New Signings & Team-Ups – May 10

UMPA TALKS IT OUT WITH “SASSY” OLYMPIA

For Melbourne based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Olivia Bartley, aka Olympia, 2017 has been building: being shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize, heading to the UK to showcase at the Great Escape, and now signed worldwide by Universal Music Publishing Australia.

Last year she embarked on her first national tour, released her debut album Self Talk, got a Top 30 ARIA debut and was up for an ARIA for Breakthrough Artist.

Bartley explains, ”My work as an artist has always been process-driven. With each new project, I keep coming back to the notion that the music must be immersive – like film is.

“I dig for ideas, and write surrounded by photocopies, notes, observations and overdue library books.”

UMPA Vice President Arwen Curson recalls seeing her at a Melbourne show: “She arrived all shoulder pads and metallic brilliance, and tore the roof off with Ziggy Stardust style sass. I have been hooked ever since.”

GOLD CLASS GET DRESSED

On the eve of festival dates in the UK and Europe as well as a run through New Zealand and Australia, Melbourne’s Gold Class are now with Barely Dressed Records. Their first release through the deal, Twist In The Dark (produced by The Drones’ Gareth Liddiard), has already been picked up by Double J.

While they work on an album for a late 2017 release, the single has had a remix treatment by electro-visual duo friendships and out on 12” vinyl.

TWINS PEAK WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC

Universal Music Australia has put pen to paper with Lismore, NSW-based Frills Twins, aka Arna and Vanessa Rodgers. Aside from their debut single Love Me Tender (written on a writing tour through LA and London), they’re touring with Sheppard and have just wrapped up an appearance in Storm Ashwood’s Sydney-made horror movie The School.

CLIVE YOUNG MANAGEMENT LAUNCHES WITH VAUDEVILLE SMASH

Newly formed company Clive Young Management launched last week with the signing of Melbourne funk pop outfit Vaudeville Smash.

The band, which enjoys a reputation as a fiery live act, is currently negotiating with major European labels to capitalise on their viral YouTube hit song Zinedine Zidane, which has had 6.5 million views.

Young, who emerged in bands in the ’70s, and is currently a successful songwriter and record producer, set up the management company with a holistic approach to help its acts become as best they could and sustain a career.

WARNER BROS. EXTENDS DRAKE DEAL

Warner Bros. Records has extended its distribution deal with Toronto-based record label OVO Sound, which Drake co-founded in 2012 with his co-manager Oliver El-Khatib and producer Noah “40” Shebib.

The label includes the Grammy-nominated rapper-singer PARTYNEXTDOOR, R&B duo Majid Jordan, production duo dvsn and Roy Woods.

LABEL, AGENCY, DEALS FOR AYLA

Queensland singer-songwriter Ayla who emerged in 2014 as an 18-year old with the track Wish I Was (triple j playlisted, and a radio and club hit in Europe) continues her journey with two new signings.

She’s assigned her recording to Caroline Australia and bookings with Select Agency.

Her new single Shallow End was co-written with Glenn Sarangapany of Birds of Tokyo, and she hits the East Coast for dates in between working on an EP.

UMBLICAL BROS STAR IN DISNEY SERIES

Comedy duo The Umbilical Bros star in pre-school storytelling series The Book of Once Upon A Time. It is a production between ZSpace and Disney Junior, utilising stories from the Disney catalogue.

The pair will “enter” the book and, with animation and VFX, interact with the characters.

CHAINSMOKERS ENTER PLAYSTATION VR

The Chainsmokers’ hit Paris gets a VR remix exclusively for PlayStation VR in the PlayStation store. It’s out in the US, with an Australian release coming as part of a global roll-out in the coming months.

The track was a collaboration between the band, Sony Music, virtual reality company Kuju Enterprise and brand agency Ralph Creative.

It is released as part of Sony Music’s Lost In Music series, in which Sony technology and artists work to increase the experiences of consumers.

USA’S MUTANT LEAGUE PACT PERTH’S VACANT HOME

Chicago, Illinois-based Mutant League Records have picked up fast rising Perth melodic hardcore five piece Vacant Home. Formed in late 2016 and playing house shows, the outfit has fast outgrown Perth, with debut single Shiver generated 350,000 YouTube views in six months.

Mutant League will release debut EP Reflect, Respond worldwide on June 16, The band does a launch show at Perth’s 459 Bar the night after, before heading off for an eight-date East Coast run with Eat Your Heart Out, False Plaintiff, and Blue Velvet.

THE ORCHARD ADDS TWO MORE DISTRIBUTORS

Independent music, video and film distributor The Orchard has acquired music distributors finetunes GmbH of Germany and Phonofile AS of Norway.

It gives US-based The Orchard a greater presence in Europe while acts and labels of the two European companies will get The Orchard’s services in 25 territories around the world.

These include physical sales and distribution, global digital marketing, playlist promotion, interactive marketing, digital advertising, synch licensing, video services, performance/neighboring rights collections, and artist royalty processing.

HIT COUNTRY SONGWRITER HILLARY LINDSEY EXTENDS DEAL

Nashville-based Hillary Lindsey, one of the most successful country music hit writers in recent times, has extended her six-year publishing deal with BMG in partnership with new indie Rezonant Music, Billboard reported.

Lindsey had co-writes on Keith Urban’s Grammy-nominated Blue Ain’t Your Color, as well as Carrie Underwood’s Jesus, Take The Wheel, Little Big Town’s Girl Crush, Blake Shelton’s Every Time I Hear That Song, Lady Antebellum’s You Look Good, Florida Georgia Line & Backstreet Boys’ God, Your Mama, And Me and a number of songs off Lady Gaga’s Joanne.

JAMATAR AT 123 AGENCY

In the few months since electronic act Jamatar was created, he’s performed in London, signed a UK record deal, played Australian festivals and last November co-created a Gameboy game titled Reflect.

With bookings now assigned to 123 Agency, he’s about to play local shows behind Reflect.

WARNER/ CHAPPELL LANDS HAILEE STEINFELD

Warner/Chappell Music’s latest global publishing deal is with singer and actor Hailee Steinfeld. Her last single Starving reached #3 in Australia and went platinum in America. Making her film debut at 14 in True Grit, she reprises the role of Emily Junk in the upcoming film Pitch Perfect 3.

ANOTHER ADDITION TO RATBAG

Brisbane band Dune Rats’ label Ratbag Records announced Rockhampton four piece Pandamic has joined its roster. Their second EP Archer is out on June 2, with the track Sam out as a single last week. They hit the road with the Rats on their Fuck Yeah Ledge Yew! national tour next month.

THE DAMNED ISSUING FIRST ALBUM IN TEN YEARS

British punk pioneers The Damned release their first album in ten years in late 2017 through Search And Destroy. The label is a JV with Raw Power Management, and Spinefarm Records/Universal.

AUDIO ACTIVE BRINGS EMOTIVA TO AUST.

Audio Active has secured the Australian distribution of Nashville-based Emotiva audio and home cinema range, including amplifiers, loudspeakers and subwoofers. The products should be arriving in Australia in coming months.