Billboard - February 26, 2022 USA

WOMEN IN MUSIC
F E B R U A R Y 26 , 20 22 • B I L L B O A R D . C O M
2
MADONNA
by Yam Karkai, co-founder of
NFT collective World of Women,
for a special Billboard NFT
series depicting iconic
women in music
WOMEN IN MUSIC
2
C H R I ST I N A AG U I L E R A
women in music
WOMEN IN MUSIC
2
MARIAH CAREY
women in music
EXECUTIVE
OF THE YEAR.
RESERVOIR FOUNDER & CEO

GOLNAR KHOSROWSHAHI
RESERVOIR
CONGRATULATES OUR
WOMEN IN MUSIC HONOREES
DONNA CASEINE FAITH NEWMAN

EVP GLOBAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR EVP A&R AND CATALOG DEVELOPMENT
FEB. 26, 2022
Features
VOLUME 134
NO. 2 48
BILLBOARD’S
WOMAN OF THE YEAR:
OLIVIA RODRIGO
With the biggest hit of early 2021,
the singer-songwriter was just
getting started — and as she
gears up to tour her rapturously
received album Sour, she’s
already at work on new music.
52
WOMEN IN MUSIC:
THE ARTISTS
For its annual celebration of top
female talent, Billboard honors
Saweetie, Karol G, Bonnie Raitt,
Doja Cat, Phoebe Bridgers,
H.E.R., Summer Walker
and Gabby Barrett.
80
WOMEN IN MUSIC:
THE EXECUTIVES
Reservoir Media CEO
Golnar Khosrowshahi, the
first female founder and chief
executive of a publicly traded
independent music company,
Olivia Rodrigo photographed leads this year’s list of high-
by David Needleman.
achieving women from every
TO OUR READERS sector of the industry — including
Billboard will publish its 12 Hall of Fame honorees.
next issue on March 12.
For 24/7 music coverage,
go to billboard.com.
contents
FEB. 26, 2022 / VOLUME 134 / NO. 2
BILLBOARD CHARTS
15
The Encanto soundtrack and “We
Don’t Talk About Bruno” combine
for a Billboard 200 and Hot 100
command, respectively, last
achieved nearly 30 years ago.
THE MARKET
29
Artists are eager to get back on
the road, but personnel, trucks
and stages are hard to find — will
profits be in short supply as well?
34
Sony Music Publishing tops
fourth-quarter rankings despite
market-share declines.
THE SOUND
43
Reggae singer Koffee made
Grammys history as a teen.
Now, with a new record deal
and full-length debut, she wants
to move her genre forward.
46
Executive producer Jamee
Ranta on her critically acclaimed
visuals for Justin Bieber, Halsey
and more — and why she is now
pursuing management.
THE PLAYERS
139
After topping Billboard’s four
Latin genre charts, Edgar Barrera
talks about his first decade in
music and his new label venture
with Sony Music.
CHARTBREAKER
144
Singer-songwriter Muni Long’s
breakthrough hit, “Hrs and Hrs,”
is the result of years of hard work
— and a career reinvention.
Phoebe Bridgers photographed

by Sami Drasin on Oct. 12, 2021, at
The Paramour Estate in Los Angeles.
8 BILLBOARD.COM FEBRUARY 26, 2022

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
OMEN IN MUSIC have made huge progress
W
digital collectible space, using inclusive and empowering
over the past year. Michelle Jubelirer imagery. Karkai’s original collection of 10,000 diverse
became Capitol Music Group’s first female female avatars were initially priced at .07 ETH apiece,
CEO in the company’s 80-year history. or about $200 at the current exchange rate, but some
Sherrese Clarke Soares secured $1 billion from private have traded for hundreds of thousands of dollars on the
equity giant Apollo to acquire music and entertainment secondary market, as celebrities from Eva Longoria to
assets through her new investment group, HarbourView Reese Witherspoon have snapped them up and sported
Equity Partners. And Golnar Khosrowshahi took her them as their own online avatars. The collection has
publishing firm, Reservoir Media, public, joining the rare generated over $200 million in trading volume, and the
ranks of female CEOs leading publicly traded companies company is now working to support women artists around
in any sector. But despite these victories, women are still the globe by promoting their digital art as well.
fighting for inclusion, representation, recognition and We’re thrilled to introduce our own NFTs designed by
equal pay at the top of the music business, from recording Karkai, which will be auctioned on the NFT marketplace
studios to C-suites. FTX later in March. Some of the proceeds will benefit
Could the metaverse be a more welcoming place? nonprofit organizations of each cover star’s choosing,
As the music world scrambles to prepare for a virtual and we’ll fly the buyers of these NFTs to Los Angeles for
future, Billboard wanted to shine a light on efforts to our Women in Music celebration next year, where they
ensure that future will be one of equality. So we decided will walk the red carpet alongside our star honorees.
to create a series of special covers for our annual Women We celebrate a broader array of game-changing,
in Music issue that showcase non-fungible tokens that cutting-edge artists and executives than ever in this issue,
Billboard commissioned to honor three iconic female like Doja Cat, Saweetie, Summer Walker, Bonnie Raitt,
singers: Madonna, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera. H.E.R., Phoebe Bridgers, Gabby Barrett, Karol G and our
To do so, we partnered with World of Women, a Woman of the Year, Olivia Rodrigo. We’ll need their bold
company co-founded and launched in July by NFT leadership just as much in the metaverse as we do in the
artist Yam Karkai aimed at welcoming women into the world they’ve helped shape so far.
Hannah Karp
KARP: DAVID NEEDLEMAN
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
On the covers: Aguilera, Madonna and Carey featured as World of Women illustrations and non-fungible tokens designed by Yam Karkai.
This page: Madonna

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charts
DATA FOR WEEK OF 2.26.2022 A still from Disney’s Encanto.
The Magic Is Strong: Encanto, ‘Bruno’

Continue Their Chart Commands
HE ENCANTO soundtrack and reign ever for a song from a Disney movie, animated
BILLBOARD 200 T breakout smash “We Don’t Talk

