Pictured (L-R): Austen Adams (Dickinson Wright); Shannan Hatch (SESAC); Carla Wallace (Big Yellow Dog Music); Christy McDonald; Lauren Funk (Big Yellow Dog Music); Alex Stefano (Big Yellow Dog Music); Jacee Badeaux (Big Yellow Dog Music)

Big Yellow Dog Music has signed Christy McDonald to a publishing deal.

One of the writers and the featured vocalist behind Grammy winner Robin Schulz’ “Ha Leh Lou Ya,” McDonald’s music has been featured on iTunes’ World Chart, Billboard, Nivea’s global campaign, and more. She is an active participant in the Country Music Hall Of Fame’s “Words & Music” program, working with children to help develop songwriting skills. To start off her new deal, McDonald is currently on a two-week writing trip in Amsterdam and Stockholm collaborating with European EDM/dance DJs, producers, and artists.

“I was blown away when Christy showed me what she had been working on,” said Big Yellow Dog Music’s co-owner and CEO Carla Wallace. “She has an incredible voice!”

BMI has partnered with Ultra Music for a series of global songwriting camps, providing its songwriters, composers and producers an opportunity to collaborate on an international scale.

Currently through March 8 Ultra and BMI are hosting a week of sessions at TEN Music Group’s six newly-renovated studios in Stockholm with a playback party to close out the camp.  Some of the BMI affiliated songwriters, artists and producers participating include Neil Ormandy, Mack, Karra, Lostboy and Kris Eriksson of Violet Days, as well as songwriters from our partner societies, such as Lily McKenzie, Sondr, Kelli Leigh, Karen Harding, Cassandra Stroberg, Shy Martin, Shy Nodi, Robert Habolin, Louise Lindberg, Philip Holmgen, Sam Crow, Jonathan Blom, Life of Elephants and more.

The first camp of the year, the UltraViolet Trailer Camp, recently took place in Palm Springs, California with BMI songwriters Neil Ormandy, Koda, Grabbitz, and Martin Wave.  The next one will be in Copenhagen on March 11-March 14, with additional camps to take place throughout the year in Los Angeles surrounding Coachella (April), Atlanta (April), and in Amsterdam during ADE (October), with more to be announced.

Previous BMI songwriting camps and initiatives have produced chart-toppers such as Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes,” Nick Jonas’ smash “Chains,” Prince Royce’s “Stuck on a Feeling,” Zedd’s “Daisy,” and most recently “Perras Como Tu” by Farina featuring Tokischa from the Miss Bala soundtrack.

“BMI prides itself on the unique and specialized creative services that we provide for our affiliates,” said Samantha Cox, BMI’s Vice President of Creative, NY. “As a result of our songwriting camps and other networking initiatives, we’ve fostered numerous successful collaborations which have generated chart-topping singles and commercial favorites. We’re thrilled to partner with Ultra to expand this initiative and build on our previous successes here in the US.”

“Ultra has been building a network of powerful writing camps, specializing in combining writers from different cultures and musical backgrounds for amazing results,” said Patrick Moxey, Founder and President of Ultra Music. “We welcome the involvement of BMI and their excellent writers. The song placement results have been extraordinary across camps in the US, UK, and Internationally and we look forward to the next level of growth for Ultra’s writers at the Ultra and BMI 2019 camps.”

Pictured (L-R): Terry Hemmings, President/CEO Provident Label Group/Sony Music; Matthew West; Emily West; Blaine Barcus, VP of A&R, Provident Label Group/Sony Music

Provident Label Group/Sony Music have signed Matthew West to their roster. In conjunction with their new partnership is the newly-created imprint Story House Music, which mirrors West’s management company, Story House Collective. With support from Provident, West will develop and launch young artists’ careers through the new imprint.

“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to partner with my friends at Provident,” West said. “I’ve admired from afar the work they have done on behalf of so many artists, and I am humbled by their belief in the music I make and the vision I have to help champion the storytellers of the future. Much of my career could be boiled down to one word, ‘story.’ I’m passionate about the power of story and how music can impact the stories of peoples’ lives on a deep level. In many ways, this new season with a new team marks a new chapter in my own story, and I can’t wait to dive in.”

