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This latest docket includes six new grantees, with a focus on organizations using music as a tool to drive social progress. First-time grantees include Atlanta Music Project,which provides tuition-free music training, performance opportunities, and college and career preparation to students in under-resourced Atlanta neighborhoods; Brooklyn Youth Sports Club’s VOICES (Vibrations Of Inner-City Excellence and Success), which helps Black and Latino youth express themselves through songwriting, performing, and sound engineering; Classical Pride, a music festival celebrating LGBTQAI+ composers and musicians across classical music; and Generator, the music development organization that ensures that artists, talent, and creative professionals across the North of England have the opportunities, connections, and support to build sustainable careers.

The fund also remains committed to the pursuit of social justice through education. Over the next five years, it will support the creation and maintenance of 75 new prison libraries in the United States through new grantee Freedom Reads. The fund will also provide education to voters in the criminal legal system through another new grantee, Global Black Economic Forum, which works toward economic freedom for Black and marginalized communities worldwide through leadership development, conferences and summits, policy advocacy, and litigation.

Len Blavatnik said: “We are honored to help talented people from all backgrounds turn potential into achievement.”

Music-Focused Grantees (new grantees noted with **):

• **Atlanta Music Project provides tuition-free music training, performance opportunities, and college and career preparation to students in under-resourced Atlanta neighborhoods
• Black Lives in Music uses data and insights to combat racism, campaign for equity, and empower Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse musicians to realize their aspirations in the UK music industry
• **Brooklyn Youth Sports Club’s VOICES (Vibrations Of Inner-City Excellence and Success) empowers Black and Latino youth to express themselves through songwriting, performing, and sound engineering
• **Classical Pride celebrates LGBTQAI+ composers and musicians across classical music through an international music festival
• **Generator ensures artists, talent, and creative professionals across the North of England have the opportunities, connections, and support to build sustainable careers
• Girls Make Beats provides music technology education, leadership development, and mentorship to girls ages 5 to 17
• The Hip Hop Museum celebrates hip hop culture and history, to preserve its legacy and inspire future generations
• Jazz Power Initiative offers free and low-cost opportunities for youth from ages 6 to 18 to immerse themselves in classic jazz repertoire through voice, piano, dance, and acting

Additional Grantees (new grantees noted with **):

• African Leadership Academy develops a powerful network of young leaders who work together to help accelerate Africa’s growth trajectory
• Civil Rights Corps challenges systemic injustice through civil rights litigation that liberates people from illegal jailing and wins compensation for the most vulnerable people in our society
• **Freedom Reads installs Freedom Libraries in the center of prison cellblocks to inspire conversation, education, imagination, and community
• JULIAN works to end caste systems in America through community organizing, policy change, and legal advocacy
• The Marshall Project seeks to create and sustain a more fair, effective, transparent, and humane justice system in the United States through journalism
• SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW!, Inc. advances reproductive justice through grassroots organizing, advocacy, leadership development, and movement-building across Georgia and the U.S. South
• StopWatch uses research, litigation, and lived experiences to advocate for effective public safety practices
• Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute is celebrating five decades of advancing equity and racial justice for African descendant communities through arts, culture, and education
• **Global Black Economic Forum advances economic freedom for Black and marginalized communities worldwide through leadership development, conferences and summits, and policy advocacy and litigation

+ Spotify has promoted Joe Hadley to VP of Global Music Content and Partnerships and expanding his leadership in the music organization, the company announced on Friday. Hadley will now run both the Music Editorial & Partnerships teams, bringing his expertise and leadership to both.

“Editorial is a key part of bringing an essential human touch to Spotify. The team’s judgment and taste is what fans and artists rely on. Joe’s capable leadership will keep artist advocacy at the center of our work and bring even more impact to the programming we do.” says Charlie Hellman, SVP and Global Head of Music at Spotify.

J.J. Italiano will also become Head of Editorial, encompassing Global Music Curation, North American Editorial as well as overall editorial strategy and will report to Hadley.