About Bruno” combine for a
respective Billboard 200 and Bill-
board Hot 100 double domination
or live action. The song one-ups the three-week
No. 1 run of “All for Love,” by Bryan Adams, Rod
Stewart and Sting, from the live-action film The
Three Musketeers, in January and February 1994.
not achieved in nearly 30 years. The Encanto soundtrack earned 98,000 equiva-
1
The Disney animated film soundtrack tops the lent album units in the Feb. 11-17 tracking week, ac-
Billboard 200 for a sixth week, and fifth in a row, cording to MRC Data. “Bruno” tallied 32.2 million
while its biggest hit — by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro U.S. streams and 6.5 million radio airplay audience
Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, impressions and sold 7,500 downloads.
Encanto Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto cast — leads the Says Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote all eight
Soundtrack Hot 100 for a fourth week. Encanto and “Bruno” Encanto songs that have hit the Hot 100, of “Bru-
mark the first soundtrack and corresponding song no”: “It has been really amazing because ensemble
to rule the respective rankings simultaneously numbers don’t usually get this kind of love.”
LAST WEEK PEAK POSITION WEEKS ON CHART
for at least four weeks since Whitney Houston’s “The rollout began with a fantastic film,
1 1 12 soundtrack to The Bodyguard and “I Will Always

Love You” topped the lists for 12 weeks between
incredible music and a strong marketing cam-
paign,” adds Disney Music Group president Ken
December 1992 and February 1993. Bunt. “It makes the process a lot of fun.”
DISNEY
Meanwhile, “Bruno” scores the longest Hot 100 —GARY TRUST and KEITH CAULFIEL D
FEBRUARY 26, 2022 GO TO BILLBOARD.COM FOR COMPLETE CHART DATA 15

charts
SWINDELL: ROBBY KLEIN. DRAGONS: ERIC RAY DAVIDSON. JOHNSON: CHRIS DOUGLAS. BEIHOLD: ASHLEY OSBORN.
DATA FOR WEEK OF 2.26.202 2 The 38-year-old
Glennville, Ga., native’s
11th Hot 100 entry also
reaches a new No. 16
high on Country Airplay.
Hot 100
LAST WEEK
2 WKS.AGO
THIS WEEK
PEAK POS.
Title Artist
WKS. ON
CHART
PRODUCER (SONGWRITER) IMPRINT/PROMOTION LABEL
#1 for 4 WEEKS
We Don’t Talk About Bruno Carolina Gaitan,
1 1 1 Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, 1 8
Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast
L.M.MIRANDA,M.ELIZONDO (L.M.MIRANDA) WALT DISNEY
3 4 2 Heat Waves Glass Animals 2 57

D.BAYLEY (D.BAYLEY) WOLF TONE/POLYDOR/REPUBLIC
2 3 3 Easy On Me Adele 1 19
G.KURSTIN (A.L.B.ADKINS,G.KURSTIN) COLUMBIA
6 7 4 abcdefu GAYLE 4 13
P.NAPPI (GAYLE,D.B.PITTENGER,S.DAVIS) ARTHOUSE/ATLANTIC
Stay The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
79
THE WEEK’S MOST POPULAR CURRENT SONGS ACROSS ALL GENRES, RANKED BY RADIO AIRPLAY AUDIENCE IMPRESSIONS AS MEASURED BY MRC DATA, SALES DATA AS COMPILED BY MRC DATA AND STREAMING ACTIVITY DATA BY ONLINE MUSIC SOURCES TRACKED BY MRC DATA. SONGS ARE DEFINED AS CURRENT IF
4 5 5 CASHMERE CAT,O.FEDI,B.SLATKIN,C.PUTH (C.K.J.HOWARD,J.D.BIEBER,M.A.HOIBERG,O.FEDI,B.SLATKTIN, 1 32
C.PUTH,M.J.MULE,I.DEBONI,S.RAHMAN) RAYMOND BRAUN/COLUMBIA/DEF JAM
Super Gremlin Kodak Black Cole Swindell
THEY ARE NEWLY RELEASED TITLES, OR SONGS RECEIVING WIDESPREAD AIRPLAY AND/OR SALES ACTIVITY FOR THE FIRST TIME. SEE CHARTS LEGEND ON BILLBOARD.COM FOR COMPLETE RULES AND EXPLANATIONS. © 2021 BILLBOARD MEDIA LLC AND MRC DATA INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
5 6 6 5 15 How did “Never Say Never”
ATL JACOB (B.K.KAPRI,J.D.CANADY,M.A.TIMMERMANN) SNIPER GANG/ATLANTIC
(with Lainey Wilson) come together?
“Never Say Never” The last time I had a headlining tour
7 8 7 Shivers Ed Sheeran 4 23
E.SHEERAN,STEVE MAC,FRED (E.C.SHEERAN,J.MCDAID,STEVE MAC,K.LAVELLE) ATLANTIC [in 2018], the last show was in New
Orleans. We bring songwriters out on
Ghost Justin Bieber the road — I think it helps with ideas to
12 9 8 THE MONSTERS & STRANGERZ,J.BELLION (J.D.BIEBER,J.D.BELLION,J.K.JOHNSON,S.JOHNSON,M.R.POLLACK) 8 21
RAYMOND BRAUN/DEF JAM watch the show and live in my world a little bit. [Co-writer] Jessi Alexander had
“never say never with you” written in her phone, but I think [fellow co-writer]
15 12 9 Thats What I Want Lil Nas X 9 22 Chase McGill started playing that lick at the beginning. Little did we know it
O.FEDI,B.SLATKIN,R.B.TEDDER,KBEAZY (M.L.HILL,O.FEDI,B.SLATKTIN,R.B.TEDDER,K.C.BACH) COLUMBIA
would be what it is now, but we always believed in the song.
Pushin P Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug
9 11 10 JUKE WONG,WHEEZY (S.G.KITCHENS,N.D.WILBURN,J.L.WILLIAMS,W.T.GLASS,L.DEPANTE) 7 6 How did Lainey Wilson get involved?
GUNNA/YOUNG STONER LIFE/300
When we wrote it, we knew it had to be a duet. Honestly, it was frustrating for
Surface Pressure Jessica Darrow a while. There are so many things people don’t know about that go on to try
8 10 11 8 8
L.M.MIRANDA,M.ELIZONDO (L.M.MIRANDA) WALT DISNEY to get somebody on a song, with the different labels and legal stuff. Me being
a huge Lainey Wilson fan, her name popped up. I texted her, and that was the
Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) Elton John & Dua Lipa longest three and a half minutes of my life waiting for her to respond. I can feel
11 14 12 N.LITTLEMORE,P.MAYES,S.LITTLEMORE,C.THOMAS,G.DUDGEON (E.JOHN,B.J.P.TAUPIN,P.MAYES, 7 24
N.LITTLEMORE,S.LITTLEMORE) ROCKET/MERCURY/EMI/INTERSCOPE that relief all over again just saying that story. This song obviously wouldn’t be
what it is without her.
10 13 13 Need To Know Doja Cat 8 36
DR. LUKE (A.Z.DLAMINI,L.S.GOTTWALD) KEMOSABE/RCA
Why do you think collaborations are having a moment in country music?
I honestly don’t understand why it took this long — in other genres, that’s been
13 15 14 Bad Habits Ed Sheeran 2 34 happening for years. I don’t think people realize what you have to go through to
FRED,J.MCDAID,E.SHEERAN (E.C.SHEERAN,F.J.P.GIBSON,J.MCDAID) ATLANTIC
get another artist on a different label on a song. But now [there are] collaborations
MAMIII Becky G X Karol G on everything. I’ve got another one with HARDY on my new album coming out
HOT SHOT
DEBUT 15 OVY ON THE DRUMS (R.M.GOMEZ,D.ECHAVARRIA OVIEDO,E.ROSE,KAROL G) 15 1 [April 8]. I think it’s opening doors to be able to work with other artists, and other
KEMOSABE/RCA/SONY MUSIC LATIN
genres, even. Having a different artist is a bigger appeal to fans.
—MELINDA NEWMAN
17 17 16 Levitating Dua Lipa 2 67
KOZ,S.D.PRICE (C.COFFEE JR.,S.KOZMENIUK,S.T.HUDSON,D.LIPA) WARNER
Industry Baby Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow

