BE:FIRST boasts a dozen No. 1s on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, played its first stadium concerts this past spring and has a world tour set for the fall. Now, the group is officially unveiling the first step in its effort to rise to greater prominence in the U.S. market.

With the release of its new single, “BRUCE WAYNE,” the J-pop band is revealing its new U.S. distribution partnership with The Orchard, along with hello82 for physical distribution, Tom Windish at THE·TEAM for touring outside Asia, and ex-AVEX USA CEO Naoki Osada‘s Nebula17 for A&R and marketing initiatives.

“BRUCE WAYNE,” BE:FIRST’s first release under its Orchard deal, is a swaggering, Atlanta hip-hop–indebted single produced by ATL Jacob and featuring Flo Milli, with lyrics by Starrah (Rihanna, Drake, Camila Cabello), Taylor Ross (Normani, Pitbull, Bebe Rexha) and the group’s executive producer SKY-HI, who is also CEO of the group’s Japanese music label BMSG. The track feels in line with some of the group’s harder hits, including 2023’s sleek and synth-y “Mainstream” and the anthemic “BE:FIRST ALL DAY” and its B-side “Rondo,” released in the spring.

“BRUCE WAYNE” is the lead single from WATCH ME, which the group describes as its first “global” EP, slated to arrive on Sept. 18. The set will also include a track featuring BIA as well as production from Tommy “TBHits” Brown.

While three of BE:FIRST’s members did recently carve out a trip to the World Cup final (“I love Messi,” youngest member Ryuhei says), the group is largely in discipline mode to meet arguably its biggest global moment yet. Over a video call from Los Angeles on Friday (July 31), group members Manato, Ryuhei, Sota, Junon, Shunto and Leo are quick to clarify that they have not been sightseeing but have instead spent their days taking English-language lessons, rehearsing choreography and undergoing media training with their new U.S. partners.

This weekend, BE:FIRST heads to Phoenix to perform at the 2026 World Hip-Hop Dance Championship (the same competition BE:FIRST member Sota won four different times), before playing Head in the Clouds in Los Angeles on Aug. 8. The group’s upcoming world tour, its second, launches in September, with two shows slated in New York.

“No time to play, basically,” Manato says with a laugh.

Formed on Japan’s 2021 singing competition THE FIRST, BE:FIRST has been mapping out its current global push years in advance as part of its annual goal-setting summits, the members tell Billboard.

The run-up has already included two collaborations with K-pop chart-conquerors ATEEZ (plus an opening slot at that group’s 2024 Los Angeles stadium shows) and a hit Janet Jackson remix released after the American pop icon played four dates across Japan this year (BE:FIRST and Jackson’s collaborative “Doesn’t Really Matter (Remix)” hit No. 12 on the Japan Hot 100 in June, while its video has earned 7.9 million YouTube views to date).

“Our entire team is giving absolutely everything we’ve got to bring you the absolute best version of BE:FIRST and share their music with the world,” SKY-HI shared in an exclusive statement with Billboard. “Please look forward to what’s to come.”

Below, read more from Billboard‘s exclusive interview with the group, spoken in a mix of English and Japanese, with members’ Japanese responses translated.

You’ve made some moves to collaborate beyond Japan via the K-pop market: Janet Jackson, Jonas Blue. Why was this the right time to go bigger?

Shunto: Every year, SKY-HI and the members hold a meeting where we set goals — “by such-and-such year, we want to be doing such-and-such.” This [upcoming] year is our fifth, so there had been discussions that starting from the fifth anniversary, we’d push to further [our] worldwide presence and exposure. At that stage, we couldn’t yet picture the songs or what this would look like, but it’s been in the works for us. So, now that that’s arrived, we’ve been pushing and polishing ourselves — mentally, but also in practical ways too, like going to language school. All of it is an accumulation of work that we’ve done, and now we’ve sort of arrived at the right time to put things in a different gear.

Let’s talk about “BRUCE WAYNE.” You’ve got Flo Milli, you’ve got ATL Jacob. How did the song come about, and why was it the right introduction to this new chapter?

Manato: I was in the same studio with ATL Jacob and Starrah in January. Actually, I was a fan of him. We also love Future, Atlanta hip-hop itself, and we kind of have an Atlanta sound style ourselves, so we were very excited to record the song. We gave some directions, like how we wanted a more dark sound, so we went back and forth. It’s not the typical kind of hip-hop; it’s like a luxurious style of hip-hop. We can easily sing the words. Also, all of us — but especially Manato — like Batman. [Laughs.] It feels like our “destiny song.”

