Management
Page: 6
Milk & Honey Music + Sports + Ventures has acquired VMG Sports, the boutique sports agency that’s home to Kansas City tight end, three-time Super Bowl winner and Taylor Swift love interest Travis Kelce along with 14 other NFL players. In a deal broked by Milk & Honey president/founding partner Lucas Keller and VMG agents […]
Two weeks ago, FloyyMenor and Cris MJ made history as the first Chileans to enter the top 10 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart since La Ley and Ednita Nazario’s “Tu Sabes Bien” did so 25 years ago. The only other Chilean artist to have reached similar heights was Myriam Hernández with 1998’s “Huele a Peligro,” which peaked at No. 5. This week, the emerging pair catapulted to No. 1, dethroning Xavi’s months-long reign with “La Diabla.”
The song making waves is “Only Gata,” a sly reggaetón number about online flirtation. According to Luminate, the viral track registered 11.11 million official U.S. streams, a 33% gain from the previous week. That landed them a No. 34 debut on the Streaming Songs chart and gave them a second week atop the Latin Streaming Songs chart. “Gata Only” also occupies No. 48 on the Hot 100. Last week it was at No. 74.
But how did two relatively unknown Chilean artists manage to not only break through on the global music scene but also clinch the top spot on the Hot Latin Songs chart? The success story begins with some strategic planning, innovative marketing and a dash of serendipity.
Trending on Billboard
Initially, FloyyMenor was a mysterious figure circulating online who had scored a few local hits. His identity was obscured and the art on his early YouTube releases was composed of car imagery, never revealing his face. “You needed to go to the nightclubs to see him,” says Adrian Mainou, artist marketing manager of Latin/U.S. at UnitedMasters.
The Latin team at UnitedMasters had been monitoring the Chilean music scene, having signed Nicko G over two years ago and being fans of Paloma Mami and Polimá Westcast. When the company’s Latin A&R lead, Gerardo Mejía — a music veteran with 30 years of experience and a former rapper/singer originally from Ecuador — began scouting the country’s music scene in the summer of 2023, he encountered FloyyMenor performing live and was captivated by the young artist’s unique appeal and the audience’s enthusiastic response.
“This kid was packing venues [with audiences] singing lyric after lyric,” recalls Mejía. At the time, FloyyMenor’s big local hit was “pa la europa,” while “Gata Only” was just a song people knew from his live shows and online teasers. Eager to sign the promising talent, Mejía had to wait until Floyy turned 18 in December.
After the signing, UnitedMasters released “Gata Only” in December — and the song began gaining traction within the first week and a half of its release. Not long after, Cris MJ — a Chilean act who had gained recognition from Karol G’s remix of “Una Noche en Medellín” featured in Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) — reached out to Floyy, expressing his love for the song and his desire to be part of it.
As Mejía recalls: “When I got back to Chile in January, [Floyy] called me and said, ‘Cris MJ loves the song.’ I said, ‘Cool. We’ll do the remix.’ He said, ‘No. He loves the song so much he wants to be the original.’ I was like, ‘My brother, if Cris MJ calls you, then get on it with their teams and go record.’ We pulled down the original and waited maybe two weeks before we released it [on Feb. 2] with Cris MJ, and the rest is history.”
In a conversation with Billboard, Mejía and Mainou provided an in-depth look at the strategic rise of “Gata Only” to the top of the Hot Latin Songs chart. See below for the full interview.
The accomplishment alone as the first Chilean acts to make the top 10 of the Hot Latin Songs chart in 25 years is already very impressive, then to top the chart at No. 1. How does that happen?
Adrian Mainou: It was a very interesting and entertaining build up. [After we officially released it], we saw social growth and began working with a press team in Chile. It was a no-brainer to see the movement on TikTok and that we needed to lean into this. So I activated the first phase of influencers with Kono Sur [marketing y diseño]. We pushed [the song] in Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador, and we were able to see a lot of reactions on YouTube from those countries. Once we saw that, we had Floyy go to Argentina and do some shows while pushing press and [involving] influencers. For an artist coming out of Chile, having the Argentina push is a very cool look; it’s a very important country to connect with. For Floyy, it was pretty easy. He loves Argentinian culture. He got in on a Monday, did a show that same Tuesday, and by Thursday it was No. 1 on Spotify Argentina.
