Warner Chappell Music has introduced what it says is a “important growth” to its three way partnership with Lilly Raye Music, the administration firm and writer based by US music government Edward Matthew.
Lilly Raye Music, primarily based in Stockholm, Sweden, has labored with Warner Chappell Music on artistic collaborations between the Nordics, the UK and the US.
As the businesses develop their JV, Matthew is now taking on an official place as Marketing consultant to Warner Chappell Music.
WCM says that the exec will work intently with Lars Karlsson, WCM’s MD of the Nordics, Germany, Switzerland and Austria; Petter Walthinsen, WCM’s Head of A&R for the Nordics; Shani Gonzales, WCM’s Head of Worldwide A&R and UK MD; and Ryan Press, WCM’s President, North America.
He’ll proceed to run Lilly Raye Music collectively with A&R Supervisor Justin Martinez. Matthew, initially from Boston, bought his begin in artist administration by working with the likes of Jay Sean, Louis Bell and Sebastian Mikael.
The growth of the businesses’ JV features a artistic strategic partnership with Parx Publishing, owned by Tayla Parx, who can be signed as a songwriter to Warner Chappell Music within the US.
Parx Publishing and the JV have already collectively signed 4 writers, together with Albin Tengblad, Emelie Walcott, Gustav Landell and Oliver Frid.
Commenting on the deal, Matthew mentioned that, “Tayla shouldn’t be solely the most effective songwriters on this planet however can be a real visionary”.
He added: “She understands creatives, she understands the worldwide market and may export music, so it was a no brainer to convey her in on the enterprise facet of factor and do a cope with Parx Publishing. We’ve ended up managing half of Parx Publishing’s roster which incorporates plenty of key writers and producers in Sweden.”
In a separate transfer, the JV has struck a cope with Grammy-nominated producer Tommy Brown, the founding father of Champagne Remedy Music Group, that can see them collectively develop writers’ careers.
The primary signing to their joint roster is Sweden-based author, singer, mastering engineer and producer Pontus Kalm, who releases his personal music as a part of the duo GAMMAL, and has additionally labored with artists and writers reminiscent of A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Afrojack, BTS, ITZY, LE SSERAFIM, NCT 127 and TXT.
Writers and producers signed by the JV have already labored on No.1 albums within the US, UK and Sweden, together with Ariana Grande’s Positions and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia (The Moonlight Version). Additionally they noticed success by securing the UK No.1 single with Little Combine’s Candy Melody.
“Tommy Brown is an knowledgeable in terms of creating songwriters to construct hits for world stars reminiscent of Ariana Grande, Blackpink, BTS and Justin Bieber,” mentioned Matthew of the cope with Tommy Brown.
Moreover, the JV has signed a brand new cope with Straynané, who Warner Chappell describes as “one of the crucial celebrated producers in Swedish hip-hop”.
He has labored with artists together with Adel, Aden x Asme, Dree Low and Einár, producing songs which have racked up multiple billion streams in Sweden alone. He was awarded Producer of the Yr on the 2021 Swedish MPA Awards.
WCM says that, through the JV, Straynané has already participated in writing periods with the likes of Nova Wav, Tayla Parx and XO’s DannyBoyStyles.
“Ed and Justin’s method fully chimes with the worldwide technique we’re pursuing at Warner Chappell Music.”
Man Moot, Warner Chappell Music
Commenting on the growth of the JV, Warner Chappell Music’s Co-Chair and Chief Govt Officer, Man Moot mentioned: “Ed and Justin’s method fully chimes with the worldwide technique we’re pursuing at Warner Chappell Music.
“And partnering with Tayla Parx and Tommy Brown to signal new expertise is a tremendous means of increasing our relationship with Lilly Raye. Our partnership has already yielded chart-topping albums and singles, and I’m certain extra will observe.”
“Stockholm is a key world hub for songwriting. We’re already serving to creatives cross boundaries and we’re set to do much more sooner or later.”
Ed Matthew and Justin Martinez, Lilly Raye Music
Ed Matthew and Justin Martinez mentioned: “Stockholm is a key world hub for songwriting. We’re already serving to creatives cross boundaries and we’re set to do much more sooner or later.
“We need to thank Lars, Ryan and Shani at Warner Chappell who from day one bought our imaginative and prescient of marrying Swedish technical brilliance with probably the most popping artists out of the US, UK and elsewhere.
“Now we’re tremendous excited to be collaborating with artistic stars reminiscent of Tayla Parx and Tommy Brown to seek out and develop much more new expertise.”
“Ed and Justin are two good artistic execs who got here from the US and constructed a profitable enterprise right here in Sweden as a result of they perceive our tradition and music scene.”
Lars Karlsson, Warner Chappell Music
Lars Karlsson added: “Ed and Justin are two good artistic execs who got here from the US and constructed a profitable enterprise right here in Sweden as a result of they perceive our tradition and music scene.
“They’re additionally superb at connecting expertise from the Nordics with a number of the most occurring artists from world wide. We’re delighted to be scripting this new chapter collectively.”
MBW caught up with Lars Karlsson, Warner Chappell Music’s Managing Director for the Nordics, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and Lilly Raye Music’s Ed Matthew, concerning the expanded JV, and their predictions for the songwriter and publishing panorama in Sweden…
How did the Chappell/Lilly Raye Music three way partnership first come about and why have you ever determined to develop it?
Ed Matthew: The three way partnership first began as a dialog with Ryan Press. I initially knew Ryan from my time within the US and from operating Lilly Raye as a administration firm.