Was Flo Milli attached from the beginning or did she record her part later?

Leo: It came together partway through — once the track was made, we searched [for a feature]. I think ATL Jacob shared it and she really loved the song. And we loved it, so we were like, “Let’s go!”

This leads off WATCH ME, which is being described as your first global EP. What does that sound like and what do you want it to say to listeners?

Ryuhei: Rather than targeting one specific culture or sound, we pursue whatever fits the things we love and think are genuinely cool — and that will create our own style. So, this album has a lot of genres and styles packed into it. But for each genre we settled on, we wanted the idea that “only BE:FIRST can do this” as the core, and we pushed the quality as far as it could go. Compared to our last releases, we were that much more focused and concentrated to make it a really quality album.

Does it feel like there are still barriers for Japanese artists trying to cross over into the Western markets?

Sota: There’s a real focal point on calling it a “global EP” for us. We can be seen as a dance team with a layer of hip-hop, singing in Japanese as a Japanese boy band. That is who we are, but we want to be seen not just as a Japanese boy band. I think the EP really defines what that means. Rather than keeping it contained within Japan, we want it to finally go out into the world. It’s about time.

Sota: The biggest thing is that the trends and the culture — around the world, in specific parts in Asia, even just in America or the music industry — we don’t know them the way we know Japan. America is a big country. What we don’t know, we don’t know — sometimes it’s even like that in Japan. How much will the things that we believe are good actually be accepted? That’s the barrier we hit, and not being able to break that wall feels a little challenging and difficult. But what we don’t want to do is make any kind of creative sacrifice or bend in order to go global; that would make going global meaningless. So, it comes down to how much we can raise what we want to do — in terms of quality, in musical value — put it out and have it recognized as something that’s uniquely us as BE:FIRST. On that, we can’t compromise. That’s what’s most important for us.

Leo, you mentioned being in the studio, and I know several of the members write on songs. How are you all creatively involved so you don’t lose that identity?

Manato: We build together. That’s our style. On one Japanese release, four members might do the co-writing; on another, three. Rather than one member being in charge of something, everyone participates, brings their best parts, and everyone’s identity feeds into it.

You did a remix with Janet Jackson when she came to Japan, and also have recorded two songs with ATEEZ and opened their Los Angeles shows. What did you take from these experiences?

Sota: From start to finish, [collaborating with Janet Jackson] was like a dream come true — that’s the number one thing; it was a really big moment for us. But in terms of what we learned as artists, singing and dancing is the single most important thing about BE:FIRST, and to see up close a legend who still treats both as essential and strives for perfection — it made me feel like we’re on the right path. That’s the reputation we’re going for too. Honestly, when you’re a group, people tend to focus on one or the other, but there’s a chemical reaction that comes from doing both singing and dancing. Seeing and feeling that up close, my respect grew enormously, and so did my gratitude that she keeps doing it.

Junon: After our own opening set, we got to watch ATEEZ’s show and took it all in as any member of the audience. There was a side of them, fully immersed in the performance, with such an incredible force that you can’t imagine from how they normally are. It’s an originality only they can produce. Watching it made us want to push the things that make us stand out.

Do you have any Billboard chart goals you want to put out there as you start this new era?

Leo: Be first.

Manato: Yeah!

Sota: Yeah, BE:FIRST will be first.

Warner Records co-chairman and COO Tom Corson was promoted to COO of the larger Warner Music Group (WMG), succeeding Armin Zerza in the role, the company announced on Friday (July 31).

Corson has served as co-chairman and COO of Warner Records, where he led business operations, strategy and commercial development, since 2018. During that time, he’s succeeded in growing the label and its artists, which include Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dua Lipa, Zach Bryan, Benson Boone, Michael Bublé, Teddy Swims, Linkin Park, Cody Johnson, and Sombr. Warner Records finished in fifth place in label market share at midyear, notching a 5.11% mark.

In a statement, WMG CEO Robert Kyncl described Corson as a “dynamic, respected, and effective executive.”

“Together with [Warner Records CEO] Aaron [Bay-Schuck], he’s helped architect Warner Records’ resurgence, and we’ll leverage his vision, disciplined execution, and deep experience across the entire company as we continue to deliver for our artists and songwriters while achieving our top and bottom line goals,” Kyncl said.

