Music Industry Moves: Entertainment Attorney Dina LaPolt Launches LaPolt Media
Entertainment attorney Dina LaPolt has announced the launch of LaPolt Media. The new company will produce content while providing a platform for LaPolt’s legal expertise. It will also handle the campaign for LaPolt’s upcoming book, “Street Smart: Succeeding in a Man’s World,” to be released on Oct. 7, and new podcast, “The Stiletto Room,” set to launch in spring 2025.
LaPolt has tapped Samantha Gayle Bullock as chief media officer and executive producer of “The Stiletto Room” at LaPolt Media. Bullock oversees a team that includes The Press House managing press campaigns and Crowd Surf handling social media initiatives, as well as publishing and podcast distribution partners handpicked by LaPolt.
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“When I took Dina’s UCLA Music Business professional extension course 15 years ago—one that focused on the Legal and Practical Aspects of the Music Business—I was already running my own indie rock marketing agency, but the experience was transformative,” said Bullock. “It was both a lesson in self-empowerment and a deep dive into how the entire music industry operates. To now have the opportunity to work alongside her is such a full-circle moment, and I’m thrilled to help bring her vision for LaPolt Media to life.”
LaPolt also owns her own law firm, which represents talent in film, TV and fashion, as well as music. It will remain LaPolt’s main focus.
“Launching LaPolt Media is about taking everything I’ve learned from fighting for creators, breaking down barriers, and rewriting the rules—and putting it into action in new ways,” said LaPolt. “Whether it’s a book, a podcast, or a bold idea, I want to empower people to own their story, seize their power, and make an impact.”
“My law practice will always be my first passion and first priority,” she continued, “but with the LaPolt Media team, I’m building a platform to amplify the voices and visions that deserve to be heard. No fluff, no nonsense—just unapologetic, unstoppable truth.”
+ Universal Music Group has announced Julie Adam, executive vice president and general manager of Universal Music Canada (UMC), has been promoted to president and CEO of UMC based in Toronto. Jeffrey Remedios has been appointed president of strategic development for Republic Collective (which includes Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, Mercury Records and Republic Records). Both appointments are effective immediately.
In his new position, Remedios will lead high priority growth initiatives for Republic’ s labels across international A&R efforts, Republic recording studios, new product lines, brand expansion, Federal Films, and overall business development. He will report to Monte and Avery Lipman, working between Republic’s headquarters in New York and Toronto.
Adam will lead strategy and overall management for Universal Music in Canada after having accelerated revenue growth across e-commerce and direct-to-consumer initiatives, renewing a focus on Canada’s brand partnerships business, and fostering new approaches to drive artist success and traction with fans.
+ “The Zach Sang Show” has tapped veteran producer, editor and journalist Kim Taylor Bennett for the role of executive interview producer.
Bennett has produced and hosted for platforms including Spotify for Artists, MTV, Vevo, VICE, BBC and more, and her freelance work has been featured in publications like The Fader, Interview and GQ. Most recently, she led production and editorial for Spotify for Artists, alongside hosting Spotify’s Best Advice podcast. In her new role at “The Zach Sang Show,” Bennett will help oversee the development, execution and edit of all interviews.
“The Zach Sang Show” has featured such artists as Ariana Grande, Tinashe, Louis Tomlinson and more.
Bennett added, “Zach Sang is one of the best interviewers in the game, approaching each conversation with an enthusiasm and curiosity that’s a real joy to consume as a listener because you can feel the subjects are at ease. Oftentimes when prepping for my own interviews with artists I would make sure to listen to his conversations as part of my research. He’s thoughtful and knowledgeable and gives the interviewee the space to really communicate and build a comfortable and inclusive rapport. Engaging, intimate conversations with extraordinary, creative humans has always been foundational to my work and I am beyond thrilled to join the team!”
Thursday, Feb. 6
Warner Chappell Music has signed an exclusive worldwide administration deal with singer-songwriter Luke Steele from Australian electronic group Empire of the Sun.
Steele has long established himself as a solo artist, releasing two albums and two EPs with “The Sleepy Jackson,” including his first solo album “Listen To The Water,” and working with the likes of Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
Empire of the Sun, comprised of Steele and Nick Littlemore, has earned a number of accolades, including eight ARIA Awards, two APRA Awards, and an APRA Billions Award, while selling over 5.5 million albums globally and accumulating billions of streams. Most recently, Empire of the Sun released “Ask That God (Deluxe),” and they are set to kick off their global tour on Feb. 8 in Australia, which will run through May with additional dates to be announced.