Biggest “Enemy”
14 16 17 YE,TAKE A DAYTRIP,N.LEE (M.L.HILL,D.M.A.BAPTISTE,D.C.SNYDER,N.LEE,J.HARLOW,YE,M.WILLIAMS, 1 30 Airplay 27
R.CUBINA,R.LENZO) COLUMBIA
Gain Imagine Dragons X JID
Save Your Tears The Weeknd & Ariana Grande

19 18 18 MAX MARTIN,O.T.HOLTER,THE WEEKND (A.TESFAYE,A.BALSHE,J.QUENNEVILLE,MAX MARTIN,O.T.HOLTER, 1 59
A.GRANDE) XO/REPUBLIC
Biggest “ ’Til You Can’t”

Hrs And Hrs Muni Long
Streaming 33
18 19 19 D.GRAHAM,R.TILLER (PRISCILLA RENEA,T.HARRELL,H.AAABI,D.GRAHAM,J.N.ZIM,B.JOHN-BAPTISTE) 16 8
SUPERGIANT Gain Cody Johnson
Bussin Nicki Minaj X Lil Baby

NEW 20 SWAGGYONO,DJ TIZZ (O.T.MARAJ-PETTY,D.A.JONES,J.GOODS,C.PALMER,R.BARNES GREER,T.GREENLEE) 20 1
REPUBLIC
“Numb Little Bug”
Biggest
85
Sales Gain
SALES, AIRPLAY &
STREAMING DATA
Em Beihold
COMPILED BY
Go to the Chart Beat section of billboard.com for complete charts coverage.

charts DATA FOR WEEK OF 2.26.202 2
BILLBOARD 200
14 Mary J. Blige
Good Morning Gorgeous
Blige scores her 19th
Billboard 200
LAST WEEK
2 WKS.AGO
THIS WEEK
PEAK POS.
top 10 entry on Top R&B/ Artist Title
WKS. ON
CHART
IMPRINT/DISTRIBUTING LABEL
Hip-Hop Albums after her
newest studio album debuts #1 for 6 WEEKS
at No. 9 on the chart. She 1 1 1 Soundtrack Encanto 1 12
WALT DISNEY
has only missed the top 10
twice — with two remix
projects — in her 21 total 3 2 2 Gunna DS4EVER 1 6
GUNNA/YOUNG STONER LIFE/300/AG
entries on the chart.
4 4 3 Morgan Wallen Dangerous: The Double Album 1 58

BIG LOUD/REPUBLIC
29 Eddie Vedder
Earthling
7 7 4 Drake
OVO SOUND/REPUBLIC
Certified Lover Boy 1 24
The set marks the Pearl Jam 8 8 5 The Weeknd The Highlights 2 53
XO/REPUBLIC
frontman’s third solo top 40
entry on the Billboard 200. Doja Cat Planet Her
9 10 6 2 34
It also debuts at No. 1 on KEMOSABE/RCA
Top Album Sales and Top Rock

6 9 7 Adele 30 1 13
Albums — his first solo leader COLUMBIA
on either chart.
GG
101 126 8 Eminem Curtain Call: The Hits 1 568
SHADY/AFTERMATH/INTERSCOPE/IGA
46 Jazmine Sullivan
Heaux Tales
The album reenters following
133 108 9
PS
Dr. Dre
AFTERMATH/INTERSCOPE/UME
Dr. Dre — 2001 2 169
a reissue on Feb. 11 with 10 12 10 Olivia Rodrigo Sour 1 39

GEFFEN/IGA
10 bonus tracks. Meanwhile,
Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic (No. 75) The Weeknd Dawn FM
2 6 11 2 6
returns and The Weeknd’s XO/REPUBLIC
House of Balloons (113)

17 20 12 Ed Sheeran = 1 16
debuts after the release of ATLANTIC/AG
new vinyl pressings.
5 11 13 YoungBoy Never Broke Again Colors 2 4
NEVER BROKE AGAIN/ATLANTIC/AG
8
BASED ON MULTIMETRIC CONSUMPTION (BLENDING TR ADITIONAL ALBUM SALES, TR ACK-EQUIVALENT
Super Bowl LVI leaves its mark on the Billboard 200
THE BILLBOARD 200 R ANKS THE MOST POPUL AR ALBUMS OF THE WEEK, A S COMPILED BY MRC DATA,
HOT SHOT Mary J. Blige Good Morning Gorgeous 14 1
as 15 albums tied to halftime performers (and the DEBUT 14
MARY JANE/300/AG
songs performed) appear on the chart. The Feb. 13
show was headlined by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Taylor Swift Red (Taylor’s Version)
11 13 15 1 14
Eminem Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, with REPUBLIC
Curtain Call: special guests 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak.

