Warner Chappell Music publishing has re-signed Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Laufey to a global publishing contract, the company announced; terms of the deal were not disclosed. (Pictured above, L-R back: Harry Roberts (Mark MML), Max Gredinger (Foundations), Guy Moot (WCM), Ryan Press (WCM), David Goldsen (WCM); L-R front: Carianne Marshall (WCM), Gabz Landman (WCM), Laufey.)
“Excited to be in continued business with the wonderful, progressively minded people at Warner Chappell,” she said. In related news, ASCAP announced it will be recognizing Laufey with its Creative Voice Award at its Pop Music Awards celebration, scheduled for April 30 in Los Angeles.
+ Miles Gersh has been promoted to executive VP of A&R for Warner Records. Based at the label’s Los Angeles headquarters, Gersh will continue to report to Warner Records Group CEO & co-chairman Aaron Bay-Schuck and work closely with EVP & head of A&R, Karen Kwak and Gregg Nadel, Warner Music Group’s president of A&R.
Gersh brought now-superstar Zach Bryan to the label in 2020 and has also worked with such artists as Bunii, IShowSpeed, Maddox Batson, CJ, and rapper Veeze.
Bay-Schuck said, “Miles understands that true artist development starts with a deep respect for the creator’s voice. The partnership he’s built with Zach and his other outstanding artists reflects his commitment to authenticity and his drive to help our talent win on their own terms.”
+ Big Loud Publishing has named Michael Giangreco president of A&R, the company announced Thursday.
He joined the company as an intern and has served in a number of roles at the company. He has worked closely with Morgan Wallen on all of his studio releases, as well as singer-songwriter Ernest.
“Mike has become truly best-in-class in publishing and our artists and songwriters couldn’t be in better hands,” partner and CEO Seth England says in a statement.
+ Kobalt has announced a strategic partnership with AI startup Udio that will “forge a path for collaboration,” according to the announcement. Udio is set to release a subscription service that will allow customers to generate music “using the voices of artists and songwriters who choose to participate.” Udio is still the subject of a lawsuit by Sony Music over copyright infringement; the company settled suits brought by Universal Music and Warner Music late last year. All three have struck deals with Klay, a similarly focused AI startup.
“Our clients and songwriters rely on us to both protect them and to create new opportunities for their works in an ever-changing technology landscape,” said Laurent Hubert, CEO of Kobalt.
+ Oak View Group, the live entertainment company founded in 2015 by Irving Azoff and Tim Leiweke, has announced two executive appointments: Becky Colwell has been named president of programming and content, with Mark Shulman receiving a promotion from senior vice president, programming to executive vice president, programming and content. Colwell comes to OVG from Halo Sports Entertainment.
+ Peermusic has signed the artist Eyelar to a worldwide publishing deal covering her forthcoming releases and select back-catalog works. Also announced: a joint venture between Peermusic, Eyelar and her management company 2-Tone Entertainment that will see the trio signing emerging songwriting talent.
“The role of creative partners is evolving,” 2-Tone founder Shaurav D’Silva says. “Writers today are increasingly building long-term creative ecosystems around their work, and our focus is to support that process by connecting great writing with the right collaborators globally.”
Tuesday, April 7
The Latin Recording Academy will honor Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez — a.k.a. Daddy Yankee — as the 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. The legendary Puerto Rican musician, a pioneer and driving force behind the globalization of reggaeton music, will be honored for his nearly three-decade career as a singer, songwriter and performer, as well as for his humanitarian efforts.
“This recognition from The Latin Recording Academy is a dream come true,” Daddy Yankee said. “It means a lot because it represents more than just a successful career; it’s recognition of years of discipline, struggle, faith and commitment to our culture. Receiving something like this is to honor Puerto Rico, to honor all Latinos, and specifically to that entire generation that believed in our music when no one else understood it.”
Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud added, “Daddy Yankee has been a defining force in the global rise of Latin music,” said “His leadership, discipline and vision opened the doors for a genre and inspired an entire generation of creators, and he remains as relevant today as ever. We are proud to honor him as our 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.”
Daddy Yankee will be celebrated at a private gala on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, as part of Latin Grammy Week. The tribute concert will feature renditions of his renowned repertoire performed by an array of international artists and close friends.
+ Atlantic Music Group and Fader Label have announced a multi-level partnership with three key components, according to the announcement: a 50/50 joint venture — merging Fader Label’s “singular taste and aesthetic with AMG’s expertise and global reach” — to sign and develop the careers of new and established artists; distribution and support services for the independently operated Fader Label’s roster and catalog; and expansion of the services that Fader Label’s independent distribution arm, Fader Distribution, can offer to developing artists.
