‘Half the country’s seen my ass’

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Alexander Ludwig.Daniel Delgado Jr.

  • Actor Alexander Ludwig released his debut country music album, “Highway 99,” in August.

  • The “Vikings” and “Heels” star tells Insider that he’s been writing music since he was a child.

  • On Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” video, he said:  “What’s panties in your mouth at this point?”

You may recognize Alexander Ludwig from his role as babyfaced killer Cato opposite Jennifer Lawrence in the first “Hunger Games” movie, or as the boy-heir turned king, Björn Ironside, in the hit show “Vikings.” But, now, the actor is ready to share a new side of himself: Alexander Ludwig, the country singer.

Ludwig, 30, released his debut album, “Highway 99,” in August after signing a record deal with BBR Music Group/BMG last year. The Canadian actor-turned-singer is in great company at BBR, which is also home to Jason Aldean and Lainey Wilson.

“Highway 99,” described as a record about “small towns, wild nights, broken hearts, and big dreams, brought together by a mixture of amplified guitars, climactic choruses, and heartfelt hooks,” shows a softer side to the actor, best known for playing Viking king Björn Ironside in History’s often bloody and brutal “Vikings” between 2014 and 2020.

Ludwig tells Insider that he began to plan for a career in music while shooting the final season of “Vikings,” but despite his acting fame, it wasn’t a guarantee that he’d land a record deal.

“By the time I was done with the show, I started taking trips to Nashville — with little to no contacts whatsoever,” he says. “I tried to meet as many people as I could, write with as many people as I could.”

When I speak to Ludwig over Zoom in October, he is in London to perform his first-ever UK showcase in front of select media and fans.

Here, Ludwig tells Insider about his foray into country, his “Vikings” legacy, the pro-wrestling drama “Heels,” and just how he ended up having Nicki Minaj’s panties stuffed in his mouth in her “Super Freaky Girl” music video.

Alexander Ludwig as Cato in “The Hunger Games.”Lionsgate

How did you get into country music?

A lot of people don’t realize there’s a massive country fanbase in Canada. That’s what I grew up on. It’s always been a part of my life. I was always trying to figure out how to break into the business. When I was shooting “Vikings,” on the weekends, I had time on my hands, so I was recording a 10-song demo.

“Vikings” had finished when I actually started working on music in Nashville independently.  About eight months into my trips to Nashville, I was boarding a plane, and these guys said they were big fans of “Lone Survivor.” I sat right behind them on the plane. Turns out they produce and play with Jason Aldean, one of my favorite artists. I sent them my demo and within three days they called me and said, “We gotta work together.” We started recording, writing, and releasing stuff independently. And BMG took notice.

Did you write music at all when you were younger?

Oh, yeah. I have a binder of bad songs that I’ve been writing ever since I was a kid. My mom went to this music store and convinced this guy that worked there to teach me how to play guitar. For 10 years we ended up playing together. He ended up moving to Nashville and playing for Brett Eldredge, and a bunch of big country music acts. I always told him, “One day when I got my record deal, we’re going to play together.” And now he’s sitting right beside me right now.

How did you end up in Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” music video?

I love doing things people wouldn’t expect. I love not taking yourself too seriously. My friend was the producer on that, and he was my college roommate. They wanted someone with some notoriety, that was more of an actor. Their team liked me, and that’s how this all happened.

Nicki’s great. She is a super-talented artist. We had a blast. We got along fabulously, and I was shocked at just how big that was — that song, that video.

The video is quite risqué. Nicki shoves panties into your mouth at one point. Did you ever worry about what your wife might think?

No, my wife is the coolest chick ever, and she’s very secure in our relationship. I consider myself a professional. When I do this stuff, I take it seriously. It’s not like when you’re doing a sex scene it’s fun and games. It’s like, no, how is this serving the story? Is everybody comfortable in this situation?

Nicki had this vision, and I’m never one to shy away from those kinds of things. I don’t think there’s any need to. At this point, after “Vikings,” and after “Heels,” half the country’s seen my ass. What’s panties shoved in your mouth at this point, you know?

