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As a kid, I dreamed of being a unicorn. Now that I am one, I recognize I’m just one of the herd. When I gaze at festival lineups, skirt cables backstage, log onto Zoom meetings with labels or give the post-COVID elbow bump before settling down for an in-person, women are still scarce. We make up a fraction of the music industry, both in presence and recognition. However, we are here and always have been.
The world of jazz is a microcosm within the industry, but it mirrors the greater whole. While the majority of celebrated titans are men, the smattering of women in the pantheon are often finely coiffed, smiling behind mics and backed by an entirely male band. However, people need to take a closer look. For example, Louis Armstrong wouldn’t be an international icon without wife Lillian ‘Lil’ Hardin Armstrong. She was a celebrated pianist, composer/arranger, bandleader and singer in her own right long before taking Louis under her wing. Yet, few know her name.
There are countless other women in front of and behind the scenes who remain obscured, despite the valuable contributions they’ve made to the music and business. How do we bring the overlooked to center stage and expand the spotlight? Enter Grammy- and Tony Award-winning singer-songwriter-actress Dee Dee Bridgewater and The Woodshed Network.
Bridgewater launched this artists residency in 2019 with me as co-artistic director and program curator. We‘re steadily building community, providing support and educating cohorts of women in jazz. The annual 10-day program (Feb. 27-March 10 this year) is bolstered by a who’s who of women executives, creatives and legends including Sheila E., Lizz Wright, Regina Carter, Maria Schneider and more. Alumnae are busy topping charts (Lakecia Benjamin’s “Phoenix”), releasing albums (Candice Hoyes’ “Nite Bjuti”) and winning Grammys for arrangements and compositions (Marta Sanchez’s “Unchanged” on Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards. Vol. 1).
However, this is just one piece of a very large puzzle. Before you can hold space, you have to create it. The most enduring line from the 1989 movie Field of Dreams can be applied to jazz and the industry more broadly: “If you build it, (s)he will come.” Across the world, various programs are creating spaces for women in all sectors of the industry … and women are joining in droves.
Here are a few tangible examples of those fields plus several accompanying myths that spring to mind. So let’s get down to busting those myths, shall we?
Myth 1: There are no women sound engineers.
Women may make up only 2.1% of engineers, but they’re flipping all the right switches and turning award-winning knobs. Examples: Woodshed mentors Jett Galindoand Grammy winner Jaclyn “Jackie Boom” Sanchez. This dynamic duo has been with the program since its launch, breaking down process, equipment and production in all formats from recording to release. Organizations like Women in Vinyl, SoundGirls and Women’s Audio Mission are also training, supporting and getting gigs for women in sound recording, mixing and mastering.
Myth 2: No women run labels or produce music.
Betty Carter launched BetCar Records in 1970. Dee Dee Bridgewater launched DDB Records in 2006. Jazzmeia Horn launched Empress Legacy Records in 2020. Lizz Wright launched Blues & Greens Records in 2022. All produce and release projects on their own labels with distributors. Some 15% of women in the industry overall run labels, while even fewer produce their own material at 2.6%. Throw in songwriting and they figure into that 12.5%. These are just four examples among countless others.
Myth 3: People don’t care about jazz.
Tell that to the Nice Jazz Festival (founded in 1948, France), Monterey Jazz Festival (f. 1957, USA), Festival International de Jazz de Montreal (f. 1959, Canada), Montreux (f. 1967) and New Orleans & Jazz Heritage Festival (f. 1970). They’re all going strong. Globally, jazz is one of the most sought-after genres. Ella Fitzgerald said it best: “Music is the universal language.” Yet, when you turn up to one of these festivals, only 14% of the headliners are women.
Considering that women comprise over 49% of the world’s population, influence more than 80% of purchases and are set to hold 66% of consumer wealth in the coming years, this is not a demographic to ignore.
Something is amiss.
So how do we fix it?
1. Start at the beginning organizationally and include women.
When Woodshed took the Keychange pledge (the global campaign committed to gender equality in the music industry), we realized that we’d already surpassed the goal line. Women make up 90% of our team and 100% of our mentees, mentors and speakers. We have precisely zero problems finding leaders in every category and facet of the music industry who are women. There is so much pent-up desire to mentor and pay it forward that we have a year’s-long list of women who have approached Woodshed to participate on both sides of the table.
2. Make larger tables and bring folding chairs.
When organizations make it central to their mission to include women, not for tokenism, but in acknowledgment of their contributions, experience and expertise, they’re stronger for it. Echo chambers may be good for vocal effects, but they’re terrible for healthy businesses and communities. A quick internet search yields pages of results for women in various fields of the music industry. Let your fingers do the walking and hire more women in all positions. It’s not a capitulation, it’s a sound investment in your organization’s future.