“It’s an honor to step into this role during such a transformative era for both our company and the industry at large,” added Corson. “A huge thanks to Robert for the opportunity, as well as to Aaron and the Warner Records team for the unforgettable run. I’m looking forward to building on our momentum, turbocharging operations, and creating even more impactful opportunities for our incredible artists and songwriters worldwide.”

Zerza’s departure was announced earlier on Friday.

A music industry veteran, Corson has spent more than four decades in senior leadership roles at various companies. Prior to Warner Records, he was most recently president and COO of RCA Music Group.

Glenn A. Baker, for generations a familiar name in Australian media for his work as a music historian, author, presenter and pundit, and a long-time Billboard correspondent, died Friday morning, July 31. He was 74.

“Glenn’s contribution to the Australian rock ’n’ roll music landscape was immense, but his family remembers him as a loving father of six and grandfather of thirteen,” reads a statement posted on his official social channels.

“Glenn’s passion for music, travel, food and his family (still not entirely sure of the order) was, like his personality, larger than life.”

Born in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1952, the eldest of four children, Baker left school aged 15 to support his family and was “galvanized” by seeing the Beatles on TV.

In the mid-‘70s, Baker launched his radio career as part of a research team whose work led to the creation of 2JJ, which would became triple j, the national youth network within the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Baker always cut a flamboyant figure on TV, which was often, in the 1970s through to recent times. A true music allrounder, Baker managed the band Ol’55 and, in 1979, co-founded the Australian record label Raven Records. He topped the BBC’s “Rock Brain of the Universe” on three occasions during the 1980s, and twice won the Australian Travel Writer of the Year Award twice (1995 and 2000).

A prolific writer, Baker penned 17 books, sleeve notes for more than 600 albums, and served as Billboard’s Australia correspondent for over 20 years.

His knowledge of music was as vast as his collection of records. In 2024, Baker, through Lloyds Auctions, put his immense haul under the hammer. Over 80,000 items were put up for sale, including over 50,000 LPs “primarily representing rock’n’roll and popular music of the second half of the 20th century,” the listing stated.

Winarch Group’s founder and director Paul Lambess bought the goods.

Speaking with 702 ABC Sydney, Baker’s son Orson revealed that his father had experienced a “period of illness,” was “declining for a while” and had experienced a stroke.

His dad was “somebody who absolutely grabbed life, throttled it, and did everything that he wanted to do”.

As news of his passing spread, the music community reached out.

“I am very sorry to hear of the passing of Glenn A Baker today,” writes Iva Davies, spearhead of ICEHOUSE. “Glenn was someone who lived life on his own terms – his passion for music and for the industry made him a force for discovery of new artists and to advocate with business and government to improve conditions for creators.”

Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes remembered Baker as “the first person I’d turn to whenever I needed to know anything about our music history. He was always ready to help, drawing on his vast knowledge of popular music.” It was Baker who sent Barnes the Easybeats song “Good Times” when the rocker was looking for a song to record with INXS. “I’ll miss his insights, his incredible knowledge, and our conversations about music whenever we met.”

ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Marcia Hines reflects on Baker as “a man to whom music was more than music. It was part of his life blood. His big, beautiful brain held the keys to a treasure trove of deep cuts that he rejoiced in and wrote about with the same prolific passion that is usually reserved for what readers/listeners would usually view as ‘the hits.’”

Baker had celebrated his birthday just three days earlier. “While the family wishes for privacy,” reads the family statement, “if you do wish to honor Glenn or continue his legacy in some way, have a passionate conversation today with somebody about your favorite Australian muso or band. Rock on Glenn! You will be missed.”

Sphere Entertainment reported Thursday (July 30) that second-quarter revenue rose 11% to $313.6 million, as the company’s flagship Las Vegas venue added more viewings of its popular adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.

However, the company recorded an overall $61.3 million operating loss, $11.1 million more than the year-ago quarter, due in part to a 30% increase in the Sphere segment’s selling, general and administrative expenses, which totaled $125.6 million for the second quarter ending June 30.

Sphere Entertainment had an adjusted operating income of $50.9 million, down 17% from a year ago. Notably, this figure was adjusted to strip out the impact of share-based compensation, depreciation and amortization costs related to a merger with MSG Networks and other costs the company says are not related to its fundamental business operations.

The Sphere segment, which generates revenue from Sphere Experience film showings, brand events, concert residencies and sponsorship and suite licensing fees, generated revenue of $226.4 million, up 29% compared to the year-ago quarter, mainly on more “per-performance” revenue from The Wizard of Oz at Sphere.