The Hits Leading the way are Eminem’s Curtain Call:
15 17 16 Juice WRLD Fighting Demons 2 10
The Hits and Dr. Dre’s Dr. Dre — 2001, surging GRADE A/INTERSCOPE/IGA
ALBUMS AND STREAMING-EQUIVALENT ALBUMS).
126-8 and 108-9, respectively. They earned 31,000

and 30,500 equivalent album units in the United 28 27 17 Kendrick Lamar good kid, m.A.A.d city 2 486
TOP DAWG/AFTERMATH/INTERSCOPE/IGA
States in the week ending Feb. 17 (up 256% and
220%), according to MRC Data. Other Eminem
projects are scattered elsewhere on the chart at 18 18 18 Lil Baby My Turn 1 103
QUALITY CONTROL/MOTOWN/CAPITOL
Nos. 100, 160 and 177, while Dre’s The Chronic
reenters at No. 91.
12 16 19 Polo G Hall Of Fame 1 36
Blige (with an entry at No. 14), Snoop Dogg (104, COLUMBIA
142), Lamar (17, 33, 132), 50 Cent (63), .Paak (50) and 2Pac (22) — thanks to
Dre’s performance of his feature on “California Love” — round out the rest of Kanye West Donda
the big game’s impact on the Billboard 200. 37 40 20 1 25
COMPILED BY
—K EI TH C AU LF IE LD
SALES DATA
G.O.O.D./DEF JAM
18 GO TO BILLBOARD.COM FOR COMPLETE CHART DATA FEBRUARY 26, 2022

THANK YOU
For an amazing
SOLD OUT show
and kicking off your
Future Nostalgia Tour
here in Miami!
SPECIAL THANKS TO
TaP MUSIC, LIVE NATION AND CAA.
ZAK ARY WALTERS
Global 200
LAST WEEK
2 WKS.AGO
THIS WEEK
PEAK POS.
WKS. ON
Title Artist
CHART
#1 for 3 WEEKS
1 1 1 We Don’t Talk About Bruno Carolina Gaitan, 1 8

Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero,
Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast
2 2 2 abcdefu GAYLE 1 14
3 3 3 Heat Waves Glass Animals 3 59
4 4 4 Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) Elton John & Dua Lipa 3 27
5 5 5 Stay The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber 1 32
6 6 6 Enemy Imagine Dragons X JID 6 16
HOT SHOT 7 1
DEBUT 7 MAMIII Becky G X Karol G
8 8 8 Shivers Ed Sheeran 3 23
7 9 9 Easy On Me Adele 1 19
RE-ENTRY 10 The Joker And The Queen Ed Sheeran

10 2
GLOBAL 200 Featuring Taylor Swift
10
“The Joker and
THE CARDS RE VE AL good fortune for
11
10
12
11
11
12
Bad Habits
Industry Baby
Ed Sheeran
Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow 2

1 34
30
BILLBOARD.COM FOR COMPLETE RULES AND EXPLANATIONS. © 2021 BILLBOARD MEDIA LLC AND MRC DATA INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
AUDIO AND VIDEO MUSIC SERVICES, PLUS DOWNLOAD SALES FROM TOP MUSIC RETAILERS ACROSS THE GLOBE. SEE CHARTS LEGEND ON
the Queen”
NEW 13 1
WEIGHTED FORMULA INCORPORATING OFFICIAL-ONLY STREAMS ON BOTH SUBSCRIPTION AND AD-SUPPORTED TIERS OF LEADING
TERRITORIES AROUND THE WORLD — INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES — AS TRACKED BY MRC DATA. THE RANKING IS BASED ON A
Ed Sheeran’s “The Joker and the Queen” 13 Stay Alive Jung Kook
THE BILLBOARD GLOBAL 200 CHART RANKS THE TOP SONGS BASED ON STREAMING AND/OR SALES ACTIVIT Y FROM OVER 200
Ed Sheeran Featuring as the ballad reenters the Billboard
Taylor Swift Global 200 and reaches the top 10
for the first time following the Feb. 10 9 10 14 Surface Pressure Jessica Darrow 9 8
arrival of its remix featuring Taylor Swift.
(The song, originally a solo release by
13 14 15 Save Your Tears The Weeknd & Ariana Grande 1 59
Sheeran, spent one prior week on the chart, on Nov. 13, 2021, at No. 99,
concurrent with the chart start of his album =.)
The track returns to the Global 200 with 31.1 million streams and 22,800 GG
- 167 16 16 2
sold worldwide in the Feb. 11-17 tracking week, according to MRC Data. Still D.R.E. Dr. Dre Featuring Snoop Dogg
Sheeran scores his third top 10 on the chart, and Swift adds her fourth.
Meanwhile, “Stay Alive” by BTS’ Jung Kook debuts at No. 13 on the 12 13 17 Pushin P Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug 10 6
Global 200. On the Global Excl. U.S. chart, he earns his first solo top 10 as
the song — co-written and co-produced by BTS’ Suga — soars in at No. 8
with 25.7 million streams and 30,400 sold outside the United States in its first 15 17 18 Pepas Farruko 7 31
week, following its Feb. 11 release.
As a group, BTS has scored seven top 10s on the chart — tied with Justin
Bieber for the most so far — including an artist-leading five No. 1s. 19 18 19 Desesperados Rauw Alejandro & Chencho Corleone 18 9
Additionally, among BTS members’ solo performances, Jin hit No. 67 on
Global Excl. U.S. in November with “Yours,” Suga reached No. 55 in Decem-
18 19 20 Levitating Dua Lipa 2 72
ber with “Girl of My Dreams” with Juice WRLD, and V jingled to No. 43 in
January with “Christmas Tree.” —G A RY T RU ST
STREAMING AND
COMPILED BY
SALES DATA
20 GO TO BILLBOARD.COM FOR COMPLETE CHART DATA FEBRUARY 26, 2022

charts JANUARY BOXSCORE RECAP
Tool onstage at the 2017

Governors Ball in New York.
Top Boxscores
TOOL TIME Artist(s)
VENUE
DATE
Gross
TICKET PRICES
Total
Attendees
NO. OF SHOWS
Promoter(s)
TAYLOR HILL/GETTY IMAGES

