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Fresh off of winning her second career Grammy, Kylie Minogue has signed with UTA for live representation and acting endeavors in North America. The Australian singer won the best pop dance recording Grammy — a new award — earlier this month for her viral hit “Padam Padam.” The song is from her 16th studio album Tension, which was released last year and […]
Christina Aguilera has signed with UTA for worldwide representation, the company tells Billboard. The pop icon joins a roster that includes some of music’s biggest players and hitmakers, including Lil Wayne, Post Malone, Karol G, Jonas Brothers and Guns N’ Roses. The news comes on the heels of a major night for Aguilera: On Saturday […]
UTA has signed The War And Treaty for booking representation, with exclusive worldwide representation in all areas. Founded in 2014 by the husband-and-wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, The War And Treaty has quickly become one of the most exciting new musical acts. They recently teamed with Zach Bryan for the song “Hey […]
He is one of the most sought after artists in the agency world and now he finally has major a booking team behind him.
Oliver Anthony has signed with UTA for exclusive worldwide representation in all areas.
“We’re honored to represent such an authentic artist, and excited to put together a global strategy to bring Oliver Anthony and his music to the people,” shared UTA co-head of Nashville Jeffrey Hasson and music agent Curt Motley in a statement to Billboard. Some of UTA’s other clients include Brittney Spencer, Megan Moroney, Parmalee, Elvie Shane, Ian Munsick and Jamey Johnson, who has performed recently with Anthony.
The “Rich Men North of Richmond” singer’s profile skyrocketed in August after a performance video went viral, generating more than 69 million views on Youtube and leading to a historic No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. With that song, Anthony became the first artist ever to top the chart without having appeared on it previously.
“Rich Men North of Richmond” is also the first song by a solo male to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts simultaneously. The Farmville, Virginia, native’s other songs — such as “Ain’t Gotta Dollar,” “90 Some Chevy” and “I Want to Go Home” — have also earned solid streaming numbers.
A quick bidding war followed, with music executives from all around the country to try to sign the hot new phenom. One label head told Billboard at the time, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this before.” Rapper Gucci Mane even posted on Instagram that he wanted to sign Anthony to his label and needed help finding him. Anthony, who sings of populist ideals that have grown him a grassroots following, seemed largely nonplussed by the newfound attention. He told social media followers he was determined not to make any rash decisions and that he had turned down record deals worth upwards of $8 million.
Meanwhile, Anthony has continued to perform for his new fanbase with a number of regional shows that have grown from the Eagle Creek Golf Club and Grill in Moyock, N.C., on Aug. 19, to Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge’s annual block party in Nashville last weekend on Sept. 17, where he notably performed with a full band for the first time. While in Nashville, Anthony apparently made his new agreement with UTA — marking his first major deal since breaking out.
Coming up, Anthony is slated to perform two sets at the upcoming Louder Than Life Festival, which opens Thursday (Sept. 21) and runs through Sept. 24 at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. And then he has a sold out show at Smokies Stadium in Sevier County, Tenn., scheduled for Sept. 28.
Earlier this month, Anthony canceled a Sept. 27 concert at Cotton Eyed Joe in Knoxville, Tenn., due to a disagreement over ticket prices, which were listed at $99 and $199 for a meet and greet. Anthony posted to social media discouraging his fans from buying the tickets, explaining that he didn’t agree to those prices. Anthony explained his friend had been acting as his booking agent and he booked the show without asking what the ticket prices were. (The venue later responded, saying the high prices were the only way it could cover Anthony’s $120,000 booking fee.) Anthony continued to say his shows “never cost more than $40, ideally no more than $25,” pointing out that two of his four recent shows were “completely free.”
When Anthony’s co-manager Draven Riffe spoke with Billboard in August, he said the artist is “very passionate about bringing other unknown, unheard musicians up and helping them get their music out as well” — and that help also means providing jobs for those in Anthony’s community where he can. “We’re doing all the booking ourselves,” Riffe said, adding the Anthony is booked through the end of the year. “We’re trying to keep everything in-house as much as we can… If we could have a hand in helping get a person a job they’ll love then we want to do that rather than contracting it out to something that we don’t even know where the money is going.”
Additional reporting by Jessica Nicholson.
BRISBANE — Budjerah signs with United Talent Agency (UTA) for representation in the Americas, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
The fast-rising Australian singer and songwriter is repped by global touring agent Noah Simon, whose roster has included Post Malone, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Jacob Collier, Masego and others.
