Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has announced a global partnership with Kidding Aside, the independent French electronic music company, as it launches a dedicated publishing venture called Kidding Aside Publishing. The deal, unveiled on 9 September, sees Nicolas Klersy join as Partner and strategic lead for Publishing A&R. It reflects Warner Chappell's continued push into independent electronic and dance music, extending its footprint in the French scene and offering Kidding Aside's roster access to WCM's international network.

Kidding Aside was founded in Paris in 2015 by Matthieu Jay and spans artist management, publishing, recorded music and live events, alongside its All Night Long joint venture label with Believe. Its management roster includes acts such as Acid Arab, NTO and Trinix, while All Night Long represents artists including Folamour and Nico Moreno. Neither company disclosed financial terms or whether the agreement covers administration or co-publishing, but it follows a string of recent WCM tie-ups with independent labels, including deals with France's Bob Sinclar, Mexico's Rico o Muerto and Argentine songwriter Claudia Brant.