind virtual act made up of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT characters.
During a five-year tenure at UMG, where she rose to evp of commercial innovation and artist strategy, Joshua also worked on projects with a diverse slate of major artists including Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Sam Smith, Snoop Dogg, Elton John and others.
Joshua is a repeat–honoree in Billboard’s annual list of high-achieving women and she cracked the top 40 of the Power 100 in 2019.
“I’m honored to join BMG at such a pivotal time in the music industry and to work across BMG’s artist roster to create exciting ways for them to connect with fans around the world,” said Josua. “I’m thankful to Thomas for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to working with the BMG team.”
Singer-songwriter K. Michelle has signed with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, home to artists including Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Jason Aldean, the company announced today (July 29).
Tennessee native Michelle grew up absorbing the music of artists ranging from Whitney Houston to The Judds. She’s released six albums so far, including her 2013 debut Rebellious Soul and 2016’s More Issues Than Vogue, both of which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. With 2023’s I’m The Problem announced as her final R&B project, Michelle has begun the process of releasing her debut country album, and putting her full expanse of musical artistry on display. She then issued songs including “Tennessee” and introduced her alter-ego, Puddin.
Michelle’s signing to BBR/BMG Nashville comes as several Black country artists continue to reach new career heights. Most notably, Shaboozey‘s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” recently topped Billboard‘s country radio-focused Country Airplay chart, and has logged multiple weeks atop Billboard‘s all-genre Hot 100, and also topped the charts in multiple radio formats. Shaboozey was among the country artists featured on Beyoncé‘s country-influenced Cowboy Carter project, which heralded both Black country music trailblazers including Linda Martell, as well rising Black country artists Willie Jones, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy. Beyoncé’s own “Texas Hold ‘Em” dominated the Hot Country Songs chart for 10 weeks.
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K. Michelle was recently featured on the project A Tribute to the Judds last year, singing the Judds’ signature “Love Can Build a Bridge” with Jelly Roll and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. They also performed the song live at the 57th annual CMA Awards in November. Last month, Michelle also performed at CMA Fest for a second time, making her Nissan Stadium debut as well performing at the Chevy Vibes Stage.
“When we first met K. Michelle, she radiated her passion for country music,” said Katie Kerkhover, vp of A&R at BMG, in a statement. “It’s the fabric of who she is because the lyrics represent truth. She’s built an incredible fanbase with her unique vocals anchored with storytelling at its heart and that is what transcends genres.”
“I have been ready. I am grateful for this moment,” Michelle said in a statement. “Rebels and Real Outlawz, it’s time! I am excited and want to thank my BMG Team. I am happy to finally sing the music I grew up on. I am a country girl at heart and can’t wait to share my country music with you.”
Welcome to another edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. While you’re here, we also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Maximilian Kolb announced his departure as BMG‘s executive vp of repertoire and marketing for continental Europe, effective at the end of the month. Kolb, who has been running things in Europe since late 2021, said the industry is in the midst of “one of its most revolutionary periods” and that it was time for a “new chapter” in his life. Assuming Kolb’s responsibilities in Europe on an interim basis will be Alistair Norbury, president of repertoire and marketing in the U.K. and Asia-Pacific regions. BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld lauded Kolb’s contributions over the years, saying “his leadership and vision have been instrumental in the growth and success of our GSA and Continental Europe operations.” Kolb joined BMG from Sony in 2012 as an A&R manager and was promoted to director A&R recorded music for Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GSA) five years later. In 2019, he was elevated to managing director of the GSA block and then snagged his most recent role in October 2021. Some of Kolb and company’s most recent wins include the acquisition of German independent label Telamo and the addition of rights packages from Jean-Michel Jarre, Tina Turner, Martin Solveig, Cro and more. Kolb has not telegraphed his next move professionally.
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Over in the U.S., BMG elevated Jen Morgan to vice president, global content & creative, executing content creation initiatives for BMG artists, as well as developing and executing marketing and sales content strategies supporting BMG’s artists and global objectives. Morgan previously served as vp, creative & imaging, and joined BBRMG in 2010. –Jessica Nicholson
Meanwhile…
Prescription Songs promoted Siara Behar and Eddie Fourcell each to vice president of A&R at the Dr. Luke-founded publisher. Behar was previously senior director of A&R and during her seven years at the company has signed or worked with a host of top writers, including Play-N-Skillz, DallasK, ALOISIO, JayM, LU KALA, Space Primates, Chloe George, Micah Premnath, Seb (1Mind). Prescribed since early 2021, most recently as senior A&R executive, Fourcell has found success with a roster that includes Grammy winner Lunchmoney Lewis (“All My Life” by Lil Durk and J Cole) and Jay-Z collaborator Fridayy, plus B Ham, Kaine, MizzyLoft and Baerose, among others. Fourcell earned his industry stripes at Mary J. Blige’s MJB Productions, where he rose from intern to head of A&R. “Siara and Eddie go above and beyond for our writers and creatives at Prescription Songs,” said Dr. Luke. “We are so grateful and proud to announce their well-deserved promotions and continued leadership roles.” Both executives report to Rhea Pasricha, head of A&R on the West Coast, and Katie Fagan, head of A&R at Prescription Songs Nashville.
