The rights to Tina Turner‘s name, image, and likeness now belong to Pophouse Entertainment, according to The Associated Press. The company, which ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus co-founded, also acquired a majority stake in the rights to Turner’s music catalog from BMG. Terms of the acquisition have not been revealed.
Jessica Koravos, Pophouse’s CEO, told the AP that it was interested in Turner, who died in 2023, “because she has such an incredible visual presence and such an incredible stage energy.” The company, known for digital avatars and immersive experiences, is exploring “projects that can portray that and try to re-create that to some degree,” Koravos said.
Ultimately, Koravos said, Pophouse wants to “consolidate [Turner’s] legacy.” She did not say whether or not the company was making a Turner avatar, but did tease an announcement of its plans to arrive some time in the next six months.
Turner’s estate was “informed and participating in the conversations,” the executive said, but not considered a “counterparty” in the transaction.
“[BMG’s] responsibility, alongside Pophouse and the estate, is to ensure her work continues to resonate with audiences around the world, while remaining true to the strength, independence, and originality that defined her career,” Alistair Norbury, president of BMG U.K., Continental Europe and APAC, said in a statement. The company has retained an undisclosed percentage of Turner’s catalog.
Pophouse, which helped create the ABBA Voyage show in 2021, acquired Kiss’ catalog, brand name, and IP for a deal worth more than $300 million in 2024. The band had previously debuted the company’s digital avatars for the band at the final night of its 2023 farewell tour; those avatars are expected to get their own show in 2027. Cyndi Lauper also aligned with the company, which acquired a majority share of her music rights, in 2024. The company also owns the majority rights to Avicii’s music.
