WME has signed Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, for representation in all areas.

The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, who was previously with CAA, begins his After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour of North America next week, with sold-out stadium dates including three nights at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and four nights at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The 35-year-old headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2021, and has also topped the bill at major festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza. He has sold more than 75 million records and also holds the record for the most songs –27 – in Spotify’s Billions Club. He performed at the streaming platform’s first-ever Billions Club Live concert in Los Angeles

Tesfaye’s record-breaking 2022/2023 tour, which visited North America, Europe and Latin America, wrapped with 60 sold-out stadium dates and more than three million attendees. It broke attendance records at multiple venues including London Stadium, where the Canadian star played to 160,000 fans across two nights.

WME also represents Tesfaye’s film production company, Manic Phase

Last year, Tesfaye sold-out a one-night-only stadium show in São Paulo, Brazil at Estádio MorumBIS and embarked on a stadium tour across Australia with stops in Melbourne and Sydney.

WME also represents his film production company, Manic Phase. In 2019, Tesfaye made his acting debut in Josh and Benny Safdie’s Uncut Gems, and in 2023, he co-created, co-wrote, and starred in HBO series The Idol.

On May 16, Lionsgate will release his film and album companion piece Hurry Up Tomorrow, whose executive producers include Tesfaye’s manager Wassim “Sal” Slaiby and Live Nation boss Michael Rapino.

WME’s music roster also includes the likes of Coldplay, Adele, Dua Lipa, Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, Pearl Jam, The Killers and Foo Fighters.

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Leading global music agency Wasserman Music has hired three key executives across its growing fairs & festivals, tour marketing, and worldwide agent teams.

Nashville-based Tim Beeding joins the company as SVP, fairs & festivals, where he will co-lead the division alongside fellow SVP Shannon Casey. Beeding previously spent more than two decades as an agent with CAA.

Los Angeles-based Doug Singer joins as VP of Wasserman Music’s global agent team, where he will represent artists including Vince Staples, SiR, Saint Levant, Majid Jordan, and Sleigh Bells, among others. Singer was previously a partner in WME’s music division.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Tim, Doug and Chloe to Team Wass as our business continues to expand and thrive around the world”

Finally, LA-based Chloe Garcia, previously served as tour marketing agent at WME, joins Wasserman as director of tour marketing, reporting to SVP marketing Sam Alpert. She will be tasked with helping drive the ongoing expansion of the firm’s global client service offerings.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Tim, Doug and Chloe to Team Wass as our business continues to expand and thrive around the world, and our commitment to serving our clients remains unmatched,” says Wasserman Music president Lee Anderson. “Each of them is a highly regarded leader in their area of expertise, and all of them are exceptional humans we’re proud to call colleagues and partners.”

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman’s presence spans 28 countries and more than 69 cities, including New York, London, Nashville, Chicago, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Toronto, Paris and Sydney.

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London, Dublin and Berlin-based Booking agency PlayBook Artists is to close after its three co-founders announced they will be moving on to separate agencies.

Eleanor McGuinness, Nikita Lavrinenko and Paul McGivern set up PlayBook in 2021, having previously worked for Pitch & Smith (P&S). McGuinness will be joining the team at Earth Agency, McGivern is returning to P&S, while Lavrinenko is launching new agency Signal & Wave.

“Over the last four years we’ve built something really great together but now felt like the right time to join forces with other agencies and wrap up things on a high note at PlayBook,” says McGuinness, who started her career in the Dublin music scene in the early 2000s.

PlayBook agents Duncan Smith and Arthur Janssen will join her in making the switch to Earth Agency, with their respective clients joining each agent at their new homes.

“We have long admired Eleanor, Duncan, and Arthur’s work at PlayBook Artists,” says Earth co-founder Claire Courtney. “They are tasteful, principled, and professional agents and we are honoured they’ve decided that Earth Agency is the best home for them.”

“While we all embark on exciting new ventures that are the right next steps individually for each of us, we will carry the spirit of what we built”

McGivern who works with artists such as Cut Copy, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, GOOSE, Lambchop, The Magic Numbers and This Is the Kit, says: “It’s been exciting to create an agency from scratch with such talented people, and while we all embark on exciting new ventures that are the right next steps individually for each of us, we will carry the spirit of what we built.”

Stefan Juhlin of P&S hails McGivern’s “unparalleled work ethos, experience and strong roster”, adding that it makes him a “fantastic addition to the Pitch & Smith team”.

“We have known him for a very long time and have always loved working with him, so we are confident he will make a fantastic impact,” says Juhlin.

