Celebrity Name: Madeline Merlo
New Company: RLive
Primary Manager: Kate Howse
Department: Management & Artist Development
Previous Management: Homestead Music
Territory: North America
- Madeline Merlo, a 3x CCMA Award-winning, platinum-selling Canadian country artist, has officially signed with RLive for management.
- RLive is the Management and Artist Development arm of Republic Live, with offices in Toronto and Nashville, and was a 2025 CCMA Award nominee for Management Company of the Year.
- Kate Howse, Artist Manager at RLive, will be handling Merlo’s career going forward, she was previously managed by Homestead Music.
- Merlo is set to host the 2026 BCCMA Awards on April 26, making this signing a timely boost heading into a milestone moment in her career.
Canadian country star Madeline Merlo has a new team in her corner. On March 16, 2026, the management and artist development division of Republic Live, announced the signing of Merlo to its growing roster, marking one of its most high-profile additions to date.
Merlo brings serious credentials to the deal. She is a 3x CCMA Award-winning artist with more than 125 million global streams, six Top 10 singles, and a PLATINUM-certified #1 hit to her name.
Her career hit new heights in 2024 with her Grand Ole Opry debut and her inclusion in CMT’s Next Women of Country class. She won the 2025 CCMA Award for Musical Collaboration of the Year for her GOLD-certified Top 10 single “Broken Heart Thing” featuring Dustin Lynch.
RLive, founded in 2024 as the management arm of Canada’s Republic Live, the company behind the award-winning Boots and Hearts Music Festival, operates out of both Toronto and Nashville.
The company was itself nominated for the 2025 CCMA Management Company of the Year, signaling its rapid rise in the Canadian country music ecosystem.
RLive’s roster already includes JUNO-nominated Tyler Joe Miller, 2024 SiriusXM Top of the Country winner Zach McPhee, and rising star Sarah Vanderzon.
Kate Howse, Artist Manager at RLive, described Merlo as “an exceptional artist and songwriter whose confidence, creativity, and tenacity have made her one of the most compelling voices in country music today.”
Merlo echoed the excitement, saying she “cannot think of a more hardworking, creative and passionate team” to partner with.
With the 2026 BCCMA Awards hosting slot on April 26 already locked in, the timing of this management move couldn’t be better.
This deal is similar to other recent signings in the industry, such as Karrie Martin Lachney signing with Zero Gravity Management and Sophie Porley signing with The Arc Group for management, reflecting a broader trend of established talent locking in strategic management relationships.
Merlo continues to work with Paquin Artists Agency for representation and BBR Music Group for publicity.
Takeaways
This is more than just a business deal, it’s a statement. Merlo has spent over a decade grinding her way from the blueberry fields of British Columbia to the Grand Ole Opry stage, and aligning with RLive signals she’s ready to aggressively pursue the next chapter.
RLive, still only two years old and already a CCMA Awards nominee, is clearly punching above its weight and positioning itself as the go-to home for serious Canadian country talent looking for a North American platform.
What makes this pairing particularly interesting is the timing: Merlo is riding real commercial momentum, and RLive has the infrastructure of Republic Live (including one of Canada’s biggest country music festivals) to amplify any strategic move. This isn’t a landing pad, it’s a launchpad.
Does Merlo’s signing signal that RLive is evolving from a boutique company into a real power player in Canadian country music? Is this a sign that more established Canadian artists will start choosing homegrown management over Nashville-based firms?
