POWERHOUSE MUSIC EXECUTIVES KATIE VINTEN & ALICIA PRUITT ORGANIZE STAR-STUDDED SONGWRITING CAMP IN NASHVILLE
A MULTI-DAY EVENT BRINGING TOGETHER 18 SONGWRITERS INCLUDING JUSTIN TRANTER, SARAH BUXTON, BROCK BERRYHILL, KENNEDI, JESSE FRASURE AND MORE FOR COLLABORATIVE WRITING SESSIONS
The songwriting camp writers round at The Listening Room in Nashville, TN
on March 4th, 2020 (Photo credit: Alexa Campbell)
Nashville, TN (March 5th, 2020) – Yesterday, 18 songwriters capped off a multi-day songwriting camp in Nashville, TN that was conceptualized by powerhouse music executives Katie Vinten (Co-founder of Facet and founder of Black Diamond Management) and Alicia Pruitt (Founder of Madfun Entertainment). Vinten & Pruitt, longstanding friends and colleagues from their time together at Warner Chappell, organized the camp to celebrate community among artists. Across the past three days, they united some of music’s biggest songwriters from both Nashville & Los Angeles for collaborative writing sessions at Oceanway Studios. The full list of songwriters that participated in the retreat were:
Aron Wright (Panic! At The Disco)
Audra Mae (Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson)
Boy Matthews (Duke Dumont, ZAYN, Anthony Ramos)
Brandon Colbein (ZAYN, Anthony Ramos, Hayley Kiyoko)
Brock Berryhill (Kane Brown, Brantley Gilbert)
Caroline Pennell (Astrid S, Grace VanderWaal)
Emily Weisband (Sam Hunt, Camila Cabello)
Eren Cannata (Shea Diamond)
Jesse Frasure (Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flatts, Kane Brown)
Jordan Reynolds (Dan & Shay, Camila Cabello)
Josie Dunne (Jacob Sartorius)
Justin Tranter (Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Imagine Dragons)
Kennedi (Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Jonas Brothers)
Nicolle Galyon (Dan & Shay, Keith Urban)
Sam Ellis (Lady A, Ingrid Andress)
Sarah Buxton (Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum)
The Roommates (Selena Gomez, Ant Clemons)
Zach Skelton (Jonas Brothers, Shawn Mendes, Paul McCartney)
Audra Mae (Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson)
Boy Matthews (Duke Dumont, ZAYN, Anthony Ramos)
Brandon Colbein (ZAYN, Anthony Ramos, Hayley Kiyoko)
Brock Berryhill (Kane Brown, Brantley Gilbert)
Caroline Pennell (Astrid S, Grace VanderWaal)
Emily Weisband (Sam Hunt, Camila Cabello)
Eren Cannata (Shea Diamond)
Jesse Frasure (Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flatts, Kane Brown)
Jordan Reynolds (Dan & Shay, Camila Cabello)
Josie Dunne (Jacob Sartorius)
Justin Tranter (Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Imagine Dragons)
Kennedi (Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Jonas Brothers)
Nicolle Galyon (Dan & Shay, Keith Urban)
Sam Ellis (Lady A, Ingrid Andress)
Sarah Buxton (Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum)
The Roommates (Selena Gomez, Ant Clemons)
Zach Skelton (Jonas Brothers, Shawn Mendes, Paul McCartney)
Throughout the week, Sony Records, Warner Records, Universal Music Group Nashville and Big Machine Records each showed their support by sponsoring fun daily events in conjunction with the camp such as a bowling night, a pizza & trivia night and more. The camp officially concluded last night with an intimate “Writers Round” event at the Listening Room in Nashville. All night long, each of the songwriters performed tracks they love, ranging from brand new songs they collaborated on during the week to massive hits they’ve previously written. It was an amazing evening of artists championing one another and a fitting end to a week that celebrated music, creativity and the human connection.
“I am so thrilled to be a part of this amazing songwriting event,” said Vinten. “I can only hope that these writing sessions converge into lessons, that spawn some friendships and dialogue, which evolves into art. There’s no hidden agenda. Just a re-emphasis of enjoying the process with creatives from different walks of life. With one priority, human connection.”
“Katie and I have always worked so well together and this retreat is meant to bring creators and communities together for lasting relationships, just like the friendship she and I have built over the years,” said Pruitt. “We want writers to walk away from this experience as friends and collaborators and be able to simply enjoy sitting in a room and making music together. To me there is nothing better in this industry than connecting people with music and watching them succeed. Both Katie and I would also love to thank Oceanway Studios, BMI, ASCAP, Warner Chappell, Warner Records, Big Machine Records, Sony Records and Universal Records for helping sponsor this camp and making it so special for the songwriters.”
About Alicia Pruitt
Alicia Pruitt started at Warner Chappell in 2005 and left in 2018 as Senior Vice President of A&R with an esteemed 13-year tenure. During her time there, she signed and represented superstar talent such as Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, and Lauren Alaina to name a few. She continues to consult for them today. With an abundance of experience in music publishing, Pruitt most recently endeavored into the world of artist management. In 2018, she launched her own management company in partnership with Red Light Management called Madfun Entertainment, where she currently represents singer-songwriter Josie Dunne (Atlantic Records) and hit-making songwriter-producer Brock Berryhill. Alicia has worked with premiere songwriters and artists across the globe for the last decade and a half and has secured multiple no. 1 hits along the way.
Alicia Pruitt started at Warner Chappell in 2005 and left in 2018 as Senior Vice President of A&R with an esteemed 13-year tenure. During her time there, she signed and represented superstar talent such as Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, and Lauren Alaina to name a few. She continues to consult for them today. With an abundance of experience in music publishing, Pruitt most recently endeavored into the world of artist management. In 2018, she launched her own management company in partnership with Red Light Management called Madfun Entertainment, where she currently represents singer-songwriter Josie Dunne (Atlantic Records) and hit-making songwriter-producer Brock Berryhill. Alicia has worked with premiere songwriters and artists across the globe for the last decade and a half and has secured multiple no. 1 hits along the way.
About Katie Vinten
Katie Vinten leverages a lifelong passion for music, unmatched work ethic, and fearless spirit as the only woman in the industry to simultaneously operate as a manager as well as a record label and publishing company head. As founder of Black Diamond Artist Management and co-founder and partner of Facet House alongside Justin Tranter, she challenges herself and powerhouse roster by consistently taking risks. In doing so, talent under her watch has achieved billions of streams, dozens of Top 40 smashes, numerous awards, and countless platinum certifications. Of her work, Forbesclaimed, “From Justin Bieber to Dua Lipa, this woman delivers pop’s biggest hits,” while Variety, Billboard, and more have featured Katie. Vinten is still an active consultant for both Warner Records and Warner Chappell, where she continues to work with Julia Michaels, K. Flay and Kygo to name a few.
Upon graduating from NYU Tisch School for the Arts, the North Carolina native began her career as a temp at Universal Music Publishing. She went on to hold positions at EMI before joining Warner Chappell as Director of A&R for Pop. By 2017, she worked her way up to SVP and Co-Head of A&R on the heels of major personal signings such as Tranter, Julia Michaels, Hailee Steinfeld, Kygo, Christina Aguilera, Bishop Briggs, Moss Kena, Gino Barletta, K. Flay, and many more.