Date Signed: December 2022
Publisher: Big Yellow Dog Music
Type of Music: Country
Management: Brandon Perdue
Booking: Big Yellow Dog Music
Publicity: Nick Jurich - Shore Fire Media, [email protected]
Web: bigyellowdogmusic.com/jared-conrad
A&R: N/A
When country music songwriter-producer Jared Conrad wrote the song “Kid on Christmas,” he unknowingly willed himself into becoming the song’s titular character.
Late last year, pop powerhouse Pentatonix released their rendition of Conrad’s song as the lead track of their latest Christmas collection, Holidays Around the World. Another top performer in mainstream music, Meghan Trainor, joined them on the track.
About two months later—and just in time for the holiday—heavy-hitting indie music publisher and artist developer Big Yellow Dog Music, based in Nashville, announced it had signed Conrad.
“I moved here when I was 20 and didn’t know anyone in Tennessee,” Conrad says shortly after the signing. “It was intimidating, having to adapt to fit artists’ preferences and styles when I arrived.”
Despite the steep challenges, Conrad’s success honed his myriad skills, which also include producing, tracking and mixing. He firmed his grip climbing the ladder in Nashville, thanks to an eight-year partnership with his manager and A&R rep, Brandon Perdue, at Riser House Entertainment.
“In 2022, we sat down and game-planned a few goals,” Conrad says. “He quickly brought up that my sync writing was awesome.”
None other than Reba McEntire seemed to agree. Conrad wrote the placement of the country legend’s song "I Needed Christmas" for Lifetime's 2021 original movie Christmas in Tune.
Big Yellow Dog Music’s strong sync division was part of the allure for Conrad to strike a deal with the company. “They’re a great match for me because they have a really solid country and pop division, and multiple country and pop artists and writers,” Conrad says.
“If I had taken an offer with a different company, I’d be nervous,” Conrad says. “But not with Big Yellow Dog. I didn’t have any reservations about the signing.”
With many undisclosed projects in the works, only time will tell what bounty Conrad will have by the time Christmas 2023 arrives.