The Fader magazine was established in 1999 by founders Jon Cohen and the late Rob Stone as a media arm of their successful Cornerstone Agency. Fader Label was launched three years later. Over the years the company has released early recordings by Clairo, Yuna, Matt and Kim and others.
“Fader Label has established itself as an artist-forward home to a thoughtfully curated roster of creatives,” said Elliot Grainge, chairman and CEO of Atlantic Music Group. “Through the years, it has solidified itself as a reputable tastemaker with a proven track record for artist development. This partnership is important to Atlantic Music Group as we have a shared spirit—identifying and nurturing artists who are intentional in their craft that will continue to shape music in new and exciting ways.”
“We are excited to join the Atlantic Music Group family,” says Jon Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Fader Label. “They are fearless in a business that needs more leaders brave enough to break the rules. Above all, they put the artists first and show endless commitment to artist development, and that is what the Fader is built on.”
+ MusiCares has opened its 2026 Wellness in Music survey, which asks the simple yet urgent question every year: what does it take to sustain a life in music today? Since 2020, the Wellness in Music Survey has served as a year-over-year temperature check on the health, financial stability and overall well-being of music professionals across the United States. Last year, a record of nearly 3,200 music professionals responded, and the responses help shape how MusiCares shows up for the community.
Over the years, MusiCares has provided more than $135 million in assistance to music professionals. Last year alone, the organization distributed over $17 million in support, spanning both its year-round services and disaster relief efforts. This support included mental health care, addiction recovery services, emergency financial assistance, plus resources for touring professionals and those working behind the scenes.
The 2026 survey is now open from April 6–17. It is:
• Open to music professionals across all roles and genres
• Available in English and Spanish
• Completely anonymous
To access the survey in English, click here.
To access the survey in Spanish, click here.
+ Sony Music Publishing U.K., in partnership with JV partner Second Songs, has announced a new global publishing agreement with songwriter Bastian Langebaek, which includes future works. Langebaek has worked extensively with Grammy best new artist winner Olivia Dean, which includes six co-writes across her most-recent album, “The Art of Loving.” His credits also include songs with Anderson.Paak, Aurora, Jessie Ware, Nilufer Yanya and more.
+ Private equity platform Round Hill Music has appointed Chad Doerge as president and deputy chief executive officer. Doerge brings more than 30 years of experience spanning institutional finance, investment research and financial technology.
Working in close partnership with Round Hill’s Founder and CEO Josh Gruss, Doerge will serve on the company’s executive management, investment and valuation committees, and will oversee key operational areas, including acquisitions, portfolio management, investor relations and data analytics.
Prior to joining Round Hill, Doerge was President and Chief Revenue Officer of Aiera, the AI-powered financial intelligence platform he helped build over eight years as a member of its founding team, growing the company from four employees to more than 70. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly two decades in investment banking and capital markets, including as a founding member of Deutsche Bank’s Global Capital Sales group before becoming a Partner at Evercore ISI.
+ Virgin Music Group has announced a global distribution partnership with music curator and executive Ari Elkins and A&R executive Joey McCarthy for their new label Suede Records. Virgin Music Group will provide global distribution and marketing services for the label.
Jacqueline Saturn, VMG’s president of North America and EVP of global artist relations, said, “We were fans of Ari before we even got to sit together last year due to his online presence and knowledge of music and ‘what’s next,’ but after meeting we immediately knew that his passion for music discovery and engaging with digital audiences would be an amazing fit with our ethos at Virgin Music Group.”
Elkins began his career at Warner Music Group and later co-founded and ran an independent label in partnership with Avex Music Group before launching Suede Records. McCarthy began his career at Adidas, developing brand campaigns, before transitioning into A&R and later building the music division at management company Fourward.
+ Creative Artists Agency has promoted Noah Bryles, Andrew Dominijanni and Rachel Green to music agent in the Global Touring division. Bryles, based in Los Angeles and will specialize in supporting CAA’s roster of artists in the electronic and dance space. Dominijanni, based in Nashville, has been promoted to music agent, where he will support artists across CAA’s country music roster. Green, based in Los Angeles, will book private and corporate event performances for CAA’s roster of artists. She joined CAA in 2022 and previously worked at PwC and the Bullitt Agency (Bryles and Dominijanni both started at CAA as interns).
variety.com
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