3. Free the unicorns.
Once individuals and organizations take stock of their own houses, they can look outward to the community. The ripple effect is positive in all aspects. By creating, maintaining and ensuring the health of spaces inclusive of and specifically for women, The Woodshed Network is investing in the future. A thriving jazz community fosters dynamic exchanges of ideas and, in its highest form, democracy. Women belong on the bandstand, behind the scenes, and in C-suites. We’re providing support, resources, visibility … and space. What will you do? It’s time to crossfade into the thundering hooves of unicorns.
Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski is the founder and president of Bridgewater Artists Management and co-artistic director and program curator of The Woodshed Network.
Sources: USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s “Inclusion in the Recording Studio?” by Dr. Stacy L. Smith, Dr. Katherine Pieper, Hannah Clark, Ariana Case & Marc Choueiti, Jan. 2020. Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship’s “Women in the U.S. Music Industry: Obstacles and Opportunities” by Becky Prior, Erin Barra, Sharon Kramer, Ph.D. “Music Festivals’ Glaring Woman Problem” by Alanna Vagianos, Huffington Post. “Tracking the Gender Balance of This Year’s Music Festival Lineups” by Rob Mitchum and Diego Garcia-Olano, Pitchfork. Keychange PRS Foundation’s “Keychange Manifesto: Recommendations for a gender-balanced music industry”; designed by Ian Robson and Infographics by Jon Stanbrook.
This is Signed, a new biweekly column that rounds up artist signings at labels, agencies, management companies and more.
Melanie Chisholm, better known as Melanie C aka “Sporty Spice” of the Spice Girls, joined the roster of management company Various Artists for global representation; her U.S. agent at the firm is Matt Luxon. According to a press release, Melanie C has co-written a total of 11 No. 1 singles in the U.K. Her booking agent in the U.S. is Marty Diamond of Wasserman Music, while her booking agent in the U.K. is Alex Hardee, also of Wasserman Music.
Boston rapper Rich Amiri (“Walk In,” “Poppin” featuring Lil Tecca) signed with 10K Projects imprint Internet Money Records, which released his new album, EVOLUTION, on March 17. Amiri is represented by manager Nissim Hershkowits at After Life Presents and MAC Agency for booking.
The Frontmen — a country band comprised of Lonestar‘s Richie McDonald, Little Texas’ Tim Rushlow and Restless Heart‘s Larry Stewart — signed with BMG/BBR Music Group, which will release new music from the band this year in addition to re-recorded versions of the members’ greatest hits outside the group. The trio also signed with Marc Oswald and Charlie Pennachio at Oswald Entertainment Group for management, Kaleb Tooker and Greg Janese at UTA for booking, Don Murry Grubbs at Absolute Publicity and business manager Clyde Bright.
Singer-songwriter Greylan James signed with BMLG Records, which released his brand new track, “Undermine,” on Friday (March 24). He’s also represented by Brandon Morlock, Will Hitchcock and Clinlt Highem at Morrish Highamm Management and Kevin Meads at WME in Nashville.
Lo-fi/R&B/electronica producer/drummer Ian Ewing signed with Nettwerk Music Group, which released his debut EP, Second Summer, on Friday (March 24). Another EP is slated to roll out in April. He’s managed by Paul George at Podwall Entertainment.
Country singer/songwriter Coby Hibbard (“Dying Breed”) signed a development deal with Droptine Recordings, which released his latest song, “Looking Back Now,” in February.
Electronic pop artist Daniel Allan‘s recently launched C-corp Daniel Allan Entertainment — which owns Allan’s IP, streaming, touring and Web3 income — raised a $1 million seed round to support the next stage of his career. The round was led by Coop Records with support from Palm Tree Crew Crypto, Noise DAO, Woodstock DAO and Fire Eyes DAO as well as several angel investors. Allan is represented by manager Delfina Glover and agent Phil Quist at CAA.
Austin-based “swamp-pop”/soul band Shinyribs signed with Hardcharger and Blue Élan Records, which will release the group’s upcoming album, Transit Damage, on July 14. Led by Kevin Russell, the band is represented by manager Rick Pierik at Nine Mile and booking agent Jon Folk at Red 11.
Nashville-based artist Stephen Wilson Jr. signed to Big Loud Records, which released his debut EP, bon aqua. He additionally signed with managers Alicia Jones at ALJ MGMT and Jordy Dettmer at Range Media Partners. His booking agents are Brett Saliba and Lance Roberts at UTA.
Sydney-based producer/multi-instrumentalist Skeleten (born Russell Fitzgibbon) signed to 2MR, which released his latest track, “Teenage of the Year” — a reworking of the song by Lo-Tel. He’s represented by Lucy Beaver of Melange Management; Matthew Thompson is his agent for Australia and New Zealand.
