California-bred artist Óscar Maydon is expanding his indie label, Rico o Muerto, by signing Victor Mendivil to a 360 deal in partnership with Downtown Artist and Label Services.
The new agreement updates Mendivil’s previous distribution partnership to a full-scale recording contract, solidified at Downtown’s Los Angeles offices. Mendivil now becomes the flagship artist of Rico o Muerto.
Maydon launched his own music career in 2020 and quickly rose to prominence with hits like “Tu Boda,” featuring Fuerza Regida, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200, and became his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
He launched Rico o Muerto last year, having since hired 15 employees across Mexicali, Mexico City, Tijuana and San Diego. The label also lists artists Omar Camacho, Regulo Molina, Carlos Manjarrez and Fernand Angulo.
+ TikTok has announced the beta launch of TikTok Songwriter Features, a new set of features and tools designed for songwriters.
Songwriters’ shared content will sit side-by-side in one place on TikTok for the first time, giving songwriters the opportunity to highlight the works they have written or co-written, to share stories about their work, their music and their lives, and to help fans of their music to explore, use, share and save further works from their catalog.
Songwriters including Lauren Christy, Toby Gad and Justin Tranter are among the first to use TikTok Songwriter Features. These tools were developed in response to the feedback given by songwriters as part of a comprehensive songwriter survey by TikTok, featuring 871 songwriter respondents, and 18 in-depth interviews. The survey findings have informed the design of the TikTok Songwriter Features, with the goal of improving discovery, monetisation opportunities and raising the profile of songwriters on TikTok.
Jordan Lowy, global head of music publishing licensing and partnerships at TikTok, said: “We are passionately committed to supporting songwriters at TikTok, which is why we built these tools to celebrate and elevate songwriters and their work on our platform. TikTok is unique in its ability to offer songwriters a way to highlight their musical works alongside their own content, helping them to tell stories about their music, their craft, and their lives, and to raise their profile and build their audience on TikTok, as hundreds of thousands of artist creators already do.”
+ CAA has signed platinum-selling duo, LOCASH. Comprised of singer-songwriters Preston Brust and Chris Lucas, the country duo is managed by Skip Bishop and Jenn Littleton at Galaxy Entertainment.
Last year, the multi-hyphenates launched their own record label, Galaxy Label Group, distributed by BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. The label allows Brust and Lucas to maintain complete creative control over their music while mentoring a whole new generation of like-minded stars.
+ The T.J. Martell Foundation, a foundation that provides funds for innovative cancer research, will celebrate its 50th anniversary year at the Annual New York Honors Gala on Sept. 16 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
To mark this milestone, the Foundation will debut the Circle of Legends, a new honor recognizing the visionary leaders and devoted champions whose belief in its mission has powered five decades of progress in the fight against cancer. Honorees include Irving Azoff, Scott Borchetta, Tom Corson, Clive Davis and many more. Additional names may be announced in the coming weeks.
“This year’s 50th anniversary marks more than a milestone. It’s a powerful reminder of the extraordinary people who built this Foundation from the ground up,” said Steve Gawley, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “With the launch of the Circle of Legends, we celebrate the visionaries whose generosity and commitment made five decades of progress possible and we welcome the next generation of leaders stepping up to carry the mission forward.”
“The music community’s support has always been at the heart of our work,” said Lynn-Anne Huck, CEO of the T.J. Martell Foundation. “Their belief in our mission has driven real breakthroughs. As we look ahead to the future, we remain focused on advancing bold, high-impact research that brings us closer to a cure for cancer.”
+ Whitney Whitney, whose debut EP, “1.1” arrived Friday, has signed to Atlantic Records that day.
Raised between Connecticut and Manhattan, Whitney grew up a fan of Elton John, Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor and classical string arrangements. She quietly released music under a different name until she found producer Justin Lucas (Khalid, Alec Benjamin, and Daniel Caesar), and created her debut project under Whitney Whitney.
+ Songwriter and producer Steve Solomon has signed a global publishing deal with Position Music.
