PRODUCER Walshy Fire, a member of EDM outfit Major Lazer, has signed a publishing agreement with American company Concord Music Publishing.
“I’ve been working in reggae, dancehall, afrobeats, hip hop Latin, and EDM music production for some time, and this journey has led me to this partnership with the Concord publishing team. The partnership will allow me the opportunity to expand the reach of my creative output to even more listeners worldwide by working with a team that supports my vision,” Walshy Fire said.
While performing on some of the world’s biggest stages and co-producing Major Lazer’s albums (Free The Universe, Peace is The Mission, Music is The Weapon), Walshy Fire has also worked with Chronixx and Koffee.
The new deal, effective August 1, covers his collaborations with Koffee (Toast, Throne), Sean Paul, Chronixx, Rudimental, Anne Marie and Mr Eazi, Wizkid, Diplo, Popeye Caution, WurlD, Kranium, Konshens, Mr Vegas, and Major Lazer.
Walshy Fire’s manager, Ron Andre Elvis Telford of Creative Titans Agency, spoke about the deal.
“I’m happy that we were able to get Walshy Fire and Concord Music Publishing together. I’ve known Walshy for years and have witnessed how he has cultivated his craft while gripping Afro/Caribbean/dance culture. This is long overdue and I’m happy that he will join Daft Punk, Mark Ronson and other music trendsetters on the Concord roster,” he said.
Concord Music Publishing represents more than 390,000 copyrights spanning diverse genres.
On June 11, Walshy Fire released his first solo album, ABENG, on the Mad Decent Records. The 11-song set features collaborations between African and Caribbean acts.
The younger brother of former Jamaica and West Indies fast-bowler Courtney Walsh, Walshy Fire (real name Leighton Paul Walsh) is 37 years old and grew up on Molynes Road in Kingston.
He migrated to Florida after passing the Common Entrance Examinations to attend Kingston College. He attended Clark Atlanta University and Florida A&M University, and has done stints with sound systems Changes (Nannyville), Coppershot, and Black Chiney (United States).
In 2012, he joined Major Lazer with Thomas “Diplo” Pentz and Trinidadian Christopher “Jillionaire” Leacock.
Major Lazer enjoyed massive success during the EDM craze that started a decade ago. Their string of hit songs include Pon Di Floor (with Vybz Kartel), Watch Out Fi Dis (with Busy Signal), Lean On (with MO), Cold Water (with Justin Bieber), Powerful (with Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley) and Bubble Butt (with Bruno Mars, Tyga, 2 Chainz and Jamaican dancer Mystic).