Country singer/songwriter Shelly Fairchild signed with Kill Rock Stars, which released her latest track, a cover of Loretta Lynn‘s “Fist City” with Shamir; she is currently at work on an album. She’s managed by Rochelle Shipman.
Artist/producer Trevor Horn (The Buggles) signed with PPL for the international collection of his neighboring rights royalties. Horn is managed by Paul Crockford at Crockford Management (paul@crockfordmanagement.com).
Australian/English pop artist Mereki signed with BMG, which released her debut solo album, Death of a Cloud, on Friday (March 24). Her project leads at BMG are Cydni Lynott and Ariana Rendon; she’s managed by David Zonshine at DH Systems.
Former The Voice contestant Rachel Mac signed with Capitol Christian Music Group. Mac is managed by Jonathan Sell and Carter Hammond at UEG.
Los Angeles-based artist Lauren Early signed with Danger Collective Records for her debut LP, Don’t Take My Dream Away, which is due out May 10.
Primary Wave Music has acquired the artist royalties of late Lynyrd Skynyrd founding member and drummer Bob Burns, whose credits include recordings on the band’s first two albums, 1973’s (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) and 1974’s Second Helping, plus subsequent compilations that those tracks appear on. While exact terms of the deal were not disclosed, the company said it was a multi-million deal.
In the U.S., the Southern rock band’s entire catalog has averaged 666,000 album consumption units over the last three years, according to Luminate. Of that, the band’s Second Helping album accounted for almost 182,000 units over that time period, while the historical data for the first album was unavailable from Luminate at press time. Those albums include many of their signature songs, namely “Free Bird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Gimme Three Steps,” and “Simple Man.”
“Lynyrd Skynyrd’s first two albums are timeless and are celebrated to this day,” Primary Wave Music’s svp of business & legal affairs Samantha Rhulen said in a statement. She goes on: “To have Bob Burns’ contribution to this iconic music as part of our catalog is an incredible honor and the team at Primary Wave will ensure that his legacy is recognized by generations to come.”
Burns died in a car accident on April 3, 2015 in Cartersville, Ga. at the age of 64. The band’s last surviving original member, Gary Rossington, died earlier this month at 71.
According to Luminate, Skynyrd has garnered 27.1 million album consumption units in the U.S. According to the Primary Wave announcement, the band has been ranked on several best-of lists, including Rolling Stone‘s “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” — and in 2006, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Primary Wave continues to be a leading buyer of legacy rock and R&B. In the last six months, it has acquired entirely or an interest in the publishing and/or recording artist royalty income streams in the catalogs of Doors members Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, punk icon Joey Ramone, songwriter and E Street Band member Stevie Van Zandt, and Huey Lewis and The News.
Prophets Over Profits, a Brooklyn-based art collective that raises funds and awareness for marginalized voices, will hold its sixth annual charity event on Saturday (April 1) at immersive Brooklyn venue ArtsDistrict Brooklyn.
Inspired by the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C., the collective’s mission is to empower more femme-led experiences, inspire consistent activism and encourage financial transparency in fundraising. This year, Prophets over Profits is supporting Girls Write Now, an organization thatbreaks down barriers of gender, race, age and poverty to mentor and train the next generation of writers and leaders for life.
Themed “Ain’t Foolin’ Us,” this year’s event will feature bands and DJs including Lion Babe, Hot Honey Sundays, SUSU, Synead, Big Body Kweeng, Miss Sabado and Hannah Noelle performing at ArtsDistrictBrooklyn, formerly known as House of Vans. The sprawling venue will feature local vendors and music in the main hall, a skate yard next to the East River, and art for sale curated by local woman-owned gallery The Locker Room. Girls Write Now mentees will be sharing powerful poetry while local comedians Kate Robards and Glorelys Mora will be curating two comedy hours in the Gallery Space.
At the event, guests can taste delicious meals catered by Beck + Call with cocktails by Ilegal Mezcal, mocktails by Curious Elixirs and brewskis by Heineken Silver. Taxi cab app Curb is offering a $5 discount to guests.
Prophets Over Profits founder Dani “SLOWKEY” Slocki, an award-winning producer and founder of virtual space vSpace, each year chooses a new organization that aligns with the collective’s mission.
“I recently learned that less than 3% of authors in the US are women of color. If we want to change the #StatusBro we must change the narrative by directly investing in diverse narrators,” says Slocki. “That’s why we’re proud to raise funds and awareness for the Girls Write Now.”