[Publicist] Cris Nova then joins the team [and he] was able to paint the narrative with press across socials, streaming and [seeing] the bigger perspective. At this point, we activate a second phase of influencers in Mexico, who helped us create more noise. [Mexico is] the third country in his top demographic at the moment.
Activating influencers. Please explain.
Mainou: We looked at lip-synching which fueled social media content. Then we looked into dance challenges. This is where we can start connecting with other countries and going global. We moved from lip-synching to the dance challenge [because] we knew it’s an easier thing for people in other countries to tap into.
We saw a couple of fan [pages] chiming into this. It was key to leverage from this and create new [dance challenges]. We were like, “Let’s take advantage of that and work with them.” We collaborated with fan accounts on TikTok, being like, “Yo, let’s work together. Put this [song] up.” At the end of the day, it’s content that they’re pushing on an organic level.
Once we got into Mexico, it was a no-brainer to start activating DJs for the song. We did that across Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Miami, targeting different demographics. We were able to get data on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. That puts us on this new level, and the song started translating into the U.S., and it was going crazy in the U.S.
FloyyMenor is a relatively unknown artist. What is your thought process when attempting to break an unknown act into the U.S.?
Mainou: This is an independent artist, so I don’t have a lot of money. How can we take advantage of what we’re doing? I connected with the digital team to give me Mexico influencers [whose] second-biggest demographic is in the U.S. With that mindset, I can pay for the influencer Mexico fee. Then it caught U.S. growth; [Mexican influencers] have a very strong presence in U.S. Latin culture. That can cover almost every big Latin influencer in the U.S. doing the song without us having to pay. We saw the song growing to almost 20 million streams on Apple, and from that a large portion came from the U.S. That took me into this current new position where I’m starting to push specifically the U.S. The song is already here, and we know it’s [playing] in nightclubs, people doing remixes, and the DSPs are supporting. He’s gotten [on] pretty much every single cover [of official playlists on] DSPs, and social support. We’ve seen artists [using] the audio [on social media], from Kenia Os to Shadi and Malu Trevejo…as well as Trapeton, Trap House Latino, etc.
Why do you think “Gata Only” is resonating with the masses?
Mejía: The lyrics talk about TikTok, about likes, about following. I think that he hit something that resonates with the kids. To top it off, it’s such a great melody. And having Cris MJ never hurts.
Mainou: The sound is very particular. I’ve become a very big fan of the Chilean sound from “Ultra Solo” [by Polimá Westcoast and Paloma Mami] a couple years ago, and from working with Nicko G. I think the production is very Chilean, [combined] with very good vocals and great analogies.
[embedded content]
What is UnitedMasters doing different than other management and agency companies?
Mejía: At UnitedMasters, our mission is to be a tool for the artists and get them wherever they wanna get. We work with independent artists, and that has some challenges around it. Not all of them have managers, nor friends that can make them music videos; not all of them have a studio that they can record music at. We sat down with Floyy, we were able to not only get to know him but make him look at the bigger picture. We told him, “This is what we can do with you if you trust us, if you listen to us. This is where we can take you.” It’s about sitting down with the artists, understanding their needs, and being able to make a plan around it, creating a timeline.
Six-time Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier, Grammy-nominated producer Yeti Beats (Beyoncé, Doja Cat) and rapper/producer Erick the Architect, founding member of the Flatbush Zombies, are now part of the management roster at newly launched Early Hour Entertainment.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The Los Angeles-based artist management and production company is helmed by CEO Adam Fell.
Most recently president of Quincy Jones Productions, Fell has partnered with former QJP VPs Michael Peha and Thomas Duport. Peha, who worked in Warner Records’ international marketing department prior to QJP, serves as president of Early Hour. Duport, who began his music industry career in the front office of Montreux Jazz Festival, is Early Hour’s COO.
