New Signings & Team-Ups

PNAU LAND UK/EUROPEAN DEALS

Pnau’s hit single Chameleon, just certified double platinum in Australia, is about to get a release abroad in time to make the northern summer anthem stakes.

It will be released in the UK and most of Europe by Island Records, and by Elektra Records in France.

In between their Groovin’ The Moo slots from late April to mid-May, the electro duo plays their first Sydney date in over five years. It’s at the Metro Theatre on Friday May 5.

TAPZ TWO DEALS WITH MUSHROOM GROUP

Zimbabwe-born, New Zealand based noir’n’b performer TAPZ (previously Young Tapz) has signed a multi-faceted deal with the Mushroom Group. He’s assigned his recording to its new imprint 100s + 1000s and his publishing to Mushroom Music Publishing.

TAPZ’s new single Run Don’t Run follows his appearance on Hermitude’s 2015 crossover The Buzz (notching up 40 million Spotify plays) and his debut solo single Killa (2 million Spotify plays).

His global management is a collaboration between Sydney’s Winterman & Goldstein, Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Management and Control Music Group (Phoenix, Hudson Mohawke).

CARRIE UNDERWOOD SWITCHES TO UNIVERSAL

After 12 years with Sony Music’s Arista Nashville, Carrie Underwood signed a global deal with Universal Music Group. The 7 x Grammy winner who toured Australia last December with Keith Urban, has teamed up with Capitol Records Nashville. She’s sold 64 million records around the world.

JESS LOCKE DIVES IN WITH POOL HOUSE

Melbourne singer-songwriter Jess Locke is the first act to be signed to The Smith Street Band’s label Pool House Records, which is distributed through Remote Control. Locke toured with her new label bosses around the country.

“We were all very taken by her beautiful, laid-back songwriting, and by her and her bandmates as wonderful people,” said Pool House Records’ Chris Cowburn.

New dreamy guitar pop single ’Better/Bitter is a taster for an album due later in the year. She hits Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in May behind the single.

NICKI MINAJ SIGNS MODELLING DEAL

34-year old rapper Niki Minaj has finalised a modelling contract with Wilhelmina Models. It’s also signed the likes of Chris Brown, Leona Lewis and Iggy Azalea in its celebrity portfolio. Minaj was the face of Roberto Cavalli’s 2015 spring/summer campaign, and last month walked the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week.

VOID OF VISION GET THE VIBE

Rising Melbourne hard hittersVoid Of Vision become the third act to join the What A Vibe Management family, after Storm The Sky and Introvert. After releasing their debut Children Of Chrome through UNFD, they took off on a European tour opening for Chelsea Grin.

BURNERS’ THIS GIRL, A HIT WITH SYNCS

The global hit remix of Cookin’ On 3 Burners’ This Girl byKungshas proven to be a sync diamond for the Melbourne band. In the latest, it’s been picked up in France for an ad for the Peugeot 208.

The Origin Music-published song has also been used in Italy for All-In-VIP, Just Jeans in Australia and New Zealand, Fuze Tea in Israel, DStv Premium in South Africa, UK online department store Littlewoods and in the US by Cricket Wireless mobile provider.

ADDING TO THE SUM

Electro-pop performer Thandi Phoenix, whose fast rise in the past two years saw her signed to Island Records in the UK, posted on Facebook that she has signed to SUM Management. Phoenix counts among her fans Rudimental, with whom she toured.

US MEDIA COMPANY USES AUSSIE PLATFORM

US media company Emmis Communications is collaborating with Australian audio publishing platform Omny Studios and Canada’s audio technology provider Triton Digital to enhance its on-demand audio offering.

A PERFECT CIRCLE CLICKS IN WITH BMG

US rock band A Perfect Circle’s first album in 13 years will be released worldwide by BMG this year. The current lineup is Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan, who formed the outfit in 1999, with former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, Devo/The Beta Machine’s Jeff Friedl and Eagles Of Death Metal/The Beta Machine’s Matt McJunkins.

SPINEFARM/CAROLINE GET A BITE

In the wake of their worldwide deal with Spinefarm Records and Caroline Australia, North London trio Puppy have issued a music video to go with new track Beast. It’s part of their reworked and re-released five track Vol 11 EP.

‘SCUSE ME WHILE I KISS THE CKY

Entertainment One Music (eOne Music), which has an office in Australia, has signed up US rock act CKY. Made up of Chad I Ginsburg, Jess Margera and Matt Deis, a new album is out in the northern summer followed by a run on the Vans Warped tour. Their last album was Carver City in 2009.

TEEF ADDITION

Sydney singer and multi-instrumentalist Kirsty Tickle of art-racket duoParty Dozen has created a solo vehicle called Exhibitionist. The debut solo track Hands, made with fellow Party Dozen memberJonathan Boulet, sees the light of day through Sydney’s TEEF Recordings (Lonelyspeck, Yon Yonson, Spirit Faces).

BBC ON GREAT ESCAPE, GLASTONBURY

BBC Music continues its collaborations with UK festivals. This week it extended its coverage of Glastonbury until 2022 and entered a deal with The Great Escape.

It has worked with June’s Glastonbury since 1997: last year its 25 hours of TV coverage reached a record 18.9 million. It also had 60 hours of radio content and live streaming from six of its stages.

It’s also now providing coverage for The Great Escape (May) which it says will attract the younger audience the festival is aiming for as it cements its reputation as the best UK/ European event to find new talent.

TEG INCREASES RESEARCH OFFERING

Australian ticketing, live entertainment and data analytics company TEG will increase its consumer research offering by using Dutch company Wakoopa’s Passive Metering for its TEG Rewards.

Passive Metering technology constantly tracks consumer behaviours across multiple devices and provides insights to interaction with selected brands, products and services. TEG Rewards conducts its consumer research via Purkle, a rewards-based program with over one million members across Australia and New Zealand.

UNIVERSAL MUSIC BOMBS THE BASS

Universal Music Australia will release innovative bass player, vocalist, producer, composer and arranger Miles Mosley’s much anticipated solo album Uprising.

The deal comes through one of its imprints, the acclaimed and revitalised jazz label Verve. Uprising has already stormed the US and UK jazz charts.

CLOSET DISCO CHOOSE KASUMUEN

Swedish noise rockers Closet Disco Queen – who made a big impression on their recent first tour here, along the East Coast and in New Zealand – have made Kasumuen Records exclusive Aussie distributors of their upcoming release.

The band formed in 2014. Members earlier toured Australia as members of The Ocean.

BEATZ HAVE A CRACA OF A SCHOOLS PROGRAM

Sydney all-female pop outfit BEATZ teamed up with CRACA (Cooks River Arts Cultural Alliance) via various schools across Sydney, launching their new arts alliance and the open mic program. They perform their new single Ain’t Your Girl and chat with the students after, hoping to share & inspire students about their love for music. If your school is interested in being involved, contact: beatzofficial@live.com.