“Most investors and funders are men, which is why the majority of funds invested or donated will continue to be into other male lead businesses and nonprofits unless we call out unconscious bias,” she adds. “I truly believe most people want to help but they would rather have a trusted voice guide them than do their own research. I’m here to be that trusted voice.”
For those who can’t attend, vSpace is debuting the ArtsDistrict virtual twin to host a re-broadcast of the show. No hardware or app download is required, allowing anyone, anywhere, on any device to attend. Visit popdonate.com to learn more.
Scenes from the 2022 Prophets Over Profits event.
Sasha B Photography
The largest publicly traded music companies gained this week as investors digested the impacts of another increase in the Federal Reserve’s benchmark interest rate.
Billboard‘s Global Music Index rose 2.1% this week to 1,213.30 despite 11 of its 20 stocks being in negative territory. Shares of Universal Music Group, the most valuable component of the 20-stock Index, rose 6.7% to 22.82 euros ($24.58). K-pop company HYBE rose 4.5% to 187,500 won ($144.70), Warner Music Group improved 4.3% to $31.50, SiriusXM rose 3.6% to $3.77 and Spotify was up 1% to $128.30.
The Index’s greatest gainer was streaming company LiveOne, which climbed 13.1% to $1.12. On Tuesday, LiveOne said it is extending the record date for the previously announced spinoff of its PodcastOne subsidiary to April 7. “We expect the special dividend and trading of PodcastOne to begin in April,” said Robert Ellin, LiveOne CEO and chairman. The company also announced it gained 136,000 paid subscribers since Jan. 1, to more than 2 million monthly paying members, and plans to reach 2.75 million subscribers by the end of the year.
Broadcast radio company Audacy, a relatively small component of the Index, had the week’s biggest decline of 21.4%. On March 16, a B. Riley analyst cut the price target for Audacy shares from 50 cents to 10 cents. The stock closed at 11 cents per share on Friday and is down 52% year to date.
The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank raised its benchmark interest rate a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday — from 4.75% to 5% — and suggested additional hikes may not be needed “to return inflation to 2% over time,” the Federal Open Market Committee said in a statement. That decision sent markets into negative territory on Wednesday: both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite fell 1.6% while the S&P 500 dropped 1.7%. But stocks rallied on Thursday and Friday. The Dow finished the week up 1.2% while the Nasdaq composite and S&P 500 rose 1.7% and 1.4%, respectively.
Maureen Loughran was named director/curator of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings — the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian — effective Monday (March 27). Loughran, who is currently senior producer of the nationally distributed public radio series American Routes, will also oversee the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. She succeeds Daniel Sheehy, the former director of Smithsonian Folkways, who had come out of retirement to serve as interim director for the past two years. Loughran can be reached at LoughranME@si.edu.
Better Noise Music promoted senior label manager Trish Sterling to vp of marketing; UK & Europe promotions manager Claudia Mancino to international director of press & promotion; senior vp of finance Harris Masood to CFO; and director of financial operations Chekesha McCalla to vp of finance. Also promoted was Dan Sears to director of production and Michael Filippone to finance manager. Additionally, the company hired Michael Lombardi as head of production and development; Paolo Bettaglio as senior director of digital marketing & audience growth; Elisa Nye — hired by Bettaglio — as senior manager of digital marketing & audience growth; Chandler Booth as marketing manager; and Liam Kay as production coordinator. Mancino can be reached at claudia@betternoise.com.
Kobalt named Lindsey Lanier as vp of creative and Desi O’Meara as director of creative. The Los Angeles-based Lanier most recently served as vp of A&R at Motown Records and the New York-based O’Meara was most recently director of A&R at Columbia Records.
Various Artists Management appointed Joe Etchells as head of A&R and artist development, effective April 2. Etchells will be based between the company’s London and Los Angeles offices, reporting to CEO David Bianchi and U.K. managing director John Dawkins. He will work across the company’s artist management, music publishing and label operations. Etchells joins from EMI, where he served as A&R director. He can be reached at joe@variousartistsmanagement.com.
Jon “Ando” Andolina launched The Francis June Group for management, bringing with him flagship client, Big Loud Records artist Larry Fleet (“Where I Find God”). Andolina was previously co-founder/partner at Good Company Entertainment alongside Jake Owen and Keith Gale. Andolina can be reached at ando@thefrancisjunegroup.com.
Jammcard — styled as a LinkedIn for the music industry — announced the launch of Jammcard Films. Filmmaker Jack Piatt, who was originally director of operations for Jammcard, will serve as president of the new division, while Caroline Hoste — a partner at Piatt’s Highway West Entertainment as well as a Jammcard advisor — will serve as vp. Meanwhile, Jammcard founder Elmo Lovano will fill the role of executive producer. Forthcoming Jammcard Film releases include the feature-length documentaries Immediate Family directed by Denny Tedesco and Trap Jazz directed by Sadé Clacken Joseph. Piatt can be reached at Jack@highwaywestent.com, Hoste can be reached at Caroline@highwaywestent.com and Lovano can be reached at elmo@jammcard.com.
