International advocacy platform Global Citizen has raised almost US$7 billion in pledges from governments, corporations and philanthropists following its Global Goal live music event and summit.

Global Goal: Unite For Our Future was broadcast on Saturday (27 June), with performances from Miley Cyrus, who covered the Beatles’ ‘Help!’ in an empty Rose Bowl Stadium; Jennifer Hudson, who sang ‘Where Peaceful Waters Flow’ from a boat on the Chicago River; and Coldplay, who dedicated their performance of ‘Paradise’ to Elijah McClain, a young black man who died in police custody in Denver last year.

Justin Bieber, Shakira, Usher, Christine and the Queens, Chloe x Halle and J Balvin were among others to perform in the virtual concert, which was produced by entertainment giants including Live Nation, Scooter Braun and SB Projects, Roc Nation, Universal Music Group, Maverick and Hamish Hamilton’s Done+Dusted.

The summit and concert aired in over 180 countries and was streamed global on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. The event raised $1.5bn in cash grants and $5.4bn in loans from the European Investment Bank in partnership with Global Goal co-organiser the European Commission.

“The $6.9bn that was pledged today to support the world’s poorest and most marginalised communities is an incredible next step on our journey out of the Covid-19 era”

The money is to be used to fund research for Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines and to ensure fair access to medical help for all, in a bid to combat the disproportionate impact of the disease on marginalised and disadvantaged communities, as part of the World Health Organisation’s Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator plan.

The event came as the follow-up to Global Citizen’s One World: Together at Home concert, which generated almost US$128 million for the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 solidarity response fund in April.

“Global Goal: Unite for Our Future was launched in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are proud to join the European Commission, and over 40 governments from around the world, to ensure Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines would be made available for everyone, everywhere,” says Global Citizen CEO, Hugh Evans.

“The $6.9bn that was pledged today to support the world’s poorest and most marginalised communities is an incredible next step on our journey out of the Covid-19 era, but there is more still to be done as no one is safe until everyone is safe.”

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United Talent Agency (UTA) has hired Alisann Blood as co-head of music brand partnerships.

Working alongside other co-head Toni Wallace and reporting to David Zedeck, UTA’s head of worldwide music, Blood will lead UTA’s growing music partnerships division, based out of the agency’s offices in LA, New York, Nashville and London.

The division – launched under Wallace in 2017 – has secured more than 250 partnerships for over 1,000 artists globally, and built an eight-figure brand business for the agency giant, working with acts including Post Malone, Chance the Rapper, the Jonas Brothers, HER, X Ambassadors, Common, Tierra Whack, Young Thug and Jimmie Allen.

Alisann Blood joins UTA from Live Nation-owned management firm Maverick, where she was vice-president of brand partnerships. Prior to joining Maverick Management, she held senior marketing/partnership roles at Crush Music and Capitol Music Group.

“Alisann’s skillset and experience will exponentially impact opportunities for all of our music clients”

“With Alisann’s addition to our world-class team, we are further solidifying our market-leading position in the music brand partnerships space,” Wallace comments. “Alisann’s skillset and experience will exponentially impact opportunities for all of our music clients around the globe.”

Blood is also a board member for Musicians on Call, an organisation that brings music to hospital patients, and an adjunct professor at Syracuse University.

“I have long admired UTA as a best-in-class company for the work they do on behalf of their clients,” she comments. “Toni has built a remarkable business and an incredible team in music brand partnerships, and I couldn’t be more excited to jump in and contribute to the group’s continued growth and success.”

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Maverick executive Guy Oseary has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support those affected by the mass shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, making a personal contribution of US$18,000.

“Forty-nine dead in terror attack at New Zealand mosques. We woke up to this news this morning. My heart breaks for the victims and for their families,” writes Oseary on his Christchurch Mosques Fundraiser page.

At press time, the GoFundMe page had raised $145,000, receiving donations from entertainment industry figures including Oseary’s longtime client Madonna, Live Nation chief executive Michael Rapino, American comedian Chris Rock, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea Balzary and DJ and Apple Music executive Zane Lowe.

“We will work with GoFundMe to ensure all funds are transferred to an organisation providing support to the families and community”

“We will work with GoFundMe to ensure all funds are transferred to an organisation providing support to the families and community,” states Oseary in an Instagram post, adding that “additional information about the distribution of funds” will be provided when available.

Oseary set up a similar GoFundMe page in 2018 following a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. In reference to the previous campaign, Oseary posted that “this time around, it was important for me – an Israeli Jew – to show love and care for the Muslim community on another painful, sad day that left 50 innocent people dead in New Zealand.”

Oseary formed the current incarnation of Maverick in 2014 as a joint venture with Live Nation. He is a co-founder of Israeli promoter Bluestone Entertainment, launching Ticketmaster Israel in conjunction with Live Nation in 2017. Maverick manages Madonna, U2, Miley Cyrus, the Weeknd and Shania Twain.

Donations to the Christchurch Mosques Fundraiser page can be made here.

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Live Nation-owned artist management outfit Maverick has recruited Eshy Gazit, the former managing partner of K-pop sensations BTS.

The recruitment of the experienced K-pop manager allows Maverick to build its international roster. Gazit worked with the Korean boy band BTS in the United States during the band’s rise to global stardom. BTS recently announced dates for an upcoming worldwide stadium tour.

Gazit now looks after popular K-pop group Monsta X, among others.Under Gazit, the band has undertaken two world tours. The manager oversaw Monsta X’s addition to iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball Tour in 2018, as the event’s first K-pop headliner, and the band this year becomes the first K-Pop act to perform at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas.

“We are thrilled to have Eshy join the Maverick family, he brings a very unique skill set to our management group”

“We are thrilled to have Eshy join the Maverick family and I feel he brings a great amount of enthusiasm as well as a very unique skill set to our management group,” says Maverick president, Greg Thomson.

The Monsta X manager began his career as a multi-instrumentalist and music producer, and as a sound engineer for the likes of Chrisette Michele, John Legend, Estelle and the Strokes. Gazit is the founder of marketing, A&R, management and public relations company, Gramophone Media.

Monsta X joins the Maverick roster alongside artists including U2, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Pitbull and Aerosmith.

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Lee Anne Callahan-Longo, formerly EVP and GM of Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment, is to join Live Nation’s artist management outfit Maverick.

At Parkwood, Callahan-Longo – who has more than 25 years’ experience in the music industry, including in artist management, radio promotion/marketing and production – oversaw three world tours, Beyoncé’s 2013 Super Bowl performance and all single and album releases, including the self-titled Beyoncé visual album. She parted ways with Beyoncé in early 2016.

“We are thrilled to have Lee Anne join Maverick,” says company principal Guy Oseary, who formed the current incarnation of Maverick in 2014 as a joint venture with Live Nation. “Her commitment to clients and ability to create next-level artist experiences and business opportunities makes her the perfect fit for our team.”

“Lee Anne has been a force in the industry for many years, and her innovative projects have caught our attention time and time again,” adds Gee Roberson, Maverick partner. “Her vision and work ethic meld perfectly with the Maverick team, and I’m excited to see what we accomplish together.”

“Lee Anne has been a force in the industry for many years, and her innovative projects have caught our attention time and time again”

Callahan-Longo comments: “I am excited to join the team at Maverick. The team is an innovative and collaborative collective that represents some of the most talented artists in the world.

“Working together, we all have access to new ideas and are well poised to maximise opportunities. I’m looking forward to building my business and contributing to the collective for years to come.”

Maverick forms part of LN’s Artist Nation business. Its roster includes U2, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, Fifth Harmony and the Roots.

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