Swedish superstar DJs Axwell /\ Ingrosso, two thirds of the now defunct Swedish House Mafia have reportedly split from their longtime manager Amy Thomson. It is believed that their next move will be to Avicii's manager Ash Pournouri and his growing At Night Management.
First reported by Billboard earlier today and confirmed by Ingrosso, the move by Axwell /\ Ingrosso to split from Thomson and her ATM Artists, which includes a roster of Alesso and Dirty South, among others, would be a major change for the duo who are exiting a very busy summer festival period and look to release their debut album at some point this year.
"It's a shame that I didn't know the announcement was running today," says Thomson. "At this time I'm not able to comment further, except I wish them the best. My role as manager of Swedish House Mafia and their rights management remains unchanged."
The next move for the two is likely over to Ash Pournouri's At Night Management, which has Avicii, Cazzette, iSHi and now Otto Knows under its guidance. Knows joined last week on a co-management deal with Ingrosso.
Pournouri did not confirm or deny his involvement in Axwell /\ Ingrosso's upcoming plans.
"The guys are close friends of mine, so we just started talking recently," says Pournouri. "But nothing is agreed, and I would help them regardless of who they continue their journey with. I have tremendous respect for what Amy has accomplished with them."
Insiders say while publically the split may seem sudden, behind the scenes cracks have started to appear in the relationship for several months.
Amy Thomson has risen to become one of the industry's biggest stars alongside the two Swedes, notably in her role as manager of Swedish House Mafia. Beyond a six month hiatus starting right before the group's landmark Madison Square Garden show in December 2011, she helped guide mastermind the powerhouse that eventually broke up in March 2013.
What this might mean for the duo's album signed to Def Jam Recordings and potentially Alesso as well who has followed Ingrosso's career path remains to be certain, but the split is big news for some of the largest names in electronic music.
