Publishing Briefs: Rimas Signs Rauw Alejandro Songwriter; Pat Boone Reorganizes Catalog

After earning his first Latin Grammy nomination for his work on Rauw Alejandro’s Trap Cake, Vol. 2, YENSANJUAN (real name: Roberto Rivera Elias) signed a global publishing deal with Rimas Publishing. In addition to Alejandro, the emerging Puerto Rican songwriter, who says he’s “living one of the most exciting moments of my career,” has worked with artists such as Sebastian Yatra and Feid. He joins Rimas’ star-studded roster, which includes Bad Bunny, Eladio Carrión, Mora, Súbelo NEO and Tempo.

Variety show host, singer, songwriter and entrepreneur Pat Boone has reorganized his 2,300-song catalog, which consists of both his own works and others he acquired over the years from other talents. As a songwriter, Boone penned the lyrics to “The Exodus Song (This Land Is Mine)” and a number of film scores, but his catalog also contains compositions and recordings he purchased from others along the way, including cuts from David Gates, Leon Russell, Ralph Carmichael, Paul Smith, Donn Thomas, Jimmy & Carol Owens, Roger Dollarhide and Mort Lindsey, as well as masters from Boone’s Gold Label by legacy artists such as Jack Jones, Sha Na Na and Toni Tennille. Boone’s catalog, which is held under the self-owned companies Spoone Music and Cooga Music, will team up with Honolulu-based Craft Brewz Music, a creative agency specializing in catalog data collection and film/TV licensing. Spoone also has partnerships with Sweet on Top, a company that’s subpublished by peermusic, to pitch Boone’s catalog for placements.

Lickd, a music licensing platform for content creators, has partnered with Warner Chappell Music. Under the deal, which expands upon the partnership Lickd has already forged with the publisher’s parent company, Warner Music Group, Lickd will provide YouTube creators full, precleared access to use WCM’s music catalog in their video content.

Sony Music Publishing is currently holding its first-ever West Africa songwriting camp in Accra, Ghana, Jan. 5-12, 2023. Organized by Wale Davies, the company’s head of A&R, Africa, the camp will encompass a week’s worth of sessions, wellness activities and community outreach workshops to further the development of the next generation of songwriters in the region.

Sony Music Publishing U.K. has signed rising artist Naomi Kimpenu to a global publishing agreement. Awarded the Rising Star honor at the 2022 Ivor Novello Awards for her songwriting skills, the newcomer is already gaining the attention of Jack Saunders and Sian Eleri of BBC Radio 1.

Concord Music Publishing and Stax Records collaborated to host a songwriter workshop at Stax Music Academy in Memphis. The two companies have collaborated for the last three years on other songwriting workshops, but this is the first time they’ve been able to host the classes in person. Young students got instruction from hit-makers like songwriter Varren Wade, founding Soulsville president/CEO Deanie Parker, Concord senior vp of A&R Jeremy Yohai and Concord senior manager of A&R Matthew Megan.