Management
Page: 10
Rosalía has a new manager.
The Spanish superstar has signed with Jaime Levine of Seven Mantles for global management, sources tell Billboard. Rosalía was previously managed by Rebecca León of Lionfish Entertainment, with whom she parted ways this past February after a five-year relationship.
Levine spent over a decade managing global superstar Shakira but recently transitioned from management into a senior advisor role for the Colombian star on ongoing projects, sources say. By all accounts, the two continue to have an amicable professional and personal relationship. Shakira, who was named Billboard’s Woman of the year during the first-ever Billboard Latin Women In Music event in May, is currently recording a new album and planning a new tour for 2024. She is slated for a star Q&A at Billboard’s upcoming Latin Music Week.
Rosalía’s albums have earned a combined 747,000 equivalent album units in the United States, according to Luminate, with 880 million on-demand official streams across her catalog, 84,000 albums sold and 98,000 song downloads.
She also has seven entries on the Billboard Hot 100, the latest of which — “Beso” with Rauw Alejandro — is her highest-charting there, peaking at No. 52. She also has 21 entries on Hot Latin Songs, including seven top 10s; 10 entries on Latin Airplay, of which eight reached the top 10 and seven hit No. 1. Her 2022 release, Motomami — her third studio album — ruled Latin Pop Albums for 25 weeks, making it the longest-leading Latin Pop set this decade. The album earned Rosalía her first and only entry on the Billboard 200, debuting and peaking at No. 33 in April 2022; it also received the Latin pop album of the year award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Rosalía was poised to launch her international tour at the time of her split with León, with stops at major festivals including Coachella and Lollapalooza Chile and Argentina. The Spanish star continued successfully with her touring plans, amidst much speculation about who would eventually take over as her manager.
Rosalía’s Motomami tour, her first-ever global trek, included 66 performances in 21 countries across three continents. The “Saoko” singer performed to nearly two million people around the world, according to a press statement. The tour ended with a July 22 performance at Lollapalooza Paris, where Rosalía gave an emotional speech.
“The blessings that Motomami has given me are endless,” she told a crowd during the tour. “Many of you discovered me thanks to this project, thanks to this album. I’m so thankful to all of you. I don’t know what the next chapter will look like, there are some ideas but I don’t know. Only God knows.”
Demi Lovato has a new manager. The superstar has signed with Brandon Creed and his newly-launched firm Good World Management. At the end of August, Billboard broke the news that Lovato had parted ways with Scooter Braun‘s SB Projects in July. Lovato signed with Braun and his SB Projects firm in 2019. She was previously […]
Coldplay’s former manager, Dave Holmes, is suing the band for more than £10 million ($12 million) in damages and outstanding payments, according to documents filed in the London High Court.
Holmes managed Coldplay for more than two decades, helping the British group become one of the world’s biggest rock acts prior to being dismissed by them in late 2022.
In legal papers filed in the U.K. courts, which have been viewed by Billboard, attorneys for Holmes say he is suing the four members of Coldplay — Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin — for more than £10 million ($12 million) over the defendants’ “failure and refusal to comply” with the terms of their management contract. News of the lawsuit was first reported by Variety last month.
The dispute centers around a proposed contract agreement that Holmes says the band entered into with his California-based management company, DHMC, relating to Coldplay’s yet-to-be-released tenth and eleventh studio albums and related tours, which the former manager claims he is due unpaid commission on.
According to the lawsuit, filed Aug. 11 in the U.K. Business and Property Courts, Coldplay received an advance of £35 million ($44 million) for its tenth album from Warner Music Group-owned Parlophone Records. Holmes says he also negotiated advances of £15 million ($19 million) each for the group’s subsequent two studio albums as part of the extension of Coldplay’s recording contract with Parlophone, signed in June 2021.
One month later, Holmes was paid £1.5 million ($1.9 million) by the band, representing his 10% commission fee from the initial £15 million advance payment Coldplay received from the label for its tenth album. Holmes was paid a further £1.5 million ($1.9 million) in October 2021 but says the band still owes him outstanding commission from the record company advances.
