Niall Horan signs on with WHOOP as brand ambassador and investor.

Long a devoted user of the performance wearable, Horan says WHOOP has “completely changed the way I understand my body, whether I’m on stage, in the studio, or just taking care of myself day to day.” This multi-layered partnership now makes him not just a promoter, but also an owner, signaling deep commitment to health, recovery, and data-led performance.

The partnership will feature exclusive content, marketing campaigns, and fan-oriented activations—all reinforcing WHOOP’s lean into insights around sleep, recovery, and performance. It also places WHOOP firmly within Horan’s lifestyle ecosystem, where wellness is part of the creative circuit, not just a side pursuit.

WHOOP already counts elite athletes such as Sha’Carri

Samara Cyn has signed with Wasserman for representation, joining one of the industry’s most respected agencies while building on her rapid trajectory. She averages over 665,000 monthly Spotify listeners, with her strongest audiences centered in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, London, and Brooklyn.

Her most recent project, the backroads EP, dropped in June via Vanta Records. The release, featuring collaborations with artists like Smino and Sherwyn, blends neo-soul, hip-hop, and indie textures with emotionally candid storytelling. Framed as a lighter, more therapeutic counterpoint to her earlier work, it has helped position her as a distinctive new voice.

Samara’s live presence is also accelerating. She supported Smino on his North American Kountry Kousins Tour, performed alongside Lauryn Hill at Miami’s Jazz in the Gardens Festival, and opened for Nas on the Illmatic 30th anniversary tour in London. She has already collected

Osamason has signed with Wasserman for global representation, because once your third album charts on the Billboard 200 and your festival schedule starts resembling a boarding pass, it’s time to get the touring infrastructure to match.

The South Carolina rapper has quietly built one of the most calculated trajectories out of the underground in recent memory. His breakout singles “Cts-V” and “Troops” started moving numbers online in early 2023, making noise on TikTok, Spotify, and in the group chats that still matter. Since then, he’s dropped three full-lengths in 18 months: Osama Season (July 2023), Flex Musix (December 2023), and Jump Out (January 2025), the last of which became his first Billboard-charting project.

He’s been busy offline, too. Osamason performed at Rolling Loud Miami in 2024, Rolling Loud California earlier this year, and capped his international Wish You Were Here Tour with a finale set at Rolling Loud Thailand—not bad for an artist still straddling the “breakout” label. He’s currently touring across Europe and the UK, where the crowds have caught up to the streaming data.

Speaking of: over 1 million

Flint rap standout Rio Da Yung OG has signed with Audible Treats for public relations representation, adding a specialized PR team to amplify his post-release momentum following a highly watched return to the scene.

Known for his sharp delivery, punchline-heavy bars, and unfiltered realism, Rio has carved out a cult following within the Michigan rap scene and beyond—earning co-signs from peers like Lil Yachty and EST Gee while helping define the sound of Flint’s gritty resurgence.

He currently pulls over 2.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with top markets including Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Charlotte—a fanbase that mirrors his reach beyond regional boundaries.

Rio released his comeback album Rio Free in January via EMPIRE, marking his official return after a two-year prison sentence. The project reasserted his voice in a landscape that had continued echoing his influence in his absence. Just last weekend, he followed it with a new single, “I Go,” featuring fellow Flint artist FBLMANNY.

His past festival appearances include Rolling Loud Miami, Day N Vegas, and Smoker’s Club Fest, where his high-intensity sets have been

Lewis Capaldi has signed on as the newest global brand ambassador for HEYDUDE, joining the casual footwear brand at a high point in his public comeback.

The deal follows his return to the stage at Glastonbury, the release of his new single Survive—which quickly topped charts—and an upcoming sellout tour that’s already reigniting fan fervor. As part of the campaign, HEYDUDE is planning a launch event in Capaldi’s hometown of Glasgow, with international expansion to follow through a series of pop-up activations across Europe.

If rap careers had earnings calls, YG’s latest announcement would open with: “We’re thrilled to report strategic alignment with a new global partner.” That partner? United Talent Agency. The move signals that YG, the Compton mainstay who once made the phrase “Bompton” a part of hip-hop’s vernacular, is looking to turn his multiplatform hustle into a truly international operation.

Fresh off the May release of “Hollywood” (featuring Shoreline Mafia and plenty of laid-back menace), YG’s trajectory isn’t just about Billboard placement anymore—it’s about brand architecture. UTA now reps him across the board, joining a roster that’s increasingly loaded with hip-hop’s hybrid creators: artists who double as CEOs, label heads, fashion moguls, and founders of niche wellness brands.

Yes, wellness. If you missed the deck, YG co-founded Trimm, a recovery-forward health brand, because even rappers need turmeric and cold plunges. He also helms 4Hunnid, a fashion label that walks the line between street-certified and boutique bait, tapping into his West Coast aesthetic while maintaining distribution muscle and cultural cachet.

Performance-wise,

Rosalía has a new gig. No, it’s not a flamenco-electronica fusion project with Björk (though give it time). It’s New Balance. The Spanish genre-blurring pop priestess has officially signed on as the brand’s newest ambassador—and the cinematic lead in a five-part campaign that feels less like a sneaker launch and more like a Netflix pilot.

Her debut centers around the 204L silhouette, a sleek, retro-tinged model that now comes with just the right amount of Iberian cool. The film series follows Rosalía from New Balance HQ to the streets of New York, where she hand-delivers a mysterious package. Spoiler: it’s a painting. Of a logo. For a shoe. And yes, it somehow works.

With this move, Rosalía laces up alongside a stacked New Balance roster that includes Jack Harlow, Action Bronson, Aminé, and Storm Reid—not to mention athletes like Shohei Ohtani, Coco Gauff, Kawhi Leonard, and Cooper Flagg. The brand is building a cinematic universe, and Rosalía just got top billing.

Call it performance art. Call it branded content. Call it another step in New Balance’s