User:Runner59/Heiko Schmidt

Heiko Schmidt (born May 16, 1963) is a record executive, songwriter, record producer, music publisher, entrepreneur, and investor. Schmidt is best known as co-founder and managing director of music production company Paramusic and founder of media marketing company Paramedia. Schmidt is CEO of Parasongs Corporation, a music publishing company with entities in Germany, Australia, Japan and the U.S., and is owner of G&S Entertainment, a record label based in Germany and Japan. He is managing partner of Parafund Management LLC and managing director of Joey Capital LLC which are private equity firms investing in entertainment, innovative media and technology projects.

Schmidt has been responsible for signing and developing many notable songwriters and recording artists, including the multi-platinum selling act Sweetbox. He successfully broke five artists through the Sweetbox brand.

Early life
Schmidt was born in Gera, Germany into a family of classical musicians. He started playing classical piano at age 5, received an Outstanding Talent Scholarship at the University of Music in Leipzig at age 6, and was a top 10 contestant in the International Bach Contest. He continued his musical education at the Special School for Music in Halle, Germany and graduated from high school in Leipzig, Germany in 1982.

Career
After high school, Schmidt worked as a recording assistant in a large recording studio in Leipzig, Germany where he recorded classical orchestras, symphonic brass bands, big bands, rock bands, pop groups, country music artists and other music genres. Schmidt became friends with jazz and big band legend Peter Herbolzheimer while working on his album.

Between 1984 and 1989, Schmidt studied at the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler in Berlin, Germany and graduated with a Diplom-Tonmeister, a 5-year masters degree with further education in classical piano, conducting, songwriting, sound engineering, mathematics, economics, acoustics, electrical engineering and psychology. In 1988, Schmidt started writing and producing music. He discovered the pop band Iriabo whose first song “Deine Märchen” became a top 10 hit on German radio.

In spring 1989, he escaped from East Germany to West Germany through the Iron Curtain.

1989 – 2003: ZDF and Live Line TV Productions Years
After 6 months working as sound engineer for Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) in Mainz, Germany, Schmidt co-wrote and co-produced the campaign song “Nullo Promillo.” The German state of Hesse used the song for its anti-drunk driving television campaign that was connected with car manufacturer Opel and insurance giant HDI.

Schmidt was hired by the state of Hesse to co-organize the broadcast of the final event of its political campaign. It was broadcast in a prime time slot on Europe’s largest television station, ZDF. After the broadcast received very high ratings, Wolfgang Penk, head of entertainment at ZDF, hired Schmidt as assistant line producer to develop and manage other television entertainment formats.

Between 1990 and 1993, Schmidt developed a career as a television line producer and became a producer at ZDF. Schmidt was responsible for ZDF prime time shows such as “Nase Vorn,” “Musik Liegt In Der Luft,” and “Silvestershow.”

Between 1991 and 1993, Schmidt worked as line producer on shows for other large German television stations like RTL, SAT1 and ARD on behalf of the production house Live Line TV Productions, a spin-off company from former ZDF Entertainment head Wolfgang Penk.

1993 – 2007: Paramusic
In 1993, Schmidt and business partner Roberto Rosan founded Paramusic Germany.

The music production house relocated to Los Angeles in 1999 as Paramusic Corporation developing, producing and marketing more than 30 different artist and music projects in over 20 territories. Its business model has a strong international focus that spots and signs recording artists in the US, UK and Germany, recording all tracks in-house at their recording studio, and licensing the finished productions territory by territory to various record labels.

One of their highlights was the global success of the group Sweetbox. In 1998, their number-one single “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” sold more than 50 million units worldwide. The record became the most used wedding song in Japan and other Asian countries.

In 2007, Schmidt executed a multi-million dollar exit for the business to Avex Inc. in Japan.

1994 – 2009: Paramedia
In 1994, Schmidt formed Paramedia Germany an artist management and media marketing company. The company has worked on music campaigns for Coca Cola (China, Hong Kong and Taiwan), Lancome/L’Oreal Paris (in 24 countries), Macy’s (USA), Toyota (Japan), Mercedes Benz (Spain), Samsung Korea (western Europe), Subaru (Japan), and Procter and Gamble (Europe).