“We’re not shy of demand from artists to come play the Sphere, and we have some great artists coming up,” executive chairman and CEO James Dolan said when asked during an earnings presentation about Oz and where additional growth will come from. “But the whole business strategy behind the creation of Sphere is utilization of the venue, and that’s where we look at the growth to come.”

From its opening last August to mid-June, The Wizard of Oz at Sphere has sold more than three million tickets and generated over $400 million in ticket sales. The company said 220 “performances” of Oz in the second quarter exceeded the 215 showings of Postcard from Earth and V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film in the year-ago quarter. That translated to Sphere Experience-related revenue growing by $53.8 million in the second quarter from a year ago.

The company announced earlier this quarter that it is working on the production of a new Sphere Experience — The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere — which is expected to open in 2027. Dolan said earlier this year that the company also expects to debut From The Edge, a film about extreme sports, later in 2026.

Sphere event-related revenue fell $11.7 million due to two fewer brand events compared to the year-ago quarter, but that was partially offset by higher revenue from concerts, according to the company. While there were six more concerts held in the second quarter at Sphere this year compared to a year ago, the concerts held in April, May and June had lower per-concert revenue compared to the same period last year.

The company did not disclose an overall event-related revenue figure in its initial second-quarter financials, making it difficult to determine the share of revenue contributed by The Sphere Experience and concerts. However, the company said it generated $150 million in ticketing and venue licensing fees from Sphere in Q2 overall.

Dolan compared Sphere’s ability to capitalize on concerts to Madison Square Garden, which he also owns.

“The Garden does approximately 200 or something events a year, and it is hamstrung by the fact that you have to load in, you have to load out,” Dolan said. “When we created Sphere, it was all about increasing utilization through our own IP and our own content. I don’t think that we have refined the model to the point where we’ve maximized the revenue potential there, and I think we have new products, some of which we haven’t talked about.”

The Sphere segment generated a nearly $70 million operating loss. That’s around $14 million less than the loss notched in the year-ago quarter thanks to higher revenue.

The company continues to develop plans for additional Sphere venues, and Dolan said the company will likely announce plans for a new Sphere later this year. Construction on the Sphere on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi is expected to be completed in 2029, with the company saying in a statement that “plans to bring Sphere to National Harbor also continue to move forward.”

MSG Networks generated revenue of $87.3 million, down 18% from the year-ago quarter, primarily due to distribution revenue falling $13.7 million on a 16.5% decline in total subscribers.

In the first half of 2026, the Universal Music Group (UMG) continued positive forward momentum with healthy overall revenue growth and managed to maintain internal profitability levels for the period. But overall net profitability was impacted by costs related to consolidating the Downtown acquisition, higher than usual legal fees and financial expenses, and going up against 2025’s first-half profitability, which was boosted by a high-margin settlement.

For the six-month period ended June 30, UMG revenue grew to 6.194 billion euros ($7.195 billion), up 5.3% (10.8% on a constant currency basis) from the prior year’s first half, when the company generated 5.881 billion euros ($6.694 billion). While UMG benefited from the addition of its acquisition of Downtown in the first half of the year to the tune of 234 million euros ($272 million), its revenue was nevertheless up by 1.34% in the second half of 2026 versus the first half of 2025, and 5.7% on a constant currency basis.

Net profits declined to $223 million euros in the first half of 2026 versus 1.425 billion euros in the corresponding year-earlier period, resulting in a 12-cent euro ($0.14) per diluted share in the first half of 2026 versus a 78-cent euro ($0.88) per diluted share in the corresponding 2025 period.

Nevertheless, UMG generated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of 1.81 billion euros ($1.37 billion), versus 1.214 billion euros ($1.382 billion) in the year-earlier period.

Within the first half, in the second quarter, UMG generated 3.294 billion euros, a 10.54% increase (13.1% on a constant currency basis) over the year-earlier corresponding period when revenue was 2.98 billion euros. Meanwhile, EBITDA almost held steady, coming in at 610 million euros, versus 611 million euros in 2025’s second quarter. However, adjusted EBITDA grew to 674 million euros versus 676 million euros, which on a constant currency basis was actually a 1.5% increase.

