Virgin Music Group
Welcome to the latest Executive Turntable, Billboard’s weekly compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music business. There’s a full slate of personnel news this week, so let’s get started.
John Trimble, the longtime chief advertising revenue officer of SiriusXM — and Pandora before that — announced his departure after 16 years at the satellite/digital radio giant. Reflecting on his journey, he highlighted the twists and turns of his tenure, from Pandora’s start-up phase in the late aughts to its public offering and integration into SiriusXM in 2019. “Each step was defined by the risk-takers, colleagues who were truly teammates, and teammates who became friends,” he said on LinkedIn. “We built a high quality and sustainable revenue organization that can withstand the ups, downs and twists of crazy ad markets while being an integral part of the digital audio market.” Trimble, who lasted through seven CEOs and Pandora’s acquisition by SiriusXM, said he felt the company is in good hands and that it’s “time to go chase my growing bucket list.” Trimble joined Pandora in 2009 following stints at Glam Media and Fox Interactive. His successor as CARO is Scott Walker, previously the senior vp of the SiriusXM-owned ad platform AdsWizz. In a chat with Adweek this week, Walker said he aims to expand the company’s reach and improve its measurement and attribution capabilities.
Adrian Pope is the new executive vice president of digital business and global partner relations at Virgin Music Group. Based in London, he will connect VMG with its independent clients and digital partners globally. Pope previously served as chief digital officer at [PIAS] and managing director of its distribution and services business [Integral], collaborating with top indie labels and artists. He was instrumental in integrating [Integral] into Virgin following Universal Music Group’s acquisition of [PIAS] in 2024. With over 20 years in the digital music industry, Pope’s experience includes roles at Music Week and consultancy Understanding & Solutions. JT Myers, co-CEO of Virgin Music Group, praised Pope’s contributions to both [PIAS] and [Integral]. “We know his relationships and expertise will be important in our continued growth and success around the world and are grateful to have him play a key role on Virgin’s global leadership team,” said Myers.
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Jordan Fasbender, executive vp, chief legal officer and secretary of iHeartMedia, announced this week that she’ll resign by the end of the month to take a position outside the company. According to a new SEC filing, her resignation is not due to any disagreement with the company. The NYC-based legal executive joined iHeartMedia in mid-2019 as deputy general counsel and rose to her current role in November 2024 after signing new agreement extending her role through at least 2026. She previously served as senior vp and associate general counsel at 21st Century Fox and began her career as an associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Fabender’s replacement has not been announced, nor has she said where she’s headed next.
BMG is merging its Sync and Production Music teams into a unified global Sync Services structure to streamline operations and enhance services for clients in TV, film, advertising, gaming and tech. As part of this restructuring, Amberly Crouse-Knox and Scott Doran have been appointed senior vice presidents of Sync Services & Partnerships. Crouse-Knox will oversee North America and Latin America from Los Angeles, while Doran will lead UK and Asia-Pacific from London. Both will report to Johannes von Schwarzkopf, BMG’s chief strategy officer, and join Allegra Willis Knerr and Caspar Kedros in the global sync leadership team. Crouse-Knox has been with BMG since 2014, playing a key role in integrating X-Ray Dog Music. Doran, who joined in 2016, previously co-owned Altitude Music. This restructuring aims to strengthen the bridge between creators and clients, matching catalog cuts with impactful opportunities.
SharpTone Records appointed Jackie Andersen as its new head of label, succeeding Shawn Keith. With over 20 years in the industry and five years at SharpTone, Andersen has played a key role in the label’s growth. Her background in artist management has helped create supportive environments for musicians. She says “our commitment to empowering artists and connecting fans with cutting-edge music remains stronger than ever.” As part of the transition, Sal Torres has been promoted to head of A&R, bringing experience from Hopeless and Fearless Records. Founded in 2016, SharpTone, under the Nuclear Blast and Believe umbrella, continues to evolve. Nuclear Blast CEO Marcus Hammer and Believe Germany’s Managing Director Thorsten Freese praised Andersen’s vision, with Freese highlighting her “vision and expertise will foster even greater synergies across our network, allowing SharpTone to capitalize on Believe’s unique distribution, and audience development capabilities and global presence.”