THE HARD-ROCK BAND GR AB S THE TOP TOUR
FOR JANUARY — DESPITE IT BEING THE LOWEST Elton John $4,243,554 25,951
1 TOYOTA CENTER, HOUSTON AEG Presents
GROS S FOR A NO. 1 IN T WO YEARS JAN. 21-22
$249.50/$69.50 2
N THE WAKE OF YET ANOTHER COVID-19 surge — with the
I
Calibash $2,302,483 14,095 MGM Resorts
omicron variant leading to a massive spike in cases at the end of 2 T-MOBILE ARENA, LAS VEGAS International,
$875.91/$50.78 1 SBS Entertainment
JAN. 29
2021 — artists, crews and audiences still prepared for a come-
back year for live music. Leading the way early on is Tool: After
starting its 2022 tour on Jan. 10 in Eugene, Ore., the hard-rock ATEEZ $2,178,720 19,868
band earned $13.8 million from 120,000 tickets sold in the month 3 THE FORUM, INGLEWOOD, CALIF. MyMusicTaste
$205/$145/$105/$65/$45 2
JAN. 30-31
of January, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore.
Still, January is typically the slowest month of the year for artists on the road, as
album and touring cycles taper off before Christmas and only gradually begin to re- Dia Nacional
MGM Resorts
turn as February nears. This year was no exception, particularly with omicron cases 4 De La Banda $2,163,695 16,779 International,
T-MOBILE ARENA, LAS VEGAS $548.91/$50.78 1 SBS Entertainment
not peaking until the middle of the month and leading to cancellations from Elton JAN. 28
John, Dead & Company, Adele and others.
As a result, Tool’s haul for January is the lowest gross for a No. 1 tour since Elton John
Billboard launched its monthly touring charts in February 2019. The previous record- 5 SIMMONS BANK ARENA, $2,001,666 15,408 AEG Presents
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARK. $224.50/$69.50 1
holder? Elton John’s $19.7 million take in January 2020. — ER IC FRA NK EN BE RG JAN. 29
Eric Church
Top Tours 6 LITTLE CAESARS ARENA,
DETROIT
$1,993,372
$169/$39
16,791
1
Messina Touring
Group/AEG
Presents
JAN. 22
Total No. of
Artist Gross
Attendees Shows
Tool $1,986,020 18,714
1 Tool $13,760,744 119,702 10 7 TACOMA DOME, TACOMA, WASH. Monqui Presents
$146/$71 1
JAN. 11
2 Elton John $10,083,402 69,206 5
3 Reba McEntire $9,856,105 87,445 9 Elton John

8 SMOOTHIE KING CENTER, $1,972,978 14,454 AEG Presents
4 Kane Brown $8,664,719 132,019 12 NEW ORLEANS $224.50/$69.50 1
JAN. 19
5 Eric Church $6,675,239 50,848 4

Elton John
6 Kacey Musgraves $5,253,238 63,228 6 9 PAYCOM CENTER, $1,865,204 13,393 AEG Presents
OKLAHOMA CITY $224.50/$69.50 1
7 Katy Perry $4,880,014 23,470 6 JAN. 30
8 JoJo Siwa $4,406,505 80,493 11

Eric Church Messina Touring
10 DENNY SANFORD PREMIER $1,652,983 11,021 Group/AEG
9 ATEEZ $3,913,806 37,285 4 CENTER, SIOUX FALLS, S.D. $169/$39 1 Presents
JAN. 8
10 Strictly Come Dancing Live! $1,611,404 23,589 5

charts JANUARY BOXSCORE RECAP
PHOTO CREDITS TEEKAY

Top Venues
15,001 OR MORE CAPACITY
Venue Total Total No. of

LOCATION Gross Attendees Shows
Honda Center
1 $6,863,834 26,009 2
ANAHEIM, CALIF.
T-Mobile Arena
2 $5,975,588 44,306 3
LAS VEGAS
Toyota Center
3 $4,806,102 36,369 3
HOUSTON
Kacey Musgraves
Bridgestone Arena
4 $3,858,591 53,959 6
NASHVILLE
MUSGRAVES: JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES. BROWN: TIM

MOSENFELDER/GETTY IMAGES. SIWA: JEFF KRAVITZ/GETTY IMAGES.
The Forum 5,001-10,000 CAPACITY
5 $3,726,984 33,883 3
INGLEWOOD, CALIF.
Venue Total Total No. of

Golden 1 Center LOCATION Gross Attendees Shows
6 $3,599,095 64,774 10
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.
Texas Trust CU Theatre

Prudential Center 1 $2,042,458 30,246 6
7 $3,550,829 60,663 13 GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS
NEWARK, N.J.
Mohegan Sun Arena
Camping World Stadium
2 $1,109,756 24,343 5
UNCASVILLE, CONN.
8 $3,278,015 31,762 2
ORLANDO, FLA.
Huntington Center
3 $901,606 7,220 1
Tacoma Dome TOLEDO, OHIO
9 $3,031,799 54,520 14
TACOMA, WASH. Broadmoor World Arena
4 $883,212 6,940 1
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.
Simmons Bank Arena
10 $2,407,464 22,805 2
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARK. Hard Rock Live At
Seminole Hard Rock
5 $848,569 4,895 2
Hotel & Casino
HOLLYWOOD, FLA.
Kane Brown JoJo Siwa
Propst Arena
6 $782,731 6,534 1
HUNTSVILLE, ALA.
Bill Graham Civic

7 Auditorium $652,939 11,180 3
SAN FRANCISCO
Dolby Live
8 $614,980 6,594 2
LAS VEGAS
Radio City Music Hall

9 $608,849 4,919 1
NEW YORK
The Anthem
10 $582,025 8,334 3
WASHINGTON, D.C.
10,001-15,000 CAPACITY 5,000 OR LESS CAPACITY
Venue Total Total No. of Venue Total Total No. of

LOCATION Gross Attendees Shows LOCATION Gross Attendees Shows
Denny Sanford Resorts World Theatre

1 $4,880,014 23,470 6
1 Premier Center $2,789,158 20,752 2 LAS VEGAS
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
Encore Theater At
Van Andel Arena 2 Wynn Hotel $1,894,910 12,620 10
2 $2,378,677 27,011 4
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. LAS VEGAS
Gas South Arena Chicago Theatre

3 $1,278,781 9,827 1 3 $1,858,109 28,832 9
DULUTH, GA. CHICAGO
Maverik Center Orpheum Theatre
4 $1,141,681 9,481 1 4 $1,787,782 23,575 13
WEST VALLEY CITY, UTAH
MINNEAPOLIS
Bon Secours DeVos Performance Hall
5 Wellness Arena $1,134,729 10,699 1 5 $1,314,740 20,052 13
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
GREENVILLE, S.C.
Teatro Telcel
Ford Center 6 $1,170,808 21,249 21
6 $981,440 8,948 1 MEXICO CITY
EVANSVILLE, IND.
Resch Center Durham Performing

7 $869,636 7,250 1 7 Arts Center $1,149,097 19,527 9
GREEN BAY, WIS.
DURHAM, N.C.
Utilita Arena
8 $864,683 12,778 3 Ruth Eckerd Hall
NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND
8 $1,007,545 18,168 14
CLEARWATER, FLA.
Atlantic City
9 Boardwalk Hall $834,754 11,649 3 The Mission Ballroom
9 $652,483 18,036 6
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. DENVER
First Direct Arena Warfield Theatre

10 $746,721 10,811 2 10 $583,764 11,443 7
LEEDS, ENGLAND SAN FRANCISCO

charts DATA FOR WEEK OF 2.26.202 2
JOHNSON: JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES. BECKY G, KAROL G: EMILIO SANCHEZ.

