North Star Media, a premier, family-owned, music licensing and publishing company based in the Detroit area is currently marking its 20th anniversary with an outstanding roster of top indie artists and a solid list of recent song placements in films, TV shows, advertising campaigns and multi-media projects.
Spearheaded by Jordan Dorfman, President and CEO, and John Sepetys, Senior Vice President of A&R, North Star Media (NSM) has, during the past 20 years, earned a solid reputation nationally and internationally as “the little engine that could” – a unique music agency that, while not based in either New York or Los Angeles, has the ability and expertise to provide music for such top-tier clients as: Adidas, Amazon, Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Converse, Delta, Disney, EA Games, Facebook, Ford, GoPro, HBO, Hilton, MasterClass, Microsoft, NASCAR, Netflix, NFL Network, Nike, Nordstrom, Porsche, Samsung, Showtime, Taco Bell, Tanqueray, Target, Tostitos, Victoria’s Secret, WWE and more.
North Star's Hot Indie Artist Roster Includes:
Chuxx Morris: A multi-genre artist/writer/producer and top-hatted, six-string wizard.
Brittany Pfantz: A Nashville-based alt-pop artist.
Flora Cash: A Swedish-American indie pop duo.
Easy McCoy: A Seattle-born rapper and a hip-hop force of nature.
Little Triggers: A two-piece rock and roll group from Liverpool, England
Janaé E: A contemporary R&B and Rap artist from Atlanta, GA; and
New Candys: A dark, modern rock band from Venice, Italy.
North Star's Recent High-Profile Placements:
- International ad campaign for Maybelline Colossal Mascara – “You Da Boss” by Janaé E.
- Theme song for the “Go-Big Show” on TBS – “Go Big or Go Home” by Chuxx Morris
- Volkswagen campaign in China for the 2021 Teramont Crossover SUV – “Walk Like Giants” by Matt Beilis
- ESPN’s NCAA Women’s College World Series promo – “I Got This Feeling” by Knives At Sea (feat. Brittany Pfantz)
- Nintendo Switch/Pokémon ad – “Animals” by SEAWAVES
Regarding his company’s 20th anniversary, Jordan Dorfman said, “North Star Media is a family-owned and operated business in every sense of the word, with my colleagues, and each of our artists, having become extended members of my own family. It’s truly a joy to work with such amazing people, both personally and professionally. We have a saying around here that teamwork makes the dream work. We live that motto each and every day. While we pride ourselves on offering the personal service and attention of a boutique publisher, we are fortunate to enjoy the solid financial backing of our parent company (North Star Partners). As such, we have the ability to offer the reach, resources and expertise of a much bigger industry player.”
“Given our 20 years of success, I have more confidence than ever in what we’ve been building here,” Dorfman adds. “North Star will continue to expand its roster of publishing and admin clients, grow and strengthen our sync operation, and actively pursue new opportunities to acquire existing music catalogs or make bolt-on acquisitions of other companies. If it makes good business sense for the future success of North Star, then nothing is off the table. And, for the record, never before in my life have I had so much fun working!”
Says John Sepetys, “Our creative mission is twofold – first, we’re here to serve the music supervisors, and we do our best to provide thoughtful, curated playlists featuring tracks that are easy to clear and on point with their needs. Our second goal is to take great care of our artists, understanding that every artist views licensing differently, so we’re always respectful of their parameters. Creatively, we can be as hands-on or as hands-off as an artist wants, but, bottom line, we hustle and grind every day on their behalf. I suppose it’s our ‘Motor City, Blue-Collar Grit’ that comes with the territory. Some might say we are the hungry underdog – the ‘Little Engine That Could.’ Although, after 20 years, we prefer to see ourselves as ‘The Little Engine That Did!’”
What North Star Artists Say:
Brittany Pfantz: Nashville-based alt-pop artist Brittany Pfantz says, “I’ve loved working with North Star! They have believed in me from the beginning when I first started pursuing music as a career. My music has reached places I could have never reached on my own. They are all about forming a relationship with their artists; not just building a huge roster. I’m grateful they found me, and I think we will be working together for many years to come.”
Vinnie Dombroski: A renowned singer and songwriter for the bands Sponge, CRUD and The Orbitsuns, Vinnie Dombroski says, “The team at North Star Media continues to work tirelessly to stay on the cutting edge of music licensing and publishing. They dig for music that’s relevant and, more so, look into the future to see what will be relevant. The formula is simple… they love music and they understand the power of a song.”
Chuxx Morris: Artist / songwriter / producer Chuxx Morris says, “I’ve been working with NSM for two years now. What sets them apart from other agencies is their personal attention to each artist they work with; it’s easy to get lost in the mix with larger companies. In addition to great communication, NSM also has resources and relationships on par with the bigger publishers. Through licensing opportunities and coordinating artist collaborations, NSM has helped me reach new milestones as an artist and producer. Thank you NSM! Cheers to 20 years!"
What North Star Music Clients & Partners Say:
Jill Meyers: Prominent LA-based music supervisor and clearance executive Jill Meyers says, “The team at North Star Media is very pleasant, easy and dependable to work with – and they are always quick on turnarounds. They have solid instincts and understanding when providing music options. I can always count on the NSM artist roster to be indie-strong with lots of fresh, exciting new talent.”
