Levantine Music has joined the licensing agency IMPEL to help bring Middle Eastern and North African music to Western ears.
Levantine is an independent publisher based in Los Angeles, focused on all types of Arabic music, from classical to hip hop, and all things in-between. Founded by Abed Hathot (pictured above), Levantine represents writers, composers and producers from several countries in the MENA region (Middle East, North Africa), including Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, and many more.
Its roster includes many artists popular in the MENA region, like Tamer Nafar (DAM), Zuhair Francis, Kher Fodi (Wallaat), Deya Eleyyan, Lina Makoul, El Far3i, Mahmood Jrere, Amal Murkus, and Hazy Noir, many of whom are looking to break into other markets.
Now Levantine is partnering with IMPEL, an international licensing agency that represents digital music publishing rights. IMPEL works as a collective, and is 100% owned and controlled by members, which include independent publishers like Beggars Music, Bucks Music Group, Reservoir, Kassner, ABKCO, Truelove, Faver, and several others.
The IMPEL membership represents works recorded by the likes of Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Dua Lipa, David Bowie, Ray Charles, Rihanna, Beyonce, Calvin Harris, and even Elvis Presley.
“IMPEL was the perfect choice,” said Hathot. “We needed a partner that had the relationships and the knowledge to licence our MENA catalogue, and IMPEL was the perfect choice. We are so happy to join the IMPEL family.”
Simon Platz, the chair of IMPEL, said he is equally thrilled to partner with Levantine, which brings a new sound to IMPEL’s roster of artists.
“We are delighted to welcome Levantine into the IMPEL fold,” Platz said. “It’s exciting that the repertoire we represent is becoming increasingly international. Trends in consumption across the streaming services clearly show that people are more and more open to music not in their mother tongue.
“We’re confident that our growing ability to offer such diverse repertoire to DSPs will give us another real edge as a licensor,” he added.
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