Alexander Ludwig as Björn in “Vikings.”MGM

It’s been two years since “Vikings” ended. Björn died midway through the final season. What did you think of the ending now that some time has passed? Should Björn have lived till the end?

That was actually my decision with Michael [Hirst, creator]. We were talking about the ending of the show and the demise of that character, and how he should go out. I had spent six years in Ireland, 11 months out of the year, away from my home. I felt we had gotten to a place where Björn had done everything I had hoped he was going to do. We always had this dream for him when we started, and we were able to see that come to fruition.

So, I thought that a more interesting approach would be to let the other characters have their moments as well. Björn had his moment. He went out in such a fantastic way. It was nice, because then you see Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith), Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen)… everybody gets their own moment to shine. That’s how it should be. You want to see the resolve of the whole show.

“Heels.”ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks

You’re now starring in Starz’s pro-wrestling drama “Heels” with “Arrow” star Stephen Amell. What enticed you about that project?

I signed on to the show because the characters were truly already on the page, we didn’t have to do anything. Where we really had to collaborate was for the actual wrestling. That was on our shoulders and you can’t fake that with a camera. You can’t have a stunt guy come in and do that. They can do the big things, like when you fall off a 20-foot cage, but they can’t do the backflips and all that. You need to see the actors do this. That’s where Stephen and I came in — he’s a huge wrestling fan, and he was really helpful actually.

I was also calling [WWE wrestler] Adam Copeland, Edge… we did “Vikings” together. I’d call Adam and be like, “Hey, is this legit?” “Does this work?” I’d literally call him about everything. I even called him and asked him if I have to shave my chest.

Stephen has actually wrestled some matches, including for WWE. Would you ever do a real match?

100%. If anything, it’d be a great promo thing. It’d have to be with the right company that supports the show.

I do these moves for five minutes and I’m exhausted. 40 minutes… I can’t even imagine how devastated these guys’ bodies must be after that.

“Highway 99” is to stream, download, and purchase on CD.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Read the original article on Insider

Call for National Day Musical Composition Launched

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Luxembourg’s Ministry of State and the Ministry of Culture have launched a call for applications for the creation of a musical composition that will be performed during the Luxembourg National Day official ceremony on 23 June 2022 at the Philharmonie Luxembourg.

Any composer of Luxembourgish nationality or residing in Luxembourg as well as members of a collecting society are eligible to apply.

The festive piece must be created for a symphony orchestra (strings 14/12/10/8/6; 3 oboes; 3 flutes; 3 clarinets; 3 basses; 4 horns; 3 trumpets; 3 trombones; 1 tuba; 1 harp; kettledrums; 2 percussions) and will be performed by the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg – OPL) at the opening of the National Day official ceremony. An optional mixed choir (SATB) is possible.

The work should last between eight and ten minutes.

A grant of €8,500 (excluding VAT) will be awarded for the selected creation.

The application is free. Applications will be examined and selected in committee by a jury which will designate the winner. All applicants will be notified by email.

The jury is made up of Marc Meyers (Conservatoire de Luxembourg), Lydia Rilling (Philharmonie) and Ivan Boumans (composer). The jury’s decision is final.

Those interested in applying should submit a file containing the following documents by midnight on 23 December 2022: a CV, a description page on the theme and musical style, excerpts from works already written (recorded, if available).

The call for the creation of a musical composition on the occasion of the official birthday celebration of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxembourg is a State commission which is awarded to a composer only once in his / her career.

For further information and to submit an application, send an email to appel.musique@mc.etat.lu.



Creepy behavior or pop performance? 1975’s Matty Healy reignites debate about onstage kissing | Music

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The 1975’s tour has been a spectacle of manufactured chaos, most of it courtesy of the band’s frontman, Matty Healy. The sets have delivered a feast of made-for-TikTok moments. The singer has subjected fans to everything from onstage push-ups to yelling at security through an auto-tuned microphone. He’s even risked a tapeworm by eating raw meat on stage. But the biggest buzz comes from his seemingly most-beloved trick: kissing fans. (One hopes he does this before consuming the ribeye.)