PULSE Music Group promoted Steven Gringer to senior vp of A&R. Foley is celebrating his tenth year at PULSE, where in 2014 he started as an A&R coordinator for its publishing division before quickly being promoted to creative director that same year. He eventually rose to vp of A&R for publishing, his most recent title at the company, where he’s based in Los Angeles and reports to Ashley Calhoun, president. Prior to PULSE, Gringer worked in A&R at Shapiro Bernstein Music Publishing. Gringer’s portfolio at PULSE includes Noah Kahan collaborator Gabe Simon, Jack Harlow producer Angel Lopez, Latin music hitmaker Manuel Lara, cross-genre writer-producer DVLP and others. “What makes Steven really incredible as an A&R executive is his deft ability to work across genres, creating pop, latin, hip-hop and international opportunities for our roster of songwriters and producers,” raved Calhoun and co-CEOs Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham in a statement. “As we continue to take the careers of our clients to the next level, Steven’s work over the past 10 years at PULSE Music Group has been an instrumental part of this success.”
Live music company Mammoth hired Rob Owens as president of global touring and Angela Brown as president of global tour marketing. Owens was most recently vp of talent at NoCap Shows and earlier in his career held director-level gigs at AEG Presents and Nederlander Concerts — where for years he booked the historic Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Brown, who is based in St. Louis, joined Mammoth following 27 years at Live Nation, where she rose to vp of marketing and along the way helped promote tours for Beyoncé, Drake and Billy Joel, among many others.
credit: Amanda Brandl
Alyssa Kitchen was promoted to general manager of the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. The New Jersey native and self-professed former “emo kid” was previously assistant GM and director of finance at the venue. Prior to storming The Capitol (sorry), Kitchen served in senior accountant roles at Relix Media Group and Hear & There.
Jelena Grozdanich is the new vp of music at FivePointFive, a welltech app launching soon that will offer live and on-demand classes of functional breathwork. Grozdanich (GROWS-duh-nitch) is coming off a 10-year run at Sony Music Entertainment and Columbia Records, where she rose to director in the latter’s film and TV licensing division. While at Sony/Columbia, she represented a who’s-who of influential artists including Beyoncé, Adele, Miles Davis, A Tribe Called Quest and Elvis Presley, among others. During this decade, she also founded her own talent management firm (Guardian MGMT) and wellness community (TheSecret.LA). Grozdanich is based in Los Angeles.
NASHVILLE NOTES: Writer/artist development company Eclipse Music Group hired Courtney Crist as vp of publishing. She joins EMG from Anthem Entertainment, where as senior director she worked with writers including Ronnie Bowman, Early James and Brit Taylor, among others. “Courtney is a songwriter’s best friend, ultimate ally and has the best ears in the business,” said Penny Gattis, a partner at Eclipse … EastCoast Entertainment added Beth Potter to their Nashville office. Potter arrived from Downtown Band Entertainment, home of the Music City-based party band of the same name. ECE recently signed on to rep the band.
Lisa Goich recently left The Recording Academy, where she oversaw the jazz and comedy genres for the Grammy Awards, to launch her own consulting firm. LGA Creative Consulting will work with emerging artists and entrepreneurs from concept to creation on their creative projects. Prior to joining the Recording Academy in 2011, Goich worked in radio, website production (notably for Carole King) and was a coordinator and web-and-social media guru for the Playboy Jazz Festival.
Alana Battaglia joined the publicity team at The Untold. In her new role, she will manage accounts with notable clients including talent agency UTA and its new UTA Creators division as well as Don Toliver’s newly released Fortnite game Hardstone — a playable experience tied to his new album, Hardstone Psycho. Battaglia was previously director of public relations at gaming and esports organization FaZe Clan, where she led strategy and execution for internal and external facing communications and publicity. Prior to that, she was on the digital publicity team at Universal Pictures. –Chris Eggertsen
ICYMI:
Bob Bruderman
Legendary Columbia Records and PolyGram president Dick Asher passed away at age 92 … Alexis Lanternier was named CEO of French streamer Deezer, replacing interim CEO Stu Berger … HYBE promoted Jason Jaesang Lee to be the company’s new chief executive, replacing Jiwon Park … and Kobalt elevated longtime executive Bob Bruderman to the role of chief digital officer.
Last Week’s Turntable: Tree Paine’s Ex-Assistant Comes Full Circle
BMG and Cirque du Soleil have formed a partnership to handle the live entertainment company’s musical catalog, as well as explore a number of music-oriented initiatives.
The agreement calls for BMG to be the label home for Cirque’s catalog of original scores and soundtracks, administer its music publishing and jointly create new music.
The first release under the pact is the country-themed Songblazers, out today. Songblazers is Cirque’s newest production, presented in conjunction with Universal Music Group Nashville, about two characters who go on a journey to find their own path to country music stardom. The soundtrack was produced by Grammy-winning producer Daniel Tashian.
