Seeker Acquires Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde’s Publishing Catalog

Evan Bogart’s Seeker Music has acquired the music publishing catalog of songwriter-producer-instrumentalist Simon Raymonde, which includes his work as a longtime member of Cocteau Twins. Raymonde is also a solo artist, producer and co-founder of the U.K. indie label Bella Union (Beach House, Father John Misty, Flaming Lips).

Seeker Music Chief Creative Officer Steven Melrose (pictured above, left, with Raymonde) said, “Growing up as a little boy just across the water in Edinburgh, Scotland, these songs have always provided the soundtrack to my life. Between the wonderful melodies and Liz Fraser’s incredible vocals, there’s nothing else like the music Simon has made and contributed to. When the chance to work with him presented itself, well, there’s never been a quicker yes … it’s an honor.”

Raymonde said, “The enthusiasm for our music appears to be strong 30 years after our last studio album. Seeker Music have shown that passion and excitement since we began talking last year.”

Raymonde was represented in the transaction by Christy McNaughtan at NMD Solicitors, and Seeker Music was represented by Henry Root for Counsel LLP and Seeker’s General Counsel Dan Stuart, along with Melrose and Bogart. 

+ 10K Projects has announced a joint venture with Runway Records, a newly launched hip-hop label created and led by Ben Bijur, who recently joined Atlantic Music Group as VP of A&R. Runway’s first signing is Atlanta-based rapper Aziedoesntexist, whose first release, “Everglades,” is a TikTok hit. At Atlantic, Bijur has signed Diamond*, Ksuuvi, Sorisa, and the Russian rap two Gorilla Glue & Lil Nakur; he was previously with Columbia JV Signal Records.

“Ben has brought his keen sense of culture, the ability to identify emerging talent, and his entrepreneurial spirit to launching Runway Records, and we are here for it at 10K,” said 10K co-president Nico Ziangas. “We’re looking forward to working with him and his team to continue to build the successful repertoire at Runway.”

+ Caron Treatment Centers raised $1.7 million at its 32nd Annual New York Gala on June 2 at Cipriani 42nd Street, where GlassNote Entertainment founder Daniel Glass was honored with the Thomas J. Moran Caron Music Award and the Brock-Dixon Family with the Richard J. Caron Award of Excellence.

Funds raised through the Gala support Caron’s Mission Fund, helping individuals and families access addiction and behavioral healthcare treatment, research, prevention, and addiction medicine education.

The Gala has raised more than $1 million annually to support treatment scholarships and recovery services, with the majority of scholarship support provided by Caron in the New York metropolitan region funded through the event over the years.

Glass was honored for his contributions to the music industry and his longstanding commitment to recovery advocacy; he also serves on the Founders Board of the Neil Lasher Music Fund at Caron, which has raised approximately $2 million over the past five years and supported more than 100 individuals in the music community seeking treatment and recovery support.

“The Brock-Dixon Family and Daniel Glass exemplify the power of leadership, service, and recovery advocacy, and we were honored to recognize their extraordinary contributions during this year’s Gala,” said Caron National Gift Officer Todd Whitmer.

+ BMI has announced promotions within the company’s creative and corporate communications departments, based in its New York City headquarters. On the creative team, John Ellwood was promoted to vice president of creative and Deirdre Chadwick was upped to assistant VP of creative for classical & jazz. In corporate communications, Jeff Gilligan was elevated to assistant VP, creative director, and Jodie Thomas was promoted to Assistant VP of corporate & media relations.

+ Mprs (pronounced “Empress”), a rights management company focused exclusively on producer and mixer master-point royalties, has announced the expansion of its platform to include producer catalog acquisitions.  Milk & Honey has signed up to partner in the new acquisition vehicle.

Founded in 2021, Mprs has emerged as a force in producer royalty administration, helping hitmakers organize, audit, monetize and manage one of the most historically fragmented areas of the music business; its mission is summarized as a company “that does for producer royalties what publishers do for songwriters.” The company says it administers eight figures in annual master-point royalties and has written more than $5 million of advances into the producer space; it also “recovers multiple millions annually in previously uncollected income for clients.”

“Producer and mixer royalties are incredibly valuable, but they’re operationally difficult,” said Mprs CEO Jon McMillan. “Most catalogs are fragmented across labels, distributors, contracts, statements and territories, to the point where many creators don’t know how to think about the ongoing value of their own work. Before anyone can properly value these assets, you have to properly understand and administer them. That’s what Mprs has spent years building for producers.”

Milk & Honey founder Lucas Keller added: “Mprs has built something genuinely differentiated in the producer royalty space. Their understanding of the operational side of these assets is incredibly sophisticated, and that creates real value for creators.  The relationship to join forces is a natural and organic one born out of half a decade of putting our clients on the platform and seeing the company really grow into the best in class.”

+ Independent publisher Third Side Music has re-signed composer, artist, songwriter and two-time Juno Award winner Colin Stetson, extending their 15-year relationship. Stetson’s recent projects include the horror-thriller “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen,” “Mayday,” and the IMAX documentary “Stormbound.” He honors also include the World Soundtrack Award, Hollywood Music in Media Award, and International Film Music Critics Association Award nominations for his work on “The Menu.”

“Alex Kelman, and everyone at Third Side Music have been avid and active advocates of my music, in both my work in film and my solo recording career. They are, and always have been, truly familial in their care, consideration, and support. I am enormously grateful for all their dedication and counsel over the years,” said Stetson.

+ Artist strategy and audience development agency Blackstar has appointed Ed Watson as artist strategy director. The company’s recent campaigns include work for Nine Inch Nails, Outkast, André 3000, Lenny Kravitz, Hayley Williams, Muse, Robyn and Djo. Watson will be based in New York and joins after senior roles at BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and Asian Network.