Guy Moot, co-chair and CEO, WCM said: “I’m a longtime fan of Luke. As one of Australia’s most influential and successful musical talents, he’s consistently pushed boundaries and delivered groundbreaking work with every release. We’re proud to be supporting him at such a pivotal moment in his career and look forward to seeing where his vision takes electronic music next.”
+ Capitol Records has named Brian “Busy” Dackowsi executive vp/head of pop/rock digital marketing at the label. In his new role Busy will oversee the creation and execution of digital marketing strategies across the label’s pop and rock releases.
“Busy is one of the best music marketers in the world,” said Tom March, chairman and CEO of Capitol Music Group. “Having him lead our digital marketing team is going to be a gamechanger for all the artists on our roster.”
Busy comes to Capitol from Atlantic Records where he most recently served as executive VP of viral marketing and analytics. He spent more than 20 years at the label, heading multiple departments including digital, marketing and artist development. Busy also led the digital marketing strategy for the soundtracks for the films “Barbie” and “Twisters.”
+ Andrew Jarrín and Jason Mageau have launched Culture Wave, an artist management company.
The pair recently served a five-year tenure at Roc Nation and previously co-founded Royal Division Ent. Culture Wave’s current roster is as follows: Free Nationals, Spiritbox, NOWHERE2RUN, Polaris, Senses Fail, Kittie and more. Beyond bands, Culture Wave also represents Sirius XM host Jose Mangin, Sparrow Sound Studios, and producer-songwriter Dr. Blum.
A subsidiary of Red Light Management, Culture Wave provides artists with tools in creative direction, digital strategy, touring, publishing, label deals, brand partnerships, and more.
The team includes Olu Famuyide, who brings 15 years of experience in agency and label roles at Warner Records, Def Jam, Asylum, Roc Nation, and Fader; Tori Borengasser, who previously led digital marketing and creative campaigns for artists including A$AP Rocky, the Weeknd, Nicki Minaj, Karen O, and Ferg; Andrew Purcell, with 20 years of experience in management, booking, promotion, and publicity at Roc Nation, Rock Night Out, the Syndicate and 10th Street Management; and Rachel Hacken, who has spent 10 years working in management, booking, tour marketing and event producing with notable names like Roc Nation, Rock Night Out, YMU, WME, and Goldenvoice/AEG.
+ Concord Music Publishing has promoted two to the executive level in its Nashville offices: Kourtney Kirkpatrick has been promoted to senior VP of synchronization, and Matt Turner has been promoted to VP of A&R.
Kirkpatrick will step into the role of senior VP of sync, where she currently heads the television division which includes series, promos, trailers and sports media and manages three direct reports based across Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York. Kirkpatrick and her team promote iconic catalogs including music by Rodgers and Hammerstein, John Fogerty, Phil Collins and Genesis, Robert Johnson and more.
In his new role as VP of A&R, Turner will continue his responsibilities of identifying talent, managing and new client negotiations. Turner works across all types of songwriters in the country format, including recording artists, producers and topliners.
+ Nicky Jam has left Sony Latin, his label of over a decade, and signed a global agreement with Virgin Music Group. The company will oversee the management of Jam’s entire catalog on YouTube (where he boasts seven videos in the video platform’s Billion Views Club), as well as selected works from its catalog on digital platforms across various territories.
“Nicky has been a true pioneer in Latin music,” said Victor González, president of Virgin Music Group for Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula. “Having him choose Virgin Music Group for this new chapter of his career is incredibly rewarding for me and our entire team.”
The first releases under this new agreement are scheduled for the coming months.
+ Audiomovers launched their new podcast series, “Unsung,” with the first episode featuring UK producer and Central Cee collaborator Eight8.
Hosted by audio professionals and music industry workers Jocelin Francis, Matt Soczywko, Mirek Stiles and Igor Maxymenko, “Unsung” includes live track breakdowns of Pro Tools sessions and secret tools and techniques of producers, artists and engineers.
Speaking about the launch of “Unsung,” the podcast’s co-host and producer Matt Soczywko says, “Unsung is about honouring the real stories, and the truth behind the music that shapes our lives. It’s a podcast by music obsessives, for music obsessives. Join us”.
On the first episode of Unsung, Eight8 speaks about his career to date, breakthrough moments, and his contributions to Central Cee’s UK No. 1 debut album, “You Can’t Rush Greatness,” which includes Eight8’s work on singles “Moi” (with Raye), “gen z luv,” and “No Introduction.”
New episodes of “Unsung” will be released every Thursday.
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Warner Music Group and streaming platform Audiomack have agreed to expand their current licensing deal, signed in 2019, to include 47 additional countries — including much of Europe and Africa and the Caribbean.
