Music Industry Moves: Yung Miami Signs With WME; City Parks Foundation to Honor Joe Killian and Alex Blavatnik

Rapper Yung Miami has signed a comprehensive worldwide representation agreement with WME, covering all facets of her professional career. The South Florida artist, who first gained prominence as one half of the duo City Girls, is gearing up to release her debut solo project later this year through the revived Uptown Records label. Her debut single, "Spend Dat," climbed to the top of Billboard's Rap Airplay chart and currently sits at number 17 on the Hot 100. She performed the track live during the New York Knicks' Championship Parade last month. This move marks a significant transition for the rapper, whose bold style and collaborations with artists like Cardi B and JT have shaped her career, as she steps into the solo spotlight following City Girls' hiatus in 2023. Industry observers note that this shift reflects a broader trend of duo members pursuing individual projects, with Yung Miami leveraging her established fanbase to test the waters as a standalone act. According to music industry analyst Dr. Sarah Jenkins, "This strategic move allows Yung Miami to capitalize on her personal brand while maintaining the option to reunite with City Girls in the future—a pattern seen with other successful duos like OutKast and The Chainsmokers."

Separately, New York's City Parks Foundation will honor SummerStage festival founder Joe Killian and Alex Blavatnik at its 2026 Dinner & Concert benefit fundraiser, scheduled for September 10 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. Killian, who launched SummerStage and served as its executive producer from 1986 to 1993, will receive the SummerStage Icon Award as the festival marks its 40th anniversary season. Blavatnik, Vice Chairman of Access Industries and Director of the Blavatnik Archive, will be presented with the 2026 City Parks Foundation Icon Award. The evening will include a performance by New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band, with additional acts to be announced later. The City Parks Foundation, through its Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage Festival, is a leading presenter of free arts and cultural events in New York City parks, reaching nearly 300,000 residents each year through arts, education, sports, and community programs. "As we celebrate SummerStage’s 40th anniversary, we are truly honored to present our trailblazing festival founder Joe Killian with this year’s SummerStage Icon Award," said Heather Lubov, Executive Director of City Parks Foundation. "Joe had a groundbreaking vision to bring free, world-class performing arts to New Yorkers, and we are proud to continue his mission citywide. We are also excited to present Alex Blavatnik with the City Parks Foundation Icon Award, highlighting his long-term commitment and philanthropic support for preserving cultural history and making it freely accessible to all—something we strongly believe in." The event underscores the foundation's ongoing efforts to sustain and expand access to the arts across the five boroughs. Notably, SummerStage has hosted over 1,000 performances since its inception, featuring artists ranging from Nina Simone to Jay-Z, and has become a cornerstone of New York City's cultural landscape.

In other news, Sony Music Publishing Nashville has signed songwriter Adam James to a global publishing agreement. James has written tracks for Luke Combs, Dierks Bentley, Nate Smith, and others, contributing four songs to Cody Johnson's CMA Album of the Year winner "Leather," including "Whiskey Bent" featuring Jelly Roll. He also penned "Knowing You" by Kenny Chesney, which earned a nomination for Song of the Year at the 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards. James expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "I'm so grateful for this opportunity to be at Sony Music Publishing. The energy I feel from the team when I walk through the door every day is truly inspiring. It also makes me super happy to know my songs will be hanging out with Roger Miller’s and Dennis Linde’s on a massive cloud storage database somewhere. Dreams do come true!" This signing highlights Sony Music Publishing Nashville's continued investment in emerging and established songwriting talent. The deal also reflects the growing importance of Nashville as a hub for country music publishing, with Sony's roster now including over 50 songwriters who have collectively penned hundreds of chart-topping hits.

Traditional country artist Colton Dawson has also signed with WME for global representation. The 19-year-old Arizona native recently inked a deal with Warner Records Nashville and is managed by TKO Artist Management. "Signing with WME is a huge milestone for me," Dawson said. "I grew up loving country music and dreaming about playing these kinds of stages, so to now have a team that believes in what I’m building means the world. I’m ready to get out there and keep earning it every night." Meanwhile, Universal Music Group has appointed Tseyin Foo as President of Global Supply Chain, reporting to Boyd Muir, Chief Operating Officer, and based in Los Angeles. Foo will oversee UMG's global supply chain, improving capabilities across digital partnerships, direct-to-consumer platforms, physical formats, merchandise, and other products. She joins from Skechers, where she served as Head of Global Supply Chain Planning & Strategy, and previously held senior roles at VF Corporation, including Timberland, Vans, and 7 For All Mankind. "As we continue to create more opportunities for growth throughout the music ecosystem, it’s increasingly important that we operate as one global organization with greater speed, flexibility, and precision," said Muir. "Tseyin brings a rare combination of strategic leadership, operational excellence, and technology expertise that will help us deliver greater impact at greater scale, driving even more value for artists, songwriters, labels, and entrepreneurs around the world." This appointment reflects UMG's strategy to streamline operations amid a rapidly changing music landscape, particularly as physical sales decline and digital streaming continues to dominate revenue streams.

Finally, Detroit-based producer and executive Justin "Jay" Norman, who most recently served as Global Director of Creative Strategy and Global Head of Music Marketing at Spotify, has left the streaming platform to lead Verse + Hook (V+H), the creative strategy, branding, and marketing consultancy he co-founded. Co-founder Miso Brown steps in as Head of Brand Amplification, partner Tierra Filhiol becomes Head of Cultural Intelligence & Strategy, and Kyle Bernhardt takes on the role of Executive Director, Head of Creative. Rounding out the team, Chelsea V Huguley will manage Client Partnerships & Business Development as Director, Apryl Gordy joins as Director of People & Operations, and Joe Zimmer serves as Director of Project Management. Verse + Hook operates across five practice areas: Strategy, Brand + Creative, Production + Content, Experiential, and Music + Sync via its sync licensing arm, Soundry. This move aligns with a growing trend of music industry veterans launching their own consultancies to capitalize on their expertise in a rapidly evolving market, with Norman's deep experience at Spotify positioning him to offer unique insights into artist branding and digital strategy. The consultancy has already secured several undisclosed clients, signaling strong demand for specialized services in an industry where data-driven marketing and brand partnerships are increasingly critical for artist success.