Hailing from Fingal Head, New South Wales, Budjerah is one of the most promising young artists in his homeland. The 21-year-old singer and songwriter was the inaugural winner of the Michael Gudinski prize at the 2021 ARIA Awards, won his first APRA Music Award in 2022 for most performed R&B/soul work of the year for “Higher” with Matt Corby, and collected best new artist at the 2023 Rolling Stone Australia Awards.
The young man with the golden voice has several chances to add to his collection next month at the 2023 National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs); he’s in the hunt for artist of the year, song and film clip of the year, both for “Therapy,” which has chalked up more than 6 million streams.
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On the live front, Budjerah supported Ed Sheeran on the Brit’s 2023 stadium tour (and jumped on a remix of Sheeran’s “2step”), performed a sold-out headline show at the Sydney Opera House for Vivid LIVE, scored a slot on the For The Love festival run, and he’s booked for the traveling Spilt Milk fest in November and December.
The Coodjinburra artist’s career is guided by Lemon Tree Music, Regan Lethbridge and David Morgan’s Australia-based artist management company, whose stable includes Tones And I and Tash Sultana.
“I am thrilled to represent Budjerah and proudly welcome him to the UTA family,” comments Simon. “He is undoubtedly a singular talent with a timeless voice and in close collaboration with Lemon Tree, we’re excited to introduce his exceptional artistry to the Americas.”
To celebrate the UTA pact, Budjerah shares the new single “Video Game” (via Warner Music Australia), a “thank you to all my fans who’ve supported me at my shows over the last year,” he says in a statement.
Penned by Meg Mac, Matt Corby and Chris Collins, the stripped-back track explores the emotions behind growing up and finding himself, and can be streamed below.
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Jimmie Allen‘s management company The Familie and booking agency UTA both announced they were suspending their work with the country singer-songwriter on Friday (May 12), following a new lawsuit alleging him of rape, sexual assault and battery.
“Given the nature of the allegations in the lawsuit filed on Thursday, The Familie has decided to suspend management activities with Jimmie Allen effective immediately,” a spokesperson for the management firm told Billboard in a statement. The Familie began working with Allen in 2022, after he parted ways with his former management company, Wide Open Music.
“We have suspended our representation of Jimmie Allen due to the recent allegations against him, which we take seriously,” said a UTA spokesperson in a separate statement.
In a civil lawsuit filed Thursday in Tennessee federal court, an anonymous “Jane Doe” accuser says that Allen “manipulated and used his power” over her job as a day-to-day manager in order to “sexually harass and abuse her” over a period of 18 months from 2020 to 2022.
“Plaintiff expressed in words and actions that Jimmie Allen’s conduct was unwelcome, including pushing him away, sitting where he could not reach her, telling him she was uncomfortable and no, and crying uncontrollably,” the woman’s attorneys wrote in the complaint. “However, Allen made clear that plaintiff’s job was dependent on her staying silent about his conduct.”
Allen denied the allegations in a statement to Billboard, saying, “It is deeply troubling and hurtful that someone I counted as one of my closest friends, colleagues and confidants would make allegations that have no truth to them whatsoever. I acknowledge that we had a sexual relationship — one that lasted for nearly two years. During that time she never once accused me of any wrongdoing, and she spoke of our relationship and friendship as being something she wanted to continue indefinitely.”
The artist continued to say he intends to “mount a vigorous defense to her claims and take all other legal action necessary to protect my reputation.”
Since the report came to light, Allen has also been suspended by his record label, BBR Music Group, which includes halting of promotion for his latest radio single, “Be Alright,” which fell 57-60 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart dated May 20. He has also been pulled from the performer lineup at CMA Fest, which is slated from June 8-11 in downtown Nashville.
The suit follows previous news that Allen and his wife Alexis Gale announced their separation on April 21; at that time, they also shared that Gale is pregnant with their third child.
Assistance on this story provided by Melinda Newman.
Stories about sexual assault allegations can be traumatizing for survivors of sexual assault. If you or anyone you know needs support, you can reach out to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). The organization provides free, confidential support to sexual assault victims. Call RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE) or visit the anti-sexual violence organization’s website for more information. (edited)
So far this year, much of the discussion around the touring business has been about ticketing, with high-profile tours by the likes of Taylor Swift and Drake putting Live Nation and Ticketmaster in the spotlight. But underlining that throughline is one undeniable fact: three years on from the onset of the pandemic that shut down events across the world, the live music business is fully back, with the biggest stars in the world hitting the road for their first outings in years.
