TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025: Vermillio
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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Music Industry Moves: WME's Kirk Sommer Named Musexpo's International Music Person of the Year
Musexpo has announced Kirk Sommer, WME's senior partner and global co-head of music, as their International Music Person of the Year for 2025. Sommer will be recognized for his years-long efforts in aiding the careers of Amy Winehouse, Adele, Andrea Bocelli, Artic Monkeys, Benson Boone, Billie Eilish, the Killers and many more at a VIP Awards Gala Luncheon on March 24, 2026 in Burbank, Calif. More from Variety Music Industry Moves: Suki Waterhouse Inks With Island Records Max Eisenbud Named Head of Client Representation for WME Sports Music Industry Moves: HarbourView Acquires Stake in Kelly Clarkson's Music Catalog As part of a weeklong series of industry gatherings including the global synch and brands summit, the A&R summit, and other marquee events, Musexpo will bring together key decision-makers and innovators from around the world to examine the future of music, media and technology. Prior to the luncheon, Musexpo will host a keynote conversation with Sommer, offering a rare, in-depth look into his professional journey — from starting in the WME mailroom in 2000 to becoming an industry leader in global music Bisla, president and founder of A&R Worldwide and Musexpo, stated, 'Kirk M. Sommer has not only shaped the careers of some of the world's greatest musical voices but has also helped redefine what it means to be a leader in today's ever-evolving music industry. His deep respect for artists, his commitment to mentorship, as well as his strong global perspective and vision make him an exceptional choice for this honor. It's our privilege to recognize his outstanding contributions to the worldwide music ecosystem.' + Lo Ting-Fai, known as Lofai, has been appointed president of Warner Music APAC, at Warner Music Group. Effective Aug. 11, he will be based in Hong Kong, reporting to Robert Kyncl, CEO of WMG. All of the company's recorded music territory heads across the Asia-Pacific region will report to Lofai. Lofai joins WMG from telecoms giant PCCW, where he most recently served as CEO of its subsidiary MakerVille, a leading entertainment company which focuses on content creation, artist management, and live events, and COO of Viu, its regional OTT streaming platform. He has also written hit songs under the pseudonym 'Yu Ri.' Lofai said: 'I'm excited to be taking up this incredible role. WMG has been rewriting the rules when it comes to how a music company works in our changing industry, and it has massive ambitions for growth in the APAC region. I look forward to collaborating with Robert and WMG's teams around the world as we help more Asian artists hit the global stage, strengthen our incredible catalog, and find fresh, innovative ways to build passionate, loyal fanbases.' Kyncl adds: 'Lofai will oversee many of our highest priority markets both today and in the future, with culturally diverse music scenes, filled with next generation talent and iconic copyrights. He brings his creative flair, business acumen, and connections throughout the digital economy to this super important role. Together, we're committed to finding and developing artists with massive creative and commercial impact, evolving our suite of services, and growing our market share across the region.' + Red Bull Records has signed country artist and award-winning songwriter Pynk Beard (Sebastian Kole) alongside the release of his new single, 'Sip,' the third offering from his debut EP, 'Red Dirt Diaries,' coming this fall. On the signing, Greg Hammer, managing director of Red Bull Records states: 'Pynk Beard effortlessly blends his traditional Southern roots with culturally resonant lyrics, creating a sound that is truly original. To watch him build a loyal following before releasing any music officially has been incredibly impressive and speaks to how special he is. We're thrilled to welcome him to Red Bull Records and we're confident he has a bright future ahead of him that we're proud to champion.' 'I'm so grateful to be a part of the Red Bull Records family!' Pynk Beard added. 'They have been nothing short of amazing in supporting me in the release of my first two singles 'I Lived' and 'Mine Lord Willing', and their genuine interest and care for me as an artist has shown in every action. The future here is bright and Pynk.' + Los Angeles-based lifestyle and fitness apparel brand YoungLA has tapped artist Lil Baby to star in the brand's latest campaign drop launching online Aug. 13. 'YoungLA x Lil Baby' merges streetwear with Lil Baby's signature style and influence, and includes standout denim outerwear and bottoms, graphic tees, and a statement leather jacket featuring the Batman emblem. + Adidas has announced multi-platinum international DJ-producer Uncle Waffles as the latest global talent to join 'Superstar: The Original' a campaign celebrating the sneaker's long-lasting influence in sports, culture and beyond. The partnership with Uncle Waffles is adidas' newest installment of its global campaign starring a multi-generational cast of original voices, including Samuel L. Jackson, who narrates the campaign, as well as Missy Elliott, Jennie, Anthony Edwards, Mark Gonzales, GloRilla, Teezo Touchdown and Gabbriette. + 5020 Records, a division of Sony Music, has signed singer-songwriter Carla Morrison to its roster. A three-time Latin Grammy winner and two-time Grammy nominee, Morrison is widely recognized for her blend of indie pop and alternative styles. Originally from Tecate, Baja California, Morrison shared news of her signing with 5020 Records via her official social media channels, posting a welcome letter from the label thanking her for entrusting them with her music. Launched in 2022, 5020 Records is a Sony Music imprint that represents a dynamic lineup of talent, including Residente, Beele, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso, Christina Aguilera, Kany García, Nathy Peluso, Kenia OS, and Tini. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025
Cosmopolitan
3 days ago
- Cosmopolitan
'Together' Lawsuit and Controversy Explained