Trending on Billboard
In a statement announcing the establishment of Early Hour Entertainment, Fell said, “We are very grateful to Quincy Jones for the decades of mentorship and guidance. I am fortunate to have the two best partners on planet earth and a team that can truly accomplish anything. We are so honored by the trust that the artists have put in us, and we know that this is only the beginning for Early Hour.”
During his 20-year tenure with Jones, Fell oversaw multiple divisions including endorsements and licensing, film/TV/music production and artist management. Collier had been among the latter division’s clients since 2014. Fell also worked as an executive producer of the 2023 musical film adaptation of The Color Purple.
In March of this year, Early Hour Entertainment partnered with Jon Batiste, Mathieu Jaton and Jeremy Arditi for the inaugural Montreux Jazz Festival Miami. The three-night event will return to Miami in 2025. Early Hour has also teamed with hospitality veterans Jake Mathews and Corey McGuire, owners of Winston House and The Waterfront Venice, to open a music-themed restaurant on L.A.’s westside slated for early 2025.
In addition to Collier, Beats and Erick the Architect, Early Hour’s artist management roster includes trumpeter/composer Ibrahim Maalouf, pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, jazz pianist Justin Kauflin and producer/multi-instrumentalist Henry Was.
In the summer of 2022, Sabrina Carpenter released her Island Records debut album, emails I can’t send. Last March, she released its deluxe edition featuring four new tracks — including standout single “Feather,” which has since become the pop star’s biggest hit to date.
Following a controversial music video for “Feather” that arrived in October, for which Carpenter filmed the risqué clip inside a Brooklyn church (with approval, of course), the song has now reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart after a 24-week climb — and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.
This moment has not only been a long time coming for Carpenter, but also her manager, Janelle Lopez Genzink. The exec recalls how emails I can’t send came out just one year after the launch of her “female-focused” Volara Management firm (which operates under the Red Light umbrella), calling it “a very special season.”
Trending on Billboard
“During that year, I was laser-focused on building out Volara with a series of strategic hires that focused on digital strategies and overall artist brand building, while also maintaining a close watch on data and analytics, which transformed Sabrina’s career,” she says. And now, those years of hard work are paying off — and have helped Lopez Genzink earn the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, she talks about the success of “Feather,” Carpenter’s opening gig on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and more. “Coachella is next up,” she teases, “and the rest you’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Feather” has become the highest-charting song of Sabrina’s career, reaching No. 1 on Pop Airplay after a 24-week climb. What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
The song was written and recorded right ahead of Sabrina embarking on the North American leg of her tour. When tour rehearsals began, her live performance of the song made it clear to all of us that it was a record that would quickly resonate with her fans as well as the larger pop music audience. But instead of going straight to radio, we took an approach that was way more reminiscent of a traditional pop single campaign. She went on tour and shot a meaningful video which ultimately gave the song the momentum and recognition to take to radio. These more traditional steps supported the song’s growth and helped us continue to tell the story of Sabrina as a holistic artist.
Its music video made headlines for being filmed in a church, which led to the removal of the monsignor who approved access. How did that conversation help drive interest in the song early on — and how have you helped sustain that interest?
Every pop music star has a controversial story in their back pocket. Although not intentional, the setting of the music video clearly drove additional exposure and a pop culture conversation that reminded us of those from some of our favorite pop divas. Sabrina’s witty and intelligent humor in interviews continued the conversation and drove the social story to continue and grow the audience. As we now all know, “Jesus was a carpenter.”
“Feather” was released on her album’s deluxe edition, emails I can’t send fwd:. How has the deluxe release helped sustain this momentum?
The deluxe version of the album allowed us to breathe additional life into the campaign. Alongside the release, we strategically lined up an extension of the tour in North America, while launching Europe and Asia dates to keep the album campaign feeling fresh. The thoughtful timing of the deluxe release, aligned with the active “Nonsense” single campaign, gave us a chance to speak to both current and new fans of Sabrina’s music.
“Nonsense” was a single from Sabrina’s 2022 album emails I can’t send, which was her first release on Island after years with Hollywood Records. How did you help guide that trajectory and transition?
