New Signings & Team-Ups: April 28
Image:Iggy Azaleahas movedover from booker CAA to WME
Kygo partners with Shazam, profiles Aussie collaborators
Norwegian house DJ and performer Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll, aka Kygo – who has had six Top 100 entries in Australia – has struck a partnership with music recognition app Shazam for the launch of his debut album Cloud Nine. The 25-year old has 16.6 million followers on Shazam (and incidentally last December became fastest artist to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify).
As a Shazam Verified Artist, Kygo will spotlight his album collaborators by Shazaming tracks from each featured artist on his Shazam feed, offering followers and the Shazam community an inside look at how his music is made.
This will give Australian acts as Conrad Sewell (who featured on his breakout track Firestone), Angus & Julia Stone and Matt Corby a surge in global recognition. Other collaborators include US names John Legend, Parson James, Maty Noyes and Julia Michaels, as well as England’s Tom Odell, Foxes, Will Heard and Labrinth, and Ireland’s Kodaline and James Vincent McMorrow.
Gørvell-Dahll said: “I am so excited to be working with Shazam on my debut studio album, Cloud Nine. Shazam is becoming a great way for artists to connect with their very first fans.”
Cloud Nine gets a worldwide release on May 13, locally through Sony Music Entertainment Australia and in other territories on Ultra Records/RCA Records.
Iggy Azalea worldwide with WME
US-based Australian rapper Iggy Azalea(pictured) is now represented worldwide by WME, moving over from CAA. Azalea is releasing her second album Digital Distortion in June through Def Jam Records. Her first album 2014’s ARIA winning Grammy-nominated The New Classic went to #3 in America and yielded four hit singles (this month officially certified as selling 1 million), and went gold in Australia. Azalea continues to be managed by First Access Entertainment.
Sony/ATV extends Rob Thomas deal
Sony/ATV Music Publishing extended its 20-year-old worldwide deal with multiple Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and recording artist Rob Thomas. The deal includes his material on three solo albums and Matchbox Twenty hits, and all future works. Thomas, who has sold 80 million albums worldwide, also wrote or co-wrote for Santana (the Grammy-winning Smooth), Mick Jagger, Willie Nelson, Travis Tritt and Daughtry.
Sony/ATV Chairman and CEO Martin Bandier said: “I am so pleased that Rob has agreed to stay with Sony/ATV for the foreseeable future. I was fortunate enough to have been running the company when he signed his first publishing deal in 1996 and he and his songs have been part of my life ever since then as well as those of all his fans the world over.”
Twitter, [V] Hits tweet the beat
Tweet The Beat is a new weekday addition to [V] Hits programming. The link-up with Twitter begins at 4 pm, and launches on Monday May 16. It uses the hashtag #TweetTheBeat for viewers to share their favourite songs, gifs, memes, celeb goss, enter competitions, and see what’s trending. [V] Hits will choose the best of the tweets for the show. It also includes performances from the Twitter Blue Room, artist interviews, live tweets from artists and updates from gigs, plus Twitter Moments and live polls.
Rebecca Batties, General Manager of Foxtel Music Channels, said: “We have an awesome partnership with Twitter and this takes it to the next level, bringing our audience something fresh, exciting and a first for Australia. We’re handing it over to our audience to share what’s meaningful to them and express themselves using Twitter and [V] Hits as a stage in which to do so – it’s immediate, multi-platform and most of all, it’s fun!”
Jennie Sager, Head of Music and Entertainment at Twitter, added, “Music tweets drive more views than anything else on Twitter in Australia, so we’re pumped to bring the best of this conversation to TV with our mates at [V] Hits. For the first time on Australian television, viewers and Twitter users will be driving the production of a show. Your Tweets will not just appear on screen, but you will decide the actual content of the show, and you may even get a chance to host it! Tweet The Beat will be unlike anything you’ve seen before, and will give an even louder voice to music and entertainment fans all over the country.”
Melbourne’s Our Golden Friend makes second buddy
Melbourne independent record label Our Golden Friend has struck its second signing. Poppongene is the solo project of Byron Bay-born now Melbourne based musician and artist Sophie Treloar. She also plays in Melbourne dream-pop outfit Sunbeam Sound Machine.
Poppongene has just released her debut single Do It Girl (made with Simon Lam and Mikey Young) which is off her still-untitled EP due for release later this year. Treloar is currently finishing off recording the EP with plans to assemble a band for the project.
Helpmann Academy funding available
The Helpmann Academy April grant round is open for applications of up to $9000, available to staff, students and graduates from the Adelaide-based Academy’s partners, including the Elder Conservatorium of Music (University of Adelaide), The grants scheme offers over $100,000 a year
in funding for performing and visual arts projects from institutions including the Flinders Drama Centre, ACArts, Uni SA’s School of Art, Architecture and Design, Flinders Screen Production and of course, The Con.
The grants are designed to assist graduates and final year students of the Helpmann Academy’s partner institutions; provide further professional development for emerging artists; and foster collaboration between art forms and graduates of various institutions. Applications close at 5 pm on Friday April 29 at www.helpmannacademy.com.au.
NSW hip hop dancer fronts new Sony campaign
15-year-old NSW hip hop dancer Macy Baez is fronting the new Sony Australia New Zealand campaign for the Sony Extra Bass wireless speaker. Baez was born deaf, and is able to experience sound with the aid of cochlear implants, but relies heavily on being able to feel music vibrations, particularly bass notes, in order to dance. The campaign features a hip-hop/electro track specifically designed for her by, Josh Fountain from Level Two Music in Auckland so she can literally feel the music, powered by Sony’s new Extra Bass SRS-XB3 wireless speaker.