For P&G Europe, Schmidt invented a new system that significantly increased brand recognition through their international television advertising campaigns. His work with Pringles garnered a >5.5 brand recognition factor and was subsequently asked to consult with the European headquarters of P&G.

1995 – 2009: Parasongs
In 1995, Schmidt established Parasongs, a music publishing company in Germany, now headquartered in Los Angeles, with sister companies in Japan, Australia, UK and Germany.

Between 2002 and 2004, he invented a new international administration system for music copyrights and implemented the system with Parasongs Japan in 2005.

Between 2005 and 2008, Parasongs managed 165,000 copyrights for 122 publishing clients.

Since the end of 2009, Parasongs began acquiring quality music publishing catalogs.

The Parasongs companies are members of copyright societies GEMA (Germany), SUISA (Switzerland), AKM (Austria), JASRAC (Japan), APRA/AMCOS (Australia, New Zealand), ASCAP, and BMI (USA).

2009 – Present: Parafund Management and Joey Capital
In 2009, with Johann Felch former CFO at BMW Financial Services and CEO at BMW Bank, Schmidt founded Parafund Management LLC a private equity firm investing in innovative entertainment related businesses.

In 2010, Schmidt founded Joey Capital LLC, a company that invests in media and technology start-up companies.

Other ventures
Between 1995 and 2007, Schmidt was co-founder, co-owner and managing director of Grupe & Schmidt Entertainment GmbH in Germany (record label), Grupe & Schmidt Entertainment Y.K. in Japan (record label) and Glodien LLC in Los Angeles (digital music aggregation and distribution).