I then moved to Sweden and began having lots of success with Swedish writers and producers, touchdown No.1s and world hits. Ryan launched me to Man [Moot], Carianne [Marshall], Shani [Gonzales] and Lars [Karlsson] and I noticed what an amazing firm Warner Chappell Music was. We began working collectively and had an amazing run of success, so it made excellent sense to additional develop our partnership.
Lars Karlsson: We struck up an amazing working relationship, with Eddie and Justin shifting into our workplace right here in Stockholm. They actually turned associates of the household. We began to develop an rising variety of initiatives collectively and knew we might do much more given our shared method to the artistic course of and our complementary networks and connections.
What are your plans and targets for the JV this 12 months?
EM: We need to obtain extra world success and hit information, and actually need to deal with constructing a stronger presence within the Asian market. We’ve loved an amazing run in our first time period with Warner Chappell and in the end we need to proceed that with massive world information, whereas persevering with to have an enormous presence domestically. With Straynané we’ve dominated the Swedish rap market and we need to proceed that success and assist propel him onto the worldwide stage.
LK: I simply need to echo what Eddie mentioned about Straynané. He’s an enormous expertise who was conquered the Swedish market, and we all know we will help him go really world.
What do you search for within the producers and songwriters that you simply work with?
EM: I search for work ethic and ambition. Somebody that’s keen to be coached and developed, desires to pay attention and be taught and is keen about what they do with a transparent imaginative and prescient for themselves.
LK: And I believe a key factor is that they need to construct a global profession. That doesn’t simply imply within the US and UK. As Eddie mentioned, we’ve bought an actual deal with Asia this 12 months, and we’re seeing an rising variety of Swedish writers have success with Okay-Pop collaborations. There are additionally many alternatives throughout Europe, notably in massive markets reminiscent of Germany.
How aggressive is it within the publishing sector when it comes to signing songwriters/producers in Sweden?
EM: Sweden is an artist/author growth nation. Sweden has an enormous historical past of creating expertise early on, so I discover it’s much less aggressive in signing established names and extra about discovering somebody with uncooked expertise and dealing with them to craft their expertise to change into world-class writers and producers.
LK: I agree with Eddie. There are fewer chequebook signings right here, however an intense competitors to seek out and develop youthful writers who’ve bought the potential to faucet into world alternatives.
Sweden has a protracted historical past of being house to a number of the world’s high songwriters and producers. To what does Sweden owe its success in songwriting and manufacturing?
EM: Sweden is an attractive nation that helps the humanities and its creatives. From the early phases of a author’s profession there is a chance to be taught. And then you definately have a look at its founding fathers – ABBA, Max Martin and so forth. – and the nation can’t assist however really feel impressed. Younger creatives have a number of the most globally profitable artists and writers ever to look as much as, and naturally that can give them hope and a way that something is feasible.
LK: And I’d positively add the identify Denniz Pop to that record. He helped develop Max Martin’s profession and so a lot of right this moment’s creatives have been impressed by their success. We’re a small nation, the place such success is effectively famous. We used to speak concerning the ‘Björn Borg Impact’. He was such an excellent tennis participant, he impressed a era to take up the game. In music, we’re seeing the ‘Max Martin Impact’.
What artistic tendencies are you seeing in Sweden’s songwriting group presently and the way is that being mirrored when it comes to the artists Swedish writers and producers are working with globally?
EM: Melody travels and is a worldwide language – and Swedes have been dominating in melody for therefore lengthy. They’re nonetheless creating melody and today that transpires into Okay-Pop, dance music and continues to create massive UK and US hits. In a nutshell, Swedish writers and producers will all the time be in demand as a result of they conquer melody.
LK: I believe, as elsewhere, you’re seeing an elevated curiosity in native sounds. Extra native pop acts, in addition to hip-hop stars, are performing in Swedish. The worldwide pop scene has slowed a little bit during the last couple of years, nevertheless it’s cyclical, we predict it’ll be again strongly within the subsequent 12 months or two and the work we’re doing collectively now will assist us experience that wave.
You’ve additionally signed a partnership with Tommy Brown and his firm Champagne Remedy to signal Pontus Kalm. Why are you partnering with Tommy Brown on this deal, and what are your ambitions for Pontus Kalm as a songwriter?
EM: He’s been massively forward-thinking in figuring out the alternatives for cultural collaborations between artists from the booming Korean scene and the extremely expert producers and songwriters primarily based in markets like Sweden.
We’ve completed nice enterprise collectively up to now and had a imaginative and prescient to develop extra into Okay-Pop. So with Pontus Kalm being a dominating power in Sweden, in addition to within the Asian market with BTS, it made excellent sense to companion collectively on him. Thus far, we’ve labored on world information which sonically originate from Asia and Okay-Pop and it appears like that sound is bleeding into the worldwide market.
What are your predictions for the influence that Sweden’s songwriters can have on world hits and music tendencies over the approaching years?
EM: They’ve had an influence for the reason that ’70s and I can’t see that slowing down! They haven’t misplaced a step and Swedish writers will follow what they know and that’s that melody is a worldwide language. They’ll proceed to have success as melody is all the time on the core of what they do. And that’s why Swedes will dominate world music making for the foreseeable future.
LK: I believe as the worldwide pop cycle turns once more you’ll see writers from everywhere in the Nordics having hits on the high of the worldwide charts. The robust and rising hyperlink with artists in Korea and Japan is one to look at. We’re constructing a powerful base now and we’re going to massively profit from it over the following couple of years.Music Enterprise Worldwide