We took a look at each piece of Sabrina’s business — e-commerce, touring, publishing, publicity. Each area needed growth and we worked hard to evaluate and put partners in place that could support an A-level career. For Sabrina, this meant aligning with UMPG for publishing, CAA and AEG for touring, Merch Traffic for touring merchandise and Bravado for e-commerce. With these changes, we saw significant growth in all areas, including a 500% increase in sales with specially-curated merch drops — spearheaded by Sabrina and her sister Sarah — around music releases, holidays and special fandom moments.
The Island team — led by Justin Eshak, Imran Majid and Mike Alexander — worked closely alongside us for the release of emails and the early success and significant streaming story of the album gave us insight to the level of growth that Sabrina was seeing. The October 2022 emails I can’t send tour marked the beginning of Sabrina’s custom city-specific outros for her song “Nonsense,” which racked up millions of views on TikTok, a music video and a top 10 U.S. pop radio single. This launched Sabrina into a sold-out worldwide tour in 2023 that included a festival slot at Hyde Park alongside Blackpink, Lollapalooza and ended the year supporting Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour in Latin America.
Even as “Feather” climbs, “Nonsense” continues to make headlines for those city-specific outros. Did the response from fans influence which song to push heading into this year?
I think “Nonsense” in so many different ways was a fully fan-chosen hit song. It’s track nine on her album and wasn’t highlighted as a single going into the campaign. The contrast of the lightheartedness of a song like “Nonsense” on an album with a title track that’s so deeply emotional and personal made it an obvious standout to fans. Once she started doing city-specific outros, the song really took off. And once we released the Christmas version with a video spearheaded and shot at home by Sabrina and her sister Sarah, we knew it was going to be huge. I think that’s the beauty of a lot of our story with Sabrina’s rise — how the fans have played such a massive role in choosing the songs we ultimately focus on. It feels collaborative in a lot of ways.
As you mentioned, Sabrina has also been supporting Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour. What kind of boost has she gained from that exposure?
Being a guest as an opening act on the Eras Tour has been such a gift in so many ways. Sabrina has been a true fan from such a young age and being able to see that dream realized was incredible as a manager. Being able to tour internationally at that level has allowed Sabrina to play her music to so many people in such a short window of time and we’re so grateful for all the ways that has impacted her music and career.
What’s the key to managing a pop star today?
Flexibility, care and strategy. It’s about understanding your artist and knowing when to say yes to the right things and when to say no, even when it’s tough.
Artist manager and record promotion executive Eugene Ervine “Erv” Woolsey, 80, died Wednesday (Mar. 20) in Clearwater, Florida, following surgery complications.
Woolsey was best known as the longtime manager for and champion of country music superstar and Country Music Hall of Fame member George Strait, as well as for managing and championing artists including Lee Ann Womack, Dierks Bentley, Clay Walker and Ronnie Milsap.
“My manager for around 45 years and most importantly my friend for even longer, Erv Woolsey, passed away this morning,” Strait said in a statement. “He had complications from a surgery and just couldn’t overcome it. He was a very tough man, and fought hard, but sadly it was just too much. We will miss him so very much and will never forget all the time we had together. Won’t ever be the same without him.”
Trending on Billboard
Woolsey was born on Feb. 15, 1944, in Houston. After graduating from Southwest Texas State University in 1969 with a BBA degree in business, Woolsey began working in Decca Records’ promotion department. He spent time working at several labels before relocating to Nashville in 1973, when he began serving as the head of promotions for ABC Records’ newly-launched country division. There, he helped guide the careers of Johnny Rodriguez, Jimmy Buffett, Billy “Crash” Craddock, Donna Fargo, Freddy Fender and the Amazing Rhythm Aces. Simultaneously, Woolsey and his then-wife Connie owned the San Marcos, Tex., club The Prairie Rose, where Woolsey first saw and became acquainted with Strait. He immediately recognized Strait’s talent and booked him at the venue as a regular performer.
Woolsey followed his success at ABC Records with an unprecedented run at MCA during the 1980s, bringing radio success for artists including Barbara Mandrell, Don Williams, Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Conway Twitty and the Oak Ridge Boys, all of whom would become members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Erv Woolsey and George Strait
Courtesy of The Erv Woolsey Co.