As clips posted on Twitter and TikTok show, Healy has invited men and women to smooch. In avoidance of rock music’s dismal history of consent, he has made a point of asking fans if they’d like to “snog” before going in for the kiss, with Isabella, a 24-year-old bartender from Dallas, tweeting “he ASKED before he kissed me” and adding in an interview that Healy said “we don’t have to snog if you don’t want to” to her before she fully consented to the kiss. Austin, from San Diego, wrote on Twitter that his make-out was “an insane experience” that “made [him] feel something [he] couldn’t fully put into words”.

Kissing fans on stage isn’t exactly new territory for pop stars. Elvis Presley’s 70s performances found the crooner kissing just about every woman in the room when he performed Love Me Tender. Diamond Dogs-era David Bowie made it a part of his schtick. Bono has been cozying up to fans at arena tours for years. It’s not even the first time for Healy: fans said he did the same during a 2014 tour, and again at a 2019 Dubai show to protest the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ stance.

Bruce Springsteen kisses a fan onstage in 1985. Photograph: Richard E Aaron/Redferns

“Pulling a fan out of the audience to kiss them enacts a kind of fantasy, and it’s a pretty time-worn trope,” said Jack Hamilton, an associate professor of cultural studies at the University of Virginia and author of Just around Midnight: Rock and Roll and the Racial Imagination. “If you think about the crooner tradition or the singing of love songs, it’s nothing new for people to have crushes on stars. Kissing someone on stage is the literal fulfillment of that fantasy.”

But the fulfillment of fantasy relies on consent. In 2019, footage from 2010 surfaced showing Drake kissing and groping a 17-year-old girl (when the rapper learned her age, he sent her back, and admonished her: “Why do you look like that?”).

This year, Enrique Iglesias posted a video showing him kissing and fondling a woman at a meet-and-greet; some fans bashed the singer for his behavior, noting that he’s been in a partnership with the tennis player Anna Kournikova since 2001.

Healy’s make-outs occur in full view of fans, who post their footage to social media. “It seems like a relatively safe space that’s documented, part of the performance and part of the act,” said Theo Cateforis, an associate professor of music history at Syracuse University. “The creepy behavior [from musicians] tends to be private and out of the public’s view.”

Eva Walker, who plays in the band the Black Tones and DJs for the alternative Seattle radio station KEXP, says her two rules for onstage antics are: “Don’t hurt anyone, and ask first.” She remembers a show she played in her early 20s, when a woman came up after her and asked for a kiss. When she obliged, the woman’s girlfriend ran over, angry. “I thought, ‘Oh, no,’ and then I asked, ‘Would you like a kiss too?’ And her mood changed, she was so happy and said ‘Oh yeah.’ So I kissed the girlfriend and everyone lived happily ever after.”

Healy’s behavior is nothing new to these artists. “As long as there’s consent, it can be entertaining,” Walker said. “It seems like if there is an ethical rockstar way to be sleazy on stage, [Healy] found it. Both parties seemed happy. I hope the days are over of the damsel in distress, bend her down and kiss her thing, because that’s how you get punched in the face.”

The Seattle-based disco artist JNA. Photograph: JNA

JNA, a Seattle-based disco artist, says the audience doesn’t need to know whether she has previous with the person she kisses on stage. “It’s one of those rock’n’roll tricks that’s a tale as old as time,” she says. When she performs, she often asks her husband to stand near the stage. “I tell him, ‘I need you to be right here, because I’m not going to touch anybody else, but I’ll be sexy with you and no one in the crowd knows you’re my husband. But when I was younger, I was definitely front and center, ready for someone to pull me onstage. That’s why we go to shows when we’re young.”

No matter how ideas about consent and boundaries have evolved, the prototypical pop star still holds a particular place in the collective imagination. “There is still a pretty resilient set of assumptions about how pop stars have license to behave in ways that the rest of us don’t,” said Steve Waksman, associate professor of music and American studies at Smith College. “They are allowed to act out things that we aren’t allowed to do ourselves.”