The partnership will be led by Cirque du Soleil’s new music division, Cirque du Soleil Studio, which is tasked with expanding the brand’s fan base.
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“The power of music has long been a force uniting cultures and peoples in Cirque du Soleil productions around the world. As music plays an integral part in our productions, we’re proud to finally dive into the music industry and explore this new avenue,” said Anne Belliveau, chief customer experience officer for Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “Over the last few years, BMG has brought a fresh vision to the music business, and we look forward to partnering with BMG on a variety of music-related opportunities.”
Marian Wolf, senior vp of music publishing, North America, for BMG added, “Cirque du Soleil is one of the most innovative and creative entertainment companies in the world. We are thrilled to be the new publishing and recorded music home for Cirque du Soleil and to collaborate on upcoming new releases. This will provide unparalleled opportunities for BMG’s diverse roster of artists, songwriters, and catalogs. Together we aim to celebrate and elevate global culture by showcasing diverse music releases and transforming the way global audiences discover new music.”
Cirque’s catalog includes more than 30 titles including the recordings to such popular Cirque du Soleil productions as Ka, O, Alegria, Mystere, La Nouba, Dralion, Saltimbanco, Zumanity and Quidam. (The deal does not include Love, the Cirque production based on the Beatles catalog; that title remains on Apple/Capitol. Separately, BMG has publishing and recording relationships with Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and the late George Harrison).
Cirque’s catalog has earned more than 250 million career streams in the U.S .and more than 500,000 album equivalents sold in the US alone, according to the company.
Kylie Minogue’s brilliant year keeps sparkling with “My Oh My”, her new collaboration with Bebe Rexha and Tove Lo.
Produced by Steve Mac (Calvin Harris, Little Mix, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, P!nk), “My Oh My” dropped in the small hours of Thursday morning via BMG, following teases earlier in the week.
A sophisticated and polished shot of pop, “My Oh My” lifts a few notches with its slappy, ready-for-the-club beat. On it, the Aussie pop princess flirts: “When you asked / What’s your name? / What’s your sign? / I’m Kylie, it’s Gemini / What’s your drink? Let me buy / You had me when you said hi.”
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The Melbourne-raised pop legend enjoyed an outstanding 2023, with the release of Tension, which hit No. 1 in the U.K. and Australia, and yielded the global hit “Padam Padam,” which cracked the U.K. top 10 and won an ARIA for best pop release.
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The good times carried well into 2024, with Kylie collecting the Global Icon Award at the BRIT Awards, becoming just the second woman to claim the accolade, following Taylor Swift in 2021. Also, she won a Grammy Award (best pop dance recording) for “Padam Padam,” and completed her inaugural Las Vegas Residency.
Also, Kylie signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) for live representation in the U.S. and Canada and acting roles worldwide, an alliance that should help the singer and actor to build on the success of her More Than Just a Residency show in Las Vegas, which was extended through May.
She’s all set to perform her first live show this year in the U.K., where she’s adopted as a national treasure, when she headlines BST Hyde Park in London this Saturday, July 13.
After scoring a Hot 100 No. 1 single with Kendrick Lamar for “Not Like Us” last month, Mustard partners with BMG for his forthcoming studio album, Faith of a Mustard Seed.
“I’m happy to join forces with BMG, a company known for its dedication to nurturing artistic independence, integrity, and innovation,” Mustard tells Billboard. “Together, we’ll continue to push the boundaries of creativity and deliver groundbreaking music that resonates with audiences worldwide.”
On Friday (June 21), Mustard kicked off the rollout to his fourth studio by releasing a first single, “Parking Lot,” featuring Travis Scott. Slated to drop July 26, Faith of a Mustard Seed follows Mustard’s 2019 release Perfect 10, which featured Hot 100 charting hits “Pure Water,” “100 Bands” and “Ballin.” Upon its release, the effort debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and included an all-star lineup with Migos, Young Thug, Gunna, Roddy Ricch, Future, A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, and more.
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“Mustard’s approach, coupled with a proven track record of chart-topping hits, delivers unparalleled musical experiences to audiences worldwide,” says Dan Gill, BMG’s executive vp of recorded music, West Coast. “We look forward to supporting and working alongside him as we continue to elevate his artistry and the impact of his music.”
Adds Tim Reid, BMG senior vp of repertoire & marketing: “Mustard’s anthems have consistently orchestrated the soundtrack to the Culture. Partnering with Mustard and the 10 Summers Team on his next movement is an exciting opportunity for the BMG Team to help propel his brand and turn the ordinary into extraordinary.”
Mustard recently featured at Lamar’s Juneteenth Concert celebration, which honored the West Coast. During his set, he brought out Tyler, The Creator, Steve Lacy, Ty Dolla $ign, Roddy Ricch, Blxst, Dom Kennedy, and 310 Babii. He also joined Lamar for his performance of “Not Like Us,” where the Compton rapper performed the song five times.