On-air personality/podcaster/producer Ashley Eicher launched her own media company, AE Entertainment, which will provide story consulting, media coaching and content creation for clients. She can be reached at ashley@aeentertainment.co.
Nashville Notes:
International Bluegrass Music Association executive director Pat Morris resigned from his post effective March 24, allowing him to move out of state to address family medical issues. Former executive director Paul Schiminger will handle the role on an interim basis … T.J. Dula joined iHeartMedia/Raleigh-Durham, N.C., as senior vp of sales. She was previously Disney ABC Television Group digital sales director. The five-station Raleigh cluster includes country WNCB … Pandora senior director of country programming Johnny Chiang added SiriusXM country programming to his job description … Subscribe to our weekly Country Update newsletter for more Music City news.
After coming together with Adidas in 2018 to relaunch her athleisure brand Ivy Park, Beyoncé has parted ways from the sportswear giant, in a move that sources tell The Hollywood Reporter was mutual.
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The split was reportedly due to creative differences between Ivy Park and Adidas, with Beyoncé excited to “reclaim her brand, chart her own path and maintain creative freedom,” The Reporter writes.
During what Adidas referred to as “a partnership of a lifetime,” Ivy Park launched several collections, with the first launching in April 2019. The drop was fully equipped with a massive PR campaign involving closet-size traffic-cone-orange boxes being sent to celebrities including Missy Elliott, Cardi B, Kendall Jenner, Angela Bassett, Ciara, Reese Witherspoon and Hailey Bieber.
Despite the glittery promotional content, Ivy Park apparently did not live up to the hype Adidas was anticipating when they initially promised Beyoncé “guaranteed annual fees and creative control,” according to a Wall Street Journal piece from February. Instead of producing the hundreds of millions in revenue that Adidas expected — the company hoped Ivy Park would perform similarly to Ye’s Yeezy brand — Ivy Park releases undersold, with roughly half of the merchandise from five of the six releases remaining on shelves.
The Wall Street Journal article also indicated differences in strategy between Adidas and Ivy Park when it came to marketing, with the German multinational corporation pushing for their own branding. At the end of 2022, Ivy Park was predicted to reach $40 million in sales, down from $93 million the year prior. Although Adidas was positioned to lose at least $10 million in 2022, Beyoncé was set to make the same amount in compensation as previous years: $20 million.
Beyonce launched Ivy Park in 2016 with Top Shop owner Sir Philip Green. When the partnership ended in 2018, Bey’s Parkwood Entertainment acquired full ownership of the streetwear brand. Despite the breakup, Beyonce has much to look forward to considering the frenzy surrounding her upcoming Renaissance World Tour, kicking off in May. The mega-tour has already caused mayhem among fans eager to see the superstar IRL and will begin in Stockholm, spanning dates throughout Europe and North America.
Billboard has reached out to reps for Beyoncé and Adidas for comment.
Multimedia Music secured a $100 million investment “uplift” from its group of investors and lenders, including Metropolitan Partners Group, Bardin Hill, Pinnacle Bank and Regions Bank, according to a press release. That grows the company’s total funds raised to $200 million. Multimedia Music also announced a deal to acquire the catalog and income streams of Emmy-winning composer Sean Callery (Homeland, 24, Bones). Launched in 2022 and led by music industry veterans Phil Hope and James Gibb, Multimedia Music with the goal of acquiring catalogs of film and TV music rights from production companies, composers and other rights holders. The company says it has so far spent over $120 million on acquisitions, including the catalog of film composer James Newton Howard and the film music library of STX Entertainment, which it purchased in February.
Reactional Music, a startup specializing in music personalization for video games, licensed the catalog of Merck Mercuriadis‘ Hipgnosis Song Management. Reactional owns patented technology that allows any music to be brought into a video game, where it reacts live to various elements in the game, including visuals and sounds — thereby creating a “personalized” experience for gamers. Reactional tracks all music use across the platform, while its Reactional Engine does not alter, mix or edit the music master. It previously partnered with Tuned Global, Musiio and Blokur for music delivery, consistent tagging and rights management of all music and sounds. “The intersection of games and music is incredibly exciting,” said Reactional Music president David Knox in a statement on the Hipgnosis deal. “Commercially it presents opportunities for both industries with in-game purchases; creatively it is compelling for artists, composers, and games developers to work more closely. And it’s not just new game releases. Reactional’s platform enables curation and personalisation of music in existing games franchises as part of a seasonal refresh.”
