Publishing Briefs: Anthem Launches JV With Audio Up and Jingle Punks Founder

Anthem Entertainment has launched a new joint venture with Jared Gutstadt, the founder/CEO of Audio Up. The JV’s first two signees include Randy Savvy of the Compton Cowboys and alt/pop/folk singer Kayslee Don Collins. The new deal puts Gutstadt and Anthem back in business together for the first time since 2019, when Gutstadt left his post as CEO of Jingle Punks, an Anthem subsidiary that he also founded. Audio Up will now have the ability to develop some of the former publishing and intellectual property assets that Gutstadt created when he was with Jingle Punks, including the Bear and a Banjo scripted podcast series. Audio Up can also work with new and existing Anthem music catalogs, with the goal of creating new IP lanes for Anthem’s frontline signees. Anthem and Audio Up will also now have access to each other’s premiere studio spaces in Toronto, Nashville and Los Angeles.

Heavy Duty Music has announced new publishing deals with acclaimed indie singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt, avant-pop talent Cecile Believe (SOPHIE, Caroline Polachek) and both a publishing and label deal with Berlin-born artist-producer RIP Swirl. Swirl also acts as Heavy Duty’s first signing through its new joint venture with Imran Ahmed‘s In Real Life, which is already home to talents like Erika de Casier and Peggy Gou.

Position Music has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Maya Kurchner in collaboration with Chosen People. Kurchner signed with Chosen People back in 2020 and has since worked with acts like Chappell Roan, Bebe Rexha, Tiësto, Alesso, Bazzi and Tinashe.

Third Side Music has announced an exclusive creative publishing deal to administer the works of composer Galt MacDermot in the United States. This includes his Tony-winning compositions for Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical (HAIR), Two Gentlemen of Verona and the film Rhinoceros.

Liz Rose Music has announced the signing of Jenna Johnson to an exclusive publishing deal. A multifaceted talent, Johnson is best known for working alongside artists of all genres, from Nate Smith, BigXthaPlug, David Guetta and Bebe Rexha to Ty Dolla $ign, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, The Band Camino and Jared Benjamin.

Reservoir has signed songwriter-producer Lewis Thompson to a worldwide publishing deal for all future works. As a songwriter, Thompson has tracks like “Bed” by Joel Corry, RAYE and David Guetta; “Head & Heart” by Corry featuring MNEK; and “I Wrote a Song” by Mae Muller in his repertoire. He’s also an artist in his own right, releasing tracks with Guetta, Becky Hill and Alle Farben, dating back to 2022.

Position Music has signed Khalid “Khal” Yassein to a global publishing deal. Yassein is best known as the lead singer of indie folk outfit Wild Rivers, but he has also collaborated with a slew of other artists to date, including Sasha Alex Sloan, venbee, Oh Wonder, Morgan Evans, The Fray, Matt Hansen and Maddie Zahm.

Rafter 3 Music and Warner Chappell Music have signed a global publishing deal with singer-songwriter Austin Michael. Hailing from Van Alstyne, Texas, Michael was introduced to the music business through season 17 of American Idol, back when he was just 15. Since then, he moved to Austin and dedicated himself full time to his artistry. This is his first publishing deal.

Wise Music Group has signed Sofi Paez to an exclusive publishing agreement with Berlin-based Bosworth Music GmbH. A pianist-composer born in San José, Costa Rica, Paez is now based in Berlin and experiments with piano, voice and electronic elements. Since 2023, her EP Circles has gained the critical acclaim of her peers, and it led to her being handpicked to perform at Ólafur Arnald’s OPIA launch event.

Edition Wilhelm Hansen, part of Wise Music Group, has signed Teitur “Teitur” Lassen to a co-publishing deal in partnership with Arlo & Betty Music, a company operated by Lassen’s longtime manager, Christian Ulf-Hansen. Since getting his start nearly two decades ago, Lassen has released a slew of records, spanning from Stay Under the Stars (2006) to Songs From a Social Distance (2023) with Aarhus Jazz Orchestra.