Lavrinenko’s current roster includes Angel Olsen, Rodrigo Amarante, The Weather Station, Jenny Hval, Lido Pimienta and Clarissa Connelly.

“My time at PlayBook has been an incredible experience, and I’m deeply grateful for everything we’ve accomplished together,” he says. “As I look ahead, I’m excited to embrace new opportunities, explore fresh ideas, and create something new.”

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Wasserman Music has announced plans to further expand its client service offering worldwide with the hiring of five key executives.

Vince Amoroso joins as SVP, artist services, Sharmaine Akhigbe is named VP, brand partnerships, Karina Gonzalez is installed as VP, festivals, Georgia McGurk is appointed VP, event strategy & hospitality, and Yasi Agahnia becomes director, corporate & special events.

Wasserman says the “strategic additions” will enable the agency to “provide an even greater depth and range of services for its clients worldwide, helping to open new touring and non-touring revenue channels and drive long-term career success for artists”.

“We are thrilled to add Vince, Sharmaine, Karina, Georgia, and Yasi to our global team”

“As our clients’ needs continually expand along with our ever-evolving industry, we’ve continued to stay ahead of these changes so that we’re always able to provide best-in-class service to our artists and partners,” says Wasserman Music president Lee Anderson. “We are thrilled to add Vince, Sharmaine, Karina, Georgia, and Yasi to our global team as five highly experienced professionals with proven track records who are a perfect complement to our company culture.”

New York-based Amoroso and McGurk join from The Other Songs and BSE Global, respectively, while Los Angeles-based ex-UTA agent Gonzalez was most recently VP, touring & development at Latin concert promoter Zamora Live.

Meanwhile, Agahnia, who is also based in LA, previously worked for CAA, whereas London-based Akhigbe was director, Premier Artists at Premier Model Management and talent & brand manager at Storm Model Management.

Wasserman’s new and enhanced services will include the expansion of its cross-functional artist services division to drive new non-touring revenue, enhanced UK-based brand partnership and dedicated talent booking for US-based Latin music festivals and contemporary festivals across Latin America.

VIP event strategy & hospitality services will also be provided for clients and partners, as well as dedicated corporate and special event booking for electronic, hip-hop, and R&B artists.

PHOTO (L-R): Yasi Agahnia, Sharmaine Akhigbe, Vince Amoroso, Karina Gonzalez, Georgia McGurk

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With just two weeks to go until the 2024 International Festival Forum (IFF), the event’s conference and agency showcase schedule is now complete.

Organised by the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) and held in association with TicketSwap, the invitation-only gathering returns to Omeara in London Bridge between 24-26 September, with 950 delegates now signed up.

The conference programme is doubling in number this year, with the opening The Festival Season 2024 panel to begin with a short presentation of ROSTR x IQ’s analysis of the European festival summer, hosted by ROSTR co-founder and CEO Mark Williamson.

Speakers this year include Matt Bates (Primary Talent), Dusan Kovacevic (Exit), Fruzsina Szép (Good Live), Summer Marshall (CAA), Jana Posth (DreamHaus), Jan Quiel (Wacken Open Air), Mark Williamson (ROSTR), Hannah Shogbola (UTA), Sharon Richardson (K2 Agency) and many others, capped by a keynote interview with the team from Primavera Sound.

Booking agency partners on this year’s IFF are CAA, WME, Solo Agency, Primary Talent, ATC Live, Wasserman Music, ITB, One Fiinix Live, and Pure, with the final partner showcases at the event now confirmed for IFF’s 10th edition.

Since launching in 2015, IFF has brought the industry’s principal buyers and sellers together each autumn

Two up-and-coming artists from Pure Represents’ roster, Forest Claudette and Tokio Myers, who will kick off proceedings on 25 September, followed by One Fiinix Live’s JC Stewart, JERUB, RØRY and Walt Disco.

ATC Live artists Ebbb, Lambrini Girls, Loverman and Ugly will then take the spotlight on 26 September.

Showcases by Solo Agency, ITB, Primary Talent International and X-ray Touring have already been revealed. In addition, Dutch Music Export and The Spanish Wave will present emerging acts from the Netherlands and Spain, respectively, for this year’s International Showcase.

The final night of IFF will also see a Rising Metal night presented by Doomstar Bookings, Catch 22, Napalm Events and The Link Productions.

Partners for this year’s event include CTS Eventim, See Tickets, Tysers Live, FKP Scorpio, All Things Live, iTicket Global, TVG Hospitality, LMP Group and production partners John Henrys.

