ArowAgency partners with Songtrust, signs No Frills Twins and Lupa J for management: Exclusive

Independent music agency ArowAgency has forged a partnership with Songtrust, the U.S.-based global digital rights management platform, TIO can reveal.

Former Sony Music staffers Elizabeth Browne and Tamara Georgopoulos launched ArowAgency in 2016 and swiftly set about designing a suite of services for management, digital and artist development activities and, later, establishing an artist and label services division. Through this new partnership, ArowAgency’s artists, writers and producers can now collect from PROs globally, and cut right through the complicated realm of royalties.

Based in New York City, Songtrust is part of Downtown Music Publishing and co-founded in 2011 by Justin Kalifowitz and Joe Conyers III. The company manages music publishing administration and publishing royalty collections for 150,000 songwriters and 20,000 publishers worldwide, covering more than 1 million copyrights (and growing). Earlier this year, Downtown expanded into Australia with the launch of a Sydney office, headed up by former Alberts and BMG Australia creative director and sync guru Rachel Kelly, and the signing of its first artist to the local roster, Stella Donnelly.

The international face of Songtrust is Molly Neuman, the riot grrrl movement leader, drummer (Bratmobile and The Frumpees) and indie label chief, who joined the company in January from Kickstarter, where she was its first-ever head of music.

Neuman, who serves as global head of business development at Songtrust, returned to Australia for last month’s Indie-Con summit in Adelaide, where she delivered the opening address and sat for an “In Conversation” session which delved into her independent spirit and love affair with this country. Earlier, Kelly connected Neuman with Browne and Georgopoulos, and an alliance was formed.

Rachel Kelly, Tamara Georgopoulos, Molly Neuman and Elizabeth Browne

Songtrust has the heart of an indie, and global muscle. It was a perfect match, recounts Browne. “What excited us the most about the service is that it essentially allows you to act as your own publisher whilst remaining completely independent,” Browne tells TIO. With Songtrust on board, its clients can upload selected tracks and collect royalties globally, managing that entire process from start to finish, which “means we’re providing more power to independent artists and that’s so important to us.”

Georgopoulos adds, “We’re so excited to be working with Molly, Mandy and the team at Songtrust. The platform really champions independent songwriters and producers, allowing them to focus their time on creative development without having to worry about the day-to-day admin of the business.”

Neuman is a champion of the Sydney firm’s co-directors and their approach to business. “I love entrepreneurs and risk takers,” she tells TIO. “ArowAgency are offering much-needed service and support to the Australian music community and doing so with a fresh vision and energy that’s quite inspiring.”

To coincide with its Songtrust partnership, ArowAgency unveils two new signings to its management roster, No Frills Twins (Universal/Island Records) and former Triple J Unearthed High finalist Lupa J (Independent).

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.