In a way, Healy’s kisses can seem less like a spontaneous transgression and more of a carefully planned piece of choreography – especially when the same script is repeated night after night.

“Kissing a single fan in the context of an arena show allows for a moment of intimacy that everyone can share,” Waksman said. “It’s a way to break the fourth wall, and even if it’s cheesy, pop is a realm of these types of grand gestures.”



Beavus has launched his experimentally originated hip-hop eponymous debut album. – Independent Music – New Music

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The up-and-coming alternative artist, Beavus, proved that beyond-the-curve experimentalism is in high demand with hip-hop fans after the launch of his self-titled debut album.

The standout single, Song 4 Might Be Finished, is a meditatively chill window into the artist’s vibe-heavy inclination. Running through like a semi-lucid lo-fi trappy lullaby, the single exposes you to intimate confessionalism while the downtempo beats drench you with tranquil catharsis.

The sense of sweet yet cheeky playfulness takes the soundscape to the next level, and Beavus’ 5,000 monthly Spotify listeners would be more than inclined to agree.

Check out the eponymous debut album from Beavus on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast



Ukrainian ambient artist Hanna Svirska confronts a beast on “Chornyi Zvir”

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Needless to say, Ukraine is in the midst of a perilous time in their history. Hailing from Kyiv, ambient artist Hanna Svirska is attempting to reconcile with the conflict in her own way, as she reflects on her latest work, “Chornyi Zvar” (which translates to “The Black Beast” in English), “This is a track-legend about the beast which represents the greatest and the most terrible evil. The beast came at night and killed people. He tortured them, destroyed and robbed their houses. However, people realized that they have to stop being afraid of him, so he will perish without the attention and the confirmation of his own significance. People weren’t afraid of the beast anymore and he just turned into ashes and then disappeared. This is my comparison to the Russian-Ukrainian war.”

She is currently in the midst of preparing an EP, but as she shared with this writer, “Currently, the electricity situation in my city is very bad, so the process of working on tracks is getting harder and longer.” It’s rare that music carries such weight and gravity.

The track itself weaves between traditional ambient and contemporary electronica, also boasting vocals that seem to carry the pain of her current situation.

Check it out below, and stay tuned for more from Hanna Svirska whenever it becomes possible.

Violin Channel Founder Named One of Musical America’s 2022 Top Professionals of the Year

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Founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey John Davies was named as one of the “Resilient Warriors” for The Violin Channel’s outstanding innovation and perseverance during the pandemic

 

Each year, Musical America releases its Top Professionals of the Year award recipients, to highlight the people working behind the scenes of the classical music industry. The 2022 “Pros” were chosen from over 100 nominations, the largest number to date.

“Given the political, financial, and health crises of the last half-decade, we wanted to recognize the leaders who have dealt with the pandemic and its aftereffects through game-changing innovation or sweat equity, or both,” Musical America editor Susan Elliott wrote.

The Violin Channel’s founder Geoffrey John Davies was among industry professionals, including Verbier Festival’s Director Martin T:son Engstroem, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts’ Artistic Director Kathy Schuman, Kaufman Music Center’s Executive Director Kate Sheeran, Harlem Chamber Players’ Founder, Executive and Artistic Director Liz Player, Heifetz International Music Institute’s President and CEO Benjamin K. Roe, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s General Manager Kathryn Ginsburg, honored this year.

For a full list of chosen professionals, click here.

 

 

 

 

Musical America acknowledged the efforts of The Violin Channel, and in particular, The Violin Channel’s Vanguard Concert Series — produced and broadcast to great acclaim during the pandemic period.

Series 1 of The Violin Channel Vanguard Concerts, which premiered in the Spring of 2021, garnered over 4 million views internationally. The mission of the project was to support artists during and post-COVID-19 by giving them ownership of the material and making the programs available worldwide for free.

Series 2 was released this fall, with all full episodes available to watch on The Violin Channel’s YouTube.

