Swedish entertainment investment company Pophouse has announced an agreement covering a 50 per cent stake in Australian singer-songwriter Sia’s publishing and master recording rights.
The announcement, issued on Thursday, 1 October, sets out a partnership to manage her existing work and develop new creative ventures. Pophouse said the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions.
In its official statement, the company said it would work with Sia on projects across different formats, with the aim of bringing her music to new audiences.
Sia welcomed the partnership, saying she wanted her songs to be looked after while exploring different ways for people to experience them. Pophouse chief executive Jessica Koravos said the company would provide strategic support and creative resources for the singer’s future work. (pophouse.se)
Publishing and recording rights cover different assets
The deal involves two distinct parts of a music catalogue.
Publishing rights relate to the underlying musical composition, including its lyrics. Master recording rights concern a particular recorded performance of that composition.
The US Copyright Office explains that a musical work and a sound recording are separate copyright-protected works, commonly owned and licensed separately.
For example, the song itself and an artist’s recording of it can involve different rights holders. Another performer recording the same song creates a different recording while still using the underlying composition.
Pophouse’s announcement covers interests in both categories. “””Understanding that distinction helps explain why catalogue transactions can include several sources of income and different arrangements for how songs and recordings are used. (copyright.gov)
Purchase price was not disclosed in the announcement.
Pophouse did not publish a purchase price in its statement.
People reported that the agreement was worth $180 million, citing reporting by TMZ and Rolling Stone. That amount should therefore be treated as a media-reported figure rather than a price disclosed by Pophouse.
The publication also cited plans for a digital avatar production featuring Sia’s songs and vocals. Pophouse’s own announcement describes creative initiatives more broadly and does not provide a launch date or a detailed production schedule.
The proposed show and the rights transaction are related developments, but an announced partnership does not establish when a new production will be ready for audiences. (people.com)
An expanding music investment portfolio
Pophouse’s existing artist partnerships include Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, Cyndi Lauper, and KISS.
The company describes its approach as combining investment in music catalogues with the development of entertainment concepts alongside artists and estates.
Its productions include ABBA Voyage in London, for which it was the founding investor, as well as ABBA The Museum, Avicii Experience, and Mamma Mia! The Party.
Those projects show the range of formats through which the company has developed music-related experiences, including concerts, exhibitions, and theatrical dining. They provide context for its interest in building new projects around established catalogues. (pophouse.se)
Other partnerships announced this year
In July, Pophouse announced a partnership with Iron Maiden involving publishing, master recording, and name, image, and likeness rights.
That agreement included plans for interactive experiences and a cinematic project using footage from the band’s ongoing tour.””” The partners also developed the Infinite Dreams Museum Experience, presented at the band’s EddFest event at Knebworth.
The Iron Maiden announcement illustrates how a rights partnership can support projects beyond conventional music releases. Its terms, however, should not be assumed to apply to Sia’s agreement. (pophouse.se)
In March, Pophouse became a majority owner in Tina Turner’s music interests through a transaction with BMG that also covered name, image, and likeness rights.
BMG remained involved alongside Pophouse and the Tina Turner Estate in protecting and developing her legacy. The companies said they would pursue creative ideas intended to connect her work with existing fans and new audiences. (pophouse.se)
Investment backed by Pophouse’s debut fund
The Sia investment is being made through Pophouse Fund I. (pophouse.se)
Pophouse announced the fund’s final close in March 2025, saying it had reached its €1 billion fundraising limit. More than €200 million was raised through separate co-investment vehicles, taking the combined fundraising above €1.2 billion.
The company said that capital would support further purchases of music catalogues and intellectual property, alongside the development of artist partnerships. Pophouse was founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and EQT founder Conni Jonsson.
For Sia, the next publicly visible steps will be completion of the transaction and further details of the creative projects being developed with her new partner. (pophouse.se)