Terry Hemmings, President/CEO of Provident Label Group/Sony Music, said, “For years we have observed Matthew’s amazing career. He’s such a wildly talented artist and performer whose talent is evident in various forums as a musician and entertainer. He connects with audiences because he knows how to clearly and passionately share a story through song. We could not be more pleased to have Matthew join our PLG family and are anxious to forge ahead and see what stories unfold.”

Since releasing his first album 16 years ago, West has earned four Grammy nominations, a Dove Award, Billboard Music Award, and an American Music Award, as well as several ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year honors. He has notched 15 No. 1 songs, including the RAA Gold single “Hello, My Name Is,” and the RIAA Platinum single “The Motions.” As a songwriter, West has had more than 130 published writing cuts for artists including Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, Casting Crowns, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Mandisa and more.

Out of the gate on Friday (March 1) with the song, “Ten Year Town,” Carnival Music writer Hailey Whitters squares her headspace since her last batch of new music, four years ago. Whitters has evolved, matured and diversified her sound on the forthcoming 2019 project The Dream, in harmony with Grammy-recognized collaborators Brandy Clark and Lori McKenna.

Waiting tables another month/Waiting for that break to come/All it’s ever done is break my heart/But I didn’t come this far to only go this far

That vulnerable lyric from “Ten Year Town,” come in anticipation from the complete album and encompass the vision the 12-year Nashville resident held, waiting for her turn to shine.

“I am blown away from the love and response from ‘Ten Year Town,'” said Whitters, at her album preview at Nashville’s The Basement. “I wrote the song with Brandy Clark when I was coming up on a decade of being in town and feeling a little lost and frustrated…I’ve racked in a lot of miles with these guys in our 15-passenger van and slept on a lot of shitty hotel floors…[but] I’m a firm believer that timing is everything. One thing I’ve learned is no matter what, you have to stay true to yourself, have an opinion and never forget why you came to Nashville in the first place.”

On Tues., March 5, Whitters bestowed those words on behalf of herself and her roadworthy slew of musicians in previewing seven new tracks from a forthcoming project. She co-produced them with BMG’s Jake Gear and currently controls the masters, which have been garnering label interest.

One of those songs may be familiar. Whitters takes the final turn as a songwriter in releasing her version of her McKenna co-write, “Happy People,” which of course was brought to country radio in 2017 by country superstar group Little Big Town. Similarly, Whitters has had mainstream success when Martina McBride recorded her solo-written “Low All Afternoon” and Country Music Hall of Fame member Alan Jackson released her, “The Older I Get,” as his first single since 2015.

Although “Ten Year Town” is immediately available, Whitters announced the first official single from the album will be “The Days,” a trance-inducing, breezy uptempo track that contemplates the value of hometown life experiences. “Dream, Girl” is a bright, driving anthem about keeping focus after life derailments, with a confidence-infusing play on words.

Within the record, Whitters displays a secure sense of self, leaning in to new, raw sounds and textures to translate the coming home. “When I’d given up on ever attaining “the dream”, [this album] showed me I was already living it,” Whitters posted online.

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I showed up a little lost, a little sad, a little jaded. Twelve years in a ten year town. You let me in, gave me whiskey, let me speak, let me sing, watched me fail, bummed me cigs, showed me songs, sent me back to wait tables, gave me chills, made me cry in the bathtub, drove me home, told the truth, turned off the click, got me here… when I’d given up on ever attaining “the dream”, you showed me I was already living it. So tomorrow when everyone gets to hear the first of your songs and decide whether its any good or not, just know you did a lotta good for me… and I got your back. ❤️

A post shared by Hailey Whitters (@haileywhitters) on Feb 28, 2019 at 2:44pm PST

Also among the previewed tracks, “Heartland,” a two-stepper paying homage to her Iowan upbringing, and another play on words about settling within yourself by landing outside of life’s overstimulation.

Perhaps most unique is the mesmerizing “All The Cool Girls,” a pulsing rock-textured production of Hollywood night delirium. Echoed live with background vocals from Maureen Murphy, the edgy audio arrangement reflects the lyrics about how intoxicating a heart’s infatuation can be.