Since launching in 2015, IFF has brought the industry’s principal buyers and sellers together each autumn, when conversations about the following year’s festival lineups are well underway. Past editions have included early performances from Lewis Capaldi, Tom Grennan, Yonaka, Bob Vylan, Sam Ryder, Slaves, Raye, Black Midi, Loyle Carner, Dermot Kennedy and Shame.

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The 17th edition of IQ Magazine’s New Bosses, in association with Futures Forum, was revealed in IQ 129, recognising 20 of the most promising 30-and-unders in the international live music business.

To get to know this year’s class a little better, IQ conducted interviews with each one of 2024’s New Bosses, discovering their greatest inspirations and pinpointing the reasons for their success.

Meera Patel is responsible for the ticketing, promotion, and marketing efforts for music touring and non-traditional tours globally. She represents a diverse roster of clients across all genres, such as Anne-Marie, Tom Grennan, Loyle Carner, Camila Cabello, Max Richter, The Rest is Politics, Keane, Lainey Wilson, Quentin Tarantino and Nas, to name a few.

How does the role of a tour marketing agent differ from that of a traditional booking agent?
As tour marketing agents, our primary focus is the announcement and on-sale of a tour, managing the entire campaign leading up to the shows. We handle all aspects of marketing, promotion, press, and ticketing, and go in depth with all the details. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a tour marketer is the opportunity to work across all genres of music and non-traditional shows, providing us with a diverse and comprehensive perspective on how to market various events.

You work with a diverse range of clients. What events or tours are you most looking forward to in the year ahead?
There are countless shows I’m excited about, but a couple truly stand out. Tom Grennan’s biggest show to date at Gunnersbury Park and Nas’s Illmatic 30-year anniversary tour are particularly noteworthy to me.

“The live side always intrigued me, and the more I learned about it, the more I wanted to pursue a career in that area”

Before you started in music, did you know about the roles of agents? If so, how did you find out? And if not, likewise, how did you discover that such jobs existed?

Initially, I only knew about labels and management. It wasn’t until I began interning and talking to friends in the industry that I discovered all the other facets of the music business. The live side always intrigued me, and the more I learned about it, the more I wanted to pursue a career in that area. I was elated when I got the job at WME.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Being promoted to a tour marketing agent in under three years is my biggest achievement so far. Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to work on some incredible tours, including Keane’s Celebrating 20 years of Hopes and Fears and Luke Combs’ 2023 world tour.

What do you do outside of your job to relax?

I make it a priority to spend quality time with family and friends, enjoy cooking, stay active by going to the gym, and love to travel, with hopes of doing much more in the future.

What advice would you give to anyone who is trying to find a job in live music?

Be passionate, be persistent.

As a new boss, what one thing would you change to make the live entertainment industry a better place?

To amplify female voices at the table and to have more women in senior positions across the board.

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Leading global talent company UTA has announced the launch of a dedicated Christian music division.

The Nashville-based arm will be led by Jonathan Roberts, who joined UTA in May and possesses more than a decade of experience in Christian-focused music acts.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented moment in the music industry, where Christian music is resonating with wider audiences,” says Roberts. “UTA’s roster of Christian artists reflects the growing demand for the genre and we are thrilled to be part of this exciting moment alongside these artists.”

The division will serve as an extension of UTA’s Heartland initiative, founded in 2020 by UTA agent Nick Barnes, and will tap into the company’s music network and resources, spanning from music crossover to brand partnerships.

“We are leveraging the full strength of the agency, bringing together agents who are inspired by the genre and its connection with fans”

“UTA is deeply committed to the growth of the Christian music division,” says Scott Clayton, UTA partner and music co-head. “We are leveraging the full strength of the agency, bringing together agents who are inspired by the genre and its connection with fans.”

The agency’s growing roster of Christian artists includes acts such as Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Forrest Frank, Lecrae, Elevation Rhythm, Mosaic MSC, Bodie, Sam Rivera and Gio.

In June, UTA appointed veteran entertainment and tech entrepreneur and executive Bob Roback as COO. The company also expanded its sports portfolio with the acquisition of Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers (ROOF).

UTA also acquired the UK’s Curtis Brown Group in 2022 and opened new offices in London last year. Its pop and rock music clients include the likes of Bad Bunny, Take That, Dolly Parton, Florence and the Machine, Guns N’ Roses, Halsey, Jason Derulo, Lil Nas X, Lil Wayne, Wizkid, Lizzo, Paramore, Post Malone and Jonas Brothers.

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More than 100 international DJs and artists have quietly returned to playing gigs in Russia as campaigners warn western acts against “normalising” war and the Putin regime.