Solomon co-wrote James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go,” and was consequently nominated for two Brit Awards and went on to produce the majority of James’ recent album, “Bitter Sweet Love.” He also co-wrote and produced Forest Blakk’s hit single “If You Love Her.” More recently, Steve co-wrote Perrie’s single “Forget About Us” with Ed Sheeran and David Hodges.
“I’ve been a fan of Steve for years. He is a dynamic producer, songwriter, guitar player and just a creative force all around,” said Mark Chipello, partner and head of A&R, Position Music. “He came up touring, so he has a deep understanding of artists and how to meet them where they are, something that really shows in the way he works. Getting to partner with someone that I have respected for so long is exciting and doing it with Lucas Keller and the Milk & Honey team makes it feel like we are positioned to do something really meaningful in this next chapter of Steve’s career.”
+ Sony Music Nashville has signed pop singer-songwriter Ian Harrison. Harrison’s first release on the label, “Not The One,” was released Friday.
A Columbus, Ohio native and current Nashville resident, Harrison grew up listening to a blend of folk, pop, country and rock. “So blessed to be a part of the Sony Nashville team,” said Harrison. “I’m thankful that I’m surrounded by a group that truly believes in the music!”
Harrison is represented by Zach Beebe of OTRmgmt and WME with publishing through Warner Chappell.
+ Emerging singer-songwriter Juan Freer and label D Luna Music have signed an exclusive distribution deal with Downtown Artist and Label Services. In just six months since joining forces with respected executive Daniel Luna, Freer has surpassed 300 million streams across digital platforms.
The deal with Downtown Artist & Label Services covers the global distribution of Freer’s entire existing catalog, as well as his debut album, slated for release later this year.
“When we discovered Juan, we approached his project with vision and strategy, and in just four months, we helped him grow from 300K to over 5 million monthly listeners,” said Freer. “We had already built a strong relationship with Downtown, and now, with this alliance between D Luna Music and Downtown Artist and Label Services, we’re reaffirming our commitment to keep growing together.”
Ben Patterson, president of Downtown Artist and Label Services, added: “It is an honor that D Luna Music is choosing to work with Downtown to continue developing the next generation of Música Mexicana artists and advance the genre Daniel is an exceptional A&R and marketing force. In partnership with Downtown’s global team, tools and technologies, D Luna Music is positioned to develop a marquee independent label of future superstars like Juan Freer.”
+ Longtime dance music business executive James Mack has joined leading management company The Shalizi Group (TSG). Mack brings his existing management clients Snakehips and OMNOM and will be contributing his expertise to TSG’s Afrojack management team, alongside Shalizi and Adam Chaves, as well as working across the company’s wider roster.
James Mack comes to TSG after 14 years with top global promotions agency Listen Up, the company he co-founded and where he spearheaded its global PR and promotions.
Thursday, July 17
Eslabón Armado, the California-borne band of brothers Pedro and Brian Tover along with Damian Pacheco that has achieved crossover success with its modern take on Mexican sierreño, has partnered with Interscope Records. Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The trio from Patterson, Calif. was founded in 2017 and has released eight studio albums, most recently “Vibras Del Noche 2.” The group has notched several big hits including “Ella Baila Sola,” which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and spent 19 weeks at the top of the Hot Latin Songs chart. It is currently on the “Vibras de Noche” tour.
“Interscope is committed to supporting Pedro on his vision for this next chapter of his career,” said Jose Cedeño, senior vice president and general manager at Interscope Records, in a statement. “It’s exciting to be part of the group’s new journey,” said Manny Prado, vp of marketing and A&R at Interscope, also in a statement.
Interscope
Pictured above (L-R): Brian Tovar, Nir Seroussi, Pedro Tovar, Manny Prado, José Cedeño
+ Grammy-winning country-pop act The Band Perry is marking an “official return to country music” with its signing to Nashville Harbor Records, a division of Big Machine Label Group; the band also announced signing to Make Wake Artists for management.
“Coming back home to our Big Machine/Nashville Harbor family feels like a beautiful full-circle moment for us,” singer Kimberly Perry said in a statement. “To bring the foundation of everything we’ve built together into a new season of creativity means the world.”
