Music Industry Moves: Musexpo to Honor Virgin Music’s Jacqueline Saturn; Brent Faiyaz Forms Joint Venture With Pulse Records – Variety

Joseph Morrison

Musexpo, the international music business and showcase event, will be honoring Jacqueline Saturn, president of Virgin Music, with the international music person of the year award at the special VIP Awards Gala Luncheon on March 19, 2024.

The luncheon will feature a special awards honorarium and presentations from the City of Burbank; County of Los Angeles and representatives from the State of California to pay tribute to Jacqueline’s remarkable and indelible career in the music business. The luncheon will also be preceded by an exclusive keynote interview with Saturn which will highlight her personal and professional journey. That conversation will take place as part of Musexpo’s week-long series slated for March 17 – 20 for events that include a global synch and brands summit, an A&R summit, and more.

Saturn’s extensive career in music spans 19 years working at Epic Records, where she ascended to senior vice president of radio promotion and later joined Capitol Music Group as general manager of Harvest Records. She later became president of Caroline, now Virgin Music.

Previous honorees of the international music person of the year award have included Monte and Avery Lipman, Pete Ganbarg and Diane Warren, among numerous others.

+ Pulse Records (a Pulse Music Group and Concord company) has formed a creative joint venture with R&B superstar Brent Faiyaz via his new ISO Supremacy label. Faiyaz’s first signing to the label is Tommy Richman, who is currently opening for him on his sold-out “F*ck the World It’s A Wasteland” tour.

Faiyaz, who signed to Pulse in 2016 as a music publishing client, commented: “My partnership with Pulse Music Group since Day 1 has been transformative. In launching my new label ISO Supremacy and partnering with PULSE Records, we’ve created this platform to give artists like Tommy Richman a creative home with the ability to scale global impact and a team that is accessible who keeps creativity at the forefront. We’re going to continue to make history.”

Richman’s new EP, “The Rush,” will be the first release by Pulse Records and is coming mid-September, with the set’s first single dropping later this week on Aug. 25.

Added Pulse Music Group co-CEOs, Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham, and PULSE Music Group President/Head of Creative, Ashley Calhoun, “Brent does things his own way, working toward the highest artistic bar, and we relate to that. Our partnership with Brent Faiyaz and his team dates back to the beginning of his career and is filled with incredible songs, milestones, and success. Brent is without any doubt one of the most impactful and unstoppable recording artists in the world. Offering Brent a JV to sign and develop new artists alongside Pulse Records is the natural next step for everyone. It’s an honor to be on this journey with Brent and to amplify Tommy’s artistry through a smart and capable team we have customized specifically for Tommy’s success. Tommy Richman has a new single releasing this week and we’re excited about his future.”

Pictured at Pulse Records offices in Silverlake, CA: Left – Right (Back Row): Bel Mesbahi, Director, A&R, PULSE Records; Darren Xu, COO, ISO Supermacy; Ashani Allick, A&R, ISO Supremacy; Josh Abraham, co-CEO, Pulse Music Group; and Ashley Calhoun, President/Head of Creative, Pulse Music Group. Left – Right (Front Row): Brent Faiyaz; Tommy Richman; Tizita Makuria, Vice President of Creative, Pulse Music Group; and Sara Ahmed, Vice President of Marketing, Pulse Records.

+ Universal Music Publishing Group has signed Grupo Firme and indie regional Mexican music label, Music VIP Entertainment, to a global publishing agreement.

Isael Gutierrez, CEO of Music VIP Entertainment, also home to artists like El Mimoso and La Ventaja, commented, “UMPG has earned a place in Regional Mexican as the leading publisher, and this gives us all the confidence for our composers. We are proud of having learned and achieved so much independently in the most adverse circumstances but moving forward, we want to continue this positive trend alongside knowledgeable and trusted partners such as them.”

UMPG represents many of the genre’s biggest singer-songwriters including legendary acts such as Juan Gabriel, Los Angeles Azules, the estate of Jenni Rivera and Espinoza Paz, along with new voices including Yahritza y Su Esencia. UMPG was also recently named by BMI as regional Mexican publisher of the year.

“We are thrilled to be representing Grupo Firme and Music VIP Entertainment during this global surge in Mexican music,” said Yadira Moreno, UMPG’s managing director of Mexico and Central America and VP of new business development for Latin America. There is greatness in everything that they set their mind to, and we are thankful to be chosen as part of this. We have the best team to support their journey and are passionate for this generational music.”