Russia has largely been boycotted by foreign acts in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, while touring giants including Live Nation and Oak View Group pledged not to do business with the country amid widespread outrage over its actions.

The ramifications for the international business continued to mount up thereafter, with Finland’s largest arena Helsinki Halli currently remaining shuttered due to its Russian ownership and Flow Festival ending its brand partnership with Heineken Silver due to the lager firm’s operations in Russia. Just last month English rock band Editors also pulled out of Kazakhstan’s Yandex Park Live over the alleged Russian links of the headline sponsor.

However, earlier this month, the Guardian reported that more than a dozen prominent western DJs performed at Russia’s Outline Festival in July. It was not an isolated incident – IQ has seen a list of well over 100 artists from Europe and the US – many of which are DJs or drum and bass artists – who have been booked for gigs in the country this year, in addition to already publicised examples such as American singer Joe Lynn Turner, who played Moscow’s 1930 club last October.

“It’s becoming a regular thing and is being done in such a covert fashion,” one insider tells IQ.

According to several sources, many of the acts have bypassed their booking agents to do business directly.

Russian festivals identified as having international acts on their lineups include Gamma, Mutabor, Afisha Picnic and Gazgolder Club. Two dance music events allegedly stopped announcing international headliner names until the day of the event to try and prevent them from being cancelled due to negative publicity.

“These are not superstars who will risk their career to go to Russia”

Ukrainian activist Maya Baklanova, a former mainstay of the Kyiv electronic music sector, has sought to raise awareness of the issue – which she believes is being driven by high performance fees – ever since the beginning of the war.

“I was approached by another promoter, who proposed to write an open letter for the electronic music scene to boycott Russian musicians who were not openly against the war,” she tells IQ. “We continued to work on that field, and then we started to switch the focus to international musicians who started to go to Russia.”

Although many of the DJs and artists in question are little known, Baklanova notes that a few have name value.

“These are not superstars who will risk their career to go to Russia,” she says. “We have seen artists who had already been to Russia multiple times before full scale invasion, so I think they have connections there. I think it’s all about the solid fees, with the excuse that you are going to visit your friends from pre-war life and that music is out of politics.”

Uwe Schmidt, a German DJ who performs under the name AtomTM, addressed criticism aimed at him for performing at Outline in an open letter posted on his website. Schmidt hits out at Baklanova and what he deems a “clearly politically motivated smear campaign against me and fellow artists which dared to perform their music in certain places, unsanctioned by a certain group of political activists”.

“I consider myself a profoundly non- or rather trans-political person,” he says. “Many years ago I had decided to take the path of making true human bonds through music. Unlike politics, which is the mode of separation, I had chosen music, which is the mode of connection.

“It should be redundant to say that I do not perform music for countries, nations, governments, ethnicities, political or ideological ideas, but for people – for other humans, independent of their passports, skin colour, gender or whatever cultural background they may have. It seems that music has lost that, previously obvious, message. In conclusion, I do reject speaking the language of war and hate or the language of nationalism.”

“Everything that we see going on in the cultural sphere in Russia is under Kremlin control, so you cannot separate culture and politics in modern Russia”

Baklanova rejects the argument, adding that she has grown weary of explaining why art cannot be separated from politics in this case.

“Russia invaded an independent neighbour country, yet at the same time, you are going to perform for festivals, for venues, for companies, which are directly involved in this war,” she says. “Russia’s strategy is to use culture to normalise the regime. Everything that we see going on in the cultural sphere is under Kremlin control, so you cannot separate culture and politics in modern Russia.”

IQ contacted a number of major agencies to ask for clarification on their policies with regards to booking their artists into Russia at the moment.

While the majority of major agencies contacted by IQ either declined to comment or did not respond to the request, ATC Live founder Alex Bruford says: “We can’t guarantee the safety of our artists in a country that uses false imprisonment of foreigners to leverage the return of its citizens. Therefore, we won’t send our artists to Russia.”

Independent Artist Group EVP, head of global music, Jarred Arfa says: “While we don’t have an official company policy, in general, most of our artists don’t seem to have interest in going to Russia at this time. If asked for guidance, I think we would tell artists not to go there at this time given the geopolitical situation and potential backlash.”

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United Talent Agency (UTA) has expanded its sports portfolio with the acquisition of Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers (ROOF).

ROOF represents around 130 players and 20 managers and coaches across Europe’s “Big Five” soccer leagues, with clients including Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz and Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

UTA created a dedicated sporting division, UTA Sports, in 2019 after making a significant investment in KLUTCH Sports Group. ROOF is now set to integrate with KLUTCH.

