#TheWeeklyRoundUp - 07.04.23

UMG Nashville Incoming CEO Promises to ‘Dramatically Expand’ Partnerships with Independent Labels (Digital Music News)

Incoming UMG Nashville CEO Cindy Mabe says she is looking to ‘dramatically expand’ partnerships with independent labels. Here’s the latest.

Mabe assumed her role as Chair & CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville on April 1. She comes to the position after Mike Dungan retired at the end of March after more than a decade in the position. One of her first moves as CEO was to share her vision for UMG Nashville with the rest of her team. In a memo to staff, Mabe lays out four goals:

1. Sign outstanding country music artists

2. Dramatically expanding partnerships with independent labels and entrepreneurs

3. Broadening UMG Nashville’s scope to include film & TV

4. Collaborating with label colleagues around the globe

Cindy Mabe became Nashville’s highest-ranking woman label executive in 2014, when she was appointed UMG Nashville President. Now she is the first woman to serve as Chair & CEO of a Nashville-based major label group. “Country is—and will remain—a genre of deep roots grounded in great storytelling and truth that incorporates creative influences across music styles and genres and fans everywhere have shown us they are open to what our evolving genre has to offer,” Mabe says in her memo.

“We will dramatically expand our partnerships with independent labels and entrepreneurs,” she continues. “The marketplace is in flux with innovation. Inspiration and new ideas are coming from everywhere. Much of that innovation is coming from the independent sector, but by the same token there is so much more they could do if they partnered with us in key areas. Universal Nashville will actively take a role to position ourselves as the best partners to expand their growth and help develop and support these artists.”

“Third, we will broaden our storytelling to include film and TV. While we are the leaders in recorded music, I want us also to lead in the music-based film and TV space. Our artists’ stories are powerful and not linear, and so the means of telling their stories should have a wide reach. This means growing our presence in audiovisual to develop our Country culture and our artists’ stories in film and television.”

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The Corona Sunsets world tour takes off in Cape Town (City Press)

Phumlani S Langa was in Cape Town this past weekend to witness the launch of the Corona Sunsets Festival World Tour.

Festivities around this global chase of perfect sunset moments began in earnest on Thursday last week in Cape Town. The media and friends of the brand from all around the world were invited to be a part of a suave build-up with days and evenings spent on catamarans, and toasting to the sunset on the Thursday evening.

Things got even more exclusive when dinner was hosted at the Cape Town Fish Market. The staff were just standing in empty restraint, waiting for this contingent … it’s like shopping when the mall’s closed or making the plane even though they say the gate is locked.

On the Friday evening before the festival, this fortunate group was treated to an acoustic set by singer and songwriter Msaki, who also played the festival. Her set on the main day was solid, albeit very early in the day. It did, however, lead into Sun EL-Musician’s time on stage and, as the two have worked closely together, their performances blended and transitioned beautifully.

Her acoustic performance, however, at the Grand Africa Café & Beach was more intimate and her rendition of Liwa Lentliziyo was potent enough to reduce the most robust among us to sobs. She and the headliner for the festival, the Grammy Award-winning American House DJ Louie Vega, imparted some of their thoughts about the festival and their enjoyment.

The two artists looked to really gravitate towards each other backstage at the festival and we wouldn’t be surprised if a collaboration is in the works despite Msaki’s pending hiatus.

Now you might recall this popular beer brand hosting a musical festival at Huddle Park in Johannesburg late last year. The feel of this festival rested largely on that formula, but with two fewer stages and a bit more emphasis on side attractions to the stage, which would capture the attention of the festival goers.