Recording Academy Finally Hires In-House Counsel: Jennifer Jones Named Executive VP of Legal Affairs

EXCLUSIVE: Hosea Chanchez (The Game), Devere Rogers (My Spy), Griffin Matthews (The Flight Attendant) and Brandon Gill (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) have signed on to star alongside Bernard David Jones (The Mayor, Scroll Wheel of Time) in his pilot Remember, which has launched production after receiving a WarnerMedia OneFifty grant supporting the early stages of its development.

Warner Records UK has signed Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock to a solo record deal. This follows the group’s announcement that they are “taking a break” in December.Pinnock’s first solo material emerged just before Little Mix announced their hiatus, as part of the film ‘Boxing Day’, in which she played a pop star.

Congratulations are in order for Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock, who's signed a solo deal with Warner Records.

Meek Mill has aired a number of grievances against his label Atlantic Records, saying they were delaying the release of his new music against his wishes.He said he was “blackballed” by the label during the release of his last album ‘Expensive Pain’ and accused them of “outsmarting young black kids taking advantage and calling it business.”Meek also said that Atlantic cut him out of managing Roddy Ricch while he was in jail after he introduced the label to the rapper, saying it was the “same thing” that had happened with him and Rick Ross years earlier. NME has reached out to Atlantic Records for a response.“So look I made Atlantic records 100’s of millions and let them rape me out out [sic] Roddy a artist they came to me about in jail,” Meek wrote.

Audio Up, home to such audio programs as Stephen King’s “Strawberry Spring,” Michael Cohen’s “Mea Culpa” and the just-released Audible exclusive “Maejor Frequency,” is bolstering its executive ranks with the hiring of music supervision trailblazer PJ Bloom and label marketing veteran Christine Kauffman.Bloom (pictured at left) will serve as co-president of music, alongside John Ingrassia. Kauffman has been named executive VP, brand strategy and partnerships.Bloom’s resume includes, most recently, a nearly five-year run at Warner Records, where he served as SVP of film and television music and soundtracks, leading the label’s creative, marketing and licensing efforts in the music for screens space.

Jennifer Lopez is getting to work!

Ethan Shanfeld Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and producer Astn, who went viral on TikTok for his R&B remix of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” has signed with Warner Records.The R&B breakout star, whose real name is Austin Sanders, dropped his debut EP as Astn, “Tell Your Friends,” in 2017. Today marks the release of his first song with Warner, titled “Gradually.”“The song poses the question: Is it more agonizing to see someone you love vanish from your life all of the sudden, or slowly detach from you over time?” Astn said in a statement.

‘Nautilus’ Producer Moonriver TV Expands Exec Team

Blur‘s Food Records labelmates Jesus Jones have invited the Britpop heroes to reunite in tribute to the late label head Andy Ross.Ross, known for signing Blur as well as Idlewild, Dubstar and more, died this week at the age of 66, it was confirmed to NME by a close friend and collaborator.“We’re heartbroken at the loss of Andy Ross, one half of the mighty Food Records,” Jesus Jones wrote on Twitter. “Without him, we’d have never been able to do what we did.

Sony Pictures Television scripted executive Jennifer Turner has been named EVP of TriStar Television, effective immediately. Turner will head Sony’s television label, reporting to Jason Clodfelter, co-president of Sony Pictures Television Studios. Turner, who will continue to be based in New York while also spending considerable time in Los Angeles, succeeds Kathryn Busby, who left in November to become President of Original Programming for Starz.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify inked an exclusive podcast deal with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex more than a year ago  — and since then, the couple has produced only a 2020 holiday special for the streamer.Previously, Spotify and the couple’s Archewell Audio had said they expected the first series to premiere in 2021. Now, after no shows materialized last year, there’s new info on a new podcast from Harry and Meghan: Gimlet — the podcast studio Spotify acquired in early 2019 — is hiring a new team to produce weekly podcast show with Archewell featuring “high-profile women.”“We’re currently assembling a show team that will build and launch a new original show with Archewell featuring the voices of high-profile women,” reads one of the job postings.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Recording Academy has donated $150,000 and struck a partnership with GLAAD — the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) media advocacy organization — to support its work to diversify the music industry and champion musicians in the LGBTQ+ community, the organization announced Tuesday. According to the announcement, the initiatives include:The announcement follows similar partnerships the Recording Academy forged with Color of Change to advance inclusion for under-represented communities and the  Black Music Collective advisory group; such initiatives as the Women In The Mix Study to measure inclusion for women in the industry and the project of the same name to promote female including in music production and engineering, among other efforts.

The woman who attacked and killed schoolgirl Emily Jones in a Bolton park on Mother's Day could see her sentence reduced.

Jennifer Garner is showing her appreciation for first responders.