Jody Williams Songs (JWS) promoted Nina Jenkins Fisher to vp/general manager and Tenasie Courtright to creative director. Fisher, with JWS since its inception in 2020, has signed and managed a diverse group of writers, including developing and major label artists, writer-producers and songwriters. She also oversees the company’s partnership with Warner Chappell Music. Courtright joined JWS in 2022 as creative coordinator and was later elevated to creative manager. Under Fisher’s supervision, Courtright now plays a key role within the company. JWS represents songwriters such as Andy Austin, Ashley McBryde and Vince Gill, and is a joint venture with Warner Chappell Music. Founder Jody Williams praised Fisher’s leadership in helping her launch the company from scratch and called Courtright an “innate communicator” who “offers creative ideas and solutions like a seasoned pro.”
Lauren Kilgore joined Sony Music Nashville and Provident Entertainment as senior vp of legal and business affairs. In this role, effective immediately, she oversees legal activities for both labels and collabs with business leaders to develop and implement legal, business and operational strategies. Kilgore reports to Taylor Lindsey, chair & CEO of Sony Music Nashville, and Ken Robold, president and COO. Recognized as one of Billboard‘s top music lawyers, Kilgore has spent her entire legal career in Nashville. She most recently served as a shareholder at Buchalter, where she handled various transactional entertainment matters.
Shore Fire Media promoted Chris Brudzinski to senior vp of business affairs and Dan Mansen to business operations specialist, reflecting the company’s growth since joining the Dolphin collective of marketing companies. Brudzinski, with 26 years at Shore Fire, will continue reporting to founder/CEO Marilyn Laverty. His role has expanded since joining as office manager in 1998 to include business development, accounting and human resources. He played a key role in adapting accounting practices after Shore Fire became a Dolphin subsidiary, collaborating with Dolphin CFO Mirta Negrini and overseeing a 50% increase in staff. Mansen, who started as mailroom coordinator in 2016, advanced to assist Brudzinski and became office manager in 2022. He led return-to-office procedures post-pandemic and managed Brooklyn HQ operations. In his new role, he’ll oversee accounts payable, sales order entry, and monthly accounting closings.
Global concert promoter Peachtree Entertainment added Marty Elliott as vp of university relations, and Andrew Goldberg as vp of strategic partnerships. Elliott has over 27 years of experience in venue management, business development and booking. Goldberg has previously held roles at Danny Wimmer Presents, Live Nation and Vinik Sports Group. –Jessica Nicholson
Musicians On Call, which brings music to the bedsides of patients in health care facilities, announced 11 internal promotions. Katy Epley is now chief operating officer, Elizabeth Black is senior vp of operations, and Nicole Rivera is vp of innovation. Other promotions include PJ Cowan (director of programs), Tarah Duarte (director of corporate partnerships), Melinda LaFollette (director of PR and events), Alli Prestby (creative director), Torianne Valdez (director of artist relations), Audrey Jadwisiak (senior program manager), Lia Okenkova (senior development manager) and Sasha Arnkoff (program manager).
NASHVILLE NOTES: Rachel Whitney is taking a sabbatical from her role as Spotify‘s head of editorial in Nashville, the company confirmed … Capitol Christian Music Group senior vp of A&R Josh Bailey left the company with plans to create his own firm involving both Christian and country music … Hsquared Management expanded its team with Kimberly Hopkins, who will serve as the day-to-day manager for Provident Label Group artist Lizzie Morgan and other clients.
