Industry Ink: Shania Twain, Big Loud Texas, Warren Zeiders, Blake Whiten, NSAI, FEMco, More

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Shania Twain & Zedd Give ‘You’re Still The One’ A Sweet Reimagining For Candy Crush’s Music Season

Shania Twain and Grammy Award-winning DJ and producer Zedd have given “You’re Still The One” a sugary reworking for Candy Crush’s Music Season 2026. The mobile game kicks off its annual Music Season in-game event with a dancefloor-ready reimagining of the song, and the track sets the pace to an interactive music video that transports fans to Candy Country.

Fans can head to candyroadhouse.com to enter. Six lucky winners can score a VIP trip to meet Shania Twain or Zedd on tour, and fans can also get their hands on signed bandanas and one-of-a-kind pieces straight out of the music video itself.

“Bringing ‘You’re Still The One’ back with Zedd, and building this special world with Candy Crush for fans to play in, felt like the perfect way to give the song new life. It feels exactly right,” says Twain.

 

Big Loud Texas Hosts Listening Room Cafe Takeover

Pictured (L-R): Jamison Eddleman, Lizzy Rector (Publishing Director, Big Loud Texas), Waylon Payne, Alex Lambert, Brendon Anthony (VP, Big Loud Texas), Miranda Lambert (Co-Founder, Big Loud Texas), Jon Randall (Co-Founder, Big Loud Texas), Coleman Jennings, Julianna Rankin, Karleigh Schmidt and Jake Worthington. Photo: Brayln Kelly Smith

Big Loud Texas took over The Listening Room Cafe in Nashville earlier this week for the first-ever “Big Loud Texas Takeover,” a special two-part writers round that included artists and writers on the Big Loud Texas roster. The evening lineup included Alex Lambert, Coleman Jennings, Jake Worthington, Jamison Eddleman, Julianna Rankin, Karleigh Schmidt and Waylon Payne.

 

Warren Zeiders Performs New Heartbreak Anthem On ‘America’s Got Talent’

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Warren Zeiders performed his latest single “Overrated” for the first time on the America’s Got Talent Quarterfinals on Sept. 8. Written by Zeiders, Evan Blair, Sean Douglas and Jesse Fink, and featuring country singer-songwriter Bellah Mae, “Overrated” channels the rush of not being able to find closure after a fling that should be in the rearview. The song embraces every layer of toxicity that draws you back to a stormy relationship, refusing to pay attention to the warning signs or bystander advice. The song is the fifth and final track previewing Zeiders’ third studio album No Brakes, due out Sept. 25.

 

Blake Whiten Celebrates Gold For Breakout Hit ‘Rollin’ Stone’

Pictured (L-R): Kelly Bolton (Warner Records, VP, A&R), Benny Negrin (Enchntmnt, Co-CEO), Alix Negrin (Enchntmnt, COO), Tom Corson (Warner Music Group, COO/Warner Records Group, Co-Chairman,COO), Blake Whiten, Aaron Bay-Schuck (Warner Records Group, Co-Chairman/CEO), Reid Daroff (Enchntmnt, Co-CEO) and John Turpin (Enchntmnt, Head of Talent). Photo: Pavel Suslov

Blake Whiten was surprised by his team at Warner Records with a Gold plaque commemorating the RIAA certification of his debut single “Rollin’ Stone.” Released in October 2024, the song helped launch Whiten and has notched more than 140M streams. The plaque presentation took place as Whiten brought his “Something To Say Tour” to the Troubadour in Los Angeles, and the honor arrives amid a string of career milestones for Whiten, who recently earned his first entry on Billboard‘s Hot 100 with “Bet On That” and was named Billboard‘s August Up & Comer. This past weekend, “Bet On That” reached No.1 on SiriusXM The Highway.

NSAI’s Bart Herbison & Chris DeStefano Attend AI Summit At Vatican

 

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NSAI’s Bart Herbison (Executive Director) and hit songwriter Chris DeStefano (NSAI Board Member) recently concluded a global AI summit at the Vatican featuring Creator-friendly AI companies, church officials, and multiple organizations. Nashville Songwriters Association International represented songwriters and creators who are suffering from companies illegally training on their copyrighted works. DeStefano gave the closing remarks at the summit and performed his song “Something in the Water.”

 

FEMco & Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel Partner For New Monthly Music Series

FEMco, the platform founded by veteran music industry exec Leslie Fram to champion women in music, and Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel have partnered on a new recurring showcase dedicated to bringing female artists to the heart of downtown Nashville. The series launches with a lineup including an in-depth conversation with Jo Dee Messina, followed by performances by artists Kylie Frey, Ruby Amanfu and Shelly Fairchild. “FEMcountry at Parton’s Live” takes place on the third Tuesday of every month at Parton’s Live, the hotel’s live entertainment venue. Open to the public, the monthly series will feature a curated lineup of emerging and established female artists and songwriters, with apparel and lifestyle brand Natural Life serving as Presenting Sponsor. Tickets are available now through the SongTeller Hotel website here.

 

Olivia Wolf Inks With Soundly/Thirty Tigers

Olivia Wolf has signed with Soundly Music/Thirty Tigers and will release her sophomore album Snake Of Diamonds on Jan. 22. The debut single “Drag It Back,” an anthem of appetite and ambition, released today alongside a fiery video filmed in Joshua Tree. Next week, Wolf will perform as part of the official showcase that kicks off opening night of AmericanaFest on September 15 at 3rd & Lindsley, alongside Melissa Etheridge, Amy Grant, Maggie Rose and Aubrey Sellers. On Sept. 16, Wolf will perform at the Celebration of John Prine’s 80th Birthday at City Winery, hosted by Brandi Carlile alongside Allison Russell, Sean McConnell, Tré Burt, Emily Scott Robinson and others.

 

Bee Smith Signs With Thornton Cline Music

Bee Smith & Thornton Cline

British country singer- songwriter Bee Smith has signed an exclusive transatlantic publishing agreement with Thornton Cline Music, the Nashville-based publishing company founded by Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and publisher Thornton Cline. Smith has earned recognition from organizations including the International Singer- Songwriters Association, Josie Music Awards and World Songwriting Awards. In 2025, she was named International Female Songwriter of the Year by ISSA, and across 2025 and 2026, received nine Josie Music Awards nominations across songwriting, vocal performance, song, vocal collaboration and fan-voted categories.

“We are pleased to sign such a brilliant lyricist and songwriter as Bee Smith. You don’t see writers this talented everyday,” says Thornton Cline, CEO Clinetel Music/Thornton Cline Music.

 

Lorie Hollabaugh
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