+ Concord Music Publishing has signed Mercury Prize-nominated electronic-music composer and producer Floating Points (Sam Shepherd) to a worldwide publishing agreement covering future works including his forthcoming album “Mere Mortals,” due for release on 28 August. The project, a musical retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Pandora, will be performed at the Edinburgh International Festival on 28, 29 and 30 August, followed by a four-night run at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London from 9–12 September.

In a joint statement from Tom Deffee and Carol Crabtree at Solar Management: “We’re delighted to join forces with Concord. Sam’s creative world spans wide from electronic to orchestral composition, film scoring and everything in between, so finding a publishing partner with the global scale and artistic vision to match that was essential. Concord completely understands his ethos, and we’re excited to work closely with their teams on this next chapter.”

“It’s a privilege to be working with Sam & his highly respected managers Carol & Tom,” says Anna Carpenter, Senior Director International A&R at Concord Music Publishing. “Floating Points is an artist with ardent fans throughout the company, and we are all excited to experience what he creates over the forthcoming years.” 

+ Vitalize Records, the independent label founded by Steff Agathis, has signed “Vanderpump Rules” star Natalie Maguire to a four-single debut EP deal. The project will be A&R’d by Justin Bieber’s longtime DJ and collaborator Tay James and produced and co-written by Harv (Bieber, Skrillex, Summer Walker, Post Malone). Maguire first built her career as an actress and television personality, with credits including Netflix’s “Insatiable,” “Fear Street Part One: 1994” and “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” She launched her music career earlier this year with debut single “Passenger,” followed by “Kiss Me While I Cry.”

+ Lighthouse Management + Media has signed actress and recording artist Liamani Segura, who stars in Disney’s “Descendants: Wicked Wonderland” and “Camp Rock 3,” out August 13.

The 17-year-old singer-songwriter signed with Def Jam Recordings and also scored a lead role on Disney’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” and released her debut EP, “Dear Little Me,” last year. Lighthouse also manages Jennifer Aniston, Towa Bird, Selena Gomez, Jason Bateman, H.E.R., Nina Dobrev, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Rudd and Mark Ruffalo, among others.

+ WME has elevated Sara Williams to Head of Music Marketing. Williams will oversee the 20-person music marketing team and continue to be based in Nashville and will now report to Kirk Sommer, Global Head of Music for WME. She joined the company in 2019 and has worked closely with Luke Combs, Duran Duran, Zach Bryan, Kane Brown, Jason Isbell and more. Previously, she led the marketing department at AEG Presents Rocky Mountains in Denver. Levi Jackson, who previously oversaw WME’s music marketing division, has moved onto WME’s Brand Strategy team as VP of Music, reporting in to group head Robbie Henchman.

“Since joining WME, Sara has been an inspiring and trusted presence, built terrific relationships across the agency, and brought fresh thinking to our artists’ touring business,” said Sommer. “She is a natural fit to run our music marketing group and we’re excited to continue growing this offering under her leadership.”

+ PRG (Production Resource Group), an entertainment and live event technology solutions company, has named Joe Simon chief technology & information officer, reporting to CEO Lawrence Burian. He most recently worked as an advisor to media and entertainment companies on technology modernization and AI strategy, and previously held roles at Entain, Encompass Digital Media, Vice Media, Univision, Condé Nast, and Viacom.

“We are building PRG for a bigger future, and that means investing across every part of this business: our leadership, crews, talent development, and the equipment, technology and systems that fuel and connect our operations worldwide. Exceptional leadership is one of the most important ways we position the company for long-term success,” said Burian.

Tuesday August 25

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor has signed with United Talent Agency for global representation across live touring, filmed entertainment, digital media, theatre, brand partnerships, and more.

The signing follows Trainor’s on-screen acting debut in Ryan Murphy’s FX series “The Beauty,” and the April release of her seventh studio album “Toy With Me,” although she canceled a North American arena tour slated for earlier this year amid low ticket sales, citing the challenges of balancing work, family and a new baby. She also has appeared as a judge, coach, mentor and advisor on “The Voice,” “The Voice UK,” “The Four” and “Australian Idol.” She also published the motherhood memoir “Dear Future Mama: A TMI Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, and Motherhood from Your Bestie.”