New music streaming platform HIO is launching with an artist-first model designed to ensure a transparent path to compensation. Unlike traditional platforms, HIO’s per-user engagement model pays artists directly based on individual listener activity. HIO is led by CEO and founder Ryder Havdale, an indie label executive and musician, who envisioned the platform as an alternative to legacy streaming services. Arthur Falls, chief marketing officer, brings expertise from DFINITY Foundation and ConsenSys, while Galen Hogg, product lead, is a music industry veteran and NFT entrepreneur. The artist outreach team includes musician Eamon McGrath and Sheila Roberts, former director of marketing for PUMA Canada. “This isn’t about unpacking what traditional streaming services do or don’t do—it’s about proving there’s a better way,” said Havdale. “We built HIO because we believe artists deserve transparency, real engagement with their fans, and a revenue model that actually works for them.”
Chrysalis Records, part of the Reservoir group, appointed Colin Rice as director of catalogue marketing. Based in London, the former Sony executive will report to James Meadows, senior vp of marketing. He’ll focus on developing marketing strategies for the label’s catalog artists in the UK and internationally, collaborating with the US marketing team. Rice previously worked at Sony Music’s commercial music group division, overseeing international marketing for artists like Jimi Hendrix, Pink, Celine Dion. His achievements include international No. 1s for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” and campaigns for iconic albums by Pearl Jam, the Clash and others. Rice’s career began at Sanctuary Records, followed by roles at we7/Blinkbox music and Union Square Music. Meadows and Alison Wenham of Chrysalis Records praised Rice’s extensive experience and reputation.
Sound Talent Group promoted Sarah Pederson to director of finance, overseeing all accounting and finance operations for the agency. She began her entertainment career as founder and president of Family Tree Presents in Anchorage, promoting shows for bands like 36 Crazyfists. Through this work, she connected with STG co-founder Dave Shapiro, who invited her to join STG in San Diego as controller in 2020. Pederson, a metal fan, is excited about shaping STG’s future. Shapiro added: “She has been an integral part of our growth over the last 5 years and we look forward to many more years to come.”
Key Production Group, Europe’s leading bespoke physical music and packaging manufacturing broke, launched Key Intel, a new product development division led by strategy director John Service. This expansion includes entering the Irish market with newly hired consultant Ann Marie Shields. Key Intel will manage the ideation, creation and release of new products across the company’s subsidiaries. Upcoming innovations with sustainability in mind include a multi-disc boxset series, 3D packaging and a “100 % recycled alternative to shrink wrap.”
Iron Mountain Media and Archival Services appointed Andrea Kalas as vp to lead its expanded division. With over 20 years of experience, Kalas previously worked at Paramount, where she built a valuable film archive and preserved over 2,000 films, including The Godfather. She has also held roles at DreamWorks, Discovery and the British Film Institute. A former president of the Association of Moving Image Archivists, she is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and founded the Academy Digital Preservation Forum Initiative.
ICYMI:
Julie Greenwald
Mercury Records promoted Tyler Arnold to chairman/CEO and Ben Adelson to president/COO of the label, home to Post Malone and Noah Kahn … Street Mob Records hired veteran music executive Gustavo López as its new president … Richard Vega and Stephen Schulcz were promoted to partners in WME’s music division … and former Atlantic Music Group boss Julie Greenwald is now an executive-in-residence at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU’s Tisch School. [Keep Reading]
Last Week’s Turntable: EMPIRE Hires MD of Europe
Reggaetón star Nicky Jam has signed a new global agreement with Virgin Music Group after spending more than a decade with Sony Music Latin.
Under the new agreement, Nicky Jam’s new music will be distributed by Virgin Music Group, which will also administer and supervise Nicky Jam’s catalog for YouTube and will work some material in digital platforms in different territories.
Nicky Jam (born Nick Rivera Camerino) disclosed the terms and impetus behind the deal during an exclusive interview with Billboard in Miami.
“I went with my gut,” he tells Billboard, noting that his contract with Sony had been up and he had met with several labels. “I thought it was the best thing to do. I have too much respect for Afo [Verde, chairman of Sony Music Latin Iberia] and my Sony family. I owe a lot to them and I love them very much. It’s just that sometimes you feel you have to move. I’m very spontaneous and that’s just the way I am. I could say I’m a bohemian. I take my luggage and I go wherever I have to go.”
