After months of rumors, Katy Perry has sold her music rights to Litmus Music, the Carlyle-backed company announced Monday; multiple sources put the price at $225 million. The deal includes Perry’s stakes in master recordings and publishing rights for the five albums she released between 2008 and 2020: “One of the Boys,” “Teenage Dream”, “Prism,” “Witness” and “Smile.” Universal Music Group continues to own the masters to those albums.

After years as a major superstar during the 2010s, Perry has slowed her career, focusing on residencies in Las Vegas, philanthropy work and raising a family with her partner, actor Orlando Bloom.

Related Stories

Illustration of a digital brain surrounded by film festival awards laurels VIP+

What Film Fund From AI Startup Runway Means for Content’s Future

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 01: Christopher Ciccone poses for a portrait while promoting his new book "Life With My Sister Madonna" on August 1, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Christopher Ciccone, Artist and Brother of Madonna, Dies at 63

Litmus launched in the summer of 2022 and made its first major acquisition the following December, buying Keith Urban’s rights to his master recordings.

Popular on Variety

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.”

Co-founder and CEO Hank Forsyth added, “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.”

“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. 

Read More About:

Jump to Comments

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXN%2FjqasrKGTZLumw9JoopqsqWK9pr7RsmSsnZyhwG6vwK2YpaeXYr%2Bqs8etqmakmam6tr%2BMpqysoZNifnN%2FlHBpb2ppaHw%3D