In 1981, following the success of the John Travolta film Urban Cowboy and on the cusp of a new traditionalist movement, Woolsey convinced MCA Records head Jim Fogelsong to sign Strait to the label, where Strait remains to this day. On MCA, Strait released his debut single, “Unwound,” which had an undercurrent of Texas swing; the song reached No. 6 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart and launched Strait’s juggernaut career. In 1984, Woolsey left MCA and devoted himself to managing Strait’s career full-time.
Since then, Strait has earned entertainer of the year accolades spanning four decades and won a Grammy. Strait and Woolsey broke ground with the 1992 Jerry Weintraub-produced film Pure Country, as well as the stadium-sized George Strait Country Festival Tours, which began in 1995 and featured artists including Alan Jackson, The Chicks, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Womack and Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.
Though Strait has retired from traditional touring, he still plays a handful of stadium dates each year, most recently sharing his stage and audience with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town.
Along the way, Woolsey also found success as a songwriter, co-writing “In Too Deep” on Strait’s 1985 project Something Special, as well as the Hot Country Songs chart-topper “I Can Still Make Cheyenne,” which earned a BMI Million-Air award for garnering more than 1 million spins on terrestrial radio. Woolsey also developed a series of clubs and bars, including opening Nashville clubs The Trap with business partner Steve Ford and the Music Row-area mainstay Losers, which was designed as a hole-in-the-wall establishment for publishers, producers and songwriters. Losers’ success led to Winners right next door, as well as the Dawg House. Woolsey also served on the Country Music Association’s board of directors as well as the board of directors for the Tennessee Museum of History.
Late into his career, Woolsey continued his passion for developing new talent, signing artists including Ian Munsick, Davisson Brothers Band, Kylie Frey, Triston Marez, Nick Davisson, Zach Neil, Stone Senate and Vince Herman over just the past few years.
A longtime fan and passionate member of the horse racing community, Woolsey is a lifetime member of the Texas Thoroughbred Association and was a regular at Kentucky’s Churchill Downs and Keeneland, including Super Stock’s run in the Kentucky Derby Grade 1 in 2021 and Jordan’s Henny in the Kentucky Oaks Grade 1 in 2017.
Universal Music Group Nashville Chair/CEO Cindy Mabe told Billboard in a statement, “Erv Woolsey was a really special human. God broke the mold with this character who is as much a part of the fabric of country music as George Strait. He was a legendary manager, a promotion man at heart, and an entrepreneur who loved music and built his career and businesses around serving the creative community and enjoying life, a good laugh, horse races, and country music. I am honored to have known this iconic country music hero and benefit from so many of the decisions and deals he brokered on behalf of both MCA Nashville and country music in general. He will be sorely missed.”
“Without the savvy and determination of Erv Woolsey, we may never have heard of George Strait,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, in a statement. He added, “When execs urged Strait to change his image and his sound, Erv as his manager backed Strait’s determination to stay true to himself. You know the rest. Strait became a superstar who filled stadiums, and together Strait and Erv helped lead country music back to its traditions. All of us owe Erv Woolsey an enormous debt of gratitude for leading with his convictions and always supporting artists and new talent.” Woolsey is survived by his son Clint, ex-wife Connie, brother David and sister Beth. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mavis Woolsey, and brother Johnny Woolsey.
Details on funeral arrangements will be shared at a future date.
Domelipa is ready to launch her music career under her new signing with Westwood Entertainment, Billboard can exclusively announce today (March 14). She will be managed by Jorge Juárez, who currently also manages Carin León. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The Mexican influencer — who boasts more […]
Kanye West once claimed that he “can’t be managed” but that’s not the case these days as sources tell Billboard on Monday (March 11) that John Monopoly is back as Ye’s manager. A fellow Chicago native, Monopoly played an integral role at the onset of West’s career in the early 2000s as his manager. After […]
Just say the name Jennifer Lopez and surely somebody, somewhere, everywhere, will associate her with something: Films, dance, brands, hubby Ben Affleck — and, yes, music. Which is ironic because Lopez has long said music is her first love; it’s what led her to dance and, later, to acting. But as a multi-hyphenate, Lopez has never quite embraced her musicianship as thoroughly as she is now with her current, multi-pronged This Is Me…Now project.
