DEALS
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Stormzy has partnered with Adidas to open a new football centre in Croydon, which also incorporates a recording studio, sports gaming hub and multipurpose rooms. “I’m gassed that we can finally open the doors to #Merky FC HQ”, he says. “Working with Adidas, I’ve wanted to do this for a long, long time and now there’s a community space that everyone in the area will be able to use and benefit from. When I was growing up there was nothing like this around for young people, so it means a lot that we now have a facility like this in Croydon. Proper homegrown!”
APPOINTMENTS
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Steve Redmond is stepping down as BMG’s EVP Global Corporate Communications after twelve years with the company. "My time at BMG has been a career-defining opportunity to demonstrate how communications can really make a difference”, he says. “As BMG enters a new phase and the entertainment industry on a broader level enters a new chapter, this is the ideal moment to move on. I send my best wishes for the future to my BMG colleagues”.
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Help Musicians’ mental health support line Music Minds Matter has appointed Cliff Fluet as its new Chair. Grace Meadows has also been named the new Head of Music Minds Matter. “With renewed leadership from Cliff, the support of Grace and through valuable awareness partnerships, we can reach more people working in music and grow our charitable impact to make even more of a difference”, says chief exec Sarah Woods.
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Concord Label Group has hired Brad Clark as SVP Streaming And Data Analysis, and Kristen Reed as VP Data Analytics And Research. “I am excited to have Brad and Kristen join the team”, says CEO Tom Becci. “Brad has worked with artists at all stages of their career, from the releasing of their first song to some of the biggest stadium acts in the industry. He has developed a unique understanding of how to translate data into real-world advancement for an artist’s career”.
GIGS & FESTIVALS
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Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis has announced that his Yannis & The Yaw project will play Koko in London on 13 Sep. Debut EP ‘Lagos Paris London’ - a collaboration between Philippaki and late Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen - is out on 30 Aug.
RELEASES
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Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne has released new single ‘Forbidden Fruit’.
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Tom Misch has released new single ‘Insecure’.
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Illuminati Hotties is back with new single ‘Can’t Be Still’.
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Washed Out will release new album ‘Notes From A Quiet Life’ on 28 Jun. The first track from it is ‘The Hardest Part’.
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Umbra Vitae have released new single ‘Velvet Black’. Their second album ‘Light Of Death’ is out on 7 Jun.