Jennifer Lopez has signed a new recording and publishing deal with BMG to release her ninth studio album, “This Is Me…Now.“
Lopez announced the project nearly a year ago and said it would be released in 2023, although a release date has yet to be confirmed. It will be the singer’s first full-length effort in nine years and is a nod to her third studio album, “This Is Me… Then.” Similarly, the tracklist includes present-day versions of her songs like “Dear Ben.”
The 13-song set is produced by J.Lo, Rogét Chahayed, Angel Lopez, and Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, and was recorded between 2022 and 2023. Additionally credited songwriter-producers include Tay Keith, Hitboy, Carter Lang, Ink, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk and Yeti Beats. BMG’s Brandon Riester is credited as the album’s A&R.
Thomas Scherer, BMG’s president of repertoire and marketing in both Los Angeles and New York, told Billboard: “We are both excited and proud to partner with Jennifer Lopez on this long-awaited sequel to ‘This is Me… Then.’ Clearly written with love and through experience, ‘This Is Me..Now’ is uplifting and inspiring. ‘Jenny From The Block’ is back at a point in her career when her message is bigger than ever.”
+ Songwriter-producers Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews — both known for penning massive hits for K-pop giants BTS — have partnered and signed Morgan Johnston and Tyler Jordan as a joint venture partnership with Warner Chappell.
Kirk discovered Jordan in Nashville through a close friend and found Johnston at a writer’s round in Nashville. Jordan has gone on to open for Tanya Tucker, and performed at several NRA conventions and CMT fests while participating in writer workshops and rounds with the likes of Laney Wilson, Luke Combs and Drake White.
Johnston moved to Nashville in 2016 from her hometown of Sandwich, Massachusetts. She quickly integrated into the songwriting community and built a strong network of collaborators to hone her craft and later was invited to be a part of ASCAP’s GPS Program, Class of 2020. She’s also opened for Laney Wilson, Dustin Lynch, Sawyer Brown, Madison Beer, and more.
+ Country singer-songwriter Colby T. Helms has signed with New York-based indie Photo Finish Records and simultaneously announced the release of his incoming debut single “Higher Ground,” slated for arrival on Sept. 12.
The Roanoke, Virginia native has an eventful month ahead of him and will be touring around the U.S. through September, with dates at the AmericanaFest Day-Party in Nashville and a stop at the Dave Trible Shendig Festival in Virginia. See his “Tales of Misfortune” trailer here.
+ In concert news, Milwaukee Bucks have hired Kate Dordick as senior vice president of booking for Fiserv Forum. She will book and oversee concerts and all non-NBA ticketed events at the venue and Deer District, and manage all public event sales and booking for the arena.
Dordick joins after four years at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, where she spent was VP of programming. She also worked five seasons as director of arena booking for the Charlotte Hornets and Spectrum Center.
