Music publisher backs Rihanna against Trump
Singer has objected to president playing her music at campaign events
Rihanna is strengthening her resolve against U.S. President Donald Trump and now has the backing of performing rights company Broadcast Music Inc., which has notified the Trump campaign that it should discontinue use of her music at events.
BMI has removed the Barbadian singer’s work from a blanket licence agreement used for campaigns. In this case, the socalled “political entities licence” was an agreement with Donald J. Trump for President Inc., giving the campaign licence to play her work.
The move comes just after RiRi’s lawyer sent the White House a cease-and-desist letter upon learning that Trump played her 2007 hit “Don’t Stop the Music” at a rally in Chattanooga, Tenn., over the weekend.
“BMI has received a communication from Robyn Fenty, professionally known as ‘Rihanna,’ objecting to the Trump Campaign’s use of Rihanna’s musical works,” said BMI’s Nov. 6 letter.
“As such … this letter serves as notice that Rihanna’s musical works are excluded from the ‘political entities’ Agreement, and any performance of Rihanna’s musical works by the Trump Campaign from this date forward is not authorized by BMI.”
The BMI Music Licence for Political Entities or Organizations has been around for about a decade and covers music played at political campaign events wherever they occur.
However, it contains a provision that if a BMI songwriter or publisher objects to the use of her or his song, the publisher may exclude it from the licence.
This isn’t the first time an artist has asked to be removed from the agreement.
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler requested that BMI pull Aerosmith’s “Dream On” from use by the Trump campaign.
Rihanna is one of several artists who have recently asked the president not to play their music, including Pharrell Williams, the Prince estate and Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses.