New Signings & Team-Ups: March 28

FLUME BECOMES AMBASSAOR FOR BONDS

Sydney-based EDM act Flume has signed on as ambassador for Australian fashion brand Bonds’ upcoming Bonds Sweats hoodies, trackies and pullovers range.

He’ll be showing off his threads alongside fellow Aussies; model Duckie Thot, actor Keiynan Lonsdale, actress Samara Weaving and influencer Rachel Tee Tyler.

The ad features Flume with a puppy and uses his track ‘Heater’

“I grew up wearing Bonds, we all did!” said Flume.

“I handpick every one of my projects and am all about trying something new so when Bonds asked if I’d like to be part of this, it made sense.

“They’ve always led the way in celebrating Aussie individuality and originality.”

Last month, the 26-year-old who grew up in Seaforth shelled out $1.25 million for a two bedroom apartment in the newly completed Hum complex in Manly.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PARTNERS WITH DJ/PRODUCER ZEDD

National Geographic partners with Grammy winning DJ/producer Zedd to create an original composition and BTS video series inspired by new 10-part documentary series One Strange Rock.

The series sees film makers Darren Arootsly and Jane Root looking at planet Earth through the eyes of astronauts and hosted by Will Smith whom you remember has saved the planet countless times from aliens and zombies in his movies.

The BTS video shows Zedd, who reveals himself to be a fan of Arootsly’s work, creating music inspired by the series’ visuals.

The partnership, conceptualized and managed by Universal Music Group & Brands, also sees Nashville-based Evolve Studio handle production of the films featuring Zedd’s creative journey and performance.

CARMOUFLAGE ROSE DROPS SINGLE THROUGH SONY

Sony Music Entertainment Australia conformed it has added Zimbabwe-born Brisbane based rapper Carmouflage Rose to its roster as it dropped his new single ‘Wildflower’.

“Camo is a unique artist who brings an incredibly exciting sound to the ever-evolving hip hop scene,” said Denis Handlin AO, chairman & CEO, Australia & New Zealand and president.

The rapper, who last September signed his worldwide management to Cassette Entertainment and ANZ/Asia bookings with Falcona, sets out on a national tour in May.

MUCHO BRAVADO MANAGING CHAKRA EFENDI

Mucho Bravado has signed management with young Brisbane based Chakra Efendi, repped by Aisling Kissane.

Emerging from the Sunshine Coast scene, Efendi notched up 100,000 streams for a series of demos on SoundCloud and last year issued a collaborative track with Memo Boy, ‘Insomniac’.

He’s just issued his debut single ‘Waste of Space’, which he says he wrote “during a part of my life that I was experiencing dissociation for the first time.

“I was completely oblivious and uneducated as to what it was that I was feeling.”

Live, Chakra Efendi extends to a four piece.

SCOOTER BRAUN MANAGING ZAC BROWN BAND

Billboard reported that Scooter Braun has taken over management of the Zac Brown Band, one of the biggest new country acts to emerge from the US.

He has had four No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and eight No. 1s on Hot Country Songs.

The act has toured Australia twice, in 2015 and 2017, for Bluesfest and for national dates.

Braun’s SB Projects has Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Kanye West and Vic Mensa as its clients.

Zac Brown is his first move into the major county scene.

BIG BOI AT LA REID’S HITCO

Former Epic Records chairman/CEO LA Reid‘s new company Hitco, set up with former Bertelsmann Music Group president/COO Charles Goldstuck, has started signing up acts.

Outkast’s Big Boi is the first, reuniting the pair as Reid signed Outkast to Arista.

A number of other acts have also been signed but these will be revealed when it officially launches after generating investment totalling $100 million.

Reid was ousted from Epic after allegations of sexual misconduct by a staffer.

NOVA 100 GETS THE GIGGLES

Nova 100 Melbourne continues its 13 year partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, kicking off this year from today (March 28) to Sunday April 22.

Earlier this morning Nova 100’s Chrissie, Sam & Browny held a live outside broadcast from the Melbourne Town Hall, courtesy TAC.

The team will interview major acts from the festival through the period.

Details of more events presented by the station are at TMN’s sister title Radio Today at radiotoday.com.au.

REGIONAL ARTS CONDUCTS SURVEY

Regional Arts Australia is undertaking a survey to find out how IT can better support the one in three Australians that live in regional Australia.

It invites patrons to complete the survey to help it shape its programs, policies and direction in the coming years.

The survey closes on Tuesday April 10.

PANDORA ACQUIRES DIGITAL AUDIO AD FIRM

Pandora acquired digital audio advertising tech firm AdsWizz for $145 million.

“With our scale in audio advertising and AdsWizz’s tech expertise, we will create the largest digital audio advertising ecosystem, better serving global publishers and advertisers while improving Pandora’s own monetization capabilities,” said president and CEO Roger Lynch.

Australia is one of the 39 countries that AdsWizz operates in, with Australian Radio Network adopting its technology last year for its IHeartMedia platform.

BANANA KEYBOARD PROJECT EXPANDS

Australia’s Soundhouse Music Alliance is a not for profit organisation which over the past 30 years has worked to encourage music lovers to actively create than passively listen.

It has partnered with a number of schools and cultural organisations, state education authorities and specific provider groups.

A significant long term program developed by Soundhouse is the Special Access Kit Project using the Banana Keyboard.

This was first invented in 1992 to assist those with disabilities to make music, with a curved design to allow wheelchair access and with features that help physical and mental disabilities.

Over 100 of these units have been placed in special schools, arts facilities and hospitals, across Australia, and a dozen in international locations.

The Special Access Kit Upgrade project has been launched to update software and make the units wireless.

Each costs $960 and 12 facilities have been identified for use in. See http://soundhouse.org.au on how to donate.

ENTERTAINMENT ONE ACQUIRES ROUND ROOM ENT.

Global entertainment company Entertainment One, which has an Australian office, has acquired New York based Round Room Entertainment, it posted on Facebook.

Entertainment One (aka eOne) develops, produces, markets and distributes film, TV and music content.

The acquisition will allow it to expand into the live touring business (Roundhouse worked on tours by The Rolling Stones and Barbra Streisand, touring music exhibits and family – and children-friendly projects.

ULTRA MUSIC EXPANDS DANCE MISOIC FOOTSTEP

After a successful debut in Australia, Ultra Music Festival is expanding its presence in the EDM sector in a number of ways.

At a press conference in Miami, it announced that the festival will expand to China with Ultra Beijing, June 16-17, 2018, as well as Shanghai, some time in September.

Ultra now stages 47 festivals in 24 countries across six continents.

Ultra Music has also acquired the Winter Music Conference and the International Dance Music Awards.

NEW PODCAST CATEGORIES FOR AUSTRALIAN RADIO AWARDS

Three new podcast categories are introduced for the 2018 Australian Commercial Radio Awards, for content created by Commercial Radio Australia members.

These include Best Original Podcast (Branded); Best Original Podcast (Unbranded) and Best Radio Show Podcast (Metro and Non-Metro).

Entries are open now through to May 18 May. The winners are announced on October 20 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.