SONY/ATV EXTENDS WORLDWIDE AGREEMENT WITH GREG KURSTIN

15 December 2014 - Press release

Long-term deal includes hits with Pink, Ellie Goulding, Sia, Kelly Clarkson

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has today announced it has extended its long-term worldwide deal with writer, musician and producer Greg Kurstin.

The new agreement continues a relationship dating back more than a decade and covers Kurstin’s many hits with artists including Pink, Ellie Goulding, Kelly Clarkson, Sia and Lily Allen, brand new songs for this season’s movie blockbusterAnnie and future works. He has just been nominated in the Non-Classical Producer of the Year category at the 57^th annual Grammy Awards.

Martin Bandier, Sony/ATV Chairman and CEO, said: “Greg Kurstin has been and continues to be one of our most important writers. We are delighted to extend our long and successful relationship with him and are excited at the prospect of what is still to come from him.”

Amanda Berman, Sony/ATV Vice President, Creative, said: “I am so excited to continue our relationship with Greg. He is one of the most talented songwriters and producers in the world and it’s an honor to work with him. Another Grammy nomination for Producer of the Year is just the icing on the cake for a phenomenal year for Greg and we are looking forward to more success for years to come."

Greg Kurstin said:  "I am very happy to continue my long relationship with Sony/ATV.  I have a great team there and I truly appreciate their support over the years."

Rachel Kurstin, of No Expectations, said: "It has been a pleasure working with our team at Sony/ATV. As Greg's manager, I feel like we have really accomplished a lot together during Greg’s time with the company. I know Sony/ATV is leading the fight for the digital rights of songwriters and that is something we are proud to be a part of.

Greg Kurstin is one of the most successful songwriters and producers of the 21^st Century with a career that includes chart-topping singles on both sides of the Atlantic, Grammy nominations and Ivor Novello Awards.

He initially achieved success as a recording artist, firstly with the band Geggy Tah whose “Whoever You Are” became Kurstin’s first hit as a writer, then alongside singer Inara George as the duo The Bird and the Bee, while he continued to build a reputation as an in-demand session and touring musician and songwriter for others.

An introduction to the British songwriter and recording artist Lily Allen led him to co-write and produce three songs on her 2006 debut album Alright, Still, which hit No. 2 in the U.K., while making the Billboard Top 20 in the U.S.

Kurstin’s partnership with Allen proved to be even more successful on Allen’s sophomore 2009 set and U.K. chart-toppingIt’s Not Me, It’s You with the pair writing the entire album, including the U.K. No. 1 single “The Fear”. The song was named both Best Song Musically and Lyrically and Most Performed Work at the Ivor Novello Awards in London where he also shared the key Songwriter of the Year prize with Allen. They have since worked together on her 2014 third album Sheezusand collaborated with Pink on the hit “True Love” from Pink’s Grammy-nominated 2012 album The Truth About Love.

“True Love” was one of several Kurstin contributions to the Pink album, the most successful being “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Official UK Singles Chart.

Kurstin’s songwriting has also graced albums by acts including Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Lana Del Rey, Foster The People, Ellie Goulding (including the U.K. No. 1 single “Burn”), Lykke Li, Kylie Minogue, Rita Ora, Katy Perry, Sia and Tegan & Sara. His work with Clarkson included the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”, which was nominated as Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards.

His 2014 collaborations with Lana Del Rey on her album “Ultraviolence” and on Sia’s “1000 Forms Of Fear” placed him twice at the top of the Billboard 200 chart this year within the space of a few weeks. He co-authored six songs on Sia’s album as well as co-producing her global hit single “Chandelier”.

He served as executive music producer and co-wrote three songs with Sia for the new Annie movie, including “Opportunity”, which has been nominated as Best Original Song – Motion Picture at the 72^nd annual Golden Globe Awards taking place in January. He also has cuts on forthcoming albums from artists including Charli XCX, Kelly Clarkson and Gwen Stefani, while a new The Bird and the Bee album is planned for 2015.

He received a Grammy nomination earlier this month as Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for his work with Lily Allen, Kelly Clarkson, Lana Del Rey, Ellie Goulding, Lykke Li, Katy Perry and Sia.