In addition, Holmes claims he is due payment for “extensive services” his company carried out relating to the prospective albums and touring schedules prior to his termination as manager.
These services allegedly include scheduling, marketing, budgeting, sponsorship and ticket pricing for the U.S., Asia and Australia legs of the 2022/23 “Music of the Spheres” world tour, as well as work on the band’s next two releases, such as arranging writing and recording sessions in Jamaica and London and preparing promotional campaigns.
Listed among the services Holmes says he and his team carried out for Coldplay’s as-yet-unscheduled tenth album are budgeting and marketing activities, clearing an instrumental sample from musician Hal Walker, arranging a recording session on a film set in Boston, and liaising with producer Max Martin’s manager to arrange recording and production sessions.
Holmes also claims that preparatory work was carried out around possible touring scenarios in 2024/25, including meeting with promoters.
According to legal papers filed by Holmes’ attorneys, Coldplay argues that a contract agreement for the band’s tenth and eleventh albums was never concluded and that commission deals between Holmes and the group for any of its previous nine albums, including the group’s first two releases, expired at the end of last year.
Although the cause of the fallout between Holmes and Coldplay is not detailed in the lawsuit, court documents do reveal that Coldplay asked Holmes to step down from managing the band in June last year and instead become head of touring, whereby he would receive commission on touring and live performance revenue but forgo payment on recording or publishing revenue.
According to the lawsuit, in September, Coldplay’s solicitors wrote to Holmes to inform him that the head of touring proposal was no longer on offer and his involvement with the band was to officially end Dec. 31, 2022. Since then, the band has been managed by long-term associates Phil Harvey, Mandi Frost and Arlene Moon.
Holmes is now asking the U.K. courts to determine if the so-called “Albums 10/11 Agreement” stands and for Coldplay to pay him any outstanding commission, as per its terms. Alternatively, his attorneys are asking that Holmes receive “reasonable remuneration in respect” of the services he carried out for the multi-million-selling British band.
“Dave Holmes successfully managed Coldplay for more than 22 years, steering them to be one of the most successful bands in music history. Now, as the legal case shows, Coldplay is refusing to honor Dave’s management contract and pay him what he is owed,” says Holmes’ lawyer, Phil Sherrell, in a statement provided to Billboard.
Representatives for Coldplay confirmed with Billboard that Holmes’ management contract with the four-piece expired at the end of 2022 “at which point they decided not to start a new one. The matter is now in the hands of Coldplay’s lawyers and the claims are being vigorously disputed.”
Last week, news broke that Ariana Grande had split with longtime manager Scooter Braun. This followed news that former SB Projects client Demi Lovato had parted ways with Braun. Since, we also confirmed that Idina Menzel has left the roster. At first, a source familiar with the situation called news of Grande’s departure “rumors.” They […]
Justin Bieber‘s and Scooter Braun’s success has been inextricably intertwined since 2008 when Braun discovered the then-13-year-old singer on YouTube, got him signed to Usher’s record label and became his manager. Braun made Bieber’s career, and vice versa, and their once-flourishing business relationship was arguably the catalyst for Braun adding Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, J Balvin, Idina Menzel and many others to the management roster at his SB Projects, and the subsequent sale of its parent company Ithaca Holdings to Korean K-pop entertainment giant HYBE for $1.06 billion in April 2021 and his appointment as HYBE America’s CEO that followed.
But since then, Braun has moved his focus away from his management business and onto growing HYBE, shepherding massive deals like its $300 million purchase of hip-hop company Quality Control in February. That shift is one factor that’s had Bieber actively looking at how he might extract himself from that relationship with the help of his new music lawyer, David Lande, and prompting Braun’s other star clients to exit as well, sources tell Billboard. Grande is also planning to part with Braun on friendly terms, more because she’s “excited to go in a different direction” and because she’s “outgrown him” than because of his C-suite distractions, a source close to her says: “It’s time for something new.” Menzel, Balvin and Lovato departed earlier this year, on good terms as well, sources say.
But even for the world’s biggest superstars, leaving your manager is easier said than done — and Bieber and his lawyer are still exploring all their options, sources tell Billboard, with a full split not guaranteed. Bieber’s latest moves have included firing his agency, CAA, and hiring a new music lawyer — Lande at Ziffren Brittenham — to replace Aaron Rosenberg, whom Braun had helped hire. (Michael Rhodes, a partner at the Cooley law firm remains Bieber’s general counsel.)
Lande, these sources say, has been looking at how to extricate Bieber from the management agreement with Braun, but there’s a major complication: Bieber is still under contract for about four more years, following a series of amendments to their deal made three years ago, sources say, and standard management contracts tend to favor the manager. To get out entirely free of obligations, an artist must often show that their manager breached the agreement — which generally includes acting outside of an artist’s best interests, such as financial impropriety like siphoning funds. And only in the most extreme examples does a manager being unavailable or unreachable count. (Were that the case, Braun’s team at SB projects would likely give him significant cover: Braun’s lieutenant, Allison Kaye, has been running management as president of SB Projects since 2016.) Sometimes there are performance metrics, but given Bieber and Braun’s stature in the industry, that’s unlikely, music lawyers say.
“If you’re talking about a case where the artist is just no longer content with their current manager and wants to get out of their management deal, they have a high bar to clear,” says entertainment attorney Larry Katz. “The only chance an artist would have is if they can demonstrate a well-documented pattern of failure by the manager.”
That said, many managers and lawyers agree that it is not in anyone’s best interest to hold an artist in a contract against their will. “Slavery is not a thing,” says one manager.
A scenario like this usually results in the artist and manager striking a new deal that involves a lump sum paid to the manager; a commission on future monies made from deals in which the manager was involved; a sunset clause that gives the manager a gradually decreasing percentage of earnings from such deals — or, likely, a combination of these.
Perhaps because of these complications, sources familiar with some of Bieber’s business dealings say he is focused on resolving his predicament with Braun and would not begin a serious search for new management until that objective is completed — or may not seek a new manager at all.
Otherwise, Bieber would need to shoulder the cost of paying two managers until his agreement with Braun either expired or was dissolved.
A new manager would also face limited options for finding new income opportunities. Bieber is still under a recording contract with Def Jam as he currently works on his seventh studio album, meaning there’s no new multi-million-dollar label deal on the immediate horizon. He also sold his publishing, artist royalties from his master recordings and neighboring rights to Hipgnosis for over $200 million earlier this year. And he remains under contract with AEG Presents, which has promoted his concerts since his inaugural My World Tour in 2010.
Under that AEG deal, Bieber likely owes the promoter any advances paid for his tours that haven’t been recouped. This would likely include an upfront signing fee paid to AEG to promote Bieber’s tours, as well as a per-show guarantee — some or all of which would be recoupable against the tour’s ticket sales. These financial obligations are usually settled somewhere between the early planning of the tour and while it’s in progress, but Bieber’s situation is more complicated. That’s because he has repeatedly rescheduled or canceled touring plans over the past three years due to the coronavirus pandemic and personal health issues, which could mean that his deal with AEG has yet to recoup its obligations.
Still, sources agree Bieber remains an appealing client, because of the kind of influence that comes with his superstar stature.
As for the status of Bieber and Grande’s relationship with SB Projects, sources close to Braun’s camp say both artists are under contract but are currently working out new deal structures to account for Braun stepping into his larger role as HYBE America CEO. Sources close to Bieber and Grande say they are also working out new deal structures for the many business ventures they undertook while at SB — in preparation for their potential departures.
“It might take several years for Bieber to wrap up whatever deals he has with Braun and SB Projects, but he’s still a very attractive client,” says a major talent agent executive unassociated with the artist. “He’s young, he’s a proven superstar and he’s motivated to work and make money.”
Additional reporting by Dave Brooks and Elias Leight.
Sandbox Entertainment Group’s estate management division, Sandbox Succession, is now representing the Loretta Lynn estate, it was announced Thursday (Aug. 24).
The division will manage the Country Music Hall of Famer’s estate, in partnership with the Lynn family, in areas including film, TV, theater, music recordings, licensing and more.
Led by Jason Owen, Sandbox Entertainment oversees the careers of artists including Kelsea Ballerini, Faith Hill and Little Big Town. Sandbox Succession, which launched in 2021, manages the estates of Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, the Carter Family and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty.
“Loretta Lynn is the original Queen of Country music, and it is a true privilege that her family has entrusted Sandbox Succession to preserve her precious legacy,” Sandbox Entertainment CEO Owen said of Lynn, who died on Oct. 4, 2022, at age 90.
“We are happy to partner with Sandbox Succession to not only represent but also perpetuate the amazing legacy of our mother’s career,” added the Lynn family.
“With Sandbox Succession, we strive to place our clients at the intersection of historical importance and cultural relevance,” added Sandbox Succession president Josh Matas. “We are thrilled to apply our proven strategies to bring Loretta Lynn to new audiences and celebrate her further with existing fans.”
Following Lynn’s passing in 2022, Sandbox Productions and CMT gathered artists to celebrate Lynn’s life and career with a public memorial service, titled Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Loretta Lynn. The service aired on CMT from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House.
Sandbox Succession also recently revealed Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience, a tour that features video footage of Cash from episodes of The Johnny Cash TV Show with the accompaniment of a live band and vocalists. Also in the works are a documentary on the life of June Carter Cash and a television series honoring Petty’s racing legacy.
As Doja Cat teases a Sept. 1 release on her Instagram and prepares to drop her third studio album, she and her co-manager Gordan Dillard are doing it with a new business arrangement in place.
The “Say So” singer parted ways with the management arm of Wassim “Sal” Slaiby’s SALXCO earlier this year, sources say, after her contract expired with the company. She follows Dillard who left SALXCO last year for an executive A&R role at Capitol Music Group, while continuing his management role with Doja Cat. He is co-managing her with Josh Kaplan at Good Day Management.
Kaplan has been working with’s management Doja Cat since 2018 and Dillard since spring of 2019.
Though Doja Cat is no longer on Slaiby’s management roster, she and her managers will continue to utilize SALXCO’s artist services, sources say, and the various parties remain on good terms.
SALXCO continues to be the management home of The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Diddy, Swedish House Mafia and Bebe Rexha, among many others.
A representative for Doja Cat declined to comment.
Doja Cat is fresh off the release of two summer singles: the hip-hop-forward “Attention,” which debuted at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June, and the Dionne Warwick-sampling “Paint the Town Red,” which recently bowed at No. 15 (and stayed there in its current second week). Both are expected to appear on the star’s upcoming fourth album on RCA, believed to be titled Scarlet. In a cryptic Instagram post early Wednesday (Aug. 23), Doja hinted at something coming “9.1.23” — with no further context.
A 24-date “Scarlet Tour” kicks off Oct. 31.
The new album follows her 2021 album, Planet Her, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and produced a number of Hot 100 top-10s including “Kiss Me More,” “Need to Know,” “Woman,” and “Vegas.” She scored a No. 1 hit with the Nicki Minaj-featured version of “Say So,” originally off her 2019 sophomore breakthrough album, Hot Pink.
In a recent Harper’s Bazaar cover story, the rapper-singer-songwriter-producer expressed a desire to add more hyphens to her job title. “I would have to stop the music for a minute,” she said. “But I would be down to immerse myself in acting for a certain period of time. I love comedies and action films.”
Scooter Braun’s name has been making headlines over the past week, as a number of his superstar clients have parted ways with his management company, SB Projects. Sources close to the situation told Billboard on Tuesday (Aug. 22) that Idina Menzel parted with the manager amicably earlier this year. Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande also left their deals with SB Projects this year. It is […]
Scooter Braun is poking fun at himself amid news that a number of celebrities have parted ways with his management company, SB Projects. “Breaking news… I’m no longer managing myself,” he tweeted on Tuesday (Aug. 22). Breaking news… I’m no longer managing myself — Scott “Scooter” Braun (@scooterbraun) August 22, 2023 In 2021, Braun sold […]
Idina Menzel parted with manager Scooter Braun at the beginning of the year, sources close to the situation tell Billboard, adding the actress and recording artist to the growing list of Braun’s clients who have recently departed his management company, SB Projects. Another source says the “amicable” split happened last year. Menzel announced she had […]