The group released its debut single, “Hip to My Heart,” in 2009 and eventually went on hiatus in 2023. The Band Perry joins Nashville Harbor Records labelmates Florida Georgia Line, Lady A, Noah Hicks, Riley Green, Shaylen and Brett Young.
+ Veteran executive Tracey J. Jordan has joined Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated producer and pioneering Motown Records executive Suzanne de Passe and her business partner Madison Jones at de Passe Jones Entertainment as consulting producer. The Los Angeles-based company sources, develops, acquires, and produces a variety of television, film, theater, animation, book publishing and new media content; however, Jordan will remain New York-based, working on a diverse range of projects for dJE and independent projects for JordanLazin Productions, the company she co-founded with MTV veteran Lauren Lazin.
Jordan’s previous roles include senior executive positions at Arista Records, Motown Records, MTV Networks, ABKCO Music & Records, and SiriusXM. She is presently a governor for the New York Chapter of the Recording Academy and a member of the artist relations committee for the Hip-Hop Museum.
+ The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), a trade group that represents over 700 indie labels, has announced its new board of directors and executive committee for 2025-26.
New members elected to the board will be David Barnes of Rhymesayers Entertainment, Glen Barros of Exceleration Music Partners, Jason Peterson from Godigital Media Group and Vic Zaraya of Concord. Returning board members are Nabil Ayers of Beggars Group, Hays Rudolph of Secretly Group, Tony Alexander from Made in Memphis Entertainment, Steven Hill from Warp Records, Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride, Louis Posen of Hopeless Records and Zena White of Partisan Records.
A2IM’s executive committee will be chairperson Nabil Ayers, treasurer Glen Barros of Exceleration Music and secretary Hays Rudolph.
“As I prepare to step down at the beginning of 2026, I’m reassured knowing their leadership will guide A2IM through the challenges and opportunities ahead,” said A2IM CEO and president Richard James Burgess in a statement.
+ Sony Music Publishing has upped Sarah “Pixie” Pickering to vice president of creative and writer services and co-head of sync, the company announced today.
Pickering will continue to co-lead SMP UK’s Sync division and will “advance creative activity” for SMP songwriters and catalogs, “working in close collaboration with Sony’s sister companies to fuel synergies,” the company writes.
“I am delighted to work even closer with our incredible roster of songwriters, creating new opportunities beyond the traditional sync model,” Pickering said in a statement on the news.
+ Concord Music Publishing is promoting Tom Coulson-Smith from senior director of A&R to vice president, A&R, the company announced. Coulson-Smith first joined Concord in 2020.
While at Concord, Coulson-Smith has worked with Zach Nahome (Olivia Dean, PinkPantheress Bakar, Celeste, Tendai, BiigPiig), electronic duo Mount Kimbie, rock group Biff Cyro, Ivor Novello nominee Wesley Joseph, Grammy-winning producer Fred Ball and Yazmin Lacey. Recent signees include Ed Thomas, co-writer and producer on single “The Way I Love You” from Jorja Smith.
Prior to joining Concord, Coulson-Smith worked as A&R manager for Warner/Chappell, working with artists including Lianne La Havas and Marina.
Monday, July 14
Empire has announced their expansion into the Nordic region with a brand new hire, Iman Hazheer, as territory manager. In this newly established role, Hazheer will lead Empire’s strategic initiatives across Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland,and Iceland. He will drive artist relations and market development, in addition to regional partnerships.
Based in Stockholm, Hazheer will work closely with Empire’s international team to amplify the company’s footprint. “The Nordic region has long been a global force in music, but the path to international recognition is becoming increasingly narrow especially for independent and emerging artists,” said Hazheer.
He continued, “Throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges talented creators face when trying to scale beyond their home markets. That’s why I’m excited to join Empire, a company that not only understands the nuances of local culture but also offers a truly artist-first model. We’re here to challenge the status quo, champion artists on their own terms and give the Nordic talent pool the platform they deserve, globally.”