Spearheaded by the album of the same name — her ninth studio album and first in over a decade — the project also includes This is Me…Now, a musical produced by MGM Amazon and streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime; the documentary The Great Love Story Never Told, streaming on Prime Video; and the This Is Me…Now tour, which kicks off June 26 in Orlando and will encompass 30 arena dates in the United States alone.
Trending on Billboard
“The mindset was, ‘Let’s create a Jennifer Lopez ecosystem that can push out into all the different worlds that she has traversed: her music, her filmmaking, her producing, her acting,” says her longtime manager and business and producing partner Benny Medina. “[What] does a project like that look like and how do you get the attention and placement that you can?”
The album This Is Me…Now, released by Lopez and Medina’s Nuyorican Productions and licensed to BMG, sold 14,000 copies in its debut week last week and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart. This Is Me…Now the musical was also released on Feb. 16 and was followed in quick succession by on-sale tour dates on Feb. 22 and, finally, the release of The Greatest Love Story Never Told, which arrived on Feb. 27. Coming up are more tour dates and multiple private listening sessions with fans — just one of many strategies that Lopez and Medina hope will help spread the gospel of This Is Me…Now. Vinyl, for example, which directly ties into the album’s concept of “then and now,” was a key component of its first-week sales, accounting for nearly a third of all copies sold.
Those little details, contained within such a vast picture, are telling. Medina, who began his career as a Motown artist and later worked at Motown Records under Berry Gordy, approaches every project like the multimedia entrepreneur he is.
But after over 20 years working with Lopez — with whom he’s a partner in every one of her ventures — he admits that this project was particularly challenging.
“Everybody starts with the concept of, ‘Wait a second, is this a movie, a film, a long-form music video?’” he says. “It’s not anything you’ve seen and produced. And that was what was really interesting. Here she was, along with her team, working harder than she’d ever worked to write, produce and finish an album. And then writing and producing a film while being followed around to make a documentary. The only person who’s really ever going to stick with you during something like that is yourself and the other people who’ve signed up as a result of an incredible amount of belief.”
Here, Medina — who earns the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week — breaks down the belief that allowed him and Lopez to pull off This Is Me…Now.
This Is Jennifer Lopez’s first No. 1 in 20 years. How did you do it?
With that amount of time in between a true full studio album release and very few bits of music whatsoever, there was something I found out which was really interesting, and that no record company executives or strategic partners had really thought about: We are not in the current streaming zeitgeist. In reality, her brand doesn’t live in the music world as solidly as it does in the [movie] world because there’s been so much activity on the film side. The very thing that grows you within today’s commerce strategies is the frequency of music; it’s the reason any kid around the block who puts a video on TikTok has a shot. Our goal was to approach this in some ways as a new artist that we were building the algorithm and the relationship with the DSPs and we were going back to radio with the same attitude of, “Listen, give it a shot.”
I think it’s remarkable that such a household name like Jennifer Lopez was willing to do this hard work.
What we’re really trying to do here is start a new journey as to how a legacy artist like Jennifer Lopez can position herself in the marketplace to be able to transact with all the new consumers out in the world who may not have a relationship with her for music, but may only know her as a film superstar.
In terms of the album, vinyl was a big factor in its success. Can you tell us about that?
The great news is that vinyl was having this resurgence and this whole concept was about “then and now.” At that point, we decided to make multiple covers for vinyl and worked to do some specific A&R for the different records. And from there it was to get as many platforms as you possibly could to push out the messaging of This Is Me…Now, any singles related to it, to support the film that was being launched with six of the songs in it, and to push the documentary which was about the making of the project and the mindset.
When I think of Jennifer Lopez, I think of an artist who does many things at the same time. What was different about this project?
We’ve done a lot of those things separately and apart with different partners. We’ve never done a project that encapsulated all of this, and certainly not something as personal as this one. It was from point A to point Z, try to get yourself in every place and position you possibly can, cross your fingers and hope the consumer sees you and engages with you and ultimately wants to consume what you want to put in the marketplace.