“The Violin Channel has led the industry through Covid and they’ve done it because it’s the right thing to do,” said Michael Hill International Violin Competition Executive Director Anne Rodda.

 

 

Co-produced by Geoffrey John Davies, the Alphadyne Foundation, and veteran performing arts executive Charles Letourneau, each concert features a custom look and feel created by Creative Director David Katzive. Each episode was shot in 4K with seven cameras at the Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall, in New York City. The artists performed in front of a 41-foot-long and 11.5-foot-high background curved LED wall that incorporated gently moving colors, patterns, or scenic views customized for each performer. The result is a musically and visually stunning product that redefines the virtual concert experience for audiences worldwide.

“We worked extremely closely with each of the artists to create a résumé piece for them,” said Davies. “Not only did we pay the performers real fees for their performances, but we also created the ultimate promotional materials and gave the artists the right to use them at no cost in perpetuity.”

“These were made with TV quality and we’re looking into TV broadcast opportunities,” he added. “These were made specifically to be a digital, online experience; they were far from just a recorded concert.”

 

 

Founded in Brisbane, Australia in 2009, The Violin Channel is now headquartered in New York City and continues to flourish as one of the most important platforms for classical music worldwide.

In 2015, Geoffrey was also named by Musical America as one of the 30 “Most Influential Professionals” in the classical music industry.

As part of its mission, VC aims to keep classical music culturally relevant and make news and content freely available and accessible.

“The Violin Channel upholds standards of true reporting and sharing without bias,” New England Conservatory Viola Professor Kim Kashkashian has said.

BBC unveils Christmas music TV highlights including UK-focused Motown and Tina Turner documentaries | Media

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BBC Pop Music TV has unveiled its Christmas highlights, including new BBC Two documentaries on Tina Turner and Motown

On Christmas Day, BBC Two presents When Tina Turner Came To Britain. Featuring previously unheard interviews with Tina Turner, the programme tells the story of the superstar’s relationship with the UK.

Tina Turner said: “The love, energy and support I’ve had from Britain over the years has been amazing. I couldn’t have enjoyed the career I’ve had without my time spent in the UK and collaborations with amazing British songwriters, musicians and producers. From my very first visit to London in 1966 I always enjoyed visiting Britain and performing for fans across the country – it felt like my second home.”

The film features contributions from those who have met and worked with Tina Turner, including Glenn Gregory and Martyn Ware of Heaven 17; singer P.P. Arnold; Skunk Anansie’s Skin; Arlene Phillips, who choreographed the music video to Private Dancer, filmed in the Rivoli Ballroom, London; and promoters Jenny and Barrie Marshall.

The film begins with Tina Turner’s first visit, when, alongside her then husband Ike, she supported The Rolling Stones on tour in 1966. It spans more than five decades with footage of her attending the world premiere of Tina: The Musical in London, in 2018.

On New Year’s Day, BBC Two tells the story of the very first UK tour undertaken by musicians on the label, including Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles in When Motown Came To Britain (pictured).

In 1965, some of Motown’s brightest new stars arrived in the UK for a pioneering tour which saw them perform in Liverpool, Leicester, Wigan, Bristol, Newcastle, London, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow.

The programme, produced by Wise Owl, features a range of artists and Motown fans, including The Miracles’ Claudette Robinson; The Temptations’ Otis Williams; Ready Steady Go! Producer Vicki Wickham; singer-songwriter Mica Paris; authors Stephen Stevlor and Keith Rylatt; former Billboard editor-in-chief Adam White; The Supremes and The Temptations manager Shelly Berger; and former Motown Records UK general manager Keith Harris, among others. 

Jonathan Rothery, BBC head of Pop Music TV, said: “Both films take a fascinating look at much loved stars through the filter of the times they’ve visited our shores.”

Accompanying When Motown Came To Britain on New Years’ Day is Lamont Dozier at the BBC (BBC Two) – a selection of BBC archive performances of the legendary Motown songwriter’s best loved and most recognisable hits. In addition, BBC Two will show Marvin Gaye: Live at Montreux, a film which captured Gaye’s performance at Montreux Jazz Festival in July 1980.