Trainor is managed by Nikola Barisic for Bond Artist Management and represented by Aaron Rosenberg for Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light LLP.

+ The Guitar Center Music Foundation has named Valeisha Butterfield as its CEO & Executive Director, effective immediately. She will work closely with GCMF’s Board of Directors to advance the Foundation’s strategic plan, grow fundraising and donor engagement, develop partnerships with schools and community organizations and strengthen the reach and visibility of its programs.

She was previously co-president of the Recording Academy and VP of global partnerships at Google; she currently serves on the Grammys’ Television Committee and is the founder of Seed Media.

“Valeisha brings the rare combination of nonprofit leadership, music industry experience and operational expertise that GCMF needs for its next stage of growth,” said board president and chair Curtis Heath. “She has spent her career building organizations, developing partnerships and bringing people together around a shared purpose.”

+ Songwriter Phil Barton has announces a global publishing deal with BMG in partnership with Liz Rose Music, marking the next chapter in a career that has produced more than 900 songs.

Barton first broke through with Lee Brice’s No. 1 hit “A Woman Like You,” and has had songs recorded by artists including Sara Evans, Gabby Barrett, Dustin Lynch, Eli Young Band, Priscilla Block, Matt Stell, Alison Krauss, Ashley McBryde and others.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Phil to BMG,” says BMG’s Amy Hendon Scott. “I’ve believed in Phil since the beginning, so getting the opportunity to work together again makes this partnership especially meaningful. Phil is the kind of songwriter every publisher hopes to work with. His songs are honest, memorable and beautifully crafted, but just as importantly, he’s someone artists love writing with. He brings curiosity, consistency and an incredible work ethic to every room, and we’re proud to partner with Liz Rose Music as we help champion the next chapter of his remarkable career.”

+ BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville has signed award-winning Canadian country artist Jade Eagleson, whose track record includes four Juno Award nominations, 2025 Canadian Country Music Association’s Male Artist of the Year, 2024 CCMA Album of the Year, and 2023 CCMA Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year honors.

In addition to signing with the label, Eagleson also expanded his team signing with Range Music for management, CAA for booking and Spirit Music, in a joint venture with Alliance Music Partners, for publishing.

“I’m incredibly excited to begin my journey with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville,” Eagleson said. “I have always had a profound respect for their team and the way they love and elevate their artists. The whole team feels like family and I’m so very proud to call this label my home. Regarding Range, that team has already been such a strong support for me, and we’re only just getting started. In addition, I love my agents at CAA, and I am so grateful that they rolled the dice on me and my obsession with steel and fiddle. For the Spirit Music team, I remember coming to Nashville close to 10 years ago exploring publishing options, and most folks politely turned me away because what I was doing at the time was too country.”

+ Independent distribution and services company Amuse has named Mark Mitchell general manager and Tim Cronin senior VP and head of music.

Amuse is also announcing a new London office, located in Farringdon, from which Mitchell and Cronin will lead Amuse’s London, New York and Stockholm teams.

Mitchell joins from Parlophone Records, where he served as Co-President for five years and worked closely with such artists as Coldplay, Iron Maiden, Gorillaz, Pink Pantheress and David Guetta. He most recently spent a year at 0207 Def Jam/Universal Music Group, and prior to Parlophone, served as GM at Atlantic Records UK. Cronin joins from FUGA, where he served as Senior Director of Business Development, leading business development and sales across the UK and Ireland.

Giorgio D’Ambrosio, CEO of Amuse, said, “We’re seeing growing demand from labels and managements looking for an active, modern partner. Amuse combines a human approach and data with the scale only a distributor can offer. Mark and Tim bring more than 40 years of combined industry experience between them, and will be able to bring Amuse’s unique offering to artists and labels alike.”