New Signings & Team-Ups: Jarryd James gets US release; Casey Barnes signs global deal; Another Marley follows family tradition; Enrique Iglesias heads to Sony

Jarryd James gets US release through Interscope

During his awesome Spendour In the Grass set on the weekend, Brisbane singer songwriter Jarryd James commented to the crowd there was an emerging amount of Australian acts who were “world class” and hastily added, “I don’t include myself in that.” James, one of 2015’s bright stars, however is in that movement. His debut album Thirty One gets a US release through Interscope just as it lands in ANZ on September 11 through Dryden St/Universal. To set up its international release, James is doing an 11-date run through America and Europe between August 3 and September 26. He is managed by Ashley Page of New Zealand’s Page1 Management and booked in North America by WME.

Thirty One was co-written and recorded in Auckland, L.A., Melbourne and Sydney with producers Joel Little (Lorde, Broods), Malay (Frank Ocean) and Pip Norman (Urthboy, Dan Sultan), as well as long-time friend Matt Corby.

Gold Coast’s Casey Barnes signs global management

Gold Coast singer songwriter Casey Barnes inked an international management deal with Arrow Entertainment, which has offices in Nashville and Seattle. Its President, Chris Sobonya, cited plans to release the track The One You Love as a single in America. "We have followed the career progress of Casey Barnes the past few years,” he said. “He has a distinct vocal and a direction in the music business that has separated him from the rest.” Barnes says his career went upswing in Australia after opening for Mariah Carey last year.

Another Marley follows family tradition

Skip Marley, 19-year-old grandson of Bob Marley, signed a global publishing deal with Blue Mountain Music – run by Chris Blackwell, who signed Bob to Island Records in the ‘70s. Skip’s album is coming out via grandpa’s Tuff Gong. Blackwell said, "I am really excited to be working with Bob’s grandson, Skip. He has so much to offer." In August Skip joins his uncles, Stephen and Damian Marley, playing across the United States on the month-long Catch A Fire tour.

Ella Hooper to front Melbourne Music Bank

Singer and radio identity Ella Hooper will again front the campaign for Bank of Melbourne’s Melbourne Music Bank. Victorian musicians who submit an original song by August 23 are in the running for a career pack including two days of recording at Sing Sing studios, a film clip by Oh Yeah Wow, album artwork, printed CDs and the chance for their song to feature in a Bank of Melbourne TV ad. There is also advice on management and mentoring by Chris Robinson, publicity by On The Map PR, radio plugging by Varrasso PR and gig bookings by 123 Agency. Four finalists perform on October 8 at the State Theatre.

Liberation gets Moving Pictures acoustic record

Liberation Records is releasing an ‘unplugged hits’ album by Moving Pictures. The ‘80s outfit is best known for the #1 Australian and Top 40 US hit What About Me. The act reformed in 2011 to tour behind the 30th anniversary of the release of debut album Days Of Innocence. This year when the lineup approached Harbour Agency about hitting the road again, Harbour suggested an unplugged album.

Co-founder and guitarist Garry Frost said, “We have been busily reworking the songs with a few surprises including a very special cover, a stunning new tune and a song from a movie that we said we would never ever play.We are all really looking forward to getting back out and playing.” The album, titled Picture This, is launched at Sydney’s Basement on September 30. Included in the touri schedule is a few A Day On The Greens and James Reyne’s summer tour.

Enrique Iglesias heads to Sony

Enrique Iglesias has left Universal Music, his home for the past ten years. Apparently Sony Music offered him a massive deal in terms of an advance and royalty deal. Iglesias’ English language records will be issued through the RCA imprint and his Spanish language product on Sony Music Latin.

Gympie Muster picks Youngcare as charity partner

The Gympie Music Muster (August 27-30) announced its charity partner for 2015 as Youngcare. Festival Director Jeff Chandler explained, “We truly believe that the work carried out by Youngcare makes such a huge difference to the lives of young people living with high care needs.” Youngcare creates choice, dignity and independence for young Aussies with high care needs through buildings, grants, research and the Youngcare Connect hotline.