“While I am pleased with our strategic progress and aspects of our financial performance, we know where we can improve,” UMG chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge said in a conference call with analysts. He added that what gives him his “greatest confidence” in the company’s future performance is the broad strength of the UMG organization, and three things that give the company a competitive advantage “that no other company brings together.” He again cited the strength of the core business, pointing out that it has elevated more successful artists than any of its competitors; its leadership at shaping the overall music ecosystem; what he sees as significant opportunities ahead due to the company’s artists and label services, the company’s strength in high-growth market places around the globe; and how both AI (artificial intelligence) and exploiting the super fan contingent will benefit the company and the industry.

Grainge pointed out that China and India, two of the most populous countries, are among the fastest-growing territories, and says UMG’s experience in the China market will benefit the company as the India marketplace grows. In fact, in India, UMG will duplicate the windowing release strategy it deployed in China so that its new releases first become available on paid streaming services for a 72-hour period before becoming available on ad-supported services.

By division, recorded music grew by 6.83% to 4.769 billion euros ($5.539 billion), up from the prior year first-half revenue total of 4.464 billion euros ($5.081 billion); and music publishing totaled 1.168 billion euros ($1.357 billion),up 3.82% from the corresponding period in 2025 when publishing revenue was 1.125 billion euros ($1.28 billion). Meanwhile, the merch and other revenue category fell to 268 million euros ($311 million) from 311 million euros ($347 million), or a 12.13% decline, due to a softer release schedule and less touring activity. 

In addressing the controversial AI issue, which can be a double-edged sword thanks to carrying both beneficial and possible detrimental effects for the industry, Grainge said the business should use it as a benefit — like if a musician adds a new instrument to the mix using the technology — while guarding against allowing it to be regarded as an artist, which would divert royalties from artists, songwriters, labels and publishers. Or as he put it, “AI is a new instrument, and not the next artist.”

Moreover, he added, “Our responsible AI strategy is being brought to life through partnerships with start-ups such as Udio and Klay, creative platforms like Splice and Stability, and tech giants like NVIDIA.”

In moving over to other licensing, Grainge said UMG now has a “streaming 2.0 agreement with almost all of the major streaming services” (a group that includes Spotify, YouTube, Amazon and Deezer), as well as a completed agreement with Pandora and a new strengthened deal with TikTok, according to a transcript of his comments made available to Billboard. 

Grainge also pointed out how the company has strengthened its reach in the indie label world since 2013, first by relaunching Caroline, buying out the Ingrooves joint venture and then bringing those two companies together under the new Virgin Music Group banner. With the Downtown acquisition, UMG is now the second largest operator in the indie artist services space, Grainge said.

He further cited UMG artists who helped boost UMG’s performance in the first half, including releases by Sam Fender, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams, Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones.

Looking ahead, Grainge says he expects UMG to continue its momentum into the second half thanks to upcoming releases from the likes of Ariana Grande, KATSEYE, Sam Smith and Mrs. GREEN APPLE, among other yet-to-be-announced releases. 

Moreover, Grainge noted that in looking at the IFPI annual list of the world’s best-selling artists over the past 10 years, UMG “has averaged just under 14 of the top 20,” or 70% of the world’s top-selling artists. 

Merck Mercuriadis, the founder and former CEO of Hipgnosis who recently launched a new venture called Hipgnosis Artist Partnerships, is slated to deliver the keynote at the 2026 Music Tectonics conference, it was announced on Wednesday (July 29). Mercuriadis will speak on Oct. 28 at the Santa Monica, Calif., gathering, which is set to run from Oct. 27-29.

Mercuriadis is widely recognized for his role in popularizing music as an asset class after founding catalog investment group Hipgnosis. The group spanned a suite of companies including two catalog acquisition funds (a public fund, Hipgnosis Songs Fund, and the privately held Hipgnosis Songs Assets, backed by Blackstone) and an investment manager (Hipgnosis Songs Management). It was renamed Recognition Music Group in 2024, shortly after Blackstone acquired its public fund. Earlier that same year, Mercuriadis stepped down as CEO of the investment manager and was succeeded by Ben Katovsky.

Hipgnosis Artist Partnerships, effectively a revamp of the earlier Hipgnosis, was launched by Mercuriadis last year.

“This year, we want to rally everyone from top label execs to publishers to artist managers to artists and founders around a single theme, how we can work together to create a rising tide that lifts all boats,” said Dmitri Vietze, founder of Music Tectonics, in a statement. “Merck knows what can grow music and grow value. He pulls no punches when it comes to amplifying truths that push us all past industry blinders. I’m prepared to be surprised by what he presents. And a little afraid. But in a good way.”

