News Release

Litmus Music Enters A Creative Partnership With Katy Perry

Includes Five Albums Released Between 2008-2020: One of the Boys, Teenage Dream, PRISM, Witness, and Smile 

Los Angeles, CA – September 18, 2023 - Litmus Music (“Litmus”), a music rights business backed by Carlyle’s (NASDAQ: CG) Global Credit Platform, is proud to announce they have entered into a creative partnership with Katy Perry. The deal covers all five of Perry’s studio albums released for Capitol Records between 2008 and 2020, which include 16 multi-platinum singles.

The Litmus / Katy Perry relationship furthers Litmus’ mission of developing a collaborative, artist-focused approach. Having operated at the highest levels of the music industry, Litmus’ founding members have collectively fostered deep connections to record labels, distributors, artist managers and the artists themselves, with a mission to create value for artists and investors through the thoughtful management of music.

The partnership has its roots in Litmus Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Dan McCarroll’s longstanding working relationship with Perry, which began in 2010 when he was named President of Capitol Records.

McCarroll said, “Katy Perry is a creative visionary who has made a major impact across music, TV, film, and philanthropy. I’m so honored to be partnering with her again and to help Litmus manage her incredible repertoire.”

“Katy’s songs are an essential part of the global cultural fabric. We are so grateful to be working together again with such a trusted partner whose integrity shines in everything that she does,” said Hank Forsyth, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Litmus Music.

“We believe this is a testament to the team’s ability to partner with the world’s top artists. Katy’s iconic songs have not only achieved outstanding commercial success but have significantly influenced popular culture,” said Matt Settle, Managing Director at Carlyle. 

Carlyle Global Credit has invested capital for this partnership from its Credit Opportunities strategy, and has deployed more than $3 billion in and around the sports, media, and entertainment space since 2018. Carlyle Global Credit brings to the table the ability to structure bespoke financial solutions for partners and artists. 

About Litmus Music
Litmus Music is focused on managing music rights, including both music publishing and recorded music, across multiple genres, geographies and vintages. With offices in Los Angeles and New York, Litmus was founded in 2022 by Hank Forsyth and Dan McCarroll, along with Carlyle’s Global Credit platform.

Media Contacts
Grandstand Media: Kate Jackson, katej@grandstandhq.com
Carlyle: Kristen Greco Ashton, kristen.ashton@carlyle.com