Seeker Music has partnered with pop/R&B artist JoJo to acquire her original and 2018 re-recorded versions of JoJo and The High Road. The news arrives the same day as JoJo releases the 20th anniversary deluxe edition of The High Road on streaming platforms via Seeker Music. The new version of the album, first released in 2006, includes a Spanish-language rendition of her hit “Too Little Too Late.”
JoJo is the latest talent to partner with Seeker Music, an independent music company founded by songwriter Evan Bogart and backed by M&G Investments. Since quietly launching in 2020, the company has acquired shares in 19,000 copyrights, including songs written and recorded by Beyoncé, Christopher Cross, Drake, The Go-Gos, Jay Sean, J-Kwon, Joan Jett and Lewis Capaldi. The company states that their holdings are worth over $400 million to date.
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In March, Seeker Music Group announced that it had secured $267 million through an asset backed security to fund future catalog acquisitions. This was Seeker’s first capital raise through a debt offering, and it was arranged by backer M&G and rated by Kroll, Fitch and S&P.
JoJo has been working in the entertainment industry as an actor and singer since childhood, and she marked her arrival as a hitmaker in popular music at just 13 with the release of “Leave (Get Out).” Now, with her partnership with Seeker, much of JoJo’s catalog is united in one place. Seeker will work with the original versions of her self-titled debut album and The High Road, plus her re-recordings of those works.
Seeker, however, has already had pieces of the catalog before this deal with JoJo. The company already holds publishing interests in “Too Little Too Late,” via co-songwriter RuthAnne Cunningham, and “Leave (Get Out),” via Soulshock & Karlin’s catalog from Notting Hill Music. Already the company, which is known for its active approach to marketing older music, has worked to bring the music to new fans. This includes supporting Levi & Mario’s reimagining “2 Little 2 Late” and Alexander Stewart’s “The Way a Heart Breaks,” which interpolates “Too Little Too Late.”
JoJo says of the deal: “Deciding who to trust with such a personal and important part of my catalog wasn’t something I took lightly. So, when discussions started about Seeker acquiring the original recordings of JoJo and The High Road, my interest was piqued. Over time it was heartening to learn more about their ethos and see how involved and passionate Evan is — someone who truly understands artists because he is a creator himself. I appreciate the care they’ve taken in understanding what this music means to me and to my fans. It feels full-circle to have both versions of these albums together with a team committed to finding new ways to amplify it.”
Bogart, CEO of Seeker Music, adds: “JoJo is straight up incredible. She’s one of the greatest voices of her generation, and continues to inspire generations of songwriters, producers and vocalists. Her fans have stood by her for more than 20 years, and you can hear why in every note. I’ve personally been such a fan for so long, and it means the world to all of us at Seeker to be partnering with her. This is just the beginning!”