You worked with different partners: The documentary is on Amazon, the music via BMG and you worked closely with Apple as a DSP. How did you get everyone to work together?
By going to each platform, speaking with the really super smart people there [and] being really clear in saying: “We want to work with you with this Jennifer Lopez project and start to build her value algorithm and connection with consumers again.” In a way [it was looking at it] much like a new artist, even though we had this global superstar.
What did you learn from this project?
What I learned the most is I’m still so excited about getting down and dirty and in the weeds about creating a new model. It was like taking all of those learnings and putting them all into this modern era. No matter how great or vast the project is, you have to go through certain steps and practices in this era to even put yourself in a position to have a look that turns into consumption and, thus, success. There’s really no way to get around it. I come from an era of, “Let’s get it into the clubs, the streets.” Now, you have to get it out into this massive zeitgeist, and even the biggest artists need to have a program of frequent releases and frequent information.
Today, no matter who you are, from record to record, you have to look at how consumption patterns have changed. How media itself has changed in terms of how much you use it, and thus how engaging your work must be. Our thoughts were, “Let’s make sure we give them a multi-pronged experience.” The musical experience was a trilogy, where every brick was going to be falling forward, but it all emanated from a musical album that was created when Jennifer decided she wanted to speak to her fans again in a voice she hadn’t used for several years.
You have a major tour coming up. In fact, it’s only Jennifer’s third headlining tour ever. Given how successful she is in all realms, why was touring important?
That’s another world that, believe it or not, we’re building for Jennifer Lopez that people are so shocked about. She loves touring. The entertainer is the entertainer. It’s a different type of energy than being on a film set and making movies. It connects you directly to your fans. She speaks so often about being able to look into the eyes of different people who live in different parts of the world and making the connection. She’s actually an artist that’s okay with the meet-and-greet after. She likes to see for herself. And usually, the people who want to meet you after have a story to tell. So, we don’t look at it as a risk, because the flip side is, all of that movie stardom spin has her name out into the world in enough things that people are used to seeing anyway. The idea of getting up and seeing something live in this era was an absolute natural, as well as the fact that we’re looking at what we’re going to be doing in the next five years. And that’s part of our five-year plan: More music, more touring, more live.
You’ve worked with her for 20 years. What’s your secret to sticking together?
I greatly admire, respect and appreciate everything that she can do and that she dreams of doing. And I love a challenge. I’m born of a multimedia world. Where I started at Motown, you had to be able to do it all: Write, produce, and sing and dance, and over the years I personally never saw the difference between whatever studio or soundstage I was walking into because the song or the script will only be as great as the talent. And the song and the script still can be great as well. That’s how I show up every day. Thinking I’m meant to produce art, and results. The secret is our belief and trust in each other. And in my case, I’ve always had the greatest relationship with artists I admire.
Cortez Bryant’s Blueprint Group, Jared Gutstadt’s Audio Up and Anthony Martini’s Gravel Road have formed a new management partnership to represent the Compton Cowboys and its leader, Randy Savvy.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The Compton Cowboys are a childhood group of eight friends from the Compton neighborhood of Los Angeles, who use music, horseback riding and equestrian culture to improve their inner-city community. Savvy, who is also a musician, launched the collective in 2017.
The first endeavor in the new alliance is to launch Compton Cowboys Coffee, in partnership with creative studio Avenue C, which helped design, package and build the coffee line. The brand will launch in the third quarter of 2024 with the first range of flavors named after song titles on Compton Cowboys Presents Street Country Street Country Vol 1: Once Upon A Time In Compton, a mixtape from Savvy that will come out in April via Gutstadt’s Virgin Music Group-distributed Audio Chateau label, timed to Savvy’s April 28 appearance at Stagecoach. Flavors include High Horse, Bad Apple, Cali Hold ‘Em, Iced Out Bolo and Regulate.
Trending on Billboard
The first single from the project, “High Horse,” comes out today (March 8) and features Reggaeton duo Jowell and Randy. The song is featured in the Audible original scripted podcast, Finding Pierre: A Hip Hop Odyssey, produced by Audio Up. The six-part series stars and is loosely based on NBA star JaVale McGee and his career as an NBA champ and record producer. Audio Chateau Records will release the podcast’s soundtrack on March 29.