In this case, Nicky Jam decided to go with a company that is giving him broad latitude. He’ll get to retain ownership of his masters, and will also have wide latitude in determining when he releases his music.
“It’s a distribution contract, but under that contract I can come out with music whenever I want. They are not going to mess with my creative part and that’s beautiful,” says Jam.
Nicky Jam’s new label deal coincides with a series of major changes in both his personal and professional life. Last year, he got married (to 22-yer-old model Juana Valentina Varón], split with his longtime manager Juan Diego Medina and spoke openly about his problems with alcohol and quitting drinking.
From left: Larry Gonzalez, David Daza, Michael Cantor (VMG SVP, Business Affairs and Development), Chi Orjiakor (VMG VP, Strategy), Victor Gonzalez (VMG, President of Latin America and Iberia), Nicky Jam (Artist), and Armando Rodriguez (VMG SVP/General Manager of Latin U.S.).
Courtesy of Nicky Jam
Now, a fit and trim Nicky Jam is readying to release new music that he says reflects his current, positive state of mind. “If you listen to my last album, it was called Insomnio. It was mostly what I was going through: Drinking, partying, it was all dark,” says the singer. “This is the new Nicky Jam,” he adds.
“Nicky has been a true pioneer in Latin music,” says Victor González, president of Virgin Music Group for Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula. “Having him choose Virgin Music Group for this new chapter of his career is incredibly rewarding for me and our entire team.”
Armando Rodríguez, general manager of Virgin Music Group for the U.S. Latin market adds: “Nicky is creating incredible music, and we are excited to work alongside him—not only on his upcoming releases but also in developing a strategic approach for his entire catalog.”
In the past couple of years, Virgin has notably expanded its Latin footprint, signing major names in Mexican music like Carín León, Pepe Aguilar, Angela Aguilar and Espinoza Paz. In the urban realm, Nicky Jam is their biggest get. The Puerto Rican star brings a legacy of hits, including the “El Perdón,” the 2015 smash alongside Enrique Iglesias that spent 30 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. All told, Nicky has charted nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and 58 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, including five Number 1s. This week, he ranked at Nol 162 in streams globally on Spotify, a testament to his lasting appeal.
“This agreement with Virgin Music Group marks a new chapter in my artistic journey. I have always believed in the importance of evolution and adaptation, and I am confident that, together with Virgin Music Group, we will achieve incredible things,” says Nicky Jam.
Several more players in the independent music community have called on regulators to block the acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings by Universal Music Group (UMG) announced this week, arguing the deal “would seriously distort the global music market” and “reduce competition and the independents’ bargaining power.”
Virgin Music Group, which is owned by UMG, announced Monday (Dec. 16) that it had agreed to buy Downtown Music Holdings for $775 million in a deal that would beef up the music giant’s market share by absorbing Downtown’s stable of indie distributors, publishing and rights administrators including FUGA, CB Baby, AdRev and Songtrust. The deal came just two months after UMG acquired the remaining shares of indie label group [PIAS], including its services division, Integral — an agreement that was similarly criticized by indie trade groups, who have asked regulators to launch an investigation into the pact.
In a joint release Thursday (Dec. 19), several indie music leaders said the deal, if allowed to go through, would result “in fewer options for smaller companies to negotiate fair terms and compete on equal footing, leading to higher costs and less choice.”
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“We are the global independent music community,” said Noemí Planas, CEO of Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), in a statement. “UMG trying to present this as an investment in the independent ecosystem is fooling no one. This is wealth extraction from the independents, another step in UMG’s relentless path to dominance and stifling competition. Independent music is the lifeblood of cultural innovation and market consolidation threatens the diversity that makes music so rich and compelling around the world. We call on regulatory bodies to block the deal.”
Also speaking out against the acquisition was A2IM CEO Richard James Burgess, who stated: “Universal Music Group’s acquisition of Downtown Music’s assets continues a troubling trend of consolidating independent music infrastructure, following acquisitions of InGrooves, MTheory, and PIAS. This increasing level of market concentration chips away at the competitive landscape, making it increasingly difficult for truly independent artists and companies to operate freely and equitably. These acquisitions risk silencing the independent voices that drive innovation and creativity in the music industry.”