Discography
1993: Children’s Eyes – J.B.Smith – Co-Writer, Co-Producer/ Executive Producer, Publisher 1993: My Love – Stream – Co-Writer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1994: Reality – Treasure 2 – Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1994: Deeper & Deeper – Treasure 2 - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1994: Back in my life – J.B.Smith - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1994: Don’t wait – Gravity – Co-Writer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1994: Yuwaja – Gate to Africa - Co-Writer, Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1994: Don’t turn away – Chaya - Executive Producer 1995: Loop D’ Loop – The Candy Bomb - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1995: Hard Times – Rob D. – Executive Producer 1995: Fly away – Passion Wave - Co-Writer, Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1995: Tell me why – Passion Wave - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1995: Too many walls – B.B.Nation - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1995: Booyah ( Here we go) – SWEETBOX feat. Tempest - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1995: Shakalaka – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1996: Wot – SWEETBOX - Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Artist Manager 1996: Never Alone – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1996: Never gonna say I’m sorry (US version) – Ace of Base – Executive Producer 1996: Take me away – Culture Beat – Executive Producer 1996: Crying in the rain – Culture Beat – Executive Producer 1996: Do that to me one more time – Da Flava - Co-Producer, Executive Producer 1996: Celebrate – D.Motion – Executive Prodcucer 1996: The King of Soul (James Brown) – Geonique Groove – Executive Producer 1996: Step right back – Mezzoforte - Co-Producer, Executive Producer 1996: Can’t stop this feeling – Nina – Executive Producer 1996: Naked – Falco feat. T-MB – Executive Producer 1996: Rainbow to the stars/ Remix – Dune - Executive Producer 1996: Jump like a pump action – Twendy Fo – Executive Producer 1996: Good Girls – 7T feat. Mike D. and Damize – Executive Producer 1996: You make me feel – Hook – Executive Producer 1997: Can you feel, feel free? – Sixdia Nova - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1997: All I see is the future – The Element feat. Tina Harris - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1997: The Night – Valerie - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1997: I’ll die for you – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1997: Everything’s gonna be alright – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: Life is a flower (Remixes) – Ace of Base – Executive Producer 1998: China in your hand – FUSION - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: Hands to heaven – Up-rising feat. Tina Harris - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1998: Don’t go away – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: Shout – SWEETBOX - Producer, Executive Producer, Artist Manager 1998: Sometimes – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: SWEETBOX (album) – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: He Loves Me – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: Mama Papa – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: Candygirl – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: Never Never – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: If I can’t have you – SWEETBOX - Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Artist Manager 1998: Get on down – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: Here we go again – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: Another Minute – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: One more time – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: You make my love come down - SWEETBOX feat. Evelyn “Champagne King” - Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Artist Manager 1998: Never wanna be alone – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1998: No no – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1999: Everybody – N-Tune - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1999: InFusion One (album) – FUSION - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1999: You make me feel – FUSION – Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 1999: Toy Soldier – FUSION - Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Artist Manager 1999: Eeney Meeney – B-Uneek - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 1999: I can’t hold on – Greg Wood - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 2000: I should have known – B-Uneek - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 2000: For the Lonely – SWEETBOX - Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Artist Manager 2000: Trying to be me – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: Classified (album) – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager (link to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classified_(Sweetbox_album) 2001: Cinderella – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: Boyfriend – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: How does it feel – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: Every Time – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: Superstar – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: Sacred – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: That Night – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: Brown Haired Boy – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: Crazy – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2001: Not different – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Jade (album) – SWEETBOX - – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Human Sacrifice – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Read my mind – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Unforgiven – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Lighter Shade of Blue – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Utopia – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Don’t push me – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: On the radio – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Alright – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Stay – SWEETBOX - Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Artist Manager 2002: Falling – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Fool again – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Easy come easy go – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Not your doctor – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2002: Youth Society (album) – SHE - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher (link to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youth_Society) 2002: China Girl – SHE - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 2003: Come to me – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2003: Together – SHE - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 2003: Superstar (mandarin version) – SHE - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher 2003: Real Emotion (music to video game “final fanatsy X-2” )– executive producer 2003: 1000 words (music to video game “final fanatsy X-2” )– executive producer 2004: One Day – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: I want it all – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Sorry – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: The system – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Too Bad – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: I can’t believe it – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: She lost her smile – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Thank you – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Spit Out – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Fades away – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: When will I see – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: On my way – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: I just wanna know – ATEED - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Adagio (album) – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Beautiful – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Liberty – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Life is cool – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Somewhere – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Hate Without Frontiers – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Far Away – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Testimony – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: I’ll be there – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Lacrimosa – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Sorry – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: I don’t wanna be – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Chyna Girl – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Everybody – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Miss you – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: You can’t hide – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Piano in the dark – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: After the lights – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Killing me DJ – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: More than love – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Waterfall – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: God on video – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Beautiful – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Time of my life – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Pretty in pink – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: This Christmas – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Girl from Tokyo – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Crown of thorns – SWEETBOX - Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Artist Manager 2004: O Come All Ye Faithful – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Silent Night – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2004: Merry X-Mas – SWEETBOX - Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: We can work it out – SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: You don’t know what you are sorry for – SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: In a heartbeat – SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: With a love like you - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: Everything is nothing - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Artist Manager 2008: Crash landed - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: Everything’s gonna be alright - SWEETBOX - Co-writer, -Executive Producer, Artist Manager 2008: Blue Angel - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: Magic - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Artist Manager 2008: Everybody come out in the sunshine - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: These Dayz - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Artist Manager 2008: More than you’ll ever know - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: When will it be me - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Artist Manager 2008: Coming home to you - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: Love forgets - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2008: Rockstar - SWEETBOX - Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Minute by minute - SWEETBOX – Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Bullet Proof - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: I know you’re not alone - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Air Raid - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Under the influence - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Shot gun - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Dizzy - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Fever - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Nothing bout nothing - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Echo - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Undo this hurt - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: I don’t give a damn - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Once - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Indestructible - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager 2010: Remember this dance - SWEETBOX - Co-Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager
 * 1993:  B.B. Nation – Co-Writer, Producer, Executive Producer, Publisher, Artist Manager