The estate of Whitney E. Houston, in tandem with Primary Wave Music and Park Avenue Artists, has plans to return the late singer to the stage. Notably, the estate has equipped AI stem separation technology via music creation platform Moises to extract Houston’s vocals from original recordings, enabling live orchestral performances across a seven-city tour.
The concert transports fans into Houston’s musical world, as live orchestras perform alongside Houston’s vocals and rare footage. To bring this unique performance to life, the estate of Whitney E. Houston and its creative partner, Park Avenue Artists, isolated individual instruments and vocals from her recordings, producing near-studio quality audio that enabled the creative team to fulfill their vision while honoring her legacy. The seven-city tour will also feature full symphony orchestras.
“This project demanded exceptionally high-caliber stem separation, something Moises leads the industry in achieving,” said Moises CEO Geraldo Ramos. “We had to isolate Whitney’s vocals from fully mixed recordings without compromising the emotional power of her performance. A concert like this simply wouldn’t have been possible five years ago, before stem separation technology reached the precision and fidelity we’re now able to deliver.”
“We knew this had to be done right,” said Pat Houston, executor of the estate. “Moises and our partner Park Avenue Artists elevated the idea with the heart, care, and creative excellence that Whitney always embodied. The result is something truly special: a gift for longtime fans and a powerful introduction for a new generation discovering her voice.”
“This project demonstrates how legacy artists and their estates can create meaningful experiences for music lovers through the thoughtful use of AI technology,” added Ross Michaels, co-president of Park Avenue Artists. “The Voice of Whitney is the first of several planned collaborations that will use AI to illuminate new dimensions of an artist’s work. It’s a powerful example of how AI can honor artists’ legacies while enriching the audience experience in beautiful and respectful ways.”
TOUR ROUTING
September 20 – 21: Cincinnati Pops (Cincinnati Music Hall)
October 11: Wilmington, NC (Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College)
October 25: Thousand Oaks, CA (Bank of America Performing Arts Center)
November 08: Carmel, IN (The Palladium at Allied Solutions Center)
November 15: Waukegan, IL (The Genesee Theatre)
November 21: Palm Desert, CA (McCallum Theatre)
November 22: Mesa, AZ (Mesa Arts Center)
+ NPR announced today that Sonali Mehta has been named executive director of NPR Music. She will start Sept. 22, and will be based in New York.
Mehta is a music industry professional with extensive experience in the areas of artist partnership, content strategy, and business development. She will be responsible for developing and implementing the overall strategy for NPR Music.
“I’m thrilled to join the incomparable NPR Music team,” said Mehta. “NPR’s music properties, and the people behind them, serve as a masterclass in moving culture and breaking artists. As a fan of platforms like Tiny Desk, I am so excited to be in the room where it happens. As a person working in the music industry, I feel lucky to have the opportunity to support the programs that have catapulted the careers of so many deserving artists. And as a new hire at NPR, I am eager to learn from such a dedicated, innovative, and passionate team. I very much look forward to supporting the growth of these beloved, culture-defining franchises.”
Mehta began her career at YouTube, where during her tenure she worked with over 800 artists to support their music releases and grow their audiences on that influential platform. She later joined Arista Records on their digital marketing team and executed over 50 global campaigns to promote artist discovery and music consumption. Most recently, she has served as the chief of staff at ADA, part of Warner Music Group.
+ Former TikTok music lead William Gruger has joined Duetti as DSP and partner marketing lead.
Gruger brings a deep track record of shaping the way audiences discover music across platforms. Most recently, he worked on TikTok’s global music programs team, where he built strategies to amplify music trends and campaigns across ByteDance’s ecosystem.
His previous roles also include director of programming at Tidal, music content strategist at Twitter/Vine, and associate director of charts (social and streaming) at Billboard.
At Duetti, Gruger will spearhead DSP and partner marketing initiatives, working closely with platforms and partners to maximize artist visibility and catalog success.
+ Concord Music Publishing has signed acclaimed singer and songwriter Amy Wadge to a worldwide publishing deal. The agreement, effective immediately, covers Wadge’s newly released cuts and future compositions including new singles from FKA Twigs, Jonas Brothers, Noah Cyrus, Halestorm, and more.
Wadge has worked across 16 Grammy-nominated projects to date and won song of the year at the 2016 Grammy Awards for co-writing on the Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.”
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be signing to Concord,” said Wadge. “As soon as I met the team, I knew it was going to be the right home for me as a songwriter. It’s wonderful to know that I am being so well looked after in multiple territories with people that are passionate about what they do, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”
Her creative contributions now extend beyond the world of recorded music. Wadge is currently developing three original musical theatre projects, marking her entry into the world of Broadway and stage. She also collaborated with British cultural icon Twiggy on an original song for her documentary film, which premiered this Spring, and has songs in the works for major Film & TV projects—showcasing her growing influence in film and visual storytelling.
In addition to her songwriting for others, Wadge is a celebrated artist in her own right, with five solo albums and several EPs to her name. She is currently reinvigorating her artist project, preparing to release new music and return to live touring, with performances scheduled across the UK and internationally.
Kim Frankiewicz, EVP Worldwide A&R at Concord Music Publishing comments, “Amy is a formidable writer, and we are absolutely thrilled to welcome her to the Concord family. Her passion for songwriting is truly infectious, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with her on this next chapter of her career.”
Anna Carpenter, Senior Director A&R at Concord Music Publishing:
“Amy is one of the most creative, driven & energetic writers I’ve ever worked with. Her talent speaks for itself and I’m very proud to be on her team for this next chapter of her career”
In addition to her Grammy Award win, Wadge has twice been awarded ‘Best Female Artist’ at the Welsh Music Awards and the ASCAP ‘Songwriter of the Year’ Award in 2016.