HOT COUNTRY SONGS
Hot Country Songs
LAST WEEK
THIS WEEK
Title Artist
WKS. ON
CHART
IMPRINT/PROMOTION LABEL
#1 for 1 WEEK STM

6 1 ‘Til You Can’t Cody Johnson 22
COJO/WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WMN
4 2 Sand In My Boots Morgan Wallen 53

REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD
3 Buy Dirt Jordan Davis Featuring Luke Bryan 39

2
MCA NASHVILLE
3 4 Fancy Like Walker Hayes 36

NO. MONUMENT
1 1 5 You Should Probably Leave

MERCURY NASHVILLE
To Be Loved By You
Chris Stapleton
Parker McCollum
47
7 6 35
Johnson’s First No. 1 MCA NASHVILLE
Cody Johnson earns his first Hot Country Songs chart-topper with “ ’Til You Can’t.” Thinking ‘Bout You Dustin Lynch Featuring Lauren Alaina
8 7 Or MacKenzie Porter 35
Sparking its coronation — from No. 6 — the song surged by 21% to 8.4 million BROKEN BOW
streams in the week ending Feb. 17, according to MRC Data, as it jumps 7-2 on
CURRENT IF THEY ARE NEWLY RELEASED TITLES OR SONGS RECEIVING WIDESPREAD AIRPLAY AND/OR SALES ACTIVITY FOR THE FIRST TIME. HOT LATIN SONGS: THE WEEK’S MOST POPULAR LATIN SONGS, RANKED BY AUDIENCE IMPRESSIONS AS MEASURED BY MRC DATA, SALES DATA AS
HOT COUNTRY SONGS: THE WEEK’S MOST POPULAR COUNTRY SONGS, RANKED BY AUDIENCE IMPRESSIONS AS MEASURED BY MRC DATA, SALES DATA AS COMPILED BY MRC DATA AND STREAMING ACTIVITY BY ONLINE MUSIC SOURCES TRACKED BY MRC DATA. SONGS ARE DEFINED AS
Country Streaming Songs. It leads Country Digital Song Sales for a second week If I Didn’t Love You Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood
9 8 30
(3,900 sold) and rises 10-8 on Country Airplay (17.1 million impressions, up 7%). MACON/CAPITOL NASHVILLE/BROKEN BOW
COMPILED BY MRC DATA AND STREAMING ACTIVITY BY ONLINE MUSIC SOURCES TRACKED BY MRC DATA. SONGS ARE DEFINED AS CURRENT IF THEY ARE NEWLY RELEASED TITLES OR SONGS RECEIVING WIDESPREAD AIRPLAY AND/OR SALES ACTIVITY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
“I’m so excited to see the ripples that this song has created,” Johnson says of the
Matt Rogers and Ben Stennis co-write. “ ’Til You Can’t” serves as the lead single from 10 9 One Mississippi Kane Brown 26
RCA NASHVILLE
Johnson’s Human: The Double Album, which arrived at its No. 3 high on Top Country
Albums last October — his fourth top 10 entry on the chart. The track “has such a 23 Sam Hunt
14 10 23
positive message, and it’s so much fun to sing,” he says. “After playing music for almost MCA NASHVILLE
15 years, I’m still taken back by the power of a good country song.” — JI M ASKE R
HOT L ATIN SONGS

Hot Latin Songs
LAST WEEK
THIS WEEK
Title Artist
WKS. ON
CHART
IMPRINT/PROMOTION LABEL
#1 for 1 WEEK
HOT
SHOT 1 MAMIII Becky G X Karol G 1
DEBUT
KEMOSABE/RCA/SONY MUSIC LATIN
2 Pepas Farruko 33
1
CARBON FIBER/SONY MUSIC LATIN
4 3 Dos Oruguitas Sebastian Yatra 8

WALT DISNEY
NO. 2 4 Dakiti
RIMAS
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez 68
1 3 5
STM
Yonaguni
RIMAS
Bad Bunny 37
The Gs Take Over Volvi Aventura x Bad Bunny

5 6 29
Becky G (above left) and Karol G (above right) debut atop Hot Latin Songs with RIMAS
“MAMIII,” their first collaboration. Becky G, who made her chart debut in 2014,
8 7 Lo Siento BB:/ Tainy, Bad Bunny & Julieta Venegas 20
secures her first No. 1 on the all-metric list, while Karol G scores her fourth. NEON16
The Ovy on the Drums-produced single was released Feb. 10 (the final day of the
previous tracking week) and debuts mostly on the strength of streaming activity. Todo de Ti Rauw Alejandro
6 8 39
It generated 17.3 million streams in the United States in the week ending Feb. 17, DUARS/SONY MUSIC LATIN
according to MRC Data. It arrives at No. 5 on the overall Streaming Songs chart and
No. 1 on Latin Streaming Songs. It also leads Latin Digital Song Sales with 6,600 7 9 Colombia, Mi Encanto Carlos Vives 8
WALT DISNEY
downloads sold.
“MAMIII” takes Becky G and Karol G to new heights on the all-genre Billboard Desesperados Rauw Alejandro & Chencho Corleone
9 10 10
Hot 100 with a No. 15 debut — both artists’ highest-charting song. DUARS/SONY MUSIC LATIN
COMPILED BY
SALES DATA
— PA ME LA B US TI OS

