Music Industry Moves: HYBE Partners With Tyla Managers Brandon Hixon and Colin Gayle

HYBE is expanding its global footprint with a major strategic move into Africa's dynamic music market. The company has entered a worldwide management alliance with executives Brandon Hixon and Colin Gayle, recognized for their success in amplifying artists from Africa and its diaspora. This partnership aims to build a sustainable international framework for talent development and cultural exchange. A core initiative will see HYBE establishing a new talent pipeline, with Grammy-winning South African artist Tyla announced as its first signing. Tyla, who rose to wider prominence after being honored at Variety's Young Hollywood event last summer, will retain Hixon and Gayle as her managers while gaining access to HYBE's extensive global network and resources. This deal capitalizes on the explosive worldwide growth of genres like Afrobeats, which have seen streaming numbers increase by over 550% globally since 2017, according to industry data.

HYBE's CEO, Jason Jaesang Lee, emphasized the strategic importance of the alliance, labeling Hixon and Gayle "cultural architects" and stating collaboration with them is crucial for harnessing the global momentum behind African music. He framed it as a key expansion that merges their expertise with HYBE's infrastructure. Hixon concurred, noting that HYBE's global platform aligns with their artist-development philosophy. Colin Gayle added that African artists are in a period of "unlimited potential," and that HYBE's collaborative model can amplify their reach without diluting the cultural authenticity of their work. As one industry analyst noted, "This isn't just a signing spree; it's an infrastructure play. HYBE is betting that building a formal pipeline from the continent will give it a first-mover advantage in the world's next major music hub."

In a separate executive appointment, The ASCAP Foundation has named Patricia Leonard as its new Executive Director. She succeeds Nicole George-Middleton, who was recently promoted to Executive Vice President, Head of Creative Membership at the parent organization, ASCAP. Leonard brings over two decades of experience in arts administration and philanthropy, having served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Princess Grace Foundation and in development roles at institutions like the Manhattan Theatre Club and the Metropolitan Opera. An accomplished composer herself—she authored the opera "My Dearest Friend"—Leonard also serves on the boards of the New York New Music Ensemble and New York Women Composers.

Paul Williams, President of The ASCAP Foundation, expressed confidence that Leonard's deep professional background and passion for music will guide the Foundation's continued success in supporting emerging creators. Founded in 1975, the Foundation's charitable mission focuses on music education, talent development, and humanitarian aid. Its reach is significant; in 2024 alone, its programs, which include scholarships and mentorship initiatives, impacted over 300,000 individuals, with 60,000 being K-12 students. This scale highlights the organization's vital role in cultivating future talent, especially as public funding for arts education continues to face challenges in many school districts.

Meanwhile, Nick Hartley, the long-serving Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of independent music company [PIAS], will retire at the end of 2025. He will step down from his executive roles and the company's board on December 31. Hartley's extensive career began in chartered accountancy before he entered the music industry with EMI Australia in 1984. He later served as CFO for PolyGram Australia and the PolyGram U.K. Group, joining [PIAS] in January 2000 following Universal Music Group's acquisition of PolyGram. His nearly 25-year tenure was instrumental in the company's global growth and financial fortification. Industry observers credit Hartley with playing a key role in steering [PIAS] through its complex 2024 acquisition by Universal Music Group, a deal that exemplifies the ongoing consolidation in music distribution while aiming to preserve the indie ethos that has defined [PIAS] since its 1982 founding by Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot.