BMG and Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Announce New Strategic Partnership

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group (Cirque du Soleil) and BMG have announced a new strategic partnership to manage Cirque du Soleil’s critically-acclaimed music catalog and explore a range of music-oriented collaborative initiatives. Under the agreement, BMG will now serve as the record label home for Cirque du Soleil’s catalog of original scores, soundtracks, and new album releases, as well as the music publishing home administering its compositions and jointly creating new songs and releases.

The first release under the new collaboration is the soundtrack to SONGBLAZERS, Cirque du Soleil’s new one-of-a-kind theatrical production celebrating country music and paying homage to its legendary and modern-day trailblazers. 

Recorded at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, Tenn. and helmed by Music City native and Grammy Award-winning producer Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves, Tenille Townes), the album features the cast of the show along with a host of country music’s finest players.

This new partnership will be led by Cirque du Soleil STUDIO, Cirque du Soleil’s new music division, which was created to serve the company’s existing fanbase and attract new fans to the brand. Over the years Cirque du Soleil has released the music of its shows to an appreciative audience across various physical and digital forms. The impressive existing music catalog now has more than 250 million career streams in the US and over 500,000 album equivalents sold in the US alone.

Upcoming projects include new Cirque du Soleil soundtracks and releases with artists and songwriters inspired by Cirque du Soleil celebrating cultural moments across the world.

Anne Belliveau, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, said, “The power of music has long been a force uniting cultures and peoples in Cirque du Soleil productions around the world. As music plays an integral part in our productions, we’re proud to finally dive into the music industry and explore this new avenue. Over the last few years, BMG has brought a fresh vision to the music business, and we look forward to partnering with BMG on a variety of music-related opportunities.”

Marian Wolf, SVP Music Publishing North America, said, “Cirque du Soleil is one of the most innovative and creative entertainment companies in the world. We are thrilled to be the new publishing and recorded music home for Cirque du Soleil and to collaborate on upcoming new releases. This will provide unparalleled opportunities for BMG’s diverse roster of artists, songwriters, and catalogs. Together we aim to celebrate and elevate global culture by showcasing diverse music releases and transforming the way global audiences discover new music.”

About Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is a world leader in live entertainment. Building on four decades of pushing the boundaries of the imagination, the artistic entertainment company brings its creative approach to a large variety of artistic forms such as live shows, multimedia productions, long-from content, music, immersive experiences, and special events. Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group celebrates 40 years of defying reality, defining entertainment, and illuminating the world through art and creativity. Since its creation in 1984, more than 400 million people have been inspired on 6 continents and 86 countries. The Canadian company now employs more than 4000 employees, including 1200 artists from more than 80 different nationalities. For more information about Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, please visit cirquedusoleil.com.

About BMG
BMG is an integrated music publishing and recordings business and the world’s fourth-largest international music company. BMG’s distinctive pitch is a relentless focus on global service to its artist and songwriter clients, combining creative insight and support with the best in technology and analytics. BMG’s 20 offices across 13 core music markets represent over three million songs and recordings, including many of the most renowned and successful catalogs in popular music history. BMG is owned by international media, services and education company Bertelsmann, whose other content businesses include the entertainment company RTL Group and the trade book publisher Penguin Random House. With its integrated technology platform, artist-friendly culture, and commitment to help artists maximize their income, BMG aims to be the best company in music to do business with.www.bmg.com