“Building out our global sports platform is a critical part of UTA’s growth strategy, and welcoming ROOF’s world-class agency and management team into our ranks marks another pivotal moment for UTA Sports,” says UTA chief operating officer and co-head of UTA Sports Andrew Thau. “With KLUTCH already the gold standard, and now ROOF and the other growing areas of our sports enterprise, we are poised to build out a best-in-class business unlike anything else in our industry.”

ROOF, which will continue to operate under its own name and founding leadership team, who will become shareholders in UTA, currently operates from offices in Munich, London and Madrid, and is targeting further international expansion.

“This exciting partnership gives us access to industry-leading resources and expertise to better serve our clients and broaden our reach globally”

“We could not be more energised by this opportunity to work with KLUTCH and UTA,” says ROOF co-founder and MD Björn Bezemer. “This exciting partnership gives us access to industry-leading resources and expertise to better serve our clients and broaden our reach globally. With ROOF partners becoming shareholders in one of the most transformational agencies in global sports and entertainment, we are excited to bring our industry-leading football representation to this team.”

Led by founder and CEO Rich Paul, who is also co-head of UTA Sports, KLUTCH has negotiated more than $4 billion in contracts on behalf of its roster across the NBA, WNBA, NFL and MLB.

“Football is the most global and popular sport on the planet, and in charting our path into the game, we’ve searched for a partner who aligns with KLUTCH’s values and takes a similar client-first approach,” says Paul. “It was clear very early on that ROOF was the perfect fit; our agencies share the same philosophy, passion and professional approach to representing the world’s best athletes. Together we look forward to bringing new energy to the beautiful game and its athletes through the lens of empowerment, storytelling and forward thinking.”

KLUTCH, UTA, and ROOF will also focus on the increasing opportunities across women’s sports.

In addition to its sports interests, UTA acquired the UK’s Curtis Brown Group in 2022 and opened new offices in London last year. UTA’s music clients include the likes of Bad Bunny, Take That, Dolly Parton, Florence and the Machine, Guns N’ Roses, Halsey, Jason Derulo, Lil Nas X, Lil Wayne, Wizkid, Lizzo, Paramore, Post Malone and Jonas Brothers

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Talent giant Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has signed AI and metaverse technology and content company Futureverse.

Deadline reports that the businesses will collaborate to create new opportunities for talent and IP, “spanning web3, the metaverse, virtual games, worlds and experiences, AI, and beyond”.

The strategic partnership will enable Futureverse to “bolster its strategic entertainment efforts to accelerate the creation of technology experiences in collaboration with well-known IP”.

“We are thrilled to be working with Futureverse, who are establishing themselves as leaders in the technology and entertainment space,” says Phil Quist of CAA. “This relationship is not just a meeting of minds, but a fusion of capabilities that will accelerate our shared vision for a smarter, more connected world.”

Co-founded by Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald, Futureverse announced the close of a $54 million Series A funding round in July 2023, led by 10T Holdings, LLC, and including participation from Ripple.

“Futureverse’s strategic collaboration with CAA has forged a strong alignment in fostering the development of mutually beneficial business models”

In the last year, Futureverse has linked up with the likes of Warner Music Group, FIFA, Authentic Brands Group (ABG), Mastercard, Wimbledon, Death Row Records, Wētā Workshop, Snoop Dogg, Timbaland, Keanu Reeves and Alexandra Grant. It launched AI-powered game AI League in cooperation with FIFA on iOS and Android and has partnered with ABG, IP Rights holders of the Muhammad Ali Enterprises, to release the first AI-powered boxing game, Muhammad Ali – The Next Legends.

In August meanwhile, it announced the publication of research in the advancement of music AI with the launch of JEN 1, an “unprecedented universal high-fidelity model for text-to-music generation”.

“At a substantial moment in the evolution of technology, it’s critical to architect a thoughtful and creative approach to the integration of both talent and IP into the dynamic landscape of innovation,” says Senderoff. “Futureverse’s strategic collaboration with CAA has forged a strong alignment in fostering the development of mutually beneficial business models that empower creators with groundbreaking tools and lucrative revenue opportunities.

“As pioneers in AI, web3 and metaverse infrastructure, driven by a deep appreciation for art and humanity, we see an incredibly bright future for the world of entertainment. Joining forces with CAA amplifies and accelerates the dialogue and partnerships that reinforce and expand our shared vision.”

Artémis, an investment firm led by billionaire French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault, acquired a majority stake in CAA in September this year.

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