TORONTO — Hot off winning two Grammys on Sunday, Canadian singer-songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. has sold the rights for part of his song catalogue to a prominent music investment company.
Hipgnosis Song Management says it has acquired full ownership of the North Vancouver native’s interest in publishing copyrights — including his share of performance rights — for around 40 songs released between 2015 and 2020.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Songs in the acquisition include Jesso Jr.’s share of “When We Were Young” by Adele, “Alive” by Sia and “Slow Hands” by Niall Horan.
The agreement also includes his work on songs performed by Shawn Mendes, Pink, Charlie Pugh and Jesso Jr.’s own 2015 solo album “Goon.”
Not included in deal are songs released after 2020, some of which earned him the inaugural songwriter of the year, non-classical award at Sunday’s Grammys.
Jesso Jr. shared another Grammy win for his work on “Boyfriends,” a song that appeared on Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House,” which took home album of the year.
Hipgnosis Songs Management was founded by Middleton, N.S., native Merck Mercuriadis, and several of the company’s biggest purchases have been with Canadians, including Justin Bieber and Neil Young.
The company has spent the past few years striking major deals with some of the world’s most prominent artists, hoping to capitalize on new revenue streams for music, including use on TikTok and other social media platforms.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2023.
