New Signings & Team-Ups: June 28

1D’s Harry Styles joins Sony Music as solo act

A solo album by Harry Styles of One Direction will be released in this country through Sony Music Australia. It’s part of a deal solo where he signed with Columbia Records, which is also the label for 1D, which is currently and officially on a hiatus.

There are no plans for a solo album as yet, but sharp-eyed members of the music media noted that last year he copyrighted four of his songs with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). In March he signed management to Jeffrey Azoff’s Full Stop Management in Los Angeles. Styles is currently filming the Christopher Nolan World War II drama, Dunkirk.

Kobalt gets Zayn

Independent music services company Kobalt struck a worldwide deal with former One Direction member Zayn (Malik). The deal was with both the Kobalt Music Publishing and Neighbouring Rights divisions. In March Zayn’s debut album Mind Of Mine made him the first UK solo act to debut at #1 with their first album on both the UK and US charts.

His manager Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment said, “He made a decision based upon his desire to retain ownership of the copyrights in the songs he has written. He feels that Kobalt is best placed to administer those copyrights globally.”

Nettwerk signs another Australian act

Constant visits by Nettwerk Records executives to these shores, have seen them sign up Boy & Bear, Xavier Rudd, The Paper Kites and Cub Sport. The latest is Melbourne’s The Outdoor Type, the year-old band project by singer-songwriter Zack Buchanan.

The label’s President, International, A&R, Publishing, Mark Jowett said, “They’ve emerged out of a thriving music scene in Melbourne, their music is at once reminiscent of some of the great 70s acts like Crosby Stills and Nash and Lou Reed right through to current acts like War on Drugs and fellow Melbournite Courtney Barnett.” Their self-titled EP was playlisted on triple j.

Darius Rucker repped by Maverick

Darius Rucker, who had major world success fronting Hootie & The Blowfish before reinventing himself as a country singer, is now represented by Madonna/U2 manager Guy Oseary’s Maverick Management. He is part of their Nashville roster, which includes Brooks & Dunn, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts and Terri Clark – all of whom have toured Australia of late.

Cooking Vinyl Australia bring in Ceres

Ceres, the Melbourne band which formed in 2012, release their sophomore album, Drag It Down On You out on September 2 through Cooking Vinyl Australia. Band member Tom Lanyon said, “I honestly couldn’t even begin to dream up a better bunch of people to be working with, than Cooking Vinyl Australia. Having Stu Harvey and Leigh Gruppetta, and the rest of their team in our corner, is all still a bit of a trip. Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” Lanyon admits, ”There is a lot of death on this record, or at least the idea of death. A lot about people who are going, or gone, or want to be gone. Seemed like that’s what spilled out when I’d sit down to write. Oh and girls, it’s about girls too.”

Official: Rita Ora at Atlantic

As reported in TMN, Rita Ora and Roc Nation have been suing and counter-suing over her five-album deal in 2008. Both sides made up in May, and rumours were that she’d already been talking to major labels. She’s now with Atlantic UK, part of Warner Music Group for all territories including Australia and New Zealand, except for Asia. New material is due later this year.

Dot Dash / Remote Control close in on Gabriella Cohen

Gabriella Cohen, the enigmatic acclaimed singer songwriter who moved to Melbourne from Brisbane last December, is taking a further step. In March she issued her debut album Full Closure And No Details, made with the help of her longtime collaborator Kate Dillon (Full Flower Moon Band), which had critics drooling about how masterful and self-assured it was.

It was issued through her own record label Dirty Power Studios. Now a sign-up with Dot Dash / Remote Control Records sees the album available digitally in Australia & New Zealand. It will also receive a full re-release in North America under Dot Dash’s newly formed partnership with Brooklyn based label Captured Tracks.

Chris Watts added to 123 Agency

Melbourne folk-pop act Chris Watts has assigned his bookings to 123 Agency. In recent times, Watts released his debut album Back Down, was selected to take part in last year’s MTV Brand New and perform at the MTV Beats & Eats festival in Sydney, and received 100,000 Spotify plays in six days for his Let Go single, which led to his launch at Melbourne’s Shebeen selling out. In the latest move, Amy Shepherd took time off from working on Shepherd second album to collaborate on Wrong Or Right which has crossed over into mainstream radio airplay,

RZA teams with Atari for new music

Wu-Tang Clan rapper/producer, actor and video game fanatic RZA has gone into a partnership with Atari, Billboard revealed. He will record an album of new music inspired by the sounds of Atari game music. This is the formidable rapper’s second tie-up with Atari: earlier he provided the voice-over for its 2006 title Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.

Universal lives with 888

Universal Music Australia will release the next tracks from 888, which features three members of metalcore band Drop Dead, Gorgeous. The act just signed with Universal imprint Island. Their debut EP The Decades from last northern summer had a standout track called Critical Mistakes which piqued much interest.

Pandora launches new comedy station

Now it wants to tickle your ribs. Music streaming service Pandora launched a new comedy station called New Comedy. It’s for folks who want to find new comedy talent or new material from veteran comics. It debuted with a mixtape by Gabriel Iglesias called Five “Fluffy” Years, a collection of skits from his favorite chuckle-throwers as Nikki Glaser, Brian Regan, Rachel Feinstein, Jim Jeffries and Sam Morril

Habit switch on Morning TV

The label division of management and PR company Habit signed Sydney band Morning TV. The emerging act, mixing pop melodies with strong musicianship, just recorded a new single Turquoise, produced by Tim Fitz from Middle Kids. Their debut EP is slated for an August release.

Major brands join Carpool Karaoke segment

America’s CBS Network’s The Late Late Show With James Corden’s popular segment Carpool Karaoke has announced its first brand partners. McDonald’s and Coca-Cola were integrated during Selena Gomez’s carpool segment for a new summer sweepstakes, “Sip. Share. Win!”. The video has had 4 million YouTube views. Carpool Karaoke found new audiences with the appearances of superstars like Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Adele, Justin Bieber, Sia and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Capital stations now sponsor Convoy for Cancer Families

The Cancer Support Group is using Capital Radio’s 1206 2CC and Forever Classic 1053 2CA as sponsors for its Convoy for Cancer Families campaign to help 900 families in the region. They replace FM104.7 and will host the. Lead Truck and Lead Bike auctions next March. The change came after online research by the Group found that their truck drivers and motorbike riders preferred to tune in to 2CC and 2CA. The two stations will launch Support-A-Truck in October. It allows businesses to be featured on a moving billboard for 12 months and families to post messages for those lost to cancer.

Architect firm for arts centre

Sydney firm Brewster Hjorth Architects is expected to get Council approval to handle the $8 million redevelopment of the McDermott Centre in Goulburn, NSW. The plan is for the development application for the performing arts venue to be lodged by December. It includes a 300-seat theatre and a music studio. 13 firms applied, shortlisted to four by a working committee.