Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has signed Fred Again (real name Fred Gibson) to an exclusive, worldwide publishing agreement.
Now widely recognized for his DJ chops, Fred Again began his career as a pop songwriter but found his niche in producing and DJ-ing thanks to his “Actual Life” trilogy of albums. The South London native is the Brit Awards’ youngest-ever producer of the year winner thanks to his work with Ed Sheeran, Brian Eno, Travis Scott, Skrillex, Young Thug, J Balvin and Burna Boy, among others.
Fred began releasing music under artist name Fred Again during the pandemic and in just a few years, he has become a rising artist to watch. Alongside Skrillex and Four Tet, Fred Again headlined Coachella earlier this year and later performed at sold-out Madison Square Garden and Glastonbury. Fred is managed by his brother, Alex Gibson, and as Fred Again, he is co-managed by Goodlife Management.
Fred and Alex jointly said: “We are so excited to be working with Universal Music Publishing. Pete Simmons is one of the most exceptional A&Rs in the world, a brilliant creative collaborator and most of all a 12/10 friend. Jody Gerson runs a brilliant company, and we can’t wait to work closely with her and her team.”
Simmons, the head of A&R for UMPG UK, added: “The reason why I wanted to get into A&R was so I could work alongside my favourite artists and songwriters. With Fred, we have both of those things and I am lucky to call him my friend. I have watched the world realise his extraordinary talents as a songwriter, a producer and now an artist, and he’s just warming up.”
“All of us at UMPG are huge fans of Fred,” said Jody Gerson, UMPG Chairman and CEO. “I look forward to all he will accomplish globally as an artist, DJ, writer and producer. Additionally, I’ve been so impressed with Fred and Alex’s commitment to increasing the number of women working in music. They enthusiastically partnered with She Is The Music on our UK mentorship program for female producers and it was a big success.”
Pictured above (L-R): Fred Again and Pete Simmons (UMPG UK Head of A&R)
+ Hallwood Media has announced the promotion of Quinn McGinley to general manager of its recording division.
McGinley joined Hallwood Media in October 2020 and will now be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Hallwood Recordings’ operations, including publishing, distribution, and recordings.
“Quinn McGinley’s promotion to general manager of our label and publishing operation is a testament to his outstanding leadership and dedication to the success of Hallwood Recordings. His musical instincts are unparalleled, and his incredible charm and kindness have won the hearts of everyone he encounters,” said Neil Jacobson, CEO of Hallwood Media. “Quinn has an uncanny ability to bring out the best in people, and we are confident that his vision and leadership will take our label to even greater heights.”
+ UTA has signed singer-songwriter Fancy Hagood for worldwide representation in all areas.
Hagood first found success writing hit songs for acts such as Christina Aguilera, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts and Anderson East. His debut album, “Southern Curiosity,” was released in 2021 and earned a nomination for “Best Country Record” at the Libera Awards. In the summer of 2022, he released the fan-favorite song “Blue Dream Baby” featuring Kacey Musgraves.
+ Concord has announced the 2024 recipients for its Concord Stax Scholarships which provides full tuition for at least 20 students of Stax Records’ Music Academy (SMA) each year for a commitment of five school years.
The Stax Music Academy “inspires young people from under-resourced communities in the greater Memphis area with industry-centric music education and creative youth programming that enhances their academic, cognitive, performance and leadership skills by utilizing music with an intense focus on the rich legacy and tradition of Stax Records,” per a press release.
“It is our honor to play a part in the ongoing music performance, tech, and business education of so many remarkable young talents at Stax Music Academy,” said Concord Board Chairman Steve Smith. “They are the torch bearers of the values that embodied the original Stax Records of the late 1950s and 1960s…values that the Concord team holds dear more than 70 years later. Concord is proud to invest in another class of Stax Scholars, with confidence that we can help to fulfill their dreams of successful careers in entertainment.”
“We are eternally grateful to Concord not only for their financial support but also for their ongoing participation with SMA including workshops and programs that introduce our students to GRAMMY-winning artists and producers and their staff of music-business career professionals,” said Soulsville Foundation President and CEO Pat Mitchell Worley. “A monetary value simply can’t be placed on that kind of exposure for our young people.”
2024 Recipients
The Rance Allen Concord Stax Scholarship: Lauren Sanders
The Estelle Axton Concord Stax Scholarship: Anaya Murray
The Bar-Kays Concord Stax Scholarship: Christian Gillespie
The Al Bell Concord Stax Scholarship: Jayden Moore
The William Bell Concord Stax Scholarship: John B. Smith II
The Booker T. & the M.G.’s Concord Stax Scholarship: Zander Henley
The Little Milton Campbell Concord Stax Scholarship: Richana Turner-Snerling
The Bettye Crutcher Concord Stax Scholarship: Pasley Thompson
The Isaac Hayes Concord Stax Scholarship: Nicholas Dickerson
The Brett D. Hellerman Concord Stax Scholarship: Desmond Coppin
The Mable John Concord Stax Scholarship: Joi Stubbs
The Albert King Concord Stax Scholarship: Matthew Dia
The Linda Lyndell Concord Stax Scholarship: Mekhi Turner
The Deanie Parker Concord Stax Scholarship: Casey Malone
The David Porter Concord Stax Scholarship: Brandon Wooten
The Otis Redding Concord Stax Scholarship: Jonathon Cole, Jr
The Staple Singers Concord Stax Scholarship: Teiona Echols
The Jim Stewart Concord Stax Scholarship: Zipphorah Israel
The Johnnie Taylor Concord Stax Scholarship: Dontae Currie
The Rufus Thomas Concord Stax Scholarship: Joshua Gray
Tuesday, Oct. 10
In continuance of Warner Music‘s expansion into India over the past three years, the label has purchased India-based artist management and live events company E-Positive. It will continue to operate independently and be led by its founder and CEO, Naushad Khan.
