signings

16 Jul 2024

Liam Payne Signs With CAA for Representation

Liam Payne has signed with CAA for representation for all areas of representation. 

In March, the former member of One Direction released a single, “Teardrops,” written with *NSYNC’s JC Chasez. It was his first new music in three years. “Teardrops is out now,” Payne posted on Instagram. “This song is born from many tears, not all mine. I hope you love it like I do and not too many of you can relate.” 

Payne has never done a solo tour, having canceled a South America outing last fall after falling ill and being hospitalized with a severe kidney infection. Of course, One Direction was a touring powerhouse. Its biggest outing was the Where We Are Tour in 2014, which grossed $290.2 million and sold 3.4 million tickets over 69 shows, earning the band the No. 1 slot on Billboard‘s year-end Top Tours chart in 2014, according to Billboard Boxscore. 

Other than “Teardrops,” Payne has been relatively quiet in recent years — though perhaps the announcement signifies the start of a new chapter. Following One Direction going on hiatus in 2015, he released his debut solo single, “Strip That Down, “ featuring Quavo, which reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2017. He subsequently released several other singles, including “For You” with Rita Ora, which was on the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack and a top 10 hit in the U.K.  He released one solo album, LP1, in 2019 via Capitol Records. 

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Payne also served as the first global brand ambassador for Hugo Boss in 2019 and worked with the designer on the Hugo x Liam Payne capsule collection, which debuted at Berlin Fashion Week in July 2020. 

12 Jul 2024

BERWYN Signs to RCA Records for Debut Album ‘WHO AM I’

RCA Records has signed BERWYN in the U.S. as the Trinidad-born, London-raised rapper looks to plant his feet in America with his debut 12-track studio effort, WHO AM I.

“[It’s] amazing to have the backing of a label like RCA, which has an incredible history of working with some of the greatest artists in black music like SZA, Wizkid, and D’Angelo,” BERWYN tells Billboard, exclusively.

RCA is equally thrilled to add more depth to their loaded roster by signing BERWYN.

“We’re thrilled to welcome BERWYN to the RCA Records family,” says John Fleckenstein, COO of RCA Records. “He’s a unique talent with an incredible ability to tell a story through music. We are proud to play a part in his journey.”

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Though RCA will serve as BERWYN’s U.S. label, he remains signed to fellow Sony imprint Columbia UK on an international level.

As for WHO I AM, BERWYN cycles through a barrage of topics ranging from race identity (“I AM BLACK” to immigration (“DEAR IMMIGRATION”). BERWYN’s unflappable approach as an MC has served as his calling card, as he previously received the prestigious Mercury Prize nomination.

“Now I know exactly what to say in front of the mic… If there’s a story that needs to be told, and I can tell it beautifully, that’s my service done. My job is to produce light and positivity. It’s simple. I don’t take anything else into the room apart from this energy that people tend to enjoy,” he told Rolling Stone UK earlier this week.

Stream WHO I AM here.

11 Jul 2024

Morgan Wallen Signs With Austin Neal for Management

Morgan Wallen has signed with his longtime booking agent Austin Neal for management via Neal and Wallen’s newly formed firm, Sticks Management, Billboard has confirmed. Wallen will be the firm’s only client.

Wallen was previously managed by Big Loud partner/CEO Seth England alongside K21’s Kathleen Flaherty, who will now serve as executive director of the Morgan Wallen Foundation on a full-time basis. Wallen’s relationship with his label, England’s Big Loud Records, will remain the same, and England and Neal will continue collaborating on Wallen’s career strategy. HITS was first to report the news.

Neal began booking Wallen under the radar in the fall of 2021 several months after the country star was dropped by WME over his use of a racial slur. The following February, the partnership was made official when Neal announced the launch of The Neal Agency with Wallen onboard as a client.

