Enrique Iglesias & Influence Media Partners Agree to Major Partnership Deal

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Enrique Iglesias has a new influence…

The 48-year-Spanish superstar and Influence Media Partners have agreed to a major partnership deal.

Influence and Iglesias have partnered on the rights management of his pre-2021 recorded music rights, according to a press release, including his independent masters and his Universal recorded music royalties, along with name, image and likeness (NIL) rights to expand future licensing opportunities for the singer.

This marks the first NIL deal for Influence Media, which last year partnered with Black Rock and Warner Music Group for funding and infrastructure.

“My songs hold immense significance for both my fans and me,” Iglesias said in a statement. “I’m excited to be working with the Influence Media team. I feel confident we will build an enduring partnership for my music and future projects.”

“Enrique is a global icon and having him as a part of our Influence Media family is a game-changing moment for us,” added Lylette Pizarro, Influence Media founder/co-managing partner. “For a quarter of a century, he has captivated fans globally with chart-topping and record-breaking hits. From ‘Experiencia Religiosa’ to ‘Hero’ and ‘Bailando’ to ‘I Like It’ and ‘Be With You,’ there are few artists who come close to accomplishing what Enrique has achieved commercially. He has played a pivotal role in introducing bilingual music to the masses. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with one of the most recognizable figures in modern music.”

“It has been an honor to be part of Enrique’s team for more than two decades,” said John Branca, partner/head of music at Ziffren Brittenham, who represented Iglesias in the deal. “As the most successful Latin artist of all time he is also one of the most accomplished and beloved artists of his generation. Enrique was highly selective in choosing a partner with whom he will enhance his already monumental legacy.”

With a career that spans over three decades, Iglesias is one of the first Spanish-language acts to successfully cross over into the English-language market. He has placed five top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “I Like It,” “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)” and “Hero.” He’s also placed three top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 (Escape, Euphoria and Sex And Love) and 27 No. 1 hits on the Hot Latin Songs chart.

Currently on the U.S. Trilogy Tour with Pitbull and Ricky Martin, Iglesias most recently scored his eighth No. 1 on the Tropical Airplay chart with his bachata collab “Así Es La Vida” with Maria Becerra. He is set to drop his new album, Final Vol. 2, next year.

Influence Media previously acquired the commercially-released master recording catalog of Blake Shelton for his 2001-2019 output, Future’s song publishing catalog and Puerto Rican songwriter-producer Tainy’s song publishing catalog from 2005-2021, among other investments.

Anitta Signs with Republic Records

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Anitta is joining the republic…

The 30-year-old Brazilian superstar has signed with Republic Records, according to Billboard.

The news comes just weeks after Anitta and Warner Music Group agreed to part ways. The two parties released a joint statement to social media on April 4 announcing the news.

“After eleven years of successful partnership, we’ve agreed to go our separate ways,” the post read. “Anitta would like to thank the Warner Music team for all their support. And the Warner team wishes Anitta all the best in the future.”

Anitta signed with Warner Records in the United States in 2020 after previously linking with Warner Music Brazil in 2013. She had long voiced concerns about her relationship with WMG, from the label refusing to produce a video for an underperforming song to advising young artists to pay closer attention to what they sign.

During an Instagram livestream last May, Anitta said Warner only invested in her work “after it pays off on the internet. Unfortunately, there are things I can’t get, that’s why I don’t buy millionaire cars, because when I want to do something, I pay for it.” She added that Warner “is very tied to TikTok, to what goes viral, and if they don’t get a hit right away, they say ‘later.’”

The singer followed that with a tweet thread last month in which she blasted Warner, saying she regretted signing with the label and would have “auctioned off her organs” in order to be released from her contract.

During her run at Warner, Anitta scored a global breakthrough with her trilingual album, Versions of Me, which last year hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart with its TikTok-driven single, “Envolver.” The song’s music video won in the category of Best Latin at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. That same year, she also performed at Coachella and the Latin Grammy Awards.

Anitta will now join a superstar roster at Republic that includes Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj and more. Sources say Jesús López, chairman/CEO of Universal Music Latin America and Iberian Peninsula, and Paulo Lima, president of Universal Music Group Brazil, will work closely with the artist.

Anitta is managed by S10’s Brandon Silverstein globally.

Cardi B Signs Publishing Deal with Warner Chappell Music

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B is celebrating a new deal…

The 28-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar has signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM), moving her catalog over from Sony Music Publishing.

The news, first reported by Variety, brings Cardi B’s recording and publishing under the Warner Music Group umbrella, as Cardi B has been signed to Warner Music Group’s Atlantic Records since 2017.

A representative for WCM declined to comment, and representatives for Sony Music Publishing could not be reached at press time.

Cardi B’s move to WCM comes in advance of her highly-anticipated sophomore album, the follow up to Invasion of Privacy, her Grammy-winning debut album released in 2018.

She has released a bevy of successful singles since then, including the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s “Up” and “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion, and notches her latest feature, appearing on Lizzo‘s brand-new single “Rumors.”

WCM co-chairs Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall, alongside president of U.S. A&R Ryan Press, have signed a string of hit artists and songwriters recently, including Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars, Saweetie, 42 Dugg, Belly, Quincy Jones and Cab Calloway.