The love, energy and support I’ve had from Britain over the years has been amazing

Tina Turner

As well as exploring these historical musical moments, BBC Pop Music TV celebrates contemporary music. Top Of The Pops Review Of The Year 2022 (Saturday, December 24, BBC Two), hosted by Radio 1’s Clara Amfo and Jack Saunders, takes a look back over the last 12 months, including the biggest stories and artist performances from some of the hottest artists of 2022.

The Year In Music At The BBC: 2022 (Friday, December 30, BBC Two) takes a look back at musical performances on the BBC. The programme revisits moments such as Paul McCartney at Glastonbury, Diana Ross at The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace and Harry Styles at Radio 1’s Big Weekend.

On New Year’s Eve, Jools Holland returns with the 30th Jools’ Annual Hootenanny with special guests including Andy Fairweather Low, Cat Burns, Gabrielle, George Ezra, Roland Gift, Ruby Turner, Self Esteem, The Real Thing and Tom Odell.

On BBC One on New Year’s Eve, Sam Ryder rounds off a hugely successful 2022 in Sam Ryder Rocks New Year’s Eve. 

On BBC Four, Country Music Christmas 2022 (Friday, December 23) will see country artists including Dan & Shay, Maren Morris, The War and Treaty, Steven Curtis Chapman, Scotty McCreery, Molly Tuttle and Old Dominion come together for a night of holiday classics. 

Also available on BBC iPlayer from Thursday, December 15 is BBC Radio 2 in Concert: Lewis Capaldi. In the programme, Capaldi performs in front of a small audience of Radio 2 listeners at the BBC’s Radio Theatre in London. The show will also be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Thursday, December 15 (7pm-9pm).

Other Pop Music TV highlights to be broadcast throughout December include performances from Self Esteem (December 10), Idles (December 18) and Mykki Blanco (December 18 ) at the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival 2022 in Cardiff on BBC Two, with festival sets from Father John Misty, Johnny Marr and Wet Leg also available on BBC iPlayer now.

Feeling Good: The Radio 2 Piano Room (BBC Two, Saturday, December 10) features performances from artists who have recently appeared on the Radio 2 Piano Room for Ken Bruce’s Radio 2 programme, including Craig David, Sigrid, Paolo Nutini, Sam Smith, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott and Michael Bublé. 

First up this week is MOBO Awards 2022 (BBC One, Wednesday December 7), in which BBC Radio 1Xtra’s DJ Target gets behind-the-scenes access at the ceremony in London’s Wembley Arena and brings viewers exclusive interviews as well as performances from the night.

Looking ahead to early 2023, Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed The World is a new four-part documentary box set, featuring and executive produced by Chuck D. It features contributions from Eminem, Ice-T, Killer Mike, LL Cool J, Monie Love and Will.i.am. 

The series will drop on BBC iPlayer on Saturday, January 21, 2023.

 

Rimas Publishing Signs Reggaeton Composer Yensanjuan to Global Deal

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Rimas Publishing, the publishing arm for the Puerto Rican-based Rimas Entertainment label, has signed Yensanjuan to a global publishing agreement.

The musician, born Roberto Rivera Elias, has collaborated with several of Latin music’s biggest names including Alvaro Díaz, Feid, Rauw Alejandro, Sebastián Yatra, and Young Miko. He most recently appeared on Alejandro’s “Trap Cake, Vol. 2,” which earned a Latin Grammy nomination and a nod at the 2023 Grammy Awards for best música urbana album.

“I am living one of the most exciting moments of my career, enjoying the process and achieving many important recognitions. I look forward to this new chapter, joining Rimas Publishing as part of a family of musicians and colleagues that I greatly respect,” commented Elias.

The artist joins Rimas Publishing’s stacked roster of artists including Bad Bunny, Eladio Carrión, Súbelo NEO, Lennex, Pailita, Mora, Cris MJ, Marcianeke, Corina Smith, Tempo, DJ Negro and Lizzy Parra, among others.

