July 5, 2023 – NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Spirit Music Group (SMG) has signed songwriter/producer Autumn Rowe to a worldwide publishing administration deal. The deal encompasses select catalog as well as a go-forward publishing deal. Rowe has collaborated with many of music’s biggest names, including Dua Lipa, Diana Ross, Pitbull, Zendaya, Ava Max, FKA Twigs and Leona Lewis. Rowe won the Album of the Year Grammy in 2022 for her extensive writing and producing work on Jon Batiste’s album We Are, and she was also nominated for Record of the Year with the single “Freedom.”
“Autumn is an undeniably talented writer and producer who has worked with some of the biggest names in the world. On top of that, she’s a remarkable advocate for the interests of songwriters and producers and exactly the type of partner we look to work with. We’re thrilled to welcome Autumn to the Spirit Music Group family and to have the opportunity to represent her as her publisher,” said Jon Singer, Chairman of SMG.
“I’m incredibly excited to bring Autumn to the Spirit Music Group team,” said Nancy Matalon, Vice President, A&R, SMG. “She is a good friend, exceptional human, and her songwriting and production skills bring passion, creativity, and integrity to amplifying the voices of women in music as well. Autumn is a force to be reckoned with in and out of the music industry. I’m honored to have been a part of this deal and look forward to working closely together.”
“Autumn Rowe is a shining star in the writing room, the recording studio and in the fight for the rights of fellow creators,” said Frank Rogers, Chief Creative Officer (CCO), SMG & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Spirit Music Nashville. “Spirit Music Group could not be more thrilled to welcome and partner with Autumn in all of her endeavors.”
“I want to say thank you to Nancy, Jon, Frank and the Spirit Music team for welcoming me with open arms,” said Autumn Rowe. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue doing what I love with such a supportive and respected group of music publishers and look forward to doing great things together.”
Rowe is a leading writer, producer, and advocate for songwriter’s rights. In 2022, Rowe co-wrote five of the 13 tracks on Batiste’s album We Are, winning the Album of the Year Grammy and garnering a nomination in the prestigious Record of the Year category. Rowe’s songwriting hits also include Alexis Jordan’s “Happiness,” which served as the official song of the FIFA World Cup and recently resurged in popularity after going viral on TikTok. A celebrated vocal coach, she has appeared on The X Factor and on America’s Got Talent, where she served as the show’s only vocal coach for five years. She is also a talented DJ who studied at Scratch Academy.
In addition to her work as a creator, Rowe has become a prominent player in the fight for songwriter’s rights against the rapidly changing media landscape. She serves on the board of Songwriters of North America (SONA), where she sits on several committees, and she also co-founded and became co-director of the Songwriter Fund, a nonprofit enterprise that provides emergency relief grants to songwriters affected by COVID. The Fund has raised and distributed more than $500,000 in such grants to date.
Rowe has worked with the Recording Academy community to help advance the causes of musicians. She attended last year’s Grammys on the Hill awards and lobbied extensively for songwriters’ rights with members of congress. Rowe was also a group leader for the Recording Academy’s District Advocate Day.
In the recent Copyright Royalty Board trial, Rowe served as a key witness, sharing her personal story as a songwriter and aided in securing a landmark ruling in favor of fairer compensation for songwriters. For her advocacy for women in music, Autumn was appointed a Spotify Songwriter Equal Ambassador. Rowe has also devoted her advocacy to fighting antisemitism and racism. Last year, she received an Ambassador of Peace Award from the Creative Community for Peace for her activism in these areas. She is an executive board member of The Black-Jewish Entertainment Alliance (BJEA).
When Rowe isn’t busy in the studio, she spends her time volunteering as a Grammy U mentor. She has also lectured at Berklee school of music and at Stargate’s music schools Los Angeles Academy for Artists and Music Production (LAAMP) in LA and Lillehammer Institute of Music Production and Industries (LIMPI) in Norway. She recently launched a mentorship program with BMG and SONA called Ask the Insider, which matches industry experts and mentees. She is also currently working on her first musical.
