Primary Wave has acquired the recorded-music, music publishing and master recording producer rights to Patrick Leonard's catalog in a "multi-million-dollar deal," the company announced today (April 20).
The deal will encompass Leonard’s share of hits by the likes of Leonard Cohen ("You Want It Darker," "It Seemed The Better Way," "If I Didn’t Have Your Love"), Jewel ("Hands"), and his songwriting royalties for classics by Madonna ("Like A Prayer," "Frozen," "La Isla Bonita"). Leonard’s production and writing credits also include work with Roger Waters, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Cetera, Duncan Sheik, Bon Jovi and more.
"A while back, when I was making multiple albums a year, there was a group of people that I did work for and did work for me that I both depended on and respected," Leonard said in a statement. "It was a bit like an extended family, and really, there’s been nothing like it since. When I met Larry [Mestel] and Adam [Lowenberg] and the formidable team at Primary Wave it was clear that it was all about music and the possibilities. It was almost shocking and immediately reminded me of those years that were so productive for me. Honestly, I couldn’t wait to become a member of their vision."
Leonard worked on five Madonna albums -- including Billboard 200 No. 1s True Blue and Like A Prayer -- between 1986 and 1998, and performed with her as a keyboardist and musical director at Live Aid 1985 and on her The Virgin Tour and Who’s That Girl Tour. He also has worked on a series of film scores and soundtracks, including Madonna’s 2008 documentary I Am Because We Are, as well as Moulin Rouge, Shrek, Legally Blonde and more. He’s also released a solo album, and the Primary Wave deal includes his future works.
Primary Wave, for its part, has been in acquisition mode of late, having picked up all or part of the catalogs of Wilson Phillips, Sun Records, Stevie Nicks, KT Tunstall, Leo Sayer, The Four Seasons and Olivia Newton-John in just the past six months.
"I am extremely excited to welcome Patrick Leonard to Primary Wave as he fits in perfectly with our family of artists," said Primary Wave CMO Lowenberg in a statement. "I’m thrilled to begin developing innovative initiatives to help continue making the public aware of Patrick’s musical genius."
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Lorde returned to Governor’s Ball for the first time in nine years and gave fans a unique take on her collaboration with Charli XCX, ‘Girl, So Confusing’.
The New Zealand singer made her long awaited comeback to the New York festival on Friday (June 5), where she headlined the opening night.
Speaking to the crowd about stepping back onto the Governor’s Ball stage after almost a decade away, Lorde admitted it was “the most nervous I’ve been for a show in a while”. She then treated fans to a string of beloved tracks including ‘Royals’, ‘What Was That’, and ‘Hammer’.
One of the standout highlights of the evening arrived near the end of her 21 song performance when she performed ‘Girl, So Confusing’, the track she later reworked alongside Charli XCX.
The song first appeared on Charli XCX’s hugely successful 2024 album ‘Brat’ without Lorde’s involvement, though it was inspired by her. In the lyrics, Charli reflected on the complicated feelings between the two artists and revealed she had once felt “super jealous” of the New Zealander’s achievements during her early career.
The pair later teamed up for a remix after Charli shared the song’s meaning with Lorde ahead of the release of ‘Brat’. Following that conversation, Lorde proposed creating a collaborative version together.
At Governor’s Ball, Lorde performed the remix adaptation during the closing section of her set and added her own personal touch to the track.
Charli was not present for the performance, leaving Lorde to deliver the song on her own. The moment stood out even more because the track had only appeared sparingly throughout Lorde’s recent ‘Ultrasound’ tour. More footage from the show can be seen below.
In addition to revisiting fan favourites and reimagining ‘Girl, So Confusing’, Lorde also surprised the audience with a preview of brand new material.
Early in the set, she introduced a portion of an unreleased song from the side of the stage. Standing behind a synthesizer setup, she sang: “Don’t look for me now that I’m gone/ Don’t look for me, I’m gone.”
Lorde’s festival appearances this summer follow her recent ‘Ultrasound’ tour, which was launched in support of her newest album, ‘Virgin’.
Released last June, the record earned a four star review from NME, which stated: “‘Virgin’ is a vibrant combination of Lorde’s best qualities, and then some.”
“With her newfound candour, the record combines the emotional whirlwind of ‘Melodrama’, the chilling minimalism of ‘Pure Heroine’ and the breezy freedom of ‘Solar Power’,” it added. “This might be called ‘Virgin’, but Lorde proves she’s not afraid to strip herself bare.”
While ‘Girl, So Confusing’ was not a regular feature during the ‘Ultrasound’ tour, Lorde did perform it at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles last October, where she surprised fans by bringing Charli XCX on stage.
Since releasing ‘Virgin’ and launching the accompanying tour, Lorde has contributed more than $200,000 from merchandise sales to Minnesota immigrant funds. She has also been announced as a headliner for All Points East 2026 in London, where PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson and additional artists are also set to appear.
