New Signings & Team Ups: Warner inks Asta; Barely Dressed cloaks Jess Ribeiro; Janet Jackson’s new label strikes deal; Elevnth hour rush; Peter Andre launches fragrance

Warner Music inks Asta Binnie

Tasmanian singer-songwriter Asta Binnie, whose career has been on the up since winning triple j's Unearthed High in 2012, announced on Facebook, "Your girl just got signed to Warner Music worldwide!" The Sydney-based artist has landed a short-term deal that covers recording, distribution and touring. Speaking to 936 ABC Hobart, the 21-year old said that other labels had also wooed her, but Warner were “the best out of everyone and they were “yeah let's do this, they just seemed really passionate.”" The major label support comes at a time when Binnie admits that self-financing her current sell-out tour with Allday has cost her a fortune.

Barely Dressed cloaks up Jess Ribeiro

Barely Dressed Records, set upby artist managers Katie Besgrove and Nick O’Byrne, together with Remote Control, signed songwriter Jess Ribeiro. While her 2012 debut My Little River was folk/country, her August-due album was recorded with Mick Harvey (Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey). Ribeiro got the idea of working with Harvey in the Moab desert in the States. “I thought my guitar was haunted and had a breakdown in Denver.” So she decided to go to New York to find Patti Smith for advice. On a car ride, a track that Harvey produced came on the radio, so when she returned to Australia she wrote to Harvey. New single Kill It Yourself is about a dream she had of killing a chicken to serve it as a meal. “It felt tribal,” she reported.

Janet Jackson’s new label strikes deal with BMG

BMG will release Janet Jackson’s first new material in seven years, after it struck a deal with the singer’s new label Rhythm Nation. According to a statement on her website, “With Rhythm Nation, Janet Jackson becomes arguably the first female African-American recording artist to form her own record label. At Rhythm Nation, Janet plans to offer a home to both new and established recording artists."

The album drops in the third quarter of 2015, with a world tour to follow. She has released ten studio albums including the big selling Control, Rhythm Nation, janet and All For You. Her last was Discipline in 2008.

Australia’s OpenLIVE to use 7digital technology

Australian artist-run start-up OpenLIVE, which offers high-res recordings of live performances, albums and tracks, will use 7digital to power its store. It’s set to go live in late June, with plans to expand the service to the UK and US later in 2015. OpenLIVE’s patent-pending technology allows artists to collect high-quality recordings of their live performances. These will then be available to consumers on the OpenLIVE store and other music services as chosen by the artist or label, creating a new revenue stream for the artist.

Elevnth hour rush

The new Brisbane-based “run by musicians for musicians” label Elevnth Records has officially launched. Started by the Amity Affliction's Troy Brady, its artist roster includes Melbourne ambient-heavy rock group Void Of Vision, Gympie, QLD-based electro-heavy rock four piece Red Beard and Perth surf/ hardcore Ratking.

Perth’s Koi Child piles it on at Pilerats

Fremantle’s seven piece Koi Child, a combination of hip-hop party starters Childs Play and nu-jazz quartet Kashikoi, have been getting airplay on BBC Radio 6, triple j and community radio for their April-dropped Kevin Parker-produced single Black Panda. They have now signed with Perth’s Pilerats (distributed by Warner Music), which has issued it digitally and will release their debut album later this year. The Pilerats deal was signed over beer and chips at Fremantle eaterie Little Creatures Next Door.

Parker spotted Koi Child at their very first gig, who immediately offered Tame Impala’s Rottnest Island as their second show and later got a slot on the WA stop of Groovin’ The Moo. Late last year, Parker joined the band in a remote island south of Perth to work on their debut album.

Music among Emirates winners

The two winners of the inaugural Emirates Artist Development Opportunity –visual arts student Edwina Cooper and Elder Conservatorium of Music classical piano student Kenan Henderson – both fly to Europe for professional development experiences. They return and share those at 2016 Adelaide Festival of Arts events. Henderson will explore the links between folk and classical music in Norway and performing local piano pieces during his stay. Emirates Airlines and the Adelaide Festival set up the scheme.

More major names for Kobalt Neighbouring Rights

Kobalt Neighbouring Rights has been on a signing spree, including Ariana Grande, Lil Wayne, Magic!, OMI, Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA), Roxette, Nero, American Authors, Christina Perri and Hurts. Each deal is for the collection of neighbouring rights income. Kobalt says its KORE technology platform maximises royalty collection and creator benefits, and pays quicker than the traditional collections network.

Kobalt pacts with Indian studio IM Global

Kobalt entered a co-financing and administrative partnership with Indian studio IMGlobal, a subsidiary of conglomerate Reliance ADA. Kobalt will provide publishing, distribution and marketing services for soundtrack releases in India and internationally on IM Global’s film and TV projects.

Anthonie Tonnon album on Darren Hanlon label

Anthonie Tonnon’s debut album Successor will be out on July 3 through urban folk singer songwriter Darren Hanlon’s label Flippin’ Yeah Industries. The two toured Australia together last year. The New Zealand act returns to Australia for four club dates during August 5 – 9. Tonnon released the critically lauded album Up Here For Living three years ago under the name Tono & The Finance Company. He retired the name in 2013, and took on his legal moniker. Successor was road-tested in NZ, Australia and the USA.

Napalm Records gets Audiotopsy

Napalm Records signed rock band Audiotopsy — featuring Mudvayne members Greg Tribbett and Matt McDonough – to a worldwide deal. Their debut album is out in the northern summer.

Peter Andre gets a whiff

UK-based Queensland expatriate Peter Andre launched a new fragrance for women called Breeze. A 100ml bottle retails for £22.95.

Chinese owner for Hoyts Group

China’s Wanda Cinema Line is to buy Hoyts Group, Australia’s second largest chain of movie theaters with 450 screens. Reported price tag: $900 million. Wanda is China’s largest private sector cinema operator with over 150 multiplexes in 80 cities. Its parent company Dalian Wanda also owns North American cinema chain AMC Entertainment.

Metro Screen, Screen NSW, helping emerging talent

Metro Screen, with support from Screen NSW, opened the 2015 round of the Emerging Filmmakers Fund (EFF) until July 31. Three teams of emerging NSW filmmakers receive up to $30,000 cash to complete their project. These can be narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, multiplatform or webisodes of up to 15 minutes Iong. The EFF will be executive-produced by Causeway Films, an alliance between Kristina Ceyton and Sam Jennings.

Presto and Entertainment One expand content deal

Aussie subscription video on demand (SVOD) firm Presto expanded its content deal with independent studio Entertainment One Television (eOne). Presto TV and Presto Entertainment subscribers get TV series as undercover crime drama Rogue, The Firm (based on the Tom Cruise movie) and supernatural werewolf thriller Bitten. Shaun James, interim CEO of Presto TV, said: “eOne has one of the best collections of current hit TV programs worldwide.”

Brisbane Festival appoints legal rep

Brisbane Festival (September 5 to 28) appointed law firm and arts patron Gadens as its official legal partner.