That has meant that all facets of the touring business are once again operating at full speed. Or, as UTA partner and music agent Mike G puts it, “Post-pandemic, the live business has been on fire.”
The longtime agent would know. This year, he’s booked a series of major tours and shows for some of the biggest acts in multiple genres, including Lil Wayne, Romeo Santos, Wizkid and The Kid LAROI, each with some significance: Wayne’s charting an underplay in anticipation of a broader tour around his upcoming album Tha Carter VI; Santos is playing stadium dates in four cities, almost a decade after he became the first solo Latin artist to sell out Yankee Stadium; Wizkid has a headlining arena tour on the way, after he became just the second Nigerian artist to sell out Madison Square Garden in November; and The Kid LAROI kicked off a college tour of secondary and tertiary markets this week. And all that activity has helped earn Mike G the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, he talks about the strategy behind several of those outings, as well as the difficulties and opportunities that have arisen as the pandemic increasingly appears to be in the rear view mirror. “[The pandemic] created a demand,” he says, “and the live industry is healthy.”
This week, The Kid LAROI kicked off his college tour in Syracuse, New York, one of a number of big tours you’ve locked in in the last few months. What was the strategy behind this one in particular?
The strategy behind touring these college towns was to touch a significant fan base for LAROI in secondary and tertiary markets. The idea of going on a reputable college tour hasn’t been executed since Jay Z. So, we saw an opportunity to continue to build his live business with this run and market it in a specific way. The pop-up pep rallies on the day of the show have been a special touch by LAROI to connect with his fans on campus.
You also booked the upcoming Lil Wayne tour ahead of his next album, which sold out in presale and moved 70,000 tickets with a mix of theaters and arenas. What goes into the routing of a tour like this for a superstar like Wayne?
The idea behind Lil Wayne was to create an intimate touring experience for his fans by playing at venues like the Wiltern in Los Angeles and the iconic Apollo Theater in New York. The concept of playing these rooms was to leave tickets at the door for his more extensive run in the fall while pre-promoting Tha Carter VI with this tour as a marketing vehicle. It is an understatement to say this has played out the way we wanted it to. This tour will be such a great experience for the fans.
Last November, Wizkid became the second Nigerian artist to sell out Madison Square Garden, and now he’s set for an arena tour later this year. What do you see as the touring market and possibilities for afrobeats artists in the U.S.?
The possibilities will be arena and amphitheater tours with afrobeats artists as well as headlining crossover festivals. The potential is unlimited in the live space and we’ve seen such incredible success with WizKid being on the forefront and one of the very few artists leading the movement in the U.S.
In 2020, you guys signed Romeo Santos, his first time signing with a major agency. How did you convince him to come aboard?
The signing of Romeo Santos in 2020 was one of the most significant signings for our department. We presented the full-service models that we live by at the agency. Touring is an artist’s most important revenue generator, but in conjunction with live, the thought was, “Let’s build out other untapped business areas.” Film, TV, digital and brand opportunities should be part of those daily conversations. That generated Romeo’s interest and, ultimately, led him to signing with us. It’s about everything we can deliver, not just touring. He wanted to build out a 360 business in all areas of entertainment.
This year, he’s doing stadium shows in four U.S. cities, just shy of a decade after he became the first Latin artist to ever sell out Yankee Stadium. What continues to make him such a big draw?
His loyal fan base and consistency in delivering fantastic music and a spectacular live show. Romeo took Bachata music to new heights. He revolutionized and modernized the genre.
What goes into booking artists of all sizes in the right venues — especially those artists who may have emerged during the pandemic, and don’t have much of a touring history, if any?
We study and understand where that artist is in their career. For some acts, we can gauge and see if playing a 500-cap room is the right step to begin their touring career in the major markets. Finding the right support slot on tour for other acts can expose the artist to new fans and build a base. Each artist is different, but you must be strategically aggressive and not afraid to lose to make a live career.
How has the touring business changed as the world emerges from the pandemic? And how has it changed how you do business?
Post-pandemic, the live business has been on fire. It created a demand, and the live industry is healthy. The business will continue to thrive, but being conscious of ticket pricing will be instrumental in our current economy.
Previous Executive of the Week: Jesús López of Universal Music Latin America
UTA has officially set up shop in Atlanta.
