APPOINTMENTS
🚀
Warner Chappell has promoted Lázaro Hernández to SVP A&R US Latin & Latin America. “I have so much gratitude for Warner Chappell”, he says. “I get to work with a passionate team and help our songwriters get to the core of their creativity. There are more opportunities than ever before for Latino songwriters to share their music with the world and I’m grateful for my role in that”.
💡
Believe has promoted Kristof Jansen to Vice President of its Groove Attack company. "I am grateful for the trust placed in me and I am eager to kick off the next era in Groove Attack's success story together with the fantastic team”, he says. “We will jointly evolve Groove Attack into an artist service brand and strive to be the best partner for our artists and [their managers] by utilising state-of-the-art marketing and outstanding service”.
LEGAL
🎺
Tattoo artist Kat Von D has been cleared of copyright infringement over her rendering of jazz musician Miles Davis on a man’s arm. A jury in California found that the tattoo was not similar enough to a photo taken by Jeffrey B Sedlik that she used as a reference. The case was another interesting test of the fair use principle under US copyright law.
ARTIST NEWS
🪨
Roc Nation has denied that Jay-Z is releasing a new album this year. After the NFR Podcast tweeted that a new album was being “teased”, the rapper’s management firm responded, “That’s news to us”.
⚽
Robbie Williams has been named President of Port Vale Football Club. Referencing the area in the club’s Vale Park stadium where he used to watch the team play as lowly normal fan, he says, "My life is bizarre and wonderful and has taken many turns and twists and to find myself from the Railway Paddock to be 'El Presidente' is pretty special”.
🫖
Megan Thee Stallion released her first new music of 2024 last week, a track called ‘Hiss’. Nicki Minaj isn’t a fan thanks to lines in the track apparently dissing her husband Kenneth Perry. Minaj spent the weekend hitting back, including via a new diss track, a snippet of which she shared on Instagram Live.
⚕️
Morrissey has been told to rest for two weeks due to “physical exhaustion” in Zurich, according to a post on his Instagram account. This is why he cancelled two shows in California last week, which were due to mark the 20th anniversary of his ‘You Are The Quarry’ album.
GIGS & TOURS
🎪
Radio 1’s Big Weekend will be held in Luton’s Stockwood Park this year. That’ll be why Live Nation’s Festival Republic was applying for a licence to stage an event in that park earlier this month. This will be the first year that the big BBC event has run over three full days.
💥
Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage and Doja Cat have been announced as the headliners for this year’s Wireless Festival in London’s Finsbury Park on 12-14 Jul. Tickets go on general sale on Wednesday.
💃
The Last Dinner Party have announced UK tour dates in September and October, finishing with a show at the Hammersmith Apollo in London on 16 Oct. The band’s debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ is out on Friday.
RELEASES
📹
Rita Ora has released new single ‘Shape Of Me’ featuring Keith Urban.
🔥
Skepta has released new single ‘Gas Me Up (Diligent)’.
⛅
The Kid Laroi has released new single ‘Heaven’. He’s also announced UK shows in London and Manchester in April.
🥱
TR/ST has released surprise new EP ‘TR/ST’. From it this is a cover of Pet Shop Boys’ Being Boring’ featuring Jake Shears.