Last year the Muster won Spinal Injuries Australia’s Best Entertainment Event inclusive Community Champion for improvising disability access on site andensuring all its patrons could participate in its events. Since its beginnings 34 years ago, the Muster has raised $15 million for charity.

MTV Brand New includes Set Mo, Carmada

The inaugural MTV Brand New in Australia & NZ includes Sydney DJ and remixer duo Set Mo and young producers Carmada. Set Mo’s single White Dress featuring Deutsch Duke has over 1 million plays across Spotify, YouTube and SoundCloud and picked up for an international release. Carmada, the combination of L D R U (Drew Carmody) and Yahtzel (Max Armata) are about to be signed by a global major after it flipped over their debut single Realise.

Samantha Jade to front Runway Weekend

Magazine publisher Bauer Media tapped singer Samantha Jade to front its beauty and fashion Runway Weekend. It is at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal August 29 and 30. Jade’s face will adorn the magazine, digital and point-of-sale operation and she’ll perform single Shake That live on the catwalk.

Tigerair flies in for Airlie Beach festival

The Airlie Beach Festival of Music in the Whitsundays named Tigerair Australia as its sponsor and airline partner. The airline, which runs regular services between Sydney and the Whitsundays, will add a Sunday route before the festival stages Thursday November 5 and Sunday November 8.

Sydney all-ages gigs get hand-up

Music NSW and Indent partner with the Future Is Now (FIN) group to promote its expanding all-ages gigs schedule. FIN’s launch event on July 12 was a success and proved a market for such shows. These are staged at the Bald Faced Stag, with Tony Lovato, the Teenage Mutant Metalfest, Lord, King Parrot, Ocean Alley, Interim, D At Sea and America’s Code Orange August 9 to September 27.

Azealia Banks tests the gates at Prospect Park

New York rapper Azealia Banks didn’t look at the fine print when she tweeted she was a “free agent” after cutting ties with Prospect Park after a year. She seemed dissatisfied over the release of her Broke With Expensive Taste album. Before her tweet got too much traction, however, the company said, yes, we’re no longer managing her but she’s still with our record company. Oh.

Universal partners with online fashion retailer ASOS

Universal Music will offer exclusive content premieres to British-based online fashion retailer ASOS, which has a dedicated website in Australia. The deal allows certain Universal artist videos created by both firms to screen exclusively for 24 hours on ASOS channels. A video shot at a London launch party for Years & Years saw the band dressed by ASOS stylists. ASOS aims at young adults selling 850 brands and its own lines, turning over £753.8 million in 2013.

Oaten Solicitors working with Ambience

Sydney-based Brett Oaten Solicitors is working the financing and production legals for Ambience Entertainment’s 2016-due Tomorrow When The War Began series, based on John Marsden's best selling books.

Alice Springs’ Desert Festival launching book

Alice Springs’ Desert Festival is launching a book Every Hill Got A Story in partnership with the Central Land Council. Five years in the making the tome includes previously unpublished photos and yarns from 127 storytellers in many dialects. Some of them will yarn on the day at the Telegraph Station, where there’ll be roo stew and wattle seed damper from Kungkas Can Cook, and book-signing. The festival runs Thursday August 27 to Sunday 6 September.

Taylor Swift strikes merchandise deal for China

As previously reported, Taylor Swift’s merchandising line will be released in China just before her 1989 world tour lands there in November, through a tie-up with local e-commerce giants JD.com and the Alibaba group. The deal was brokered through Nashville-based Heritage66Company.

However they could be heading into a political poo storm. Chinese authorities are not going to be impressed with T-shirts, dresses and sweatshirts with the blaring messages 1989 and TS. We all know 1989 comes from her birth year and TS her name. But in China, authorities are extremely sensitive to the fact that 1989 was the year of the Tiananmen Square (TS!) massacre when hundreds of students were killed in pro-democracy protests. After all, China just axed shows by Maroon 5 after hearing they texted birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama.