Curve divested to Jamen & Merlin — what freelancers must ask
Curve’s sale to Jamen Capital and Merlin restores vendor-aligned ownership — freelancers should demand the same covenants and clarity on exit terms.
Curve Royalty Systems has been divested to Jamen Capital and Merlin, a change Richard Leach says embeds protections against future sale to major labels and restores the company’s operational focus (Richard Leach; checked 15 Sep 2026).
Why this matters
Leach records that Curve had 13 staff at the time of its sale to Downtown and 37 by the time the divestment was announced — a rapid change in scale that he says created corporate complexity and diluted focus (13; 37; Richard Leach; checked 15 Sep 2026). He traces the original Downtown deal to 2022 and notes Curve came to market in 2019 (2022; 2019; Richard Leach; checked 15 Sep 2026).
Action for freelancers and small labels
- Ask any royalty-platform vendor: who owns you today, and does the shareholder agreement include a ban on sale to major labels? Demand proof in writing.
- Request an exit timeline and contract clauses guaranteeing data portability and confidentiality.
- Prefer vendors whose ownership or governance embeds client-aligned restrictions — they reduce the risk of sudden strategic drift that can harm small businesses.
Leach’s figures are a quick reminder: ownership and scale change how a supplier behaves — and you should invoice only after confirming who will still be on your side in five years (Richard Leach; checked 15 Sep 2026).
A figure here out of date? Send us the current source and we will update the page and date the change.