Blackstar founder Olivia Hobbs said, “Ed brings a rare mix of strategic thinking, creative instinct and cultural awareness. His background working closely with artists and teams, combined with his understanding of social platforms and fan communities, makes him a natural fit for how we work.”

Tuesday, June 2

Primary Wave Music has announced a partnership with the Grammy-winning Mexican outfit Intocable. Terms of the deal will see the publisher partner with the veteran group on their catalog of music, as well as name, image and likeness.

Formed in the early 1990s, the group has sold more than 4 million albums, won two Grammys, sold out arenas throughout the Americas and is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Songs included in the deal are the hits “Fuerte No Soy,” “Mi Gusta Mi Vida,” “Sueña,” “Te Amo (Para Siempre),” “Si Me Duele, Que Duela,” and “Un Poquito Tuyo.”

“We’re excited to partner with Primary Wave and begin this new chapter together,” said Ricky Muñoz. He continues, “Their vision, passion for music, and commitment to preserving artistic legacy make them the perfect team to help us continue expanding the reach of Intocable’s music for generations to come.”

Intocable was represented in the deal by Jeremy Rosen, Oscar Carrasco (manager), Diana Zapata (catalog manager), and Alex Hartnett (lawyer).

+ Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin has signed with 4AD, the company announced this week. Jacklin has won two ARIA Awards, toured with Mitski and Lana Del Rey, and played multiple festivals, from Glastonbury to Newport Folk to Primavera.

In tandem with the announcement, Jacklin unveiled tour dates for North America and Europe, launching in October in San Diego and reaching into next year.

+ Merlin, the digital music licensing partner for the world’s top independent labels and distributors, has announced a series of senior promotions across its Partnerships division.

Leading the promotions is Emma Robinson’s elevation to vice president of partnerships. She joined Merlin in 2018 from the communications agency Name PR.

The company has also elevated Shannon Bradley to director of commercial partnerships in New York; Alice Moss and Daniele Yandel to directors of partnership operations in Berlin and New York, respectively; and Simon Marcel to manager of partnership operations in London.

Charlie Lexton, CEO of Merlin said, “These promotions recognize a group of executives who have played an important role in strengthening Merlin’s partnerships and operational capabilities during a period of rapid change across the digital music landscape. As the digital ecosystem continues to evolve, from AI and social platforms through to new rights management challenges, investing in the people helping our members navigate that complexity remains a key priority for Merlin.”

+ United Talent Agency has signed country artist Josh Weathers for global representation in all areas. UTA will work to secure opportunities across live touring, media, filmed entertainment, brand partnerships, and more.

The signing comes as Weathers is in the midst of his “Life Still Happens Tour,” which follows his latest project “Neon Never Fades,” released earlier this year. The singer is represented by Adam Hale at One Twenty One Management.

+ Hawaii-based singer, songwriter, guitarist, and surfer Hendrix Frankenreiter has signed with Severance Records in partnership with Big Loud Rock, launching the partnership with the single “Wanna Go.”

“I’ve spent the last year working on a lot of new music, and ‘Wanna Go’ felt like the right song to start this next chapter,” shared Hendrix. “Getting to release it with Severance / Big Loud Rock has made it even more exciting.”

“Every artist we sign to Severance has a distinct voice, and from the moment I saw Hendrix Frankenreiter perform at the Peppermint Club in LA, I knew his was unmistakable,” said Severance Records President Steve “Stevo” Robertson. Big Loud co-founder and president of Big Loud Rock Joey Moi added, “Hendrix is an undeniable talent who perfectly balances laid-back energy and sharp songwriting in his music.”

+ Creative production agency Killian + Company has named Shauna Alexander senior vice president of strategy and business development, the company announced this week.

Alexander joins Killian + Company from her most recent role as VP of bizdev at Empire, where she led brand partnerships and experiential initiatives tied to the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Weekend, and Grammy Week. Earlier, she held leadership roles at SoundCloud, the Fader and Moog.

Founder Joe Killian says, “Shauna’s industry experience and entrepreneurial approach to brand strategy and storytelling make her the perfect extension to our dynamic team of creative marketers. We’re excited to see how we can continue to grow as an agency and expand our services with the knowledge, connections, and culture-driven lens that Shauna brings to the table.”

+ L.A.-based management and representation company the Familie has named Kenny Hamilton as senior VP of growth and strategy. Most recently, Hamilton led CSH Management Group, representing artists including Rotimi, Inayah, and Grammy-winning songwriter and recording artist Dixson, as well as tennis professional Taylor Townsend. Previously he worked as road and tour manager for global superstar Justin Bieber under the SB Projects umbrella, as well as roles at Beats Music and Apple Music.

“Throughout his career, Kenny has consistently identified opportunities before the rest of the industry catches up,” said Familie founder-CEO Steve Astephen The. “He’s built meaningful relationships across music, entertainment, technology, sports, and culture, and brings a modern perspective on talent representation that aligns perfectly with where we’re headed as a company.”

+ Sunita Kaur has been named President, Asia, for Universal Music Publishing Group, chairman & CEO Jody Gerson announced this week. Based in Singapore, Kaur will oversee the company’s operations across the continent and will report to Gerson. Previously, she was Executive-in-Residence at Singapore Management University and held senio roles at Twitch, Spotify, Facebook, Microsoft and Forbes.

Gerson said, “Asia represents one of the most exciting and important regions for the future of music publishing, and I’m thrilled that an executive of Sunita’s experience and depth is joining UMPG to lead our continued growth in the region. She has a deep understanding of the evolving digital landscape and the opportunities it creates for songwriters, and her leadership and relationships across the region will be invaluable as we continue supporting and championing the next generation of songwriters.”