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England, who was named Billboard‘s 2024 Country Power Players Executive of the Year in May, began managing Wallen shortly after signing the then-rising singer-songwriter to Big Loud Records in 2016. Since that time, Wallen’s stardom has expanded beyond the bounds of country, with the singer scoring two nine top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including two long-running No. 1s: 2023’s “Last Night” (16 weeks at the top) and his Post Malone collaboration “I Had Some Help,” which spent six weeks atop the tally earlier this year. Wallen has also racked up two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200: 2021’s Dangerous: The Double Album and last year’s One Thing at a Time, which spent 19 weeks at the chart’s summit, surpassing Garth Brooks‘ Ropin’ the Wind as the longest-running No. 1 country album ever on the tally.

On the touring front, Wallen scored the fourth-highest-grossing concert tour of 2023, according to Billboard Boxscore, taking in $260.4 million from 44 shows. More recently, he played to 50,000 fans when he headlined BST’s Hyde Park in London on July 4, marking the largest country concert ever held in the United Kingdom. His most recent single, “Lies Lies Lies,” was released on July 5.

Billboard has reached out to England and Flaherty for comment.

26 Jun 2024

‘Kehlani’ Singer Jordan Adetunji Signs With 300 Entertainment & Warner Records UK

Belfast singer/songwriter Jordan Adetunji, who scored a viral hit earlier this year with the single “Kehlani,” signed to 300 Entertainment in North America and Warner Records UK, the companies tell Billboard.

“Jordan is a generational talent whose music transcends genres,” said Kevin Liles, CEO of 300 Entertainment, in a statement. “300 is built on recognizing an artist’s authentic self and empowering them to share their gifts with the world. We are proud to partner with Jordan’s management team and our incredible UK Warner Records family in this artistic journey.”

“Partnering with 300 was a decision based on people and actions for me,” added Adetunji. “When meeting Kevin we talked a lot about the meaning of artist development and it felt like a great home to continue our global journey!”

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According to a press release, “Kehlani” boasts 25 million streams and 450,000 TikTok creates to date and has peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Shazam chart and hit the top 10 of the Spotify Viral Chart in multiple countries, including the No. 1 spot on the U.S. tally. Kehlani herself posted two TikTok videos in support of the song that racked up more than 5 million views, further raising its profile.

“Making a song about Kehlani was a no brainer to me, her confidence and huge cultural impact is something I love! I love confidence,” Adetunji added. “Especially when people do things that put themselves out there, doing things out the norm and showing huge ambition. When I made the track in my room I posted the snippet and when I seen the hype I recorded a new verse and dropped it everywhere within two days after! It made so much sense for me to get this song out asap.”

Last year, Adetunji independently released his debut EP, ROCK N’ RAVE, which included the single “YOU & I” and “INVOLVED.”

25 Jun 2024

Signed: ‘Painkiller’ Singer Ruel Signs With Giant Music & More

Giant Music, the record label launched under The Azoff Company banner in 2022, has signed Australian singer/songwriter Ruel, the company tells Billboard. This marks the first signing for Nate Albert, who joined Giant Music as president in January. The label will release “Kiss Me,” Ruel’s cover of the hit song by Sixpence None the Richer, on Thursday (June 27).

“Ruel is truly a singular talent, and we are thrilled to be part of his next chapter,” said Albert in a statement.

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Best known for songs like “Painkiller,” “Dazed & Confused” and “GROWING UP IS ___”, Ruel released his debut album, 4TH WALL, last year. In August, he’s slated to play Lollapalooza for the first time.

Also this week…

Hip-hop producer, singer and songwriter Lithe signed with WME for global representation. The Melbourne-bred artist began putting out music in 2018 and has released several EPs since. His single “Fall Back,” released in March, currently boasts more than 97 million streams on Spotify. He’s managed by Benjamin James of Mutual Friends.

Boston-bred alt-rock band Vundabar signed to Loma Vista Recordings. The label released the group’s new garage-rock song, “I Got Cracked,” on Tuesday (June 25). Composed of Brandon Hagen, Drew McDonald and Zack Abramo, Vundabar is best known for its RIAA platinum-certified track “Alien Blues,” which boasts more than 540 million streams on Spotify alone. “Vundabar has already accomplished so much as a totally independent band, and we are thrilled to welcome them to Loma Vista for this exciting next stage of their career,” said Loma Vista A&R Susan Busch in a statement. The band is managed by Ally Ehasz and Zack Zarrillo at Alternate Side and booked by Greg Horbal and Carly Goldberg at Wasserman.

Rising country singer-songwriter Bayker Blankenship (“Maxed Out”) signed with Lone Star/Santa Anna Records. According to a press release, “Maxed Out” boasts more than 26,000 creates and more than 6 million views on TikTok. In a statement, Alamo Records/Santa Anna Records CEO Todd Moscowitz said the song “is quickly establishing itself as a very reactive hit.”

Drew Baldridge signed with UTA for representation in all areas. The country singer-songwriter’s single “She’s Somebody’s Daughter” currently sits at No. 15 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, a feat he reached without the backing of a major label or a management team. Baldridge is signed with Sony Music Publishing. His team also consists of business manager Becky Harris (Huskin-Harris Business Management) and attorney Jeff Biederman (Greenberg Traurig, LLP). – Jessica Nicholson

Grammy-nominated artist, songwriter and producer Gallant (“Weight in Gold,” “Cave Me In”) signed with Mom+Pop Music. The first release under the deal is Gallant’s new single, “Coldstar.” Gallant has collaborated with artists including Dua Lipa, Zhu, Brandy, Noah Cyrus and Sufjan Stevens and appeared at festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits.

10K Projects signed virtual artist angelbaby via Web3 agency Hume and and will re-release the track “Life Is Good” featuring Jagwar Twin. “This agreement is a major milestone for Hume as we continue our mission to become Pixar for music,” said the Hume team in a statement. “We’ve been looking for a partner that can push our artists further into culture and we’re excited to work towards that goal with 10K on ‘Life Is Good.’”

Big Loud Records signed singer-songwriter Kashus Culpepper. The Alabama native began performing during a deployment with the U.S. Navy in Rota, Spain. On Friday (June 21), the label released his single “After Me?”. Culpepper is repped by CAA for booking and managed by Jay Harren. – Jessica Nicholson

Dexter and the Moonrocks, “a formerly country/western band” that now makes “Western Space Grunge music,” according to a press release, signed to Severance Records, an imprint of Big Loud Rock. The label will release the band’s latest EP — aptly titled Western Space Grunge — on July 19. “Bleach,” the first song from the EP, was released on June 12. The band is managed by Chris Schoemann at Lion’s Claw Entertainment and booked by Mike Krug at WME.

Country singer-songwriter Ashland Craft signed with independent record label Leo33. Craft has supported artists including Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Zac Brown Band, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen on tour. She recently wrapped her Damascus Acoustic Tour with Elvie Shane and performed at CMA Fest. She’s next slated to play festivals including Summerfest, Watershed Music Festival and Field & Stream Festival.

20 Jun 2024

Miley Cyrus Signs With CAA

Miley Cyrus has signed with CAA, re-joining the agency more than four years after moving to WME, it was announced Thursday (June 20).

The signing comes roughly a year and a half after Cyrus enjoyed her biggest hit to date, “Flowers,” which spent eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. In February, the song also netted Cyrus two Grammys: record of the year and best pop solo performance. Earlier this year, she dueted with Beyoncé on the Cowboy Carter track “II MOST WANTED.”

Cyrus has been a household name for nearly two decades, ever since breaking through as the star of Hannah Montana, the Disney Channel sitcom that skyrocketed her to fame as both an actress and a singer. As Hannah Montana, she racked up 20 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including one top 10 (“He Could Be The One”), and scored three No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 (Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana: The Movie).

After Hannah Montana concluded in 2011, Cyrus enjoyed success under her own name, notching 61 entries on the Hot 100, including 13 top 10 hits and two that topped the chart: “Flowers” and 2013’s “Wrecking Ball.” She also scored two more No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200: 2008’s Breakout and 2013’s Bangerz.

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In recent years, Cyrus appeared on a 2019 episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror and brought Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party to NBC in 2022 with executive producer Lorne Michaels, hosting the show alongside her godmother, Dolly Parton.

Cyrus’ philanthropic endeavors include the launch of her Happy Hippie Foundation, which has raised millions to support youth suffering from homelessness, especially those identifying as LGBTQ+. This year, she announced the launch of the Miley Cyrus Foundation, an extension of her philanthropic work that focuses on supporting mothers.

Cyrus continues to be represented by Crush Management and attorney Bill Sobel at Laird and Sobel. 

20 Jun 2024

Clint Black Signs Global Admin Deal With Sony Music Publishing Nashville

Sony Music Publishing Nashville has inked a go-forward and catalog deal with singer-songwriter Clint Black. The company will administer songs from the bulk of Black’s catalog, including hits such as “A Good Run of Bad Luck,” “Like the Rain” and “Nothin’ But the Taillights.” The deal does not include his first three albums.

“Clint Black is without a doubt a country music icon, whose songs carved a unique path and propelled country into what it is today,” said Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston in a statement.  “We look forward to working with Clint and his team to extend his creative influence even further.”

Black added, “I have great respect for Rusty and the entire team at Sony Music Publishing Nashville, and I am excited to move forward on all things past, present and future!”

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Black issued his debut album, Killin’ Time, in 1989. The project spurred four Billboard Hot Country Songs No. 1 hits, cementing the Texas native as a musician on the rise. Over the past 35 years, Black has earned 13 No. 1 Hot Country Songs hits as well as 30 top 10 hits on that chart. He has written or co-written nearly all of his hit songs.

“I set out to do that,” Black previously told Billboard. “I grew up reading liner notes and I wanted to know who was writing something I loved. I wasn’t trying to make any kind of statement, but I thought I could do it. And I saw an interview with Reba where she said she listened to about a thousand songs every time she wanted to make an album of 10 songs. That was terrifying to me. I thought, ‘Man, that’s a hard job. I’d rather do this other hard job and not have to go looking for songs.’ And I knew if I was successful in writing my own songs, I was going to need a lot of songs, if I was putting out an album every 18 months or so. I started writing a lot of songs, so that every time I had to make an album, I had at least 30 songs written that I wanted to record.”

17 Jun 2024

Lasso Signs With WK Entertainment for Management, Reveals U.S. Tour Dates & Teases New Album

Lasso has inked a management deal with WK Entertainment, the company tells Billboard.

The signing entails a comprehensive 360 contract — supporting the Venezuelan singer-songwriter in touring, brand partnership strategies, A&R and marketing at a global level — under the leadership of WK Entertainment GM Andres Gomez. 

“I have always been a fan of the artists that WK manages,” Lasso (real name: Andres Vicente Lazo Uslar) said in a statement. “I’ve always thought of it as a far reached goal and to be able to form part of their roster is still unbelievable. I’m very excited for everything that is to come, for all the changes for my music and my career.”

“I am thrilled to be able to work with Lasso and support his creative vision in this new chapter,” Gomez added. “He is an artist who has become one of the industry’s most respected live performers — a singer-songwriter who will continue to push the boundaries of the contemporary pop genre for years to come.” 

Kolm added, “We are very excited to be a part of this new phase in his career.”

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Lasso simultaneously unveiled the dates for his first U.S. tour dubbed Quedarse Solo Para Siempre (translation: “staying alone forever”). Promoted by Live Nation, the 15-date stint kicks off Sept. 11 in San Francisco and wraps Oct. 26 in Houston (see more below). General tickets go on sale on June 19 at 10 a.m. local time via LassoMusica.com.

In addition, Lasso revealed that his fifth studio album is set to release this fall. Its 13 tracks will include the previously-released singles “Bilingües” with Mau y Ricky and the Micro TDH-assisted “No Escuches Esta Canción.” 

Recognizing Lasso’s talent and versatility, Hans Schafer, senior vp of global touring at Live Nation, added, “We see a bright future for him […] and are excited to develop a tour showcasing his unique sound to his dedicated followers and new audiences.”