Baez says having a music track created specifically for her is a huge thrill: “Dance is a language for me. I feel the beat speaks to me and I speak back through dance.” Fountain comments, “I wanted to make a track that would kick you in the stomach and make you want to move, I wanted to strip layers away and concentrate on the bass frequencies that you physically feel.” The video is at sony.co.nz/extrabass.
Sony Australia New Zealand Head of Video and Sound, Abel Makhraz, says, “It’s been exciting working with Macy and watching her choreograph a routine to a bass-heavy track specifically produced for her. She’s an amazingly talented dancer and being able to support her dance career is a great privilege for Sony. The track is played on Sony’s XB3 speaker which is designed for big bass reproduction – we hope it continues to inspire some sensational dance moves.”
Bon Jovi’s David Bryan cuts individual CAA deal
Bon Jovi’s keyboard player David Bryan has signed for individual representation with CAA (Creative Artists Agency) which also looks after the band. Bryan is an award winning composer and lyricist, winning awards for Broadway hits, Memphis and The Toxic Avenger. He is currently developing the new play Chasing The Song about songwriters from 1962-64 who worked in the legendary Brill Building.
ESM Productions partners with Roc Nation
US event producers ESM Productions have become the latest partners for the Jay Z-founded entertainment company Roc Nation. The two have been working unofficially for some events including Made in America Festival, JAY Z Live from Brooklyn and TidalXColdplay. Founded in 1996 by Scott Mirkin and Jenny Woo, it also worked on events featuring President Barack Obama, The Dalai Lama and Pope Francis. The new deal sees ESM and Roc Nation team up for large-scale events, concerts and live stream festivals. Scott Mirkin will now serve as President of ESM Productions.
Century Media adds Deserted Fear
German-based hard metal label Century Media Records pacted a worldwide deal with German death metal band Deserted Fear. Their next album is due in early 2017. Formed six years ago, the band released their debut album My Empire in 2012. Their current album Kingdom Of Worms, out in October 2014, was a breakthrough to the northern hemisphere festival circuit and starting to headline their own shows. Jens Prueter, Head Of A&R Century Media Europe said, “It’s great to see that a young band with an almost Bolt-Thrower-like DIY attitude manages to still keep it underground while kicking major ass at bigger festivals.”
Buy-outs put two major promoters controlling New York music
The New York live music scene is now under the control of the two major promoters, reports Billboard. AEG Live has bought Bowery Presents, whose venues have seen NY acts build up, from the 250-capacity Mercury Lounge or Rough Trade up to the Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg up to the 3,000-capacity Terminal 5. It also has exclusive deals with venues as Madison Square Gardens and Barclays Center and runs venues in seven other cities.
Live Nation in the meantime already owns or operates Irving Plaza, Gramercy Theatre, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
In a territorial battle AEG and Live Nation have been scooping up venues, promoters, and festivals across America, Billboard said.
Shazam launches Shazam For Brands
Music recognition app Shazam, which has been offering data to the music industry, has now expanded its information to corporations and ad agencies through its new Shazam For Brands to engage with audiences. Shazam Data Insights offers analysis of consumer engagement with content. Shazam Branded Content uses Shazam Live Events and Shazam Next Generation to create branded content. Shazam Brand Connect helps brands reach consumers in new ways. Visual Shazam lets consumers scan real-world items. Brands can also use technology as Beacons and Audio Watermarking to make any live event become Shazamable.
ABC, Screen Australia, for new arts content
The ABC and Screen Australia announced four teams will share in $200,000 of funding for a joint initiative called Art Bites. It is set up to encourage new arts content from emerging and early-career filmmakers. Two teams from WA, and one each from Queensland and NSW will each receive $50,000 to fund a 6 x 5 minute web series to premiere from November on the ABC Arts channel on iview which in March recorded 2.5 million visitors. Screen West and Screen Queensland have also offered support for their local talent.
The series is aimed at an 18—25 age group and set up to give a “different” approach to all aspects of the arts in this country. The Wanderers (QLD) will explore Australia’s six most exciting street artists. Shock Art (WA) is about art that makes us deeply uncomfortable. The Glass Bedroom (NSW) will examine the influence of social media on the work of artists. Suburban Interventions (WA) looks at the life and artistic practice of artist Ian Strange.
Each project got mentoring from a digital Arts Commissioning Editor at ABC and an Investment Development Manager from Screen Australia.
Head of ABC Arts, Mandy Chang, says, “This is a wonderful opportunity, in partnership with Screen Australia, to develop the next generation of arts filmmakers, and we’re excited to see the films that emerge from this initiative. ABC Arts on iView is a fantastic platform on which to showcase this up-and-coming Australian talent.”
Senior Manager for Documentary at Screen Australia, Liz Stevens, adds, “We were really impressed with the stories that were submitted to the Art Bites initiative and the high level of interest emerging filmmakers have in telling arts-based stories. The final projects give four emerging filmmakers an opportunity to show audiences what they find exciting and important about arts in Australia, right now, through the very popular, accessible and shareable ABC iView platform.”
Pedestrian.tv launches charity initiative
Online youth brand Pedestrian.tv has set up a platform to raise awareness of various charities. Pedestrian Help will choose four charities a year, the first being Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets. A fundraiser is held on May 21 at the Metro Theatre in Sydney.