Added Darius Van Arman, CEO of Secretly Distribution and co-founder of Secretly Group, “When near-monopolist Universal acquires Downtown, one of the largest independent music ecosystems, and does so in the name of independence, it cheapens what the word means. Market consolidation at this scale is not only anti-competitive, it is a fundamental threat to true independence.”
Virgin’s purchase of Downtown is just the latest in a string of similar acquisitions by major labels over the last several years. In 2024 alone, UMG acquired Outdustry, a label services and rights management firm that works across China, India, and other Asian markets; Thailand-based recorded music catalog RS Group; Nigerian record label Mavin Global; and a minority stake in U.S.-based Chord Music Partners, among others. Two years ago, Sony Music made a splash when it acquired AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring Rights from Kobalt Music Group, followed by the more recent acquisitions of companies like Spanish label and distributor Altafonte and Greek independent label Cobalt Music. And Warner Music Group has snapped up minority stakes in European indie labels of late, including Dancing Bear Music (Croatia), NIKA (Slovenia) and Mascom (Serbia); it also fully acquired the Dutch label Cloud 9 Recordings in October.
“Whilst we are in favour of free enterprise, monopolies dominate market forces and remove the ability to compete,” said Maria Amato, CEO of Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR), in a statement on the Downtown deal. “There must be regulation to ensure that Universal who is already the largest music business in the world with a large stake in Spotify does not dictate prices and the ability for artists and labels to negotiate fair and equitable terms.”
“The recent acquisition by large corporations of companies that until recently were independent is a red alert for the entire global independent music community,” added Felippe Llerena, president of Brazilian trade association ABMI. “The Orchard, AWAL, Som Livre, Proper Music, Altafonte and now Downtown Music are examples of how multinational capital is reshaping the sector. ABMI believes that it is our duty to protect and promote an independent ecosystem, where artists, labels and companies can create freely and sustainably. Our fight is for the appreciation of music as art, culture and expression, not as a simple market product.”
In her own statement, Cecilia Crespo, GM of the association of Argentinian record labels ASIAr, said: “Concentration not only has a negative impact in the way platforms distribute royalties to artists and rights holders (based on market share), but also due to the unregulated use of data and intelligence from the analysis of the data and the behavior of all actors involved (artists, audiences, and users).”
On Tuesday (Dec. 17), several other indie music players came out in opposition to the Downtown acquisition, including indie labels trade body IMPALA, the U.K.-based Association of Independent Music (AIM) and global indie music publishers trade body IMPF.
UMG didn’t immediately respond to Billboard‘s request for comment on the latest statements of opposition.
Three years after Downtown Music sold its 145,000-song catalog — including works performed by Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, Bruno Mars and Beyoncé — the president of its publishing division says it makes more money than it did when it owned copyrights.
That reveal comes amid Monday’s announcement that Universal Music Group’s Virgin Music Group is buying Downtown Music Holdings for $775 million in an all-cash deal expected to close by mid-next year.
Emily Stephenson, who since 2023 has been president of Downtown’s suite of publishing companies (Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust and Sheer), says her division will generate more than $200 million in revenue in 2024, a 40% increase from last year and a higher gross than it had in 2020, the year before Concord bought its catalog.
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“We are in the middle of extreme growth mode right now,” says Stephenson, who has overseen client acquisition, business development, A&R, rights management and client services for Downtown since March 2023.
Since Stephenson took the lead, the publishing division has signed deals with indie rockers The National, Spirit Music Group and Peso Pluma’s Double P Records. According to the company, it now serves some 2 million songwriters and clients in over 60 countries — more than 40% of them outside the United States — manages over 1.5 million copyrights and has distributed over $100 million in royalties through Songtrust.
Access to additional funds has helped. In May, Downtown announced it secured another $500 million in credit from Bank of America — on top of its previous $200 million credit facility — to finance advances.