Added Mercuriadis, “The last decade has transformed the fortunes of the music industry through systemic change in how people consume music as streaming grew from 30 million to over 800 million paid subscribers globally. The next decade will further transform the fortunes of artists, songwriters, producers and managers, without whom there is no music industry, through what will be the most significant value shift ever.”

As it does every year, Music Tectonics 2026 will include a series of panels on the intersection of music and tech, including:

— Investor Confidential: Where the Money’s Moving in Music Tech

— Activating Artists in the Biggest Social Games on the Planet

— What if AI Grows the TAM? A New Licensing & Royalty Paradigm

— Music Is Worth More: Tech That Multiplies Revenue, Not Disrupts It

— Startup Hotbox: Labels React to Music Tech Startups

— Making AI Work for Artists, Labels, and Publishers

Early-bird pricing on Music Tectonics tickets is available from now until Aug. 11. They can be purchased here.

Norway is on top, in just about every meaningful way. Its 5.6 million population is blessed with an enviable standard of living, world-beating Winter Olympians, your new favorite soccer player, and a crop of standout recording artists, from electronic DJs and producers Kygo, Röyksopp and Alan Walker, to indie artists Girl In Red, Aurora, Kings of Convenience, and the legendary new wave act a-ha.

With Bergtatt Festival, presented in Luster, Western Norway, on an epic fjord, the Nordic country also boasts one of Europe’s most specular and remote festivals, with a killer, curated lineup.

Billboard’s Lars Brandle made the journey for the 2026 edition, hosted on the first weekend of July, and discovered an event like no other, a musical wonderland powered by a small army of volunteers, all of it playing out in a spot that could be lifted right out the mind of Tolkien.

A holiday in paradise

The Norwegian summer isn’t like currency. You can’t bank it. In a place like Luster, a municipality and village in Vestland county on the inner, eastern end of the Sognefjorden, Europe’s longest fjord, the four seasons can make their appearance before breakfast. No bother. After those long, cold winters, summer in this part of the world is a reward. It’s earned, a coming out party where everyone is invited.

Presented several days after the summer solstice, Bergtatt Festival 2026 invites all those elements. Snowcapped mountains nearby, and days so long a mind can be tricked into considering dinner plans well past midnight. This party, a camping fest, welcomes about 1,500 guests, including 1,000 ticket-buyers, the rest comprised of friends, extended family and VIPs.

It’s a swift sellout.

Founded in 2018, and opening its gates for the first time in 2019, Bergtatt is led by six school friends from Oslo: Oskar Skulberg (booking manager), Anders Mageli (community leader), Nicolai Frantzen (creative leader), Johan Stang (operational leader), Ole Kristian Knudsen (technical leader) and Aksel Mjøen (commercial leader). The seed was planted on a trip to visit the Mageli cabin, the lads sampling some wine.

Today, the event boasts some 30 core, unpaid volunteers. That number grows to about 150 for showtime. And like the co-founders, each helper has their own, specific role to play. Most of that initial launch crew, numbering 10 to 20, remain part of the team.

Each of the founders has a “normal job, which I think gives a certain perspective,” remarks Stang. Bergtatt “is our hobby.”

Bergtatt is different. “Our booking budget is proportionately way too high compared to what’s normal,” Skulberg reckons, “because we do it for fun.” This year, 30 acts and 30 events are booked.

As the fest has matured, it has remained right-sized. Like every other live event on earth, the pandemic did its damage. Two editions were wiped out, and co-founder Mathias Apeland exited to pursue other ventures. The festival survived and thrived, where so many others have imploded under the weight of costs and changing ticket-buying behaviors. It’s a feast for the eyes and ears, a music holiday with a roadtrip.

An early vision was to present the fest on the peak of the Berge mountain, where the family of co-founder Mageli has a property. That logistical nightmare was tamed, sanity prevailed, and the show is now presented at ground level.

The mountain plays its part. The fest gets underway only after a mass hike to the summit, followed by the “Berge Uphill Race,” contested by folks considerably fitter than the rest of us. And then, a performance, this time featuring a stripped-back set by Konradsen. Mother nature flexing in the background. “The most important thing is community and music,” Mageli remarks at the mic. On the walk down, a dance party pumps away in the forest, and presents an opportunity for hundreds to stretch the legs.

Music festivals need an angle. Money is tight, time is money. The United States’ Burning Man is a rite of passage, and owns its place on the calendar. Australia’s Big Red Bash is held in the desert. Others set up on islands, alps, with a-list lineups. 