Jeronimo Folgueira Named New Deezer CEO

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jeronimo Folgueira is ready to lead…

Global audio streaming service Deezer has hired the Spanish executive to be its new CEO, the company has annouced.

Hans-Holger Albrecht, who has led Deezer since 2015, will step down and join Deezer’s board of directors. Albrecht will remain CEO through the end of June, with Folgueira taking over the position on July 1.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join Deezer,” Folgueira said in a statement. “They hold a unique place in our hearts and Deezer’s team has built a service that is the perfect companion to people’s daily lives. Deezer is a key player and contributor to the fast growth of music streaming around the world. We have a highly competitive platform with unique features that listeners love. That means we’re in a great place to accelerate our growth and capture many new opportunities, which will benefit both artists and music fans. I look forward to getting to know the team and writing the next chapter in the company’s history together.”

From 2015 to 2019, Folgueira was the CEO of Spark Networks, the online dating conglomerate that owns Christian Mingle, Jdate, and Zoosk among others. During his tenure, Folgueira quadrupled the Berlin-based company’s annual revenue to 250 million euros ($304 million) in 2019, before stepping down.

Albrecht says Deezer has grown its revenue by more than 300% in the last five years, and the platform now averages over 600 monthly streams per active user. “With the support of all shareholders and partners, a passionate team of 600 people have built the fourth largest global audio streaming service in the world,” Albrecht said in a statement. “We have a clear strategy in place to deliver long-term, sustainable growth and value for shareholders, artists and users.”

The French streaming service, largely popular in Europe, has 16 million monthly active users and is available in 180 countries around the world. Owned by Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries (which also owns Warner Music Group), Deezer was one of the earliest services to embrace high-fidelity streaming, launching its high-fidelity tier in September 2014, long before the current rush to promote better sound quality began.

Deezer cut the price of its hi-fi tier from $20 a month to $15 after Amazon Music HD launched at the lower price in September 2019, but with the recent price decreases to $10 a month for hi-fi streaming by Amazon and Apple Music, Folgueira will have to determine whether to match the rate offered by a pair of trillion-dollar companies and aim for scale or attempt to maintain Deezer’s margins at a less competitive price point.

With Spotify preparing its own hi-definition service that will arrive in the coming months, an era of increased competition among music streaming services awaits Folgueira in his new role.

Tony Succar Signs Publishing Deal with Warner Chappell Music

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Tony Succar has a new deal…

The 34-year-old Peruvian Peruvian percussionist, composer, arranger, bandleader and producer has signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group.

Following his 2015 salsa-inspired tribute album to Michael Jackson titled Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson, which landed at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Tropical Albums Charts, Succar won a Latin Grammy last year for best salsa album (Más De Mí) and producer of the year.

“It’s important for me to be able to experiment and constantly evolve my sound, and I’m thrilled to partner with a team like WCM where that’s supported and encouraged,” Succar said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with talent from different genres and cultures to create something truly unique, which is what I strive for everyday as a producer, composer, and artist. And of course bringing my Peruvian sound to the international music market is a big focus for me, it’s my culture and my roots, and the world needs to hear more of us.”

“We’re always looking to partner with genre-defying innovators like Tony,” said Gustavo Menendez, president, WCM Latin America. “His unexpected and fresh take on salsa and jazz paired with his one-of-a-kind tropical beats makes for a unique sound that has captivated listeners. We know there are even bigger things ahead for him!”

Succar recently teamed up with Dr. Pablo Gil‘s Raices Jazz Orchestra to release a self-titled first album in May.

Featuring Grammy-winning artists like Richard Bona and Anaadi, the album fuses jazz and Latin musical styles.

Bronco Signs Global Publishing Deal with Warner Chappell Music

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Bronco is taking its music worldwide…

The Mexican grupero band has signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group.

The deal covers Mexican grupero’sclassic hit songs like “Dos Mujeres, un Camino,” “Vamos a Amarla Los Dos” and “Libros Tontos,” among other titles.

“We’re excited to have a partner like Warner Chappell, who we trust to amplify our music and our voices throughout the region and beyond,” Bronco said in a statement. “With Carlos, Gustavo, and the entire team behind us we’re ready to show more people across the world what Bronco and the regional Mexican genre is all about.”

In a career that spans nearly four decades, Bronco, founded by José Guadalupe Esparza in 1979, became a household name in Mexico, the U.S. and beyond thanks to their modern take on norteñas, cumbias and melodic pop style that became popular in the early 8os.

“Bronco’s timeless hits have brought a contagious feel-good energy to fans of all ages across North & South America for decades,” said Carlos Ruiz, managing director of Warner Chappell Music Mexico, in a statement. “Their music embodies the traditions, cultures, and experiences of so many in the Mexican community and the stories they tell through their sound are ones we should all be listening to.”

About the deal, Gustavo Menendez, president of Warner Chappell Music Latin America, added, “the Mexican regional genre is a staple among Spanish-speaking communities in Mexico and the U.S., and we know it has the power to command recognition on a global scale. As the genre continues to explode, we’re proud to work with an iconic group like Bronco to help bring their incredible music to even more fans.”

Keeping Bronco’s legacy alive, the group’s current five members include Esparza and his sons José Adan and René Esparza.

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