ASCAP CELEBRATES OUR
BILLBOARD WOMEN IN MUSIC
ASCAP CEO
BETH MATTHEWS
Billboard Most Powerful Executive List
BONNIE RAITT
Icon Award
OLIVIA RODRIGO
Woman of the Year
SUMMER WALKER
PHOEBE BRIDGERS
Chart Breaker Award
Trailblazer Award
market
music
M U S I Cand
A Nmoney
D MONEY
PG. 32 INFLATION’S IMPACT ON MERCH AND VINYL
PG. 34 PUBLISHERS QUARTERLY
PG. 36 BRAZIL COMBATS FAKE STREAMS
Rough Road Ahead

dollar touring industry, then restarting it
after two years, turns out to be a complicated
process. Tour and production managers, as
well as promoters, are contending with the
For Tour Managers same personnel and supply-chain problems

afflicting industries from clothing to food.
Experienced riggers, stagehands, truck drivers
Artists are eager to get back on the road, but personnel, trucks and Olivia Rodrigo and catering crews have found jobs elsewhere
stages are hard to find — will profits be in short supply as well? signed a new over the past 24 months; the delays that cause
management supermarket shelves to run out of chicken or
deal with popcorn is murder on a business that needs
B Y S T E V E K N O P P E R // I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y K Y L E E L L I N G S O N
Lighthouse
Management +
replacement parts for tour bus engines in the
Media. middle of nowhere at 2 a.m.
O PL AN Dashboard Confessional’s
T
In late January, with barely enough time left “Every band wants to go back to work, so
2022 tour with Jimmy Eat World, before the tour started, Funk found the final you need more people, you need more driv-
which begins Feb. 27, the veteran crew member, a front-of-house engineer. “It’s ers, you need more lighting crews,” says Jake
Snoop Dogg
emo band’s tour manager, Jack really stressful,” he says. acquired the
Berry, a longtime production manager for
Funk, started making calls in late December For touring stars, venues and promoters, Death Row shows from U2 to J Balvin’s arena tour begin-
to fill two buses with 12 musicians and hire a everything is anxious in 2022. The pandemic Records brand, ning April 19. “That’s not there, so you’ve got
CREDITS HERE AND HERE TKTKTKTKTKTKTK
production crew. Even at the last minute, this seems to be abating, which means everyone which he to find them.” Adds Corrie Martin, a Wasser-
says will be a
process was, in normal times, routine. wants to be on the road after two disturbing man Music agent who represents Imagine
non-fungible
Not this year. years of canceled dates and up-and-down token label. Dragons, Rise Against and Riot Fest: “Things
“It’s a nightmare,” he says. “I started talk- revenue. Live Nation reports more shows that would take 24 hours before are taking
ing to people: This guy’s busy, this guy’s busy. this month than any previous February in the two to three weeks.”
Everybody wants money. And rightfully so company’s history, and the “overall concert Barring new variants, most 2022 tours are
— they’re in demand. But we’re not Bon Jovi. pipeline” this year is outpacing 2019. not in danger of cancellation, and concert
We can’t afford it.” But abruptly shutting down the multibillion- industry sources emphasize shows will not
FEBRUARY 26, 2022 BILLBOARD.COM 29

market Dwight Yoakam and Warner Music Group
settled on the rights to his 1986 debut album.
Global Music Rights and the Radio Music

Licensing Committee reached a settlement
to resolve antitrust litigation.
lack crucial equipment or security staff. “We’re not seeing

anything holding back the volume of shows,” says Arthur
Fogel, president of Live Nation’s global touring division and
chairman of concerts. “Some of those challenges exist, but
everybody’s already figuring out how to overcome them.”
The personnel and supply-chain issues are cumbersome
and costly, however. Jon Dunleavy, My Chemical Romance’s
tour manager, hired buses last summer for the band’s Euro-
pean tour in May and U.S. tour in August, but waited until late
August to rent seven trucks — and every truck company came
up empty-handed. He finally succeeded, but “it was nerve-
racking for a minute,” he says. “Everything’s more expensive.”
Rather than raising ticket prices or reducing staff or pro-
duction, My Chemical Romance will absorb the costs. The
group can afford it, Dunleavy says, but “for some bands, it
could tip the scales from a profitable tour to a tour in debt.”
Tom Windish, a Wasserman agent who specializes in indie
rock, adds that smaller
acts may struggle due
to higher expenses:
“An artist that makes
“We’ve $500 a night may be Selling A Song your catalog if you sell it. Let’s assume you are
selling your catalog for a multiple of 13 times its
losing $5,000 from net publisher’s share (essentially annual gross
lost, by my their savings account Catalog? Now’s profit). The effective coupon is 100 divided by 13,
to go on a tour. In some which equals 7.69%. As interest rates rise, a bond
estimation, cases, the artist can’t

sustain the losses.”
The Time with a lower coupon rate will generally experi-
ence a greater decrease in value than one with a
Wealth managers explain what
30% of the The most pro-
nounced personnel rising interest rates mean
higher coupon rate. So a catalog that sells for a
multiple of 13 will experience a greater decrease
labor force.” shortages, accord-