Along with its partner company KLUTCH Sports Group, the agency opened its new Atlanta bureau Wednesday (March 22) to extend its ability to discover and serve artists, athletes, musicians and brands in the region. Steve Cohen, Rob Gibbs and Arthur Lewis will serve as co-heads of the new office.
“Atlanta is an entertainment and cultural hub, and planting our flag here gives us the ability to support clients with investments and opportunities across the city’s growing creative ecosystem,” said Cohen and Gibbs in a joint statement.
UTA will offer representation in Atlanta across its multitude of divisions, including music, sports, film, television, digital talent, marketing, gaming, fine arts and more. This includes advising top global brands based in the Southeast on a range of growth initiatives, including ways to partner with the creative community.
“Atlanta is a vibrant city for music, sports and arts, and there is a ripe opportunity to create another center of gravity for film and television,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer in a statement. “We are excited to bring our full range of services to the community of talented artists, athletes, musicians and creators who call the Southeast their home.”
The new office is located at 1401 Peachtree Street in Midtown Atlanta and occupies nearly 20,000 square feet across three floors. It was designed by the firm Hastings Architecture, which also designed UTA’s office in Nashville.
The Atlanta bureau will additionally feature a fine art gallery called The UTA Artist Space to showcase programming from the Atlanta art community and across UTA’s global fine arts roster. The inaugural show will feature Atlanta-based artist and musician Lonnie Holley in the first exhibition of his work in the city in over 10 years. Entitled “The Eyes Were Always on Us,” the exhibition will feature sculptures constructed from found materials in the tradition of African-American sculpture. The gallery is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
UTA also boasts offices in Beverly Hills, Nashville, New York, Chicago and London.
Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Kelly Rowland has signed with UTA for global representation in all areas.
Rowland has won four Grammy Awards and has been a chart-topping performer since Destiny’s Child launched its self-titled debut album in 1998. She has released four solo albums and has launched hits like “Stole,” “Dilemma” with Nelly, “Like This” and “When Love Takes Over” with David Guetta. Her massive hit “Motivation” won top R&B song at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards and song of the year at the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards.
The 42-year-old has also built her film and TV résumé over the last two decades. She is set to star in and produce Tyler Perry’s Mea Culpa on Netflix. Her other film credits include Paramount’s Fantasy Football, Netflix’s The Curse of Bridge Hollow, Bad Hair, The Seat Filler and Freddy vs. Jason, among others.
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She starred in and produced the Lifetime holiday franchise Merry Liddle Christmas and has appeared in TV series like CBS’ The Equalizer, L.A.’s Finest, HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show and Fox’s Empire. She won the 2020 NAACP Image Award for outstanding guest performance in a comedy or drama series for her portrayal of Gladys Knight in BET’s American Soul.
Rowland has also appeared as a judge and coach on several competition shows including The X Factor and The Voice.
She will continue to be represented by Jennifer McDaniels and Del Shaw Moonves.
This article originally appears in THR.com.
UTA has added two new hires to its Nashville office, with Brian Hill joining as music agent and Jaime Roberts joining as tour marketing director.
Hill brings more than three decades of talent agency experience, including stints at Monterey Peninsula Artists/Paradigm and Creative Arts Agency (CAA). Hill has been named Pollstar‘s Third Coast Agent of the Year twice and has worked with artists including Eli Young Band, Aaron Lewis, Frankie Ballard and Home Free.
New York native Roberts launched her career in live entertainment by promoting live family entertainment experiences with Feld Entertainment, followed by more than a decade leading in marketing and promotions at Live Nation and The Bowery Presents for events in the New York and New Jersey region. Most recently, Roberts spent seven years in Austin, Texas, where she developed and executed multi-channel marketing campaigns for major touring artists with Messina Touring Group. During her time there, she led successful tour marketing efforts for artists including Shawn Mendes, Tim McGraw/Faith Hill, Little Big Town and Kelly Clarkson.
Over the past year, UTA Nashville has added Tyler Hubbard, Bobby Bones, Chris Janson, Parmalee, Dalton Dover and more to its roster and helped develop music newcomers including Megan Moroney, Alana Springsteen, Brittney Spencer and Chase Matthew.
“We are excited to have Brian and Jaime join us at UTA as we continue to expand and elevate the music department,” said UTA co-head of global music Scott Clayton in a statement. “Their decades of experience and stellar track record of going above and beyond for their clients make them perfect additions to our world-class team in Nashville.”