Chrysalis Records signed a global agreement with Secretly Distribution that covers all physical and digital distribution for the label’s frontline releases moving forward, including new projects from Laura Marling, Emeli Sandé, Ben Harper, William The Conqueror, The Wandering Hearts and more. The first release under the deal is The Endless Coloured Ways – The Songs of Nick Drake.
Digital electronic music store Beatport struck a partnership with blockchain network Polkadot to launch Beatport.io, a digital collectible marketplace that will bring “electronic music culture to Web3,” according to a press release. Developed and designed in collaboration with Define Creative, Beatport.io will launch on Aventus, a Web3 solutions provider in the Polkadot ecosystem. The new platform will allow record labels and artists to create and sell digital assets and engage with fans. In addition to the launch, Beatport and Polkadot will collaborate on 10 events over the next 18 months, each held to celebrate the launch of a new NFT collection accessible via Polkadot-integrated wallets. The events will be produced by Beatport and “take place alongside major music and Web3 events,” according to the release.
The Orchard acquired Above Board, a dance and electronic music distribution and artist/label services company. Under the deal, Above Board’s roster will have access to The Orchard’s full suite of distribution and artist and label services. Above Board founder/managing director Dan Hill will report to The Orchard managing director Ian Dutt as he continues signing and developing global dance/electronic talent for the label. The Above Board team is now based in The Orchard’s U.K. headquarters. The Orchard’s roster of dance labels also includes Liquid State/Dimitri Vegas, Amtrac, TMRW Music Group and Rose Avenue.
Recently-launched live events company LiveCo acquired faith-based concert promoter Transparent Productions, which works with Christian and gospel music artists including Phil Wickham, CeCe Winans, Casting Crowns and For King & Country.
The Warner Music Group/ Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund bestowed a $150,000 grant to Janelle Monáe‘s nonprofit, Fem the Future, which has a mission to create opportunities for under-resourced girls and non-binary youth of color in music, the arts and education. The grant will serve as a pilot for a longer-term collaboration between the two organizations. “This grant will enable Fem the Future to scale up its programming; elevate the power and brilliance of Black girls and non-binary youth; and ensure greater access to life-changing opportunities,” said Warner Music Group/ Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund executive director Lorelei Williams in a statement.
Universal Music Central Europe partnered with Web3 music company Centaurify. Under the deal, Universal Music Central Europe will release a series of exclusive, limited-edition collectibles celebrating its artists’ achievements. As streaming numbers grow for artists included in the collection, the collectibles will “evolve,” according to a press release. The collectibles will also grant pre-sale access to future collectibles in the series as well as access to exclusive releases from artists. The first wave of collectibles will be available this year in Norway and Sweden, with more countries to be announced soon.
The U.K. office of digital music company Believe signed a long-term label solutions partnership with drum and bass label Hospital Records for Believe’s new b:electronic imprint. Believe will distribute Hospital’s entire catalog of more than 5,300 tracks to its global network of DSPs while offering audience development services to support growing Hospital’s international reach, including video channel management and strategic support from dedicated genre specialists on Believe’s label management and DSP editorial and marketing partnerships teams. Upcoming releases to be distributed under the deal include albums from P Money x Whiney, Metrik, Hugh Hardie and Flava D. Believe also boasts partnerships with other electronic labels including Metalheadz, Shogun Audio, Cr2 Records, Greco-Roman, Knee Deep in Sound and Southern Fried Records.
Warner Music Czech Republic renewed its partnership with and invested in local hip-hop label Mike Roft to help expand its roster’s global reach. Under the deal, Warner Music will become the sole distributor for Mike Roft’s roster, including Czech superstar Calin — also a shareholder in the company alongside fellow Czech artist D-Kop and video director/graphic designer Radim Zboril. All three will continue to lead Mike Roft as an independent label. Mike Roft is also home to artists including Conspira, KOJO, Indigo and STEIN27.
Voyage, a talent consultancy founded by music executive Spencer Moya, has been acquired by digital-focused talent management firm Select Management Group. In partnership with Select, Voyage will now expand its offerings to encompass artist management services across music, TV/film, creative and fashion. The Los Angeles-based Moya will continue running Voyage as a standalone enterprise within Select.
ASM Global and Frost Bank struck a multiyear deal that names Frost as a founding partner for San Antonio Boeing Center at Tech Port. As part of the agreement, Frost is now the official commercial banking partner for the 130,000-square-foot convention center, which has renamed the premium lux level at the arena as Frost Club.
