Swedish House Mafia Return: New Management, Stadiums, Vegas Unlikely
By Shirley Halperin
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Swedish House Mafia has enlisted veteran music manager Ron Lafitte to shepherd what is shaping up to be a major comeback in 2019. Lafitte, whose Patriot Management roster includes Pharrell Williams, Ryan Tedder and OneRepublic, Soundgarden and Backstreet Boys, recently began representing the trio in an official capacity.
The group — comprised of Steve Angello, Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso — had been on hiatus since March 2013, after wrapped what was then billed as a farewell tour. The three would not perform together again until March of 2018 when they reunited at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, the site of the last stop on “The Last Tour” tour five years earlier.
When decided in 2012 to take a break, the group had well-established its place among dance music’s most successful acts. Their EDM hit “Don’t You Worry Child,” released that year, would be SHM’s biggest hit in the U.S., reaching the Top 10. As a live act, SHM bookings ran the gamut from festival appearances to multi-night arena runs on their final tour, but their return looks to be drawing significantly larger crowds. At least where their hometown of Stockholm, Sweden is concerned, three sold out stadium shows await at the Tele2 Arena (capacity: 45,000) May 2, 3 and 4.
Meanwhile, rumors about a possible long-term engagement in Las Vegas have also persisted in the wake of Ingrosso’s announcement on Jan. 8 that he would be claiming a residency of his own at The Wynn, home to XS Las Vegas nightclub, but an insider says it’s not likely. “Don’t expect a Las Vegas residency for Swedish House Mafia.” Another source suggests that paydays in Vegas, where the likes of Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki and Tiesto have multi-year deals, are “not what they used to be.”
Following solo releases from each SHM member, new music as a group is also expected, though SHM is currently unsigned (previous releases were issued through Astralwerks and Universal Music Group). The trio reportedly told Rave Culture Radio that they have “lots of new music coming.” And, according to Hits , label bosses and music executives of various stripes have been flocking to Stockholm to woo the act.
Lafitte started his music business career in the metal genre, working with Metallica and Megadeth, and later would join management concerns Red Light, Front Line and Maverick. In 2016, he formed Patriot Management which boasts more than a dozen acts as well as the estate of Chris Cornell.