Marc Tanzmann: Head of Music/Music Supervisor with Berlin-based music supervision company Tracks & Fields, says, “It's always a pleasure working with North Star Media. Not only is their catalogue a hit with our clients, but they’re consistently friendly and easy to work with. I look forward to placing their songs for many more years to come."
Lou Plaia: Founder/EVP Industry Relations, ReverbNation, says, “North Star Media has signed dozens of indie artists off the ReverbNation platform during its sponsored artist promotions. Some of these artists have gone on to sign major label deals after North Star had them on their roster for years. When it comes to identifying hot, indie talent, North Star is always ahead of the curve. We continue working closely together to this day.”
Linda Bosidis, Managing Director, Mushroom Music, says, “We wish to congratulate North Star Media on their incredible 20-year milestone! It’s an honour to represent them in Australia and New Zealand for the last 14 years. We value our long-standing history and relationship. We love working with North Star and their high-quality catalogue and distinctive sync gems.”
About JORDAN DORFMAN
Born and raised in the metro Detroit area, Jordan Dorfman was promoted to President & CEO of North Star Media in late 2016. In his current role, Dorfman oversees all of the day-to-day operations, with the head of each department reporting directly to him. He also handles all contract negotiations (e.g., artist signings, synch licenses), drafts legal documents, and oversees acquisitions, capital expenditures and business development.
Upon moving back to metro Detroit, Dorfman joined his family-owned company in 2011 to serve as a Partner and General Counsel within North Star Partners, LLC, a Family Office that holds a wide variety of investment and business interests, including its music publishing company, North Star Media, LLC.
A graduate of both Oakland University, with a degree in Business Management, and the University of Miami School of Law, with a degree in Business and Financial law, Dorfman today remains a member of both the Michigan and Florida Bar Associations.
About JOHN SEPETYS
With over thirty years of music business experience, John Sepetys serves as the Senior Vice President of A&R for North Star Media. Joining the company in 2012, Sepetys oversees the NSM creative team, consults North Star artists through all stages of the creative process, and remains forever on the hunt for fresh, exciting new talent. In addition, he also places music in film, tv and advertising.
Prior to joining North Star, Sepetys headed up the A&R efforts for Banshee Music, a division of GMR Marketing, where he directed song creation and talent selection for NFL “Official Gameday” music. He also coordinated the recording and launch of Pop Evil's "In The Big House" for the University of Michigan, and supervised music curation for such clients as Hershey's, Carolina Panthers, and the LSU Tigers.
From 1994 – 2001, Sepetys played lead guitar for the band Hair Of The Dog. The group was based in Los Angeles and signed to Spitfire Records (Eagle Rock Entertainment). They released two albums worldwide and toured extensively. Following his departure from the band, Sepetys relocated to Nashville, where he spent nine years working in music management and music publishing. During this time period, he worked closely with such artists as Steve Vai, Lit, Eric Church, Eric Sardinas, JT Harding and legendary songwriter/producer Desmond Child.
Sepetys has also served as a contributing columnist for Guitar Edge Magazine and as a mentor to songwriting majors at Belmont University in Nashville, TN.
About PLYMOUTH ROCK RECORDING COMPANY (NSM STUDIO PARTNER)
North Star Media is affiliated with the state-of-the-art Plymouth Rock Recording Company, based in Plymouth, MI. Owned and operated by Chris Breest, who also serves North Star Media as its Senior Director of Repertoire Services, the studio specializes in music recording and production, post audio and voice-over audio editing, sound design, music composition and scoring, mix to picture, long format mixing, video editing, full production, concept-to-creation services, and digital forensics.
About NORTH STAR MEDIA
Founded in 2001 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and owned and operated by the Dorfman Family, North Star Media is a renowned music licensing and publishing company that has secured thousands of music placements in film, tv, advertising, and videogames.
The company’s catalog is home to the hottest indie offerings, some platinum-selling hits, and everything in-between. The company has representatives in Los Angeles (Patricia Blair), New York (Leigh Henrich), Portland (Mallory Zumbach), Detroit, and globally via a network of international sub-publishers.
Over the past 20 years, North Star’s television placements have included: “Grey’s Anatomy,” “House of Cards”, “Shameless,” “America’s Got Talent,” “In The Dark,” “Queen of the South,” “Riverdale,” “Euphoria”, “Cloak and Dagger”, “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”, “Love”, “Sneaky Pete”, “Lucifer”, “Power”, “Mozart In The Jungle”, “Animal Kingdom”, ESPN College Football National Championship, “Monday Night Football”, NFL Network’s “Inside Training Camp,” “NCIS: LA, “Entourage,” “Law & Order,” MTV’s “The Challenge,” “Pretty Little Liars,” E! “Fashion Week”, “Dawson’s Creek” and “Sex in the City”.
Their film placements have included: “Queen of Katwe” (Disney), “Wonder” (Lionsgate), “The Purge: Election Year” (Universal Studios), “Cats & Dogs 3” (Warner Bros.), “Get A Job” (CBS Films), “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount Pictures), “Duplicity” (Universal Pictures), “Walk the Line” (20th Century Fox), and many more.
For more info:
- Website: https://www.northstarmedia.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northstarmedia/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northstarmedia/?hl=en
