Writer and Publisher Relations Coordinator

Amy Ortner and Samantha Rhulen land on Variety's Music Legal Elite 2026 list. Published on 27 July 2026 Congratulations to Primary Wave's very own Amy Ortner and Samantha Rhulen for making Variety's Music Legal Elite 2026 list! Primary Wave's proposed $7 billion acquisition of Kobalt was among the year's most closely watched music-business deals, with Ortner helping guide the transaction. Her purview extended to Primary Wave's strategic alliance with Pops Music in Southeast Asia and the acquisition of Gilberto Gil's publishing and music catalogs. Rhulen closed some of the largest deals in Primary Wave's history, including partnerships with Pete Townshend and INXS, while helping lead the company's first acquisitions in regional Mexican music. She also worked on a forthcoming Def Leppard documentary and the restoration of James Brown's South Carolina home as a visitor attraction. They have also helped to develop projects tied to Whitney Houston, Bob Marley and the Doors while advancing the forthcoming "Purple Rain" musical, based on Prince's catalog.

Leslie Ahrens promoted to Managing Director & EVP Creative Latin America at Kobalt. May 5, 2026 Kobalt has promoted Leslie Ahrens to the role of Managing Director and Executive Vice President, Creative, Latin America. In her new dual creative and operational role, Ahrens will report to Jeannette Perez, the publisher's President & Chief Commercial Officer. The appointment, announced on Monday (May 4), follows the exit of Nestor Casonu, who is leaving his position as President, Latin America at Kobalt after 11 years to focus on his personal life. About Ahrens' appointment, Perez said: "Leslie is a powerhouse whose deep-rooted relationships and fierce advocacy for songwriters have been foundational to our success in the region." "This promotion is a natural evolution of her leadership; we have the utmost trust in her ability to marry creative excellence with operational precision. As she takes the helm as Managing Director & EVP, I am confident that Leslie's vision will propel our Latin American business to even greater heights, further solidifying Kobalt's position as the premier home for songwriters around the world." "Leslie is a powerhouse whose deep-rooted relationships and fierce advocacy for songwriters have been foundational to our success in the region." Jeannette Perez, Kobalt Ahrens joined Kobalt's Creative team in Miami in 2014, was promoted to VP, Creative Latin America in 2016, and elevated to SVP, Creative Latin America in 2020. She will continue to manage Kobalt's Latin American roster, which includes Karol G, Ovy On The Drums, Arcángel, Prince Royce, Anuel AA, Natti Natasha, Carlos Vives, Rubén Blades, Enrique Iglesias, Ela Taubert, Justin Quiles, and Los Temerarios. "I've always believed that great writers aren't just found - they're nurtured," said Ahrens. "Some of the most meaningful work I've done has been taking chances on raw, unproven talent and giving them the space, support, and belief they need to grow." "I've always believed that great writers aren't just found - they're nurture." Leslie Ahrens, kobalt Added Ahrens: "We take bets on potential, not just polished résumés, because there's something powerful about spotting that spark early and helping it catch fire. There's nothing more fulfilling than witnessing someone you believed in early in their career fully step into their talent. "We don't just invest in projects, we invest in people. And when they rise, we celebrate knowing we were part of that journey from the very beginning." Casonu originally joined Kobalt in 2013 to advise on the publisher's expansion into Latin America, having previously served as CEO of EMI Latin America. Regarding Nestor, Ahrens commented: "I'm incredibly grateful to Nestor for his leadership, vision, and unwavering support over the years. His guidance has been instrumental in shaping my career and preparing me for this moment." Perez added: "We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to Nestor Casonu for his incredible steerage over the past 11 years. Nestor was the architect of our Latin division, building a world-class team and a formidable roster from the ground up." "He leaves behind a legacy of success that serves as the perfect springboard for this next chapter." "I'm incredibly grateful to Nestor for his leadership, vision, and unwavering support over the years. His guidance has been instrumental in shaping my career and preparing me for this moment." Leslie Ahrens, kobalt Kobalt has also made two further promotions within its Latin division. May-Ling Mediavilla has been promoted to Vice President and General Manager, Latin America, having previously served as Senior Director. Lea Moussa has been elevated to Vice President, Business Development, Latin America, from her previous role as Vice President, Deals & Digital Partnerships, Latin America. All three executives are based in Kobalt's Miami offices. The reshuffle in Kobalt's Latin division arrives during a period of corporate flux at the publisher. In March, Larry Mestel's Primary Wave Music announced a definitive agreement to acquire Kobalt from Francisco Partners in a deal covering its global operations, owned copyrights and digital collection arm, AMRA. The transaction, which includes backing from financial giant Brookfield, is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to customary conditions. More recently, Kobalt struck a licensing deal with Udio, following agreements with Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Merlin, while continuing to expand partnerships with Sync Music Global and Geo Music Group. Music Business Worldwide

After Universal, Warner, and Merlin deals, now Udio inks licensing agreement with Kobalt. April 9, 2026 Udio has signed a licensing agreement with Kobalt, adding the independent music publisher to a growing roster of industry partners - as the AI platform continues its transformation from copyright defendant to licensed service provider. The deal, announced on Thursday (April 9), will see Udio's forthcoming subscription platform trained on authorized and licensed music from Kobalt's catalog, establishing what the companies describe as "an important pathway for new revenue streams for Kobalt artists and songwriters." Udio's reimagined service - expected to launch later this year - will offer users the ability to make remixes, covers, and new songs using the voices of artists and compositions of songwriters who 'opt in', with participating creators credited and paid. That settlement signaled a dramatic pivot for a platform that had, just months earlier, been defending its training practices under a 'fair use' argument in federal court. The UMG settlement was followed by a similar agreement with Warner Music Group in November 2025, and a licensing deal with Merlin, the digital licensing partner for independent labels and distributors, in January 2026. Sony Music Group remains the only major music company yet to reach a licensing agreement with Udio. Its portion of the RIAA-led litigation against the platform, filed in mid-2024 for alleged mass copyright infringement, remains ongoing. "Our clients and songwriters rely on us to both protect them and to create new opportunities for their works in an ever-changing technology landscape," said Laurent Hubert, CEO of Kobalt, today. "We look forward to working closely with Udio to develop these new possibilities and are excited for what this deal could mean for the thousands of songwriters, artists, producers and publishers we work with everyday." Andrew Sanchez, Co-Founder and CEO of Udio, said: "We're excited to partner with Kobalt and welcome its exceptional community of songwriters, artists, and creatives to Udio. "Our focus is on expanding creative possibilities through AI, while ensuring artists' rights are respected and fairly compensated every step of the way. Together with Kobalt, we're unlocking new potential for both artists and Udio users." Ahead of its launch, Udio says it will roll out "expanded protections and other measures designed to safeguard the rights of artists and songwriters." Udio's path back from the courtroom. Udio's licensing spree contrasts sharply with the trajectory of its rival, Suno, which has taken a markedly different approach to industry relations since the two AI platforms were jointly sued by the RIAA on behalf of all three majors in mid-2024. While Udio has embraced the 'walled garden' model championed by Universal Music Group - in which AI-generated music cannot be downloaded or distributed beyond the platform - Suno has resisted that framework. A public dispute erupted in February between Suno and UMG over the issue, with UMG's EVP and Chief Digital Officer Michael Nash indicating that the 'walled garden' principle was a key factor in why Universal had not reached a settlement with Suno. Warner Music Group struck a deal with Suno in November 2025, but on notably different terms: Suno retained the ability for users to download songs, and pledged to launch "new, more advanced and licensed models" based on WMG's content in 2026. As MBW founder Tim Ingham noted in a recent column, 114 days after that WMG announcement, such a licensed model is yet to materialize. Days after that column was published, Suno launched V5.5 on Friday (March 27) - an update introducing voice capture and personalization features, but one presumably still built on the same unlicensed foundation, WMG-licensed content aside. Kobalt's AI licensing footprint. The Udio partnership marks Kobalt's second significant licensing agreement with an AI music platform. In August 2025, the publisher struck a deal with ElevenLabs for its Eleven Music platform. Eleven Music also struck a deal with indie recorded music org Merlin. In March 2026, Primary Wave Music announced a definitive agreement to acquire Kobalt from Francisco Partners, in a deal expected to close in Q3 2026. Kobalt says it serves over 1 million songs across 10 offices and represents, on average, over 35% of the top 100 songs and albums in the US and the UK. Its songwriter and publisher clients include Max Martin, Karol G, Stevie Nicks, Phoebe Bridgers, The Foo Fighters, and Paul McCartney, among others. Udio was co-founded by former researchers at Google DeepMind and launched publicly in April 2024 with backing from investors including a16z, Redpoint, will.i.am, and Steve Stoute.Music Business Worldwide