Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has signed a global partnership with Kidding Aside, an independent electronic music company based in France, as the Paris-based firm launches a dedicated publishing division.
The agreement was announced on Wednesday (September 9). Nicolas Klersy has been appointed Partner of the new company, Kidding Aside Publishing, where he will serve as strategic lead for Publishing A&R (artists and repertoire).
WCM, the publishing arm of Warner Music Group, described Kidding Aside as “one of France’s most influential independent electronic music companies.”
Founded in 2015 by Matthieu Jay, Kidding Aside serves electronic music artists, producers, and writers. Its operations span artist management, music publishing, recorded music, and live events, along with All Night Long, its joint-venture label with Believe.
Roster and publishing focus#
Kidding Aside’s management roster includes:
- Acid Arab
- NTO
- Romain Garcia
- Trinix
- Urumi
Folamour and Nico Moreno appear on the roster of All Night Long.
WCM said Kidding Aside has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by roster signings and what it called “an agile, artist-led approach.”
Under the deal, WCM and Kidding Aside said they will work on international opportunities for songwriters and producers, and on carrying French electronic music into more markets. Neither company disclosed the terms of the agreement, or whether it covers administration or co-publishing.
Klersy was named A&R at Adore Music when Warner Music France launched the dance label in March 2025.
Executive comment#
“After more than a decade of helping to develop some of dance’s biggest stars, we now want to make Kidding Aside Publishing one of the leading publishing houses in Europe,” said Matthieu Jay, Founder and Director of Kidding Aside. “With the arrival of Nicolas Klersy, we can now support a new generation of music makers, foster cross-border collaborations and boost the global profile of our repertoire.”
“Aligning with Warner Chappell, leveraging its powerful global network and high quality teams, will allow us to scale up while preserving Kidding Aside’s agility and identity.”
“Kidding Aside has long been a highly respected and important part of the French music landscape, playing a critical role in the development of the scene over the years,” said Valentin Zucca, Senior A&R at Warner Chappell Music France. “We’re proud to partner with them on the development of their publishing arm, both locally and around the globe.”
Recent dance music deals#
The deal follows other dance music moves by Warner Chappell Music France. French producer and DJ Bob Sinclar signed a global administration and sub-publishing deal with the publisher in May 2025, covering more than 350 works. That catalog includes:
- World Hold On
- Love Generation
- The Beat Goes On
- Repertoire from Africanism
Outside France, WCM has signed a run of publishing deals with independent companies and artist-led ventures over the past year. In October 2025, WCM US Latin and WCM Mexico struck a global publishing deal with Rico o Muerto, the Mexican independent label co-founded by Oscar Maydon and Alexis “Chachito” Fierro. In April 2026, the publisher signed Argentine songwriter Claudia Brant to a global deal, formalizing a relationship that started with Cha Cha Cha Publishing, the venture she set up with WCM in 2024.
All Night Long sits inside a portfolio of partnerships Believe has built with independent operators. They include Tenace Records, formed by Believe UK with Tileyard Music in January 2026, and AZTEC, the New York label unveiled in May 2026.
Kidding Aside now has Believe on recordings through All Night Long and Warner Chappell on publishing.
