business
Big Hit Entertainment, Home to BTS, Strikes Deal With Seventeen Label PLEDIS
Expanding its strategy to build a multi-label structure, Big Hit is now the largest shareholder of PLEDIS Entertainment. South Korea-based powerhouse Big Hit Entertainment has become the largest shareholder of record label PLEDIS Entertainment, home to K-pop superstars Seventeen and NU’EST, it was announced Monday. Under the terms of the deal, PLEDIS will retain its independence as a label, though its artists will now receive support from Big Hit’s business entities and support organizations to expand their reach into overseas markets — similar to the way Big Hit turned boy band BTS into a top-charting phenomenon across the globe. The PLEDIS deal is the latest move in Big Hit’s strategy to expand its multi-label structure following the company’s acquisition of Source Music last ...
Inside Bombino’s Ambitious Plans For a Professional Studio In Niger
Nearly a decade ago, singer-songwriter-guitarist Bombino told his longtime manager, Eric Herman, that he wanted to open a recording studio in his home country of Niger. “It is materially a very poor country,” says Herman. “It’s rare to find studios that would be up to world-standard in Africa in general.” Plus, since Bombino — who champions his Tuareg identity and culture in his lyrics — usually spends eight months of the year touring, Herman felt “it needed some sort of outside push to get going.” That push came in 2019 when Welsh producer-engineer-musician David Wrench (who mixed Bombino’s 2016 album, Azel) approached the artist about working together again. Only this time, he wanted to produce Bombino’s next album — and he wanted to do it in Niger. “That reignited the spark,” says Herma...
The Beths, Haiku Hands, Tkay Maidza & More Among Levi’s Music Relief Fund Winners
Haiku Hands, Tkay Maidza, Jaguar Jonze and Miiesha are among the first five winners of the Levi’s Music Prize, which has been reimagined this year to spread the cheer to more Australian and New Zealand musicians during the health crisis. The winning acts all pocket A$4,500 ($2,960) cash, as will The Beths, who become the first New Zealand act to share in the prize which has been redesigned this year as the Levi’s Music Relief Fund. Now in its fourth year, the quarterly honor is said to be the largest single music prize in Australasia, and is typically awarded to those artists that have built “significant initial career momentum” through their performances at the annual Bigsound summit and showcase event, but who still require a cash injection. Across 2020, A$45,000 ($29,600) in cash will b...
Little Richard Statue to be Erected Outside Childhood Home
A statue of the late rock ‘n’ roll legend Little Richard is expected to be installed outside his childhood home in Macon, Georgia. The Little Richard House Resource Center Facebook page announced the tribute during a live Zoom meeting, news outlets reported. Little Richard, also known as Richard Wayne Penniman, died May 9 in Nashville at the age of 87. He was laid to rest Wednesday at his alma mater Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama. A fund established by Friends of the Little Richard House and the Community Foundation of Central Georgia will be used to pay for the statue and a replica of Little Richard’s Hollywood Walk of Fame. Rep. James Beverly, D-Macon, said the fund will also be used to support organizations that provide music education to low to moderate-income students...
NNPC explains parameters for employment, career progression
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has explained the parametres for employment as well as career progression in the corporation, using the recently concluded Graduate Trainee employment process as well as top Management promotion exercise executed by the corporation as an illustration. The National Oil company says unblemished academic competence, logical thinking, ability to engage meaningfully in problem solving in addition to federal character are key to becoming an employee of the corporation. To progress in the Management cadre, professional competence, accountability and transparency as well as ensuring national spread in top management positions are critical factors that are not negotiable. Explaining the parametres, NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs D...
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s ‘Rain on Me’ Leads U.K. Chart Race
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s pop mega-collaboration “Rain on Me” is reigning over the U.K. singles chart. The new single, which dropped last Friday with an accompanying music video, rules the Official Chart First Look Top 20 with a lead of 7,000 chart sales over its nearest rival, DaBaby’s “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch. [embedded content] “Rain on Me,” lifted from Gaga’s delayed sixth studio album Chromatica, due out this Friday May 29, holds the advantage on downloads and streams after the weekend’s activity. If it holds its position when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published this Friday, “Rain on Me” will mark the sixth No. 1 for Gaga and Grande. Also making a big splash on the sales blast is British rapper KSI, who places three songs in the top 2...