Lasso released his debut album, Sin Otro Sentido, in 2012. In 2021, he was nominated for best new artist at the 2021 Latin Grammys; the following year, he entered the Billboard charts for the first time with “Ojos Marrones.” The feel-good pop tune peaked at No. 66 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and No. 39 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. The single also won him best pop rock song at the 2023 Latin Grammys.

Lasso

Lasso

Courtesy Photo

11 Jun 2024

Signed: Kenya Grace Links Up With PPL, Carter Faith Inks Major Label Deal With UMG Nashville

U.K. music licensing company PPL signed singer-songwriter Kenya Grace for the collection of her international neighboring rights royalties. The company, which has also signed the likes of Ice Spice and Lewis Capaldi as of late, licenses the use of recorded music in the United Kingdom and collects neighboring rights royalties worldwide through more than 110 agreements with collective management organizations (CMOs) internationally.

Country singer-songwriter Carter Faith (“Late Bloomer,” “Strong Stuff”) signed with Universal Music Group Nashville, marking her first major label deal. She’s working on new music expected for release later this year. Faith is booked by Meredith Jones and Bennett Beckner at CAA and managed by Range Media Partners.

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L.A.-based band LA LOM signed to Verve Records, which will release the group’s debut album, The Los Angeles League of Musicians, on Aug. 9. The group is booked by Ethan Berlin and Karl Morse at Arrival Artists and managed by Alex Kadvan and Rick Goetz at Red Light.

Singer-songwriter Liam St. John signed with Big Loud Rock, which will release his upcoming EP, Believer, on June 28. St. John is managed by Aidan Crowley at Legacy Content.

Ashley Ryan signed with ONErpm Nashville. California native Ryan moved to Nashville in 2018 and has honed her skills performing at local venues including Whiskey Jam and The Listening Room. She also caught the attention of country artist Keith Urban, who invited Ryan to perform his hit song, “Without You,” at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena during his 2022 world tour. Ryan’s new single, “Them Cowboys,” was released on May 31. – Jessica Nicholson

London/Madrid-based singer-songwriter pablopablo (a.k.a Pablo Drexler) signed with Mom+Pop Music. The two-time Latin Grammy winner, who won Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 2022 ceremony for “Tocarte,” will release his debut album on the label. His new single, “Mi Culpa,” dropped on May 30.

Omaha, Neb., band Cursive signed to Run for Cover Records, which will release the group’s next album, Devourer, on Sept. 13. Cursive is booked by Eric Dimenstein at Ground Control Touring in the United States and Steve Zapp at International Talent Booking in Europe.

Vocalist, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Croixx signed to Elektra Records, which released his new single, “Higher,” on May 31.

Alternative pop-rock artist Liam Benzvi (formerly of Strange Names) signed to Fat Possum. He will release his upcoming album, …And His Splash Band, via the label on Sept. 27.

05 Jun 2024

Benson Boone Signs With WME

Singer-songwriter Benson Boone has signed with WME for global representation in all areas.

Boone gained popularity with the release of his viral hit “Beautiful Things” in January. The track has been an international hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 for seven weeks and leading the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for eight weeks, according to Luminate. “Beautiful Things” also reached No. 1 for one week on the Streaming Songs chart, has been No. 2 on Radio Songs for the last six weeks and topped the Pop Airplay chart for four weeks. Additionally, it has ranked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 17 weeks.  

Since his debut in 2021, Boone has landed four additional tracks on the Hot 100 chart including “Ghost Town” at No. 100, “In the Stars” at No. 82, “Cry” at No. 60 and “Slow It Down” at No. 40.  

Boone’s album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 in April and has held in the top 15 in its first eight weeks on the chart. In 2024 alone, his songs have registered 830.8 million official U.S. on-demand streams through May 30, according to Luminate. 

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The 21-year-old rising star is currently on a headlining world tour following last year’s sold-out trek across the United States and Europe. It was recently announced that Boone will open for Taylor Swift on the international leg of her The Eras Eour at Wembley Stadium on June 23. In addition to his solo trek, Boone is also slated to take the stage at major festivals including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits later this year.

Boone continues to be managed by Jeff Burns of Reynolds Management.