“We have been earnestly and aggressively putting that money to work,” Stephenson says, by offering competitive advances without forcing independent creators to give up any rights. As a result, “We think we’re growing at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the industry,” she says.
That growth is one of Downtown’s draws. The combined market share held by independent distribution and music companies — i.e. non-major labels and self-releasing artists — rose to 36.7% in 2023, up from 28.6% in 2015, according to MIDiA Research. As a result, the majors have made acquisitions and investments to defend their market share. Downtown’s scale and position of dominance in this segment made it an attractive way for UMG to grow.
However, Downtown’s growth has also led to customer complaints of long wait times at Songtrust and concerns that the platform is becoming more exclusive. Stephenson says there are no plans to restrict who can sign up for Songtrust, adding that over the past year, Songtrust has cut the average response time to customer complaints from 33 days to 17 hours.
Stephenson, 35, has spent more than a decade at Downtown and previously served as Downtown Music vp of business operations, and she says roughly 70% of the managers in her division have similarly long tenures.
That experience has helped with client retention and led to facilitating opportunities. This past summer, “Parade” by French composer Victor le Masne, a Downtown client, became the official theme song for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. This holiday season, the team landed Griff’s cover of the Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory classic “Pure Imagination” in Target’s Christmas campaign.
“We are the only player doing this at scale for indie songwriters globally,” Stephenson says. “I think our future is bright.”
A version of this story appears in the Dec. 14, 2024, issue of Billboard.
Universal Music Group’s Virgin Music Group said on Monday it agreed to buy Downtown Music Holdings for $775 million cash in a deal that will bolster the world’s largest music company’s slice of the independent music segment. Founded in 2007 in New York, Downtown Music Holdings is the parent company of the direct-to-creator distributor CD Baby, […]
Panamanian singer-songwriter Rubén Blades has signed a global partnership with Virgin Music Group, Billboard has learned. The indie artist, who releases music under his own label Rubén Blades Production, was previously with AWAL. This new deal with Virgin sets him up for the “next chapter in his legendary career,” states a press release. One of […]
Virgin Music Group has announced the acquisition of Outdustry, a leader in artist and label services and rights management across China, India, and other high-growth markets.
The acquisition, disclosed on Wednesday, underscores Virgin’s commitment to expanding its influence in some of the most dynamic music regions globally. Outdustry will continue its established operations in marketing, music publishing, and label services under the Outdustry brand, while founder Ed Peto will join Virgin Music Group as senior vice president of international strategy.
Peto, based in London, will oversee Virgin’s strategic direction in China, India, and other fast-growing regions, reporting directly to Virgin Music Group co-CEOs JT Myers and Nat Pastor. He’ll collaborate closely with Michael Roe, managing director of Virgin’s operations in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
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“After more than fifteen years working in China, India, and other territories, Ed and his team have built unparalleled experience and relationships in some of the world’s most important growth markets,” said Myers. “Ed will be a key player as we chart our global expansion plans. We’re happy to have him and his team onboard for this exciting next step in the evolution of Virgin Music Group.”
Peto stated, “Bringing everything we’ve built at Outdustry into Virgin Music Group represents an enormous opportunity to expand our vision globally. It’s never been a more exciting time to be working in music, and I’m looking forward to working closely with the incredible team that Nat and JT have assembled to create more opportunities for independent music entrepreneurs and artists around the world.”
With a well-established footprint in Asia, Outdustry operates as a multifaceted company that includes Outdustry Songs, a publishing arm that has landed numerous hits with leading Chinese artists such as Bibi Zhou, Kun, Jolin Tsai, Chris Lee, Lu Han, Sunnee, Jane Zhang, and Pharaoh. Outdustry Records, the company’s label division, is committed to spotlighting emerging talent in the region. Both Outdustry Songs and Outdustry Records will continue to work in partnership with Universal Music Publishing Group and Virgin Music Group, respectively.
Founded in Beijing in 2008, Outdustry has been pivotal in facilitating international success for artists like Adele, Dua Lipa, Lauv, and Major Lazer in the Chinese and Indian markets. The company has also been instrumental in landmark market entries for indie heavyweights like Beggars Group and Merlin and has consulted for global brands including Spotify, PRS, and Believe in Greater China.