This year at Sundance, Dave Franco and Alison Brie premiered Together, a surreal horror-rom-com about a couple so codependent they literally fuse into one body. Directed by Franco and Michael Shanks, the film was billed as Cronenberg by way of couples therapy. But in the run-up to the movie's theatrical release, a lawsuit was filed for copyright infringement, alleging the idea for the movie was stolen. According to a lawsuit filed in California federal court this spring, a production company called StudioFest LLC alleges that Together is an idea stolen from Better Half, a 2023 microbudget indie the company created that has a similar premise. The filmmakers are suing Franco, Brie, Shanks, their agency WME, and the film's distributor for copyright infringement, claiming that the film 'stole virtually every unique aspect of Better Half's copyrightable expression.' Beyond the core concept of physically conjoined lovers, there's plot, themes, characters, sequence of events, setting, mood/place, and dialogue in common. One example is a Spiceworld LP that characters pull out in the final scenes of both movies. Jess Jacklin and Charles Beale, the producers of Better Half, allegedly pitched the script to Franco and Brie via their agents at WME in 2020. According to the lawsuit, they passed. And a few years later, Together arrives at Sundance with a beat-for-beat blueprint: two codependents stuck together, unraveling in real time, shot in the same minimalist style, obsessed with the same themes, and making the same references to Plato's Symposium. Franco and Brie have remained characteristically tight-lipped in the press, but they, along with Neon (the film's distributor), WME (their agency), and Shanks have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The motion states that the copyright infringement claim fails because there is no "substantial similarity of protected expression" between Better Half and Together. And the similarities are general enough that they are not protected by copyright (like, a broad premise or theme based on Greek Mythology, for example). Shanks has also published a rebuttal in which he insists the film was conceived as early as 2019 and inspired by his own breakup. He even has Writers Guild registration receipts to back it up. According to Shanks, the lawsuit is a misguided attempt to claim ownership over a universal metaphor–romantic codependency taken to its most absurd, literal conclusion. The movies are similar. More than that, there are power dynamics at play. Better Half comes from StudioFest, a small indie production company with limited resources. Dave Franco and Alison Brie are a Hollywood couple with a fanbase and an awards-friendly distributor behind them. Whether or not Together was inspired by Better Half, the optics aren't great: the scrappy upstarts say they brought a story to the gatekeepers, only to watch it reappear a few years later in glossier packaging. Together is out in theaters now, and the jury is still out. We've yet to hear the legal conclusion, but the dilemma is a timely one–an ethical referendum in a creative space where indie ideas often serve as mood boards for bigger studio projects.
Entrepreneur
3 days ago
- Entrepreneur
Vertical AI: The Rise of Industry-Specific Intelligence
Rather than the traditional view of India as a consumer of global AI solutions, there is a growing opportunity today to take the lead in creating AI that is Indian-centric for Indian issues, says Ankur Mittal, Co-Founder, IPV Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Artificial Intelligence is advancing at a very rapid pace, and among the most exciting frontiers is the arrival of Vertical AI industry ~ vertical intelligence for areas like healthcare, law, agriculture, manufacturing, and finance. As compared to generic AI, which attempts to address a broad spectrum of issues with general knowledge, Vertical AI is developed on deep, industry-level data sets, thereby much more precise, effective, and relevant in real-life application. Generic AI usually cannot comprehend the contextual depth that regulated or complex industries demand. From understanding precedents of law to decoding medical diagnostics or agri-climatic patterns, generic models fail. Vertical AI is engineered to cut through such complexities. For example, legal AI such as Harvey, supported by OpenAI automates legal research by incorporating jurisdictional knowledge. In the healthcare sector, Tempus and PathAI apply medical history and pathology information to enhance diagnosis and treatment. In agriculture, platforms such as PEAT's Plantix utilize AI to assist farmers with diagnosing plant diseases from smartphone images. And in India, the promise is even greater. With its linguistic variety, regional uniqueness, the need for curated healthcare and agri challenges, the nation requires very localized AI interventions. Vertical AI is already having an impact, from aiding physicians in quicker and more precise diagnosis to assisting farmers in improving crop quality and yield. By solving India-specific issues with focused, data-driven insights, Vertical AI is opening doors to influencing at scale across both rural and urban domains. These commercial applications span across industries, from processing insurance claims and streamlining logistics, to predicting disease outbreaks and improving factory safety. The market for AI is open everywhere from multinational companies and hospitals to neighborhood farmers and government departments. And as more industries get digitized, new use cases for vertical AI will keep oncoming. Rather than the traditional view of India as a consumer of global AI solutions, there is a growing opportunity today to take the lead in creating AI that is Indian-centric for Indian issues. With both - the amount of human capital and a maturing startup ecosystem, India is ready to create and export Vertical AI solutions globally. While dangers such as bias and overfitting exist, the benefits far outweigh the challenge. The future of AI is not so much horizontal and general—it is vertical, specific, and widely embedded in industry processes. Vertical AI is not just a smarter approach but a certain evolution—and India can be at its leading edge.