“As Rimas Publishing continues to grow, we are excited to welcome Yensanjuan to our star-studded roster and look forward to a thriving future together,” said Emilio Morales, director of publishing at Rimas. Morales was featured in Variety’s 2022 Hitmakers list for his role in the success of Bad Bunny’s “Me Porto Bonito” and “Tití Me Preguntó.”

+ Melanie Ainsworth is Position Music‘s new chief financial officer, according to an announcement made by Tyler Bacon, president and CEO.

Prior to joining Position Music, Ainsworth served as the financial controller for Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) in Nashville for eight years. She was responsible for managing the daily financial operations of Big Machine Records, the Valory Music Co, BMLG Records, and John Varvatos Records as well as BMLG’s publishing arm, Big Machine Music.

She also helped guide the reconfiguration of the organization’s financial structure after Big Machine was acquired by Ithaca Holdings LLC in 2019 and again in 2021 after Ithaca’s merger with HYBE America.

Ainsworth will join the executive team alongside Bacon, Mark Chipello (VP, head of A&R), J Scavo (GM, recorded music / VP of marketing), Jake Versluis (VP, A&R and interactive media), Emily Weber (VP, head of synch), and Frank Handy (VP, head of administration).

+ Jason McColl has joined Sony Music Nashville as senior director of A&R. He will report to the senior VP of A&R, Taylor Lindsey, and will oversee A&R for a number of artists(Corey Kent, Jameson Rodgers and more), as well as sign and develop new talent and maintain publisher relationships.

McColl was previously director of A&R for Warner Nashville where he worked on campaigns for Bailey Zimmerman and Avery Anna, among others.

+ Warner Chappell Music Mexico has signed an exclusive publishing deal with singer-songwriter Danna Paola.

The Latin pop star boasts collaborations with Sebastián Yatra, Mau y Ricky and David Bisbal, among others. Most recently, Coca-Cola tapped her as one of three female artists set to perform Queen’s “A Kind of Magic” for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and she is currently on her “XT4S1S” tour across Mexico.

“I am thrilled to be part of Warner Chappell,” said Paola. “I’ve been waiting for a music partner like this for a while now and couldn’t be happier! As a songwriter, I’m glad to be part of a company that supports and respects their artists’ creativity, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to create magic together!”



Maria Deirissari hones her pop artistry on “Diamond”

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Rising singer-songwriter Maria Deirissari drops new single “Diamond,” rooted in her trademark pop soundscape, striking a balance between vibrant instrumentation and emotive messaging.

At only 16, Deirissari has honed an artistry brimming with youthful charm and sonic maturity her soulful vocals move seamlessly from gentle warmth to alluring darker themes aided by poignant lyricism.

Having been in love with music all her life, the young musician who started her career officially in 2019 continues to surprise us with each release, whether she’s delving into being fun and carefree despite her health issues on “Junctional Rhythm,” or evoking themes of hope for the future on her latest single.

Consistently building up her musical repertoire with infectious music with honest touches of vulnerability, “Diamond,” is yet another encapsulation of this promising talent to infuse our lives with happiness and healing.

Connect with Maria Deirissari : Instagram| Facebook



Metro Boomin Shares “Heroes Version” Of ‘Heroes & Villains’ Album

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With his sophomore album set to debut atop the Billboard 200 chart in its opening week, Metro Boomin has shared a “Heroes Version” of Heroes & Villains.

The first of two alternative takes on the project, the “Heroes Version” comprises the instrumentals of the original 15 tracks.

“This is the second out of a trilogy,” Metro said to Apple Music’s Ebro about the album (which began with his 2018 project, Not All Heroes Wear Capes). ” I’m going to see how this flow, because I really want to shoot a lot of videos to this one, and I’ve put a lot of time into this body of work. So I really want to stretch it, and not just throw out the third one.”

Stream the “Heroes Version” below.

Metro Boomin Shares “Heroes Version” Of ‘Heroes & Villains’ Album was last modified: December 6th, 2022 by Meka