One To Watch: How Soolking Kick-Started His Career On a Radio Show
Before finding his footing as Soolking, the artist born Abderraouf Derradji first worked as an acrobat, a dancer and even drummed in a rock band. Once he moved to Paris in his mid-20s, though, his career finally took off. Now, fresh off the release of his second album Vintage, the 30 year old is already getting to work on its follow-up. Born and raised in a northern suburb of Algeria’s capital, Derradji grew up in the middle of a civil war. He first worked as an acrobat and dancer, later discovering rappers like 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G. and French rapper Booba. Before founding a rap group of his own, which had relative success in Algeria, he had drummed in a rock band. By 24, he moved to Paris, where he lived and worked illegally — sometimes in restaurants, or by selling cigare...
What Place Will Virtual Tipping Have in the Post-Pandemic Music Industry?
In China, virtual tipping provides a widespread, legitimate revenue stream for artists. Some think the pandemic will help (finally) normalize the practice Stateside. Andy Bothwell, a Brooklyn-based artist who performs under the moniker Astronautalis, has an online hub that lists links to his music, social media accounts and merch site. But after the coronavirus pandemic cut off the touring income he relies on to pay his bills, he added two new links to the top of the list: His Cash App and Venmo accounts, allowing fans to send him money directly. “I’m curious to see if I keep it there,” he says. His decision is more than a curiosity. As the pandemic has shut down economies across the globe, many artists are asking fans directly for cash — and music companies like SoundCloud and Spoti...
CTS Eventim’s Quarterly Earnings: Revenue Down 34.7%, Liquidity Looks Good & More Takeaways
Live entertainment revenue at the German event producer fell 40.4% due to the suspension of concerts across Europe. Europe’s coronavirus crisis took a huge toll on German event producer CTS Eventim in the first quarter, leading to a 34.7% decline in revenue to €184.6 million ($202.1 million) and clouding the outlook for the remainder of 2020. Due to countries’ suspensions of concerts and other gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, CTS Eventim’s live entertainment revenue fell 40.4% to €108.6 million ($118.9 million) while ticketing revenue fell 24.4% to €79 million ($86.5 million). CTS Eventim had been growing quickly until the pandemic threw the touring industry into disarray. In 2019, revenue rose 16.2%, and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in...
‘This Isn’t a Fad’: Three of Africa’s Biggest Stars on Making the Industry Come to Them
Tiwa Savage, Davido and Mr Eazi are opening doors (and labels’ checkbooks). Here’s what they’re up against. The next musical revolution is brewing in Africa. As the industry buzzes with — and profits from — new languages and sounds from all over, the prospects for artists across the continent have never been brighter or more numerous. There have, of course, always been African superstars — from Miriam Makeba to Hugh Masekela to Fela Kuti — as well as great respect for the continent’s music, thanks to projects like Paul Simon’s iconic 1986 album, Graceland, which famously put Ladysmith Black Mambazo and others on the international map. But despite major-label deals, chart successes and eye-popping sales figures, African artists have often been siloed from the popular music landscape, segreg...
NMA laments security maltreatment of members
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), on Wednesday, lamented the maltreatment of its members on essential duties by security personnel and has directed doctors to leave all official duty and close when it is exactly 4 pm daily. The directive, according to the President of NMA, Dr Francis Faduyile, is to stop the doctors from working late and reduce the embarrassment they face in the process of carrying out their lawful duties. “That with effect from today, Wednesday, May 20th 2020, all medical and dental practitioners should henceforth work between the hours of 8.00 am and 4.00 pm, to give enough time for them to return back home,” the NMA president said. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Dr Faduyile said: “The NMA observed with dismay the pains and anguish foisted on our members return...
Live Entertainment Is Returning Down Under
Live music is about to awaken from its lockdown slumber Down Under. From next week, Live Nation will test a weekly series of socially distanced concerts and comedy events in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. The Together Again shows will start next Friday (May 29) and Saturday (May 30) at The Tuning Fork in central Auckland, part of Spark Arena (formerly Vector Arena) with a rotating line-up of local artists and comedians. The concerts giant is “excited to be welcoming back live events in New Zealand,” comments Live Nation New Zealand chairman Stuart Clumpas in a statement, issued Tuesday (May 19). Supported by Vodafone, the gigs are an “opportunity for us to unite and celebrate the power of live with some of the country’s first socially distanced shows,” he continues. Performers acros...