Hazheer arrives at Empire with a decade of experience and a diverse background at the intersection of music, culture and brand strategy. He spent nearly seven years at Spotify, where he led editorial strategy for the Nordics as a senior editor, curating playlists and shaping the regional music narrative. Prior to that, he worked with artists across Northern Europe as part of the entertainment division at Nike in Amsterdam.
“The further expansion across Europe into the Nordic region further cements EMPIRE as champions of bringing music and culture to a global audience,” said Empire Founder and CEO, Ghazi. “Iman’s knowledge of the music business makes him the best fit to spearhead these efforts and we are happy to welcome him to the team.”
Pictured above (L-R): Nima Etminan, Iman Hazheer and Ghazi.
+ Concord Music Publishing has signed Tropkillaz, the Grammy-nominated Brazilian production duo of Zegon and Laudz, to a global publishing agreement covering all new copyrights. The deal was orchestrated in close collaboration between Concord’s London, New York, and Miami offices, marking the company’s first-ever signing out of Brazil.
Tropkillaz boast collaborations with artists including Anitta, J Balvin, Marshmello, Justin Bieber, Doechii, Major Lazer, Snoop Dogg, Bob Marley, and Childish Gambino, as well as work with such songwriters and producers as Ryan Tedder, Stargate, Jason Evigan and more.
Tropkillaz in a joint statement commented: “We’re thrilled to be joining the Concord family and focusing on creating lots of new music. We have built a strong catalogue with original Tropkillaz releases while also producing for other artists from across the world—especially in Asia, Latin America, and the U.S.— and we feel lucky to see that work resonate globally. We are also so excited to have found a new home at A-List Management, building this next chapter together – there’s so much more to come!”
+Nashville-based hit songwriter and producer Mark Holman has inked a new publishing deal with Big Loud Publishing/ERN’s Cadillac Music. Holman has penned songs for chart-topping hitmakers like Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Blake Shelton and many more.
“Big Loud has believed in me from the jump and I’m thankful to keep growing with them,” shared Holman. “Adding Cadillac to the mix just takes it to another level. I have a ton of respect for Ern — as a writer, as an artist and as a visionary — and I’m looking forward to what we can create.”
“I have enjoyed working with Mark throughout the years. We always have a great time in the room, and he is such a joy to work with,” ERN’s Cadillac Music Founder and CEO Ernest adds. “He has been a weapon in town for a few years, and we have obviously already made a little magic together with ‘Flower Shops.’ I look forward to continuing to grow together as songwriters and producers. I’m thankful he wanted to be a part of the Cadillac crew as much as I wanted him to be.”
+ Grammy and CMA-nominated songwriter Derrick Southerland has inked a global publishing deal with Kobalt. As part of the deal, Kobalt has acquired a portion of Southerland’s extensive song catalog.
“Derrick is one of the most gifted, prolific songwriters working in Nashville today,” said Stephanie Cox, general manager/senior VP of creative at Kobalt Nashville. “He has the incredibly unique ability to write across genres which makes him a perfect fit for Kobalt’s global ecosystem.”
Southerland’s repertoire includes co-writing tracks for Carrie Underwood, Jordan Davis, Vince Gill, Fletcher, Laci Kaye Booth, Hunter Hayes, Breland, Charlotte Sands, High Valley, Charles Kelley, Muscadine Bloodline, Tanner Adell, Blair Davie, Dallas Smith and many others. Additionally, he has worked on Kane Brown’s Hot 100 certified gold single “Like A Rodeo” and Joshua Bassett’s “Crisis.”
“I’m so excited to be partnering with Kobalt,” said Southerland. “When I met with Laurent Hubert, Jeannette Perez, Stephanie Cox, Rani Hancock, Kenny McGoff and so many others of the creative team, I knew this was where I needed to be. Their enthusiasm not only about my writing and songs, but my dreams and vision for the future made this the perfect partnership to help me accomplish my goals. Huge thanks to Kevin, who was with me for my first major label outside cut and brought me to this amazing team. I’m looking forward to what’s coming in this next chapter of our careers.”