[embedded content]
“Randy has created an incredible brand with the Compton Cowboys. Throughout my career I’ve never looked at the artists I’ve worked with as just musicians, but as powerhouse brands! That’s literally been my Blueprint (pun intended),” said Bryant, who has worked with Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Lil Nas X, in a statement. “Randy will surely be one of the great music entrepreneurs, having already established the Compton Cowboys brand. The best part is it’s not just about the music, it’s also about community, it’s about exposure and opportunity to take inner city kids and give them a view of equestrian life. This will create a narrative in the world of country music that’s inclusive.”
The partnership will be looking at several non-music opportunities as well, including fashion, media and brandings. “We see this moment as a ‘go big’ scenario for the Compton Cowboys / Randy’s brand,” said Gutstadt, who co-founded JinglePunks and Audio Up Media, as well as worked with Jelly Roll and Steven Tyler. “Over the past several years it’s been a time of incredible turbulence- which is great for disruptors. Randy is one of those. Music discovery continues to be among the biggest challenges, and most artists have to think beyond what a typical release schedule looks like. By tethering together a media business with music, product and content, we believe that artists of the future can have it all from day one and not be tethered to antiquated ideas such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.”
“When I first met Randy Savvy on his family’s ranch in Compton, I came away impressed and inspired and immediately wanted to bring him into Gravel Road for management. What he’s done with Compton Cowboys goes beyond music and products, so I wanted to assemble a supergroup of like-minded partners to help expand the brand and push forward Compton Cowboys’ mission of helping communities through horses,” said Martini, who has also worked with Jelly Roll. Lil Dicky and Tyga. “By combining the resources of Gravel Road, Audio Up and Blueprint Group, our reach is vast across all verticals with each of us bringing a unique skillset to build Compton Cowboys into a multimedia force for positive change.”
Raphael Saadiq has signed with Forward Artist Management, Billboard has learned exclusively. The new agreement with the Los Angeles-based firm follows in the wake of the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter-producer’s latest success: co-writing and co-producing Beyoncé’s first Hot 100 No. 1 country single, “Texas Hold ‘Em.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Forward Artist Management head Tyler Childs tells Billboard, “Raphael is one-of-one. He’s been making history, creating some of the biggest musical moments of the last 30 years. He continues to write and rewrite the playbook on what an elite artist, producer, songwriter and creative is. The entire FAM team is thrilled to support him and excited to get to work.”
In addition to “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Saadiq co-wrote and co-produced Beyoncé’s concurrently released country single “16 Carriages.” He also won the best R&B song Grammy last year for Beyoncé’s “Cuff It,” which he co-wrote and produced for her most recent album Renaissance. A founding member of seminal R&B trio Tony! Toni! Toné! — which reunited in 2023 for a sold-out national theater tour, its first in 25 years — Saadiq has worked with a diverse slate of superstar artists during his lengthy career. That roster includes Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Usher, Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige and Solange.
Trending on Billboard
His latest project as a solo artist was 2019’s Jimmy Lee. He also co-wrote the Academy Award-nominated song “Mighty River,” from the film Mudbound, with Blige and Tara Stinson. Saadiq is represented by Tim Mandelbaum of Fox Rothschild.
Forward Artists’ Childs also manages RZA and The Wu-Tang Clan, who launched the first-ever hip-hop residency at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas last month with two more dates scheduled for March 22-23. Additional Forward Artist clients include Benjamin Booker (managed by Jacob Greene), Tyler Cole and Sarah Cothran.
Prior to Forward Artist Management, Childs served as vp of A&R/creative at Sony ATV Music Publishing. While there, he worked with artists and songwriters such as Ilsey Juber (Panic at the Disco’s “High Hopes,” Shawn Mendes’ “Mercy” and Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus’ “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart”), Walk the Moon (“Shut Up and Dance”), Imagine Dragons (“Whatever it Takes”) and Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo (“Time of Our Lives”). Other artists that Childs collaborated with include Clairo, James Blake and Tegan and Sara.