With Bergtatt Festival, the journey is intrinsic to the experience.

Roadtrip

From Oslo, the capital, 220 miles to the south, the journey cuts through ranges and includes at least one section by ferry. It’s grand scenery, where mountainous woodland meets glacier water, a wilderness that belongs in Middle Earth.

From Bergen, the country’s second city, a drive passes through the Lærdal Tunnel, at 15.2 miles the longest of its kind on earth. Add to that water paths, and there’s a sense of adventure before the action starts. You know it’s something special when the party-goers take snaps, which they do.

The trip, remarks Frantzen, “it tends to be a great filter.”

Living the dream

For the lineup of performers, which included the U.K.’s Tourist; local singer, songwriter and bandleader Fay Wildhagen; enigmatic soulman Pale Jay; Keisha, a large-lunged Swedish artist who blew open the door on her career by posting songs on TikTok; and pianist, composer and electronic artist Vetle Nærø, who performed in the Dale Church, established around 1220-1250 (a “very special event,” he later says), Bergtatt is an eye-opener.

“It’s a dream here, in such a wonderful location, and an incredible sound system,” remarks Faux Tales, the electronic music producer from Bern, Switzerland, during his day three set in the Bergheim room, a 100-year-old cow barn on any other week. “Enjoy that beautiful festival,” he remarks.

Several of the performers took multiple flights to get here. The members of Konradsen sailed. No one gets to Luster without putting in the work.

Once inside the gates, it’s fresh air. A pop-up tattoo desk offers keepsakes of the festival. Elk burgers are on the menu. To the side of the main stage is a sauna. And yes, the hardy locals swim in the chilly fjord as the bands rock out.

The festival counts a string of sponsors, but doesn’t rely on government handouts.

“It’s one of these things that I’ve always wanted to do, but has never fit the schedule,” Wildhagen tells Billboard. The beloved local artist and her band was meant to stay off the road this year to complete work on a new album. When she received the invite to perform, “I was like, ‘we have to come.’” With her day one headline performance, Wildhagen closed the chapter that is her award-winning 2024 album Let’s Keep It In The Family (via Warner Music Norway). “It’s been a dream to come here for many years.”

What the future holds

The 10-year anniversary of Bergtatt is on the horizon. Before that, there’s another event to plan for. A headliners wishlist has been drawn up. It’s a work in progress. “We set ourselves some goals for the next year,” explains Skulberg, “and then we measure it after that. It’s in our mindset to just look for improvements all the time. We try to focus on the next year, every time. But we want to continue peaking or improving,” for “a much better product and experience.”

After the tents are packed away, and the site cleared, the team reaches out to ticket-buyers for feedback. The inner circle doesn’t tune into the crowd when it comes to the content. That’s all done in-house.

“We can never compete with big festivals on headliners,” notes Skulberg. That said, the top end of town can’t compete with a holiday in paradise.

Expect the next show to be better, maybe bigger.

“We see ourselves as curators of the weekend from when they arrive until they leave,” comments Frantzen. “They’re in our hands for three, four days. And we curate their journey through our artistic vision. It’s not just a lot of concerts and bookings, but a whole program.”

For the founders, their own families are growing. An expansion to the site to accommodate more party-goers, isn’t out of the question.

“We could probably grow it a little bit more this way and that way,” Mageli admits. “I mean, we could always push it a bit more. But again, it comes down to the experience that we want to create. We’re in a very small community. And we’re also conscious about our footprints, the amount of people, and the cars.”

Frantzen has the final word. “We want people to leave here with a feeling of being part of a group, of something bigger. That’s easier when you’re not too many people. Instead of growing in size, we want to be the best boutique festival.”

Providence Equity Partners, the majority owner of THE•TEAM (the agency formerly known as Wasserman), has assumed full ownership of the company, according to an internal company memo obtained by Billboard on Tuesday (July 28).

“We are pleased to confirm that our sale process has concluded with Providence Equity Partners, our existing investor and partner since 2022, investing additional capital into the company,” reads the memo circulated to staff. “This will support a transaction through which THE•TEAM will acquire Casey’s remaining ownership interest.”

THE•TEAM did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s request for comment. News of the Providence sale was first reported by Puck.