Mexican-American singer-songwriter Jacqie Rivera has signed a global deal with Virgin Music Group, Billboard can announce exclusively today (Aug. 29). Her first single under this new partnership, “Si Pasa Una Mosca,” will be released on Friday.
Daughter of the late “Diva de la Banda” Jenni Rivera and sister of fellow singer Chiquis, Jacqie Rivera is best known for her participation in reality shows about her family like The Riveras and I Love Jenni. In 2018, she released a version of a classic love song in Spanish, “Qué Ganas De No Verte Nunca Más,” which her mother had previously recorded, and between 2020 and 2021 she put out a series of singles independently, including “La Razón,” “When It Hurts,” “Existo Yo” and “Hurt.”
This is her first record deal and will include “multiple albums,” her publicist tells Billboard.
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“Being a part of the Virgin team is an answered prayer,” Rivera said in a press release. “It feels so good to have people on your side that believe in your dreams. This is just the beginning for us. Thank you Virgin for being part of my history.”“Everyone at Virgin is so happy to partner with Jacqie on this next phase of her career,” added Victor Gonzalez, President of Latin America and Iberian Peninsula, Virgin Music Group. “Jacqie has made an incredible album, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.”
No further details about the deal were provided.
As for her first single under the label, “Si Pasa Una Mosca” (which means “If a fly passes by”) was written by Salvador Aponte and Leslie Laraim, and produced by Carlos Alvarez. According to the release, the song combines melancholic sounds with a moving narrative that explores the pain and resignation of a relationship that is coming to an end.
“The first time I heard the song, I was driving my car and immediately felt a lump in my throat and started to cry,” Rivera said. “The lyrics are powerful, and I felt connected to them.”Jacqie Rivera is the executor of her mother’s estate, whose latest posthumous releases have been under Sony Music Latin.
Cindy James has been promoted to general manager of Virgin Music Group‘s operations in North America, the company announced on Tuesday (April 16). The former executive of the week — and regular entry on Billboard’s Indie Power Players lists — joined the UMG-owned indie music distributor and label services company in 2019 as head of […]
Virgin Music Group has acquired Saban Music Latin, it was announced on Thursday (Jan. 4). The deal comes five years after entertainment mogul Haim Saban invested $500 million to launch Saban Music Group, and two years after the music company launched its Latino division.
Under the terms of the transaction, Virgin Music — a division of Universal Music Group — will acquire Saban Music Latin’s catalog, which includes such artists as Jon Z, Reykon and German Montero. It will also release future albums by Saban Music Latin artists.
Saban Music Latin’s roster includes emerging L.A.-based pop artist Loyal Lobos, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Chesca — who has scored two No. 1 songs on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart (“Súbelo” and “Te Quiero Baby”) — and rapper-producer YoGambii.
Saban Music Group launched in 2019 as a music company with a Latin focus and with veteran music executive Gustavo Lopez as CEO. Lopez was the longtime GM and executive vp Universal Music Latin, where he launched Latin urban label Machete Music, home to artists like Wisin & Yandel and Don Omar, and also ran Universal Music Latin Entertainment’s regional Mexican labels, Fonovisa and Disa. After leaving UMLE in 2017, he launched indie music company Talento Uno, which was acquired by Saban.
In 2020, Saban Music Group entered into an exclusive global administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group — and in February 2022, it announced it was launching a Latin division with Alejandro Reglero in the role of executive vp/GM, reporting to Lopez.
The acquisition follows Virgin Music Group’s recent partnerships with other Latin labels, including DEL Records, the West Coast-based independent label home to Latin music’s biggest song of 2023, “Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma. In November, Virgin Music also announced a worldwide agreement with Pepe Aguilar‘s two regional Mexican labels, Machin and Equinoccio Records.
The Virgin Music Group roster already includes such Latin stars as Espinoza Paz, Sech, Grupo Firme, Tainy and Angela Aguilar.