Despacito co-writer Erika Ender catalogue acquired by Hipgnosis

30 March 2023 - Press release

 

Hipgnosis Song Management (“Hipgnosis” or the “Company”), which offers investors a pure-play exposure to songs and associated intellectual property rights, is pleased to announce the Company’s acquisition of a song catalogue by Erika Ender, the Panamanian singer-songwriter who co-wrote Despacito, one of the defining, post-millennium Latin-pop Songs, which has been played over 3 billion times on Spotify alone. 

Ms. Ender’s songs have been featured on more than 200 albums with more than 40 singles topping the US Latin, LATAM and Hispanic charts.  As the only Hispanic woman in the history of the Grammys with a nomination for Song of the Year, Ms. Ender is one of the most successful and influential Latin songwriters of all time.  

Hipgnosis has acquired a 100% interest in Ms. Ender’s publishing copyrights (including the writer’s share of performance) in all songs in her catalogue published, released or utilized through her Sony Music Publishing deal from 2007 through 2019 including Despacito and more than 25 Number 1 Songs. The acquisition has been made on behalf of Hipgnosis Songs Capital, a partnership between Hipgnosis Song Management and funds managed by Blackstone.

Despacito was originally released in January 2017, recorded by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.  An enormous global hit, it topped the charts in 47 countries and was certified platinum in 9 territories.  It was taken to another level later that same year when Justin Bieber collaborated with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and delivered a remix version of the song.  Each version has been played more than 1.5 billion times on Spotify and the song has been viewed over 8 billion times on YouTube.

The original version of Despacito won three Latin Grammy Awards in 2017, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year, while the re-mix version won Best Urban Fusion/Performance.  The following year, the remix version received three Grammy nominations: Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo / Group Performance.  It also received six Billboard Latin Music Awards and five Billboard Music Awards.

Ms. Ender is one of the most prolific composers in the worldwide Latin market and has also released seven solo albums as a singer/songwriter.  As a composer, her songs span multiple genres, ranging from Pop to Rock to Tropical.  Extremely versatile, in part due to her ability to write and perform in 3 languages (English, Spanish and Portuguese), her songs have been interpreted by a large number of artists globally.  The most recent example of this is Los Tigres del Norte’s 2023 Grammy-nominated album La Reunión Deluxe that features two of Ms. Ender’s songs, one of which is included in the acquisition, the single Mal Negocio.

Ms. Ender is the youngest person to be inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame and the first female Latin artist to collect a Grammy Award Song of the Year nomination.

Merck Mercuriadis, Chief Executive and Founder of Hipgnosis Song Management, said:
“Erika Ender has defined Latin music for the last 30 years.  Her more than 40 Number 1 singles have made her one of the most successful and influential songwriters of all time. Over the last 5 years Despacito has ruled the airwaves and helped to drive the new LATAM domination going to Number 1 in 47 countries, but Erika is so much more than that one song with a rich catalogue of many incredible songs.  I’m delighted to welcome her to the Hipgnosis Family!”

Ms. Ender said: 
“I am very excited about this partnership with Hipgnosis.  I’ve always believed that music is eternal.  I’m confident my songs are in good hands with Merck and his team, and they will do their best to keep my catalogue active, present and alive, as they honor and recognize that the songs are the seeds to the entire music industry, the message that touches and marks people’s lives and where it all begins.”

Erika Ender was represented by Oswaldo Rossi and Pamela Klein at Rossi, P.C. and Sergio Lopes at LCTM Brandbuilders.