Independent sales, marketing and distribution company Republic of Music signed a global delivery services deal with distribution management platform Labelcamp. Republic of Music’s label partners — including City Slang, Full Time Hobby and Ghostly — can now upload new releases, manage their catalogs and access daily trend analytics from Labelcamp’s white-label dashboard, while the company’s operations and marketing teams are using Labelcamp to manage release submission from partners and ensure their delivery to DSPs. Labelcamp’s other partners include [PIAS], Because Music, Concord Music Group and Ditto Music.
Bettie Levy remembers “all kinds” of music playing in her parents’ Washington, D.C., household while she was growing up. And when she was finally allowed to go to the local shopping mall by herself while in middle school, she kept up the family tradition.
“I would take any dollar I earned anywhere and come home with singles and cassette tapes,” Levy recalls with a laugh. “Ultimately every birthday, I always wanted something relating to music. Then after CDs came, tower racks took over my room. So I think it was pretty much a given that I was going to do something in music.”
And she did. After several career-evolving stints at Sony Music, in 2009, Levy affixed her initials to her own enterprise. Focusing on live events and brand partnerships, New York-based BCL Entertainment encompasses all music genres, as well as A-list talent ranging from artists and Broadway stars to film/TV actors, athletes and influencers. And it’s all in service to a client roster that includes brands, hospitality companies, TV/digital production companies and charitable organizations.
Last year, according to Levy, BCL Entertainment logged the most events in the company’s nearly 14-year history. Its string of multiple talent-production projects commenced in January 2022 with the launch of the ongoing national ad campaign for Folgers coffee, featuring Grammy-winning artist Trombone Shorty. Last fall marked the second season of BCL’s collaboration with sports apparel company Fanatics and its merch line from Grammy-winning country artist Darius Rucker and the NFL. According to Levy, the Darius Rucker X NFL By Fanatics clothing line was among the top five NFL men’s apparel lines during the football season throughout the Fanatics network of websites. In association with Fanatics’ in-house event planners, Levy was also a producer of the company’s 2022 Super Bowl party performances featuring Doja Cat and other artists.
BCL Entertainment kicked off 2023 with Levy again working on Fanatics’ 2023 Super Bowl Party, which showcased performances by J Balvin, Travis Scott, The Chainsmokers and A$AP Ferg, among others. Coming soon is a new national ad campaign for Meow Mix — featuring *NSYNC’s JC Chasez and a feline boy band created by the cat food brand — that will air across broadcast, cable and digital outlets. Meanwhile, Calissa Sounds, a summer concert series staged in the Hamptons that BCL co-created with the Civetta Hospitality Group, will return this year (last year’s event included Fat Joe and Wyclef Jean). BCL is also looking forward to another season of Darius Rucker X NFL By Fanatics in the fall.
Still running is the award-winning ad campaign done on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Co.’s Jif peanut butter brand, for which BCL Entertainment served as talent producer. Featuring rap icon and Atlanta native Ludacris, the 2021 commercial spun off several offshoots including a TikTok campaign that has generated 7 million campaign-related views to date, an original song (“Butter ATL”) released on all DSPs, a limited-edition necklace and a charity partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The Jif team went on to win four awards at the 2022 Cannes Lions ceremony for the campaign.
BCL’s steadfast mission, says Levy, is to “authentically match talent with brands and events. Then the rest is simple. The best brand/event and talent relationships are the ones that aren’t forced.”
A case in point is the Folgers commercial with Trombone Shorty. The process began with two key questions: Who could vibe well with the ad’s theme song — a reworking of the Joan Jett & the Blackhearts classic “Bad Reputation” — utilized in an effort to prove the 170-year-old coffee product is still cool to drink? And, in turn, who could also bring a New Orleans flair, given that the brand, also part of the Smucker family, is headquartered in The Big Easy? The ensuing chemistry between Folgers, NOLA native Trombone Shorty and Jett led to BCL pitching, closing and structuring Folgers’ sponsorship of Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown Tour in 2022, as well as the musician’s one-off show in New Orleans last April with special guests that included Jett herself.
“Jif and Folgers are examples of multi-dimensional campaigns in which one thing leads to the next between events and brand partnerships,” says Levy. “When you’re touching all the creative points and everything comes full circle like that, it’s pretty incredible.”
Besides authenticity, agility is another component of BCL Entertainment’s operational philosophy. As it was from the start, Levy continues to utilize a team of four to five key people, allowing her to “flex up or down as needed, bringing in staff and partners for different projects, as well as using local vendors to keep costs at bay.” That agility, Levy adds, came in handy during the pandemic: “When everything pivoted to virtual, we were able to move swiftly and adapt; meeting clients, brands and entertainers where they were in that moment.”
BCL’s ability to move quickly and adapt is tied to one more foundational component: Levy’s long-term industry relationships. While attending Boston University, Levy interned with Sony Music. Literally the day after graduation, she started working full-time in the radio promotion department at Columbia Records in New York. A gig as the label’s video booker followed, as did a more senior booking role at Epic Records. Then in 2007, Levy joined former Sony Music Label Group CEO Don Ienner’s label and production company, IMO Entertainment, as director of business development.
“By being at Sony, I built relationships on steroids,” says Levy. “It was just so exponential between the people and talent that I was meeting and working with. Going from that corporate environment to the entrepreneurial space at IMO, along with having been taught at home that anything is possible … the combination of all those experiences put me in the position to take the risk and start BCL Entertainment. What forever holds true and allows me to continue to succeed — no matter the evolution of the industry — are relationships.”
SPOTLIGHT:
What’s changed most in my line of work is that after having BCL Entertainment for nearly 14 years, I feel surrounded more regularly by female executives. As a matter of fact, there are a few companies we partner with where all the executives are women. That’s awesome to see as well as be part of. Also, the prevalence and importance of events and brand partnerships have grown exponentially over the past 20-plus years. Every event and brand partnership today has — and often needs — talent attached, particularly for press and social media reasons. The latter has become invaluable and is a very different form of promotion than when I started in the business.
What most people don’t understand about what I do is they often think it’s easy because every day looks like so much fun. And it is fun because I love what I do. But there are usually 752 things going on in my mind at once and it’s all hard work. Each and every client is my No. 1 priority — at the same time.
I would tell people coming up in this industry that it’s tough. But keep your head high; operate with transparency and class; and build and nurture relationships, because it’s the business of “know who” more than “know how.” Also always remember, one opportunity leads to the next. Explore every opportunity, as you have no idea where it will take you and who you will meet next.
The best advice I received is from my dad; I quote him all day long. Some of my favorites: “You only need one ‘Yes’; and no means ‘Not now.’” “Don’t give up. Ever.” “If you want to get something done, ask the busiest person you know. Busy people get everything done.”
I’ve learned it’s important to be loyal, be honest and be yourself and you will always win. Also, if you aren’t learning, you aren’t growing.
Spotlight is a Billboard Business series that aims to highlight those in the music business making innovative or creative moves, or who are succeeding in behind-the-scenes or under-the-radar roles. For submissions for the series, please contact spotlight@billboard.com.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Mushroom Group, the mighty, Melbourne based-independent music company, sends-out the invitations to its 50th birthday party, an occasion that will include a “once-in-a-lifetime” all-star concert.
A raft of releases, both musical, visual and branded merchandise, will drop in the lead-up to the major live event, set for November.
The action starts from today (March 23) with the release of The Temper Trap’s interpretation of The Church’s Billboard Hot 100 hit “Under The Milky Way,” the first in a collection of starry covers of classic Mushroom songs.
In the weeks ahead Missy Higgins, Bliss n Eso, Paul Kelly and others will share their contributions, which, ultimately, will form a Mushroom 50 compilation album.
Founded in 1972 by a then 21-year-old Michael Gudinski, the Mushroom brand has shaped Australia’s music culture ever since.
Today, the group is a two-dozen-strong collection of affiliates active in every conceivable area of the music and entertainment industries, from touring to booking agencies, publishing, merch and marketing services, venues, exhibition and events production, neighboring rights, branding, labels, talent management and more.
Matt Gudinski is now at the helm of the group, as CEO, following the passing of his father Michael in 2021.
The Mushroom 50 concert, says Matt Gudinski “will feature a huge line-up of sensational artists, celebrating some of Australia’s most iconic songs – this will be a once in a lifetime event.”
He continues, “We’ve teamed up with some of the best artists in the world to deliver these reimagined Mushroom hits. Each artist is bringing their own distinct sound and vision to their cover. I’m sure you’ll love them.”
A snapshot of the Mushroom Group story is told in a 90-second promo, which carries the strapline “50 Years of Making Noise.” Keep an eye out for cameos from the likes of Missy Higgins, Jimmy Barnes and Ed Sheeran, whose most recent tour of Australia, produced by Mushroom Group’s Frontier Touring company, was a record-smasher.
The celebration continues with the release later this year of a feature documentary on Michael Gudinski, a legendary character whose death was mourned by many of the giants he worked with, from Paul McCartney to Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and his bestie, Ed Sheeran. The film project, which traces MG’s remarkable life and career, was green-lit last year and will premiere in cinemas across the country.
Also, a limited-edition range of Mushroom 50 merch is now available on mushroom50.com.
“This news is just the beginning,” reads a statement, “expect more exciting announcements to come in the months ahead.” The line-up, venue and ticket details for the anniversary concert will be revealed in due course.