Audiomack’s previous deal with WMG, which was its first licensing deal with a major label, covered the United States and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Canada, Jamaica, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. Now, 47 new countries – among these new territories are UAE, Antigua and Barbuda, Germany, Egypt, France, United Kingdom, Mexico, Philippines and the the Dominican Republic, among several others (see a complete list below).
In recent years, Audiomack has helped crack the growth of Afrobeats for artists such as Omah Lay, Ayra Starr and Seyi Vibez. It is the No. 1 app in Nigeria, for both iOS and Android, and is extremely popular globally.
“At WMG, we value partnerships with innovative companies like Audiomack that share our vision for driving music discovery and amplifying emerging talent,” said Allan Coye, executive vice president and global head of recorded music business development for WMG. “This expanded agreement deepens our commitment to connecting artists with fans worldwide and making music accessible on a global scale. We look forward to continuing to build on this partnership and bring more music to audiences around the world.”
“Audiomack has evolved into a global streaming service in every sense of the word,” said David Ponte, Audiomack CMO. “In the last five years, we’ve established our office in Africa, executed campaigns across multiple continents, and showcased emerging talent from diverse genres. Our mission is to give users worldwide access to music shaping global culture. The Warner Music Group library, with its many talented artists, is naturally a crucial part of that vision.”
The complete list of new WMG territories includes: UAE, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Benin, Bahamas, Belize, DRC, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Germany, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Algeria, Egypt, France, United Kingdom, Grenada, Gambia, Guyana, Haiti, Italy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Cayman Islands, Liberia, Morocco, Saint Martin, Martinique, Montserrat, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Suriname, Sin Maarten, Turks and Caicos, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
+ Atlantic Music Group has appointed Alex “Figs” Figueroa as vice president, creative. Working with Dave Rocco, Atlantic’s president of creative, Figueroa will collaborate with artists across Atlantic, 10K Projects, and 300 Entertainment.
Figueroa had a hand in developing the Artemas’ Hot 100-charting hit, “I Like the Way You Kiss Me.” He was also behind the signing Aminé to the label. Previously, Figs was head of content and later head of creative at 10K Projects.
As he steps into this new role, he credits the team at 10K Projects for being a constant source of support, collaboration and inspiration. “Nothing great is ever built alone,” Figs said. “I’ve been lucky to work with some of the sharpest minds in this industry, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”
+ Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. and Cutting Edge Group have partnered to create a joint venture through which they will co-own WBD’s vast catalog of film and TV music. WBD will retain creative and operational control of the music rights while CEG, further to its investment into the business, will jointly manage the JV.
WBD and CEG will focus on maximizing the distribution and revenue potential of the music portfolio, which contains more than 400,000 compositions and song cues, including some of the most recognized theme songs and scores in television and movie history. DWS Group is co-investing and sponsoring the transaction alongside CEG.
The library includes music from the “Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings” franchises, DC Comics movies, as well as TV shows such as “Friends,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two and Half Men,” “Succession,” and “The White Lotus.” Other iconic films and TV series represented in the portfolio include “Rebel Without a Cause,” “The Exorcist,” “A Star is Born,” “Blade Runner,” “Shawshank” “Redemption,” “The West Wing,” “ER,” “Full House,” “Sex and The City” and “Gossip Girl.”
The compositions from the Warner Brothers, HBO and Turner Networks catalogs will continue to be administered by Universal Music Publishing Group, while those from the Discovery/Scripps Networks catalog will remain under the administration of Sony Music Publishing.
+ Sphere Entertainment Co. announced today that Glenn Derry has joined the company as executive VP of MSG Ventures.
Derry will oversee a wide range of technology initiatives across MSG Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sphere Entertainment focused on developing advanced technologies for live entertainment. MSG Ventures also supports Sphere Studios, the immersive content studio dedicated to creating multi-sensory entertainment experiences exclusively for Sphere, and the Sphere platform overall, including future Sphere venues.
Derry will work across the organization to deploy both new and existing technologies that enhance Sphere’s live entertainment and experiential content, which has been redefining immersive experiences since the first Sphere opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. He will be based at Sphere Studios in Burbank, and report to Jim Dolan, executive chairman and chief executive officer for Sphere Entertainment.
“Our vision for Sphere was to combine cutting-edge technologies with storytelling – bringing audiences together to share in experiences they cannot experience anywhere else,” said Dolan. “Glenn is a creative technologist whose work has had a significant impact on the entertainment industry. His expertise will be an asset to Sphere as we continue to build on this next generation entertainment medium and reinforce our position at the forefront of immersive experiences.”
Derry joins Sphere Entertainment from AGBO, an independent film, television, and gaming studio, where he served as president of production technology.
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