Khan is a prominent figure in the live entertainment industry and has managed and developed the careers of numerous musicians in the region. For example, E-Positive is home to Darshan Raval — one of the top five most streamed artists in India and the fastest growing artists in India. He’s released songs in Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi and Bengali that have been streamed over nine billion times, while he has grown his monthly listeners across the DSPs to more than 43 million.
“I’ve worked towards developing a legacy for over 10 years and carved the journey of each one of my artists,” commented Khan in a statement, “I’m delighted that we’ve found a new home at Warner Music India. The team there will help us grow in the international market and will help our artists connect with more fans from around the world. We’re looking forward to the next chapter of E-Positive.”
“This deal once again reinforces our desire to become the number one destination for artists in India, and welcoming an artist like Darshan onto our roster is a real statement of intent,” said Alfonso Perez Soto, president of emerging markets for Warner Music. “Darshan, as well as the whole of the E-Positive roster, will be able to harness Warner Music’s global network and start to connect with a wider international audience. This deal helps us to level up and enhance our 360 offering to artists by bringing in the knowledge and expertise of Naushad to Warner Music. Our improved suite of services we will enable our artists to transcend the whole of India and help bring Indian culture to the rest of the world.”
Pictured above (L-R): Jay Mehta, Naushad Khan, Darshan Raval and Alfonso Perez Soto.
+ Reservoir Media, Inc. has acquired the catalog of Latin hitmaker Rudy Perez, who has penned and produced music for such acts as Christina Aguilera, Luis Miguel, Julio Iglesias, and more. In addition, Reservoir has inked a publishing deal for his future works.
Perez, a 19-time Grammy nominee, co-founded both the Latin Recording Academy in 1997 and the Latin Grammys in 2000. Since then, the Latin Grammys has become the premier awards show for recognizing outstanding achievement in Latin music. In 2013, Perez also co-created the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame to further recognize and honor the most important Latin composers. Additionally, in 2003, Perez partnered with the ASCAP Foundation to create the Rudy Perez Songwriting Scholarship to support the education of aspiring Latino songwriters.
Perez said, “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Reservoir family. I look forward to collaborating on new projects with their entire team as I embark on the next phase of my career.”
“Rudy is a trailblazer,” adds John Ozier, Reservoir’s executive VP. “He and Latin music are so deeply intertwined, and his fingerprints are all over so many of the genre’s biggest hits. I’ve been talking with Rudy and his team for five years, which makes closing this deal a big moment for me personally. I am so proud to welcome Rudy to Reservoir and help support his legacy and the legacy of the genre moving forward.”
+ Universal Music Group was the recipient of the Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s annual Higginbotham Awards Gala. The music industry giant was honored for its work in supporting and advancing equity, social justice, and inclusion.
In 2020, Universal Music Group created the Task Force for Meaningful Change led by Jeffrey Harleston, general counsel and executive VP of business and legal affairs, and other Black executives. The group hopes to encourage lasting change in areas such as economic empowerment and business development; housing; legal services and bail; mental health services; legislative reform; physical health services; and voting resources and education.
The event, held on Oct. 4 in New York, hosted Gregory Porter as its special musical guest and was emceed by Melissa Murray and Grace Stokes (professor of law at New York University School of Law).
+ SoundExchange has honored Gloria Estefan with the SoundExchange Music Fairness Award for her advocacy for artists and creators and for supporting the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA).
Estefan testified before the House Judiciary Committee in support of AMFA in February 2022 in an effort to incite artists to be compensated fairly when their music is played on AM/FM radio. “There are few artists as globally recognized as Gloria Estefan,” said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “Gloria’s passionate support of the American Music Fairness Act and courage to demand laws that compel corporate broadcasters to compensate performers for their work inspires generations of creators. SoundExchange is honored to recognize her commitment with the Music Fairness Award.”
“I am overjoyed to be recognized for the advocacy that is close to my heart and to receive the Music Fairness Award,” added Estefan. “I appreciate SoundExchange’s leadership and collaboration as we seek to win all creators the right to receive the royalties they deserve. I encourage my fellow artists to lend their voices and support to encourage the U.S. Congress to protect performers and fight the powerful corporate broadcaster lobby.”
Huppe presented Estefan with the SoundExchange Music Fairness Award in Miami at Crescent Moon Studios, a recording facility founded by Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
+ Seeker Music has acquired singer-songwriter Phil Plested’s publishing catalog, which includes Lewis Capaldi’s “Before You Go,” Marshmello and Jonas Brothers’ hit single “Leave Before You Love Me,” and Little Mix’s chart-topping “Touch,” among other singles performed by OneRepublic, Niall Horan, the Chainsmokers and more.
“Together with my best friend, and manager, Hannan Malik, I’ve built this catalog of songs since 2012 with my heart and soul and passing it on was a decision I didn’t take lightly,” said Plested. “I’ve looked up to Evan [Bogart, CEO of Seeker Music and award-winning songwriter] as a writer throughout my career. He understands the emotional attachment we make with our songs, and the fact that I was able to retain my songs as an artist is a testament to that. I’m confident that Seeker has the best intentions for my songs and I look forward to working with them into the future and throughout my next chapter as a songwriter. I couldn’t be happier with this partnership.”
Plested’s catalog joins other Seeker acquisitions including the full works of Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Gos, “We Got the Beat”) and Christopher Cross (“Sailing”, “Ride Like The Wind”), Run the Jewels’ first three albums, along with classic copyrights performed by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Drake, Eminem, SWV, One Direction, DMX, Nelly, 2Pac and many more.
From Variety US