New signings & Team-Ups: January 17

                                                                                                                                    Image: Fifth Harmony

SONY EXTENDS FIFTH HARMONY DEAL

Epic/Sony has extended the deal for Fifth Harmony – now a four piece after the exit last month of 19-year-old Camila Cabello to pursue a solo career. Their third album is due this year. After being discovered on X Factor in 2012, the act has sold half a million records, 7 million downloads and 1.6 billion streams in the United States.

Cabello who’s notched up two Top 20 hits with collaborations with Shawn Mendes and Machine Gun Kelly, will drop her first solo record in April/May.

MUSHROOM, VIC GOVT, TEAM FOR ONLINE DOCO SERIES

Mushroom Group has produced a new youth powering online documentary series, supported by the Victorian Government and the Centre for Multicultural Youth, to tackle youth issues and raise awareness about street and youth violence. Voice For Change includes urban music, hip-hop and sporting identities – including Urthboy, Diafrix, Sampa the Great, B Wise, Ecca Vandal, Majak Daw and Archie Thompson – talking about their personal battles to challenge racism, feelings of disenfranchisement and social inclusion. See the trailer at http://creative.vic.gov.au/news/2016/new-online-music-documentary-series,-voice-for-change.

RANDY JACKSON SIGNS AUSSIE DJ

Veteran record producer and American Idol judge Randy Jackson signed Gold Coast DJ and model Brooke Evers to her Big Management company. The firm’s 14-strong roster includes Amadeus, Betsie Larkin, Nico Larsson and Novel.

Evers, who turned 21 this month, will start recording a more pop-oriented record with Jackson in February. She is getting married in October to fiancé Matt Stafford of DJ/production team The Stafford Bros.

She is Jackson’s second Australian client, previously working with Noiseworks singer Jon Stevens on a solo album.

BIG SEAN ENDORSING PUMA

Detroit rapper Big Sean is now endorsing German brand Puma, alongside Rihanna and The Weeknd. He is seen sporting the brand on his new Moves video. The Weeknd was previously with Adidas for five years.

KOBALT TO ADMINISTER ELVIS CATALOGUE …

Expect to see even more Elvis Presley on films, TV, soundtracks and ads this year. That is music services company Kobalt message after it took over administration and publishing services for 1000 songs this month. These include Can’t Help Falling in Love, Jailhouse Rock, All Shook Up, Return To Sender and A Little Less Conversation.

Presley who died 40 years ago, still has a high profile. His songs are on soundtracks to recent movies Bad Santa 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows and Joy. Ralph Lauren’s current fragrance campaign is using Love Me Tender. Last October, Presley’s The Wonder of You became his 13th #1 album in the UK, a new record for solo acts, selling 350,000 units.

…AND EMILE SANDE’S COMPANY

Kobalt has taken over the administration of Scottish singer songwriter Emeli Sandé’s Hard Copy Publishing. Effective immediately, the deal will cover all future works and will also see Hard Copy sign and develop new artists and writers.

UNIFIED SIGN AMY SHARK FOR WORLD MANAGEMENT

UNIFIED has picked up emerging Gold Coast musician Amy Shark for worldwide artist management. She will be managed by the same collaborative team under Jaddan and Rachael Comerford and Toni Saunders which looks after Vance Joy, and Head of UNIFIED Artist Management Nick Yates (Violent Soho, Illy).

“I could not be more proud to announce that UNIFIED is going to be working with Amy Shark," says Jaddan Comerford, CEO and Founder of UNIFIED. "I had to Shazam Adore the first time I heard it and was hooked from that moment on. Amy is an amazing person and obviously an incredible artist. The future is very bright and we are lucky to be a part of such an amazing artist’s career.”

Shark’s choice of management comes in the wake of her recent signing of a record deal with Wonderlick Entertainment /Sony Music Entertainment, and live bookings through Stephen Wade at Select Music.

123 AGENCY ROPES IN TOTALLY UNICORN

The latest addition to Melbourne-based 123 Agency is Wollongong-bred Sydney-based metalcore/mathcore band Totally Unicorn. 123 and Wollongong agency Farmer & The Owl are jointly presenting their Party Goon Tour, taking in five shows from February 18 to 25.

REMOTE CONTROL GETS JULIEN BAKER

Remote Control is releasing the works of 21-year old Memphis songwriter Julien Baker, who toured Australia last month behind his debut album Sprained Ankle. Just issued is new single Funeral Pyre.

TROPFEST BROADCAST ON ELEVEN

Short film festival Tropfest, held February 11 in Parramatta Park in its 25th year, will be broadcast by Ten’s digital channel Eleven and streamed online by Red Bull TV. Insurer CGU, which saved the festival from going belly-up last year, remains a major sponsor with a new three-year deal. Other new sponsors include Coca-Cola Amatil’s Mount Franklin; Coates Hire and Getty Images.

HARTS TRACK ON NEW US SERIES TRAILER

Melbourne-based guitarist ace Harts has had his single Power included in the trailer for new US action comedy series Powerless. He’s posted a link on his Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/Hartsmusic/. Set in the DC Comics universe, the show debuts on NBC on February 2.

BOY GEORGE FACE OF DIOR HOMME

Boy George, newly anointed judge on The Voice Australia, has become the face of fashion brand Dior Homme, promoting its men’s fashion range this northern summer. Creative director, Kris von Assche told the fashion site WWD that the Boy’s sense of being a rebel and his message of ‘being different’ fitted with the brand’s self-image.

AMBA SHEPHERD AN APRA AMCOS AMBASSADOR

Globetrotting EDM singer-songwriter Amba Shepherd is the latest to become an APRA AMCOS Ambassador. Having worked with EDM heavyweights such as Armin Van Buuren, Hardwell, Tiësto, Afrojack and Porter Robinson, Shepherd has translated her distinctive voice to her own debut solo single Prelude [Rest in Peace].

Calling the work of APRA AMCOS “the backbone of the Australian music industry,” she adds, “At this stage of my career, going on six years of being a full-time fully independent artist, I spend more time writing and touring in the US, Europe and Asia than I am on the ground in Sydney.

“I think that gives me a unique opportunity to proudly fly the flag for Australian songwriters based all over the world and it also gives me the opportunity to foster and support talent coming up the ranks which is really exciting”.

BLOODS JOIN PALMARY MANAGEMENT

On the eve of releasing their second album, Sydney garage-pop trio Bloods have joined Lauren Poulter’s firm Palmary for management. Formed in 2011, they signed their publishing to Sub Pop in America and record deals with Shock and America’s Minty Fresh, and showcased at South By Southwest in 2015.

BUNBURY PROMOTER TAKES ON MANAGEMENT

Kelsie Miller, a promoter of pop up venues in WA’s Bunbury, is expanding into management of local acts to help them expand their profiles. Among her first signings are Margaret River’s Blue Child Collective, singer-songwriter Tom Day and Donnybrook’s folk band Latehorse.

AFTRS, ABC RADIO, SET UP NEW SCHOLARSHIP

AFTRS and ABC Radio have announced a new scholarship of $14,500 to be awarded each year for the next three years to develop Australian radio talent, with a focus on diversity. It will be awarded to an applicant who is accepted into AFTRS’ Graduate Diploma in Radio and is from an Indigenous or culturally and linguistically diverse background.