Wasserman, whose ties with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell were revealed in the Epstein files earlier this year, announced he would be selling his agency in February after several artists on the company’s roster called for his departure and either said they were leaving or threatened to leave amid the scandal, though the full extent of artist departures remains unclear. In March, the agency rebranded as THE•TEAM, removing Wasserman’s name from the company.

Several bidders were in consideration for THE•TEAM, with sources telling Billboard that potential buyers also included UTA, with backing from private equity firm EQT, Patrick Whitesell‘s WIM and Excel Sports Management with Goldman Sachs.

“The sale process was highly competitive, with strong interest from many parties and multiple bidders at the finish line,” reads the internal memo, which adds that the sale is expected to close within the next 45 to 60 days.

Mike Watts assumed the role of CEO following Wasserman’s departure. Since 2022, Providence Equity Partners has been the strategic investor of the agency, which is composed of Wasserman Music, Wasserman Sports, the Montag Group, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and the Brands & Properties division. THE•TEAM’s touring roster includes Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Tyler, the Creator. The music team was formed following Wasserman’s acquisition of Paradigm’s music holdings in 2021.

Yann Pissenem and Sam Mooney, two key members of the team behind Ibiza mega-clubs Hï, Ushuaïa and [UNVRS], have launched a new creative agency called The Ideation Bureau.

Pissenem and Mooney will take their real-world expertise and apply it to projects, with The Ideation Bureau set to work across brand strategy, identity and design systems, creative direction, campaign development and content production, with a goal of building and operating brands. Pissenem is The Ideation Bureau’s founder and CEO, with Mooney serving as founder and chief creative officer.

The team also includes specialists in strategy, design, production and technology. Every project the agency takes on will be built by a bespoke team brought together to give the expertise each endeavor requires, with the company intending to work with brands on ideas, a press release notes, “with lasting cultural and commercial impact.”

Thus far, work by The Ideation Bureau includes the viral 2024 campaign for the launch of [UNVRS], along with [UNVRS] campaigns with the fashion lines Off-White and Palm Angels.

“We’ve spent years building brands in environments where ideas have to earn their place in the real world,” Pissenem said in a statement. “The Ideation Bureau is about bringing that same discipline and ambition to every project we take on.”

“I’ve always believed the best creative doesn’t end on a screen,” added Mooney. “Throughout our careers, we’ve created work that brought millions of people together to experience something in the real world. The Ideation Bureau is our opportunity to bring that same mindset beyond music and entertainment.”

Ariana Grande is suing unnamed hackers who she claims have repeatedly stolen and leaked unreleased music, photos and video footage, saying they have violated the “sacred relationship that exists between her and her fans.”

In a lawsuit submitted to Los Angeles court Monday (July 27), the pop star’s attorneys say the hackers have targeted her photographers and producers, allowing them to carry out “unlawful and egregious” thefts of her private content. They say 45 of her songs were stolen and leaked in 2023 alone.

“Neither Ms. Grande nor any other public or private figure should have to suffer such violations caused by these wrongdoers who hide in the shadows and wreak technological havoc with impunity,” the star’s lawyers write. “It is imperative to Ms. Grande to ensure on behalf of herself and others that such conduct is deterred to the fullest extent possible.”

The lawsuit does not name any actual defendants; instead, it names anonymous “John Doe” hackers. Grande is aiming to use the lawsuit to unmask them, potentially through court-ordered subpoenas to internet service providers.

“Ms. Grande initiates this action to uncover the identities of these currently unknown and unscrupulous individuals in order to hold them accountable for their invasive and reprehensible conduct,” her lawyers write.

Grande’s lawyers say she has “constantly and recently been the target of cyberattacks,” resulting in theft of her music, photos and video that are “part of her personal and professional creative process and that are not intended for public consumption.” After these thefts, the hackers have then “sold this personal data and content on the dark web for significant sums of money.”

The lawsuit claims Grande has faced “hundreds” of such leaks since 2011, including a 2019 theft of “still-in-production, unreleased masters and demos and footage,” as well as two attacks in 2024 that saw unreleased photos of the star stolen in phishing scams.

“This malicious invasion of Ms. Grande’s privacy and disruption of her career have caused her substantial and irreparable harm due to this breach of privacy,” her lawyers write. “The unauthorized misappropriation and disclosure of these materials is a violation of Ms. Grande’s identity and artistry, and the direct and sacred relationship that exists between her and her fans.”

In technical legal terms, Grande is suing the unnamed hackers for invasion of privacy, violation of California computer hacking laws, and conversion — the civil law equivalent to the crime of theft.