The Weeknd and blockchain and cryptocurrency company Binance have joined forces to bring the world the first crypto powered world tour. The Weeknd’s “After Hours Till Dawn” tour, set to begin July 8, 2022, will mark the first global concert tour to integrate Web 3.0 technology for an enhanced fan experience.
To kick off the tour, Binance will be donating $2 million to the XO Humanitarian Fund, which supports lifesaving emergency operations in hunger hotspots globally. Additionally, The Weeknd and Binance partnered with HXOUSE on creating a unique designed NFT collection, where a portion of the sales will also be donated to the XO Humanitarian Fund.
BRIDGER SCOTT CLEMENTS
+ The music and podcast platform Audio Up has named Kate London head of music legal & business affairs, the company has announced. London joins from Irving Azoff’s Global Music Rights, where she was VP of business & legal affairs, and previously held senior roles at Interscope and Warner Records, Loeb & Loeb and the British law firm Clinton’s Solicitors.
“We are truly fortunate to have Kate join Audio Up as we embark on the next phase of our business,” said Audio Up founder and CEO Jared Gutstadt. “Not only is she one of the most dynamic media executives I’ve encountered, but her knowledge of the music space and ability to creatively approach the business is unparalleled. Working closely with our president of Music, PJ Bloom, Kate will provide guidance and steer our ambitious deal making as we build out our music vertical and become a true 360 media brand.”
Thursday, June 2
Live Nation has added four new key hires to their Latin touring division. In Latin tour marketing, Daryivett Romo fills the role of director while Katrina Rodriguez comes on as manager. In addition, Stephanie Rodriguez becomes the new Latin tour marketing coordinator and Nadia Hernandez has stepped in as the concert division’s new director of Latin communications.
Prior to joining Live Nation, Romo spent 8 years at CMN Events where she worked as project manager for major tours such as Juan Gabriel, Maluma, Alejandro Fernandez and Ricardo Arjona. She is currently working 38 dates for Wisin y Yandel, 40 shows for Gloria Trevi and 35 for Los Angeles Azules, among other tours.
Previously, Katrina Rodriguez was the brand partnerships manager at Universal Music Group where she spent 3 years helping the global company secure artist partnerships. The tours she oversees include Bunbury, Santa Fe Klan, Rels B, Enanitos Verdes, Gera MX, among others.
Stephanie Rodriguez brings 10 years of experience to her new role, having previously worked at entertainment companies such as iHeart Media and SBS Radio. At Live Nation, she will be involved in more than 20 tours, including those of Bad Bunny, Los Bukis, Wisin Y Yandel and Angela Aguilar.
Most recently, Hernandez worked at Cashmere Agency where she led strategy for Taco Bell, Coca-Cola, and Danone. In her new role, she will monitor press initiatives and Latin media strategies for all of Live Nation’s Latin tours and touring artists. Her focus will be on theater shows, as well as global and national Latin tours.
Pictured at top (from left): Nadia Hernandez, director of Latin communications, concerts; Katrina Rodriguez, Latin tour marketing manager; Daryivett Romo, Latin tour marketing director; Stephanie Rodriguez, Latin tour marketing coordinator.
+ BMLG Records, a subsidiary of HYBE America, has signed Shane Profitt in partnership with Chris Janson’s Harpeth 60 Records. The 22-year-old Tennesse native joins the Big Machine Label Group imprint’s roster which boasts Lady A, Brett Young, Riley Green and Laci Kaye Booth.
“There are no words to describe how excited I am to work with BMLG Records and Harpeth 60 Records,” shared Profitt. “Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and made this dream come true. I can’t wait to get my music out to the world.”
Wednesday, June 1
The has named Seth Dudowsky head of music, overseeing booking, staging, and production of musical performance entertainment for league events, including the Super Bowl Halftime Show, where he will work with Roc Nation. A “ten-season” veteran of the league, he is also responsible for the commercial music licensing team for NFL Media, which works to enhance the quality of music curation across the League’s platforms, according to the announcement. Dudowsky also serves as a resource for the NFL’s 32 clubs in their music and entertainment booking needs and leads the NFL’s partnerships with the broader music industry.
Prior to overseeing the music team, Dudowsky as director of programming for NFL Network, where he developed content strategies. He joined the NFL in 2013 from ESPN, where he led programming for the company’s international networks in over 200 countries and managed scheduling and rights acquisitions for a wide array of sports leagues from across the world. He began his career at New York sports talk radio station WFAN.
+ Republic Records has promoted Taylor Vaughn to vice president of media, it was announced by executive VP of media and artist relations Joseph Carozza. Based in Los Angeles, she joined Republic in 2014 after three years at Epic Records.
Over her tenure at Republic she has worked with newer artists such as Glass Animals, BoyWithUke, Conan Gray, James Bay, Lord Huron and others, as well as veterans like Pearl Jam, John Mellencamp and Jack Johnson.
Carozza said, “I’ve worked with Taylor for over a decade, and she’s been beyond impressive from day one. Her passion for music is unparalleled. It’s a big catalyst for her success as a publicist as she wears her love for every artist on her sleeve.”
Tuesday, May 31
As a part of the largest partner class in United Talent Agency‘s (UTA) history , Mike “Mike G” Guirguis, Jbeau Lewis, Matthew Morgan and Toni Wallace have been promoted to partner.
Mike G represents a variety of artists across multiple genres, including Lil Wayne, the Kid Laroi, Romeo Santos, Burna Boy and more. Prior to UTA, he served as a talent manager for artists including Chris Brown, Akon, and Teyana Taylor, among others.
Lewis handles and equally diverse roster, including Bad Bunny, Muse, Chance the Rapper, Karol G and Jason Derulo, among others. Prior to UTA, Lewis spent 11 years in the music department at CAA, working with artists including Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and Ludacris.
Matthew Morgan is the co-head of UTA’s Nashville office and has worked with Lizzo (whose career he played a pivotal role in, introducing her to her producer and label), Zac Brown Band, Anderson East, Cam, JP Saxe, Michael Franti, Rodrigo y Gabriela and many others. He previously spent 13 years at CAA and two years at CMT.
Wallace is responsible for leading brand strategy and marketing partnerships for UTA’s music roster of over 1,000 artists including Post Malone, Marshmello, 21 Savage, Offset and many more. She also ran sponsorships and experiences for Post Malone’s “Posty Fest,” H.E.R.’s “Lights On Festival,” and Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s Verzuz online DJ battle series. Prior to joining UTA, Wallace ran brand partnerships and licensing for five years at Columbia Records, following five years at Microsoft.
+ Snap has hired Maaliq Joseph as manager of music artists partnerships on the talent partnerships team. In this new role, Joseph will help manage and develop relationships with artists on the platform, supporting strategic content opportunities. He will report to Francis Roberts, Snap’s head of creator partnerships.
Based in Los Angeles, Joseph joins Snap after spending three years at Warner Music Group as a manager of artist development/touring. He has worked with artists like Saweetie, NLE Choppa, Isaiah Rashad, Wale, Earl Sweatshirt, Freddie Gibbs, Baby Tate and more.
Before WMG, he spent three years at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) under Mark Cheatham, global head of hip-hop/R&B. He handled touring and booking for artists including Cardi B, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Fetty Wap, Young Thug, Anthony Hamilton and more.
