Josh Pyke signs to Wonderlick/Sony Music
After eight years with Wonderlick Entertainment’s artist management arm, the Sydney-based company has signed Josh Pyke to its record label.
Started as a joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment in 2012, Wonderlick’s Directors Gregg Donovan and Stu MacQueen have used the label to launch the careers of Max & Bianca, Holy Holy, The Paper Kites and Jackson McLaren.
Pyke joined Wonderlick in the same year of its inception in 2007, with Donovan managing the four-time ARIA Award winner since 2003.
Josh Pyke told TMN: “I’m really excited to be working with Wonderlick for the next few records. The music industry is pretty different from when I started out, and Gregg and I have navigated those changes together, so I’m looking forward to working with him and Stu and the whole Wonderlick crew to think outside the square and stay creative.”
Pyke’s time with Wonderlick has seen him release four top 10 albums, take home four ARIA Awards from 10 nominations, have nine songs feature in triple j’s Hottest 100 countdowns, sell-out multiple national tours and tour the UK and US, including shows at Glastonbury Festival and SXSW.
Denis Handlin AM, Chairman & CEO Australia & New Zealand and President, Asia, Sony Music Entertainment, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Josh into the Sony/Wonderlick family. I’ve been a long time admirer of his work. This is an incredibly important signing for us and further strengthens the growing roster of artists we have with the Wonderlick label.”
Pyke, renowned for his philanthropic ventures, is expected to partner with Wonderlick and SME on new endeavours. In 2009 Pyke founded his annual charity event Busking For Change, with all profits raised going towards the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), and last year he teamed with APRA for mentorship and funding program The Josh Pyke Partnership where Wonderlick’s Gregg Donovan leant his experience as a mentor.
:: READ OUR 2013 FEATURE ON JOSH PYKE
Pyke also announced the third and final leg of his national Lone Wolf solo tour, adding further shows this November/December across regional Victoria and New South Wales. Click here for tour dates and more information.