ing to concert busi-
for the publishing market
BY DA N W E I S M A N A DA M SA N S I V E R I
in value than one that sells for a multiple of 10
because the buyer is assigning greater value to
—MICHAEL STRICKL AND, ness sources, are AND future cash flows.
BANDIT LITES in transportation. Higher inflation also affects catalog sales
Stephen Maples, vp because it reduces the value of future royalty
of entertainment
trucking for live-event O NE OF THE MOST common
questions we hear from creators
payments. The higher the multiple, the more
pronounced the inflation effect because more
cargo business Rock-It thinking about selling their song royalty payments are required for the buyer to be
Global, estimates that “ready-to-go” drivers are just 65% catalogs is “What do they” — the buyers — made whole.
of what they were before the pandemic. Nashville tour bus “know that I don’t?” The answer is simple: The Many catalog acquisitions are financed using
company Coach Quarters has just 17 drivers on hand for its catalog-sale marketplace has been driven by debt and leverage. If leverage has a floating
20-bus fleet. The company has had to train new drivers and institutional investors, and they are looking for (or adjustable) interest rate, then every rate in-
pay more experienced ones higher salaries — a truck with a yield — a predictable rate of return. In the crease results in an exponential increase in cost
trailer that cost $350 per day before COVID-19 now costs at low-interest-rate environment of the last to the borrower.
least $400. Plus, parts are hard to find. “It’s truly crippling,” decade, it has been impossible to find yield in What buyers also know is that a 7.69% return
says operations manager Jamie Streetman. financial instruments like bonds. Music royalties, barely beat inflation last year, when it was 7%,
Stagehands are in short supply, too — 20% to 40% fewer though, provide a steady return that is not and we’re not even factoring in the cost of capi-
personnel are available than usual, according to Rhino Stag- correlated to traditional asset classes. tal. When rates rise and inflation settles, institu-
ing founder/CEO Jeff Giek: “It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen. Most sellers, however, aren’t thinking about tional investors will look elsewhere for return.
We’re having to [have people travel in] from out of state.” how macroeconomic factors like interest rates The catalog-sale marketplace won’t disappear
Sound and lighting companies are struggling with the affect music royalties. They are inextricably overnight, but it will certainly cool, especially
same issues. Michael Strickland, chair/founder of Nashville’s linked, and with inflation at 7.5% — a 40-year when you consider all the big deals that have
Bandit Lites, says workers in his industry “that once made X high — and the Federal Reserve indicating that been made over the last few years. Moving
are now requesting 1.5 or 2X,” and the costs of replacing parts it will begin raising rates in March to reduce that forward, many looking to sell their catalogs will
have increased “exponentially.” figure, a seismic shift in the catalog-sale market- be newer artists with less of an earnings history,
“We’ve lost, by my estimation, 30% of the labor force,” place could be brewing. which makes the deals far more speculative.
Strickland says. “There is no short-term fix. It’s not like Two years ago in Billboard, we highlighted Investors will pay lower multiples for speculative
you can turn the switch and those 30% will come back. the low-interest-rate environment as the driving fixed income (royalties), especially in a higher-
They’re gone.” force behind the heated catalog-sale market- interest, higher-inflation environment.
In Europe, promoters are dealing with shortages for ev- place. We also compared a catalog to a bond, Bottom line: If you are considering selling, the
erything: stages, toilets, trucks, fences, security. Costs are up which became a widely accepted analogy. current economic environment provides an un-
50%, according to Stuart Galbraith, CEO of 14-year-old U.K. Historically, interest rates and bonds move in op- precedented opportunity to capitalize financially
indie promoter Kilimanjaro Group; a stage that cost £40,000 posite directions: When interest rates rise, bond on your success.
($54,300) in 2019 has increased to £75,000 ($101,800). His prices drop. One of the biggest threats to a bond
company took the unusual step of purchasing, rather than portfolio is interest-rate risk. Former artist manager Dan Weisman is a vp/financial
leasing, two stages — and numerous toilets. How does this relate to royalties? Bonds pay adviser at Bernstein Private Wealth Management in
“It’s certainly stressful,” he says. “But we’re used to chang- a coupon rate (a percentage of the face value); Nashville. Adam Sansiveri is a managing director and
ing the way we do things. This is just another roll of our evolu- catalogs pay royalties. head of Bernstein’s Nashville Private Client Group and
tionary dice. We will come out stronger. With more toilets.” Here’s how you determine the “coupon” on co-head of its Sports, Media and Entertainment Group.
30 ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN STAUFFER BILLBOARD.COM FEBRUARY 26, 2022

market Robin Williams’ estate, Andrew Dice Clay
and more comedians filed copyright lawsuits
against Pandora .
Christian Nodal signed a record deal with

Sony Music U.S. Latin and Sony Music Mexico.
Inflation
Impacts
Merch
And Vinyl
“Everybody is paying more to make
less money,” says one executive
BY GLENN PEOPLES
W HEN BILLY CANDLER, CO-FOUNDER of

full-service merchandising company
Absolute Merch, went to the House of
Blues in Anaheim, Calif., in early February, he saw a
welcome sight: “The line for merch was out the
door,” he says. Fans eager to buy T-shirts, hoodies now want a larger cut of merch sales. A typical 15% costs have caused the average retail price for a stan-
and other items is a great sign for artists touring in to 20% share of revenue before the pandemic is dard, single LP to increase from about $20 to $24
2022 since merch sales at concerts remain vital to now 20% to 25%, and up to 30% at big festivals. in the last few years. But labels haven’t raised their
many artists. Dealing with inflation is like bleeding from a prices for CDs, which are less expensive than vinyl
The road out of the pandemic seems to be filled thousand tiny, interrelated cuts. Stocking a merch to manufacture and ship.
with potholes, however. Inflation — everything from table at a concert isn’t as straightforward as it Higher vinyl wholesale costs have translated to
cotton costs to shipping fees — has sent the costs of used to be. Getting goods on time from suppliers higher prices at retail. “Our prices are rising — but
merchandise and vinyl records soaring from pre- can mean paying a premium for a rush shipment. it’s not us,” says Chris Brown, CFO of Bull Moose,
pandemic levels. Unable to shoulder their higher Manufacturers dealing with labor and raw goods an 11-store chain in Maine and New Hampshire.
cost burden, each company in the supply chain shortages have raised prices, and production is “We can’t dictate what we pay for things.” Rather
has raised prices for its clients. That leaves less unpredictable. Facing their own labor and cost than adjust its margins to compensate for higher
opportunity for suppliers and artists to profit from challenges, freight carriers have also raised prices. wholesale and operating costs, Bull Moose put extra
music’s much-awaited return to the stage. Record labels face the same set of factors as merch emphasis on higher-margin used goods through in-
“Ultimately, everybody is paying more to make companies. Freight in particular “is a huge factor” in store banners, radio spots and social media ads. “You
less money,” says Candler. labels’ decision to raise their vinyl wholesale costs, can’t increase prices when you market yourself as a
U.S. inflation hit 7.5% in January, the highest says Nabil Ayers, president of Beggars Group’s U.S. low-price leader,” says Brown.
level in 40 years, according to numbers that the operations. “So much of what we make is manu- The good news is consumers have so far been
Bureau of Labor Statistics released Feb. 10. A factured in Europe. Even if we ship via boat, which willing to pay higher prices. According to the RIAA,
crucial component of overall inflation is the price takes four to six weeks, it still costs a lot.” Micki the average vinyl LP sale price has steadily increased
of gas, which is baked into product prices and, for Windham, production manager at Thirty Tigers, a in the last three years, from $26.06 in the first half of
musicians, is a major cost of touring. U.S. retail gas Nashville-based labels services company, agrees. “If 2019 to $27.49 in the first half of 2021. But U.S. sales
prices averaged $3.41 in January, up 41% year over we have to airfreight, it can be as much as $2 a unit. are up 87% over that two-year period and are on
year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Normally, it would cost 75 cents to $1 a unit.” Wind- pace to increase again in 2022.
Administration. That was about 27% higher than ham says she can plan for long lead times, but having There are no industry statistics for music merch
the average $2.69 per gallon Americans paid in a title in stock often trumps its cost. “If we don’t sales, but insiders say fans don’t seem to be suffering
2019. But energy prices are merely a symptom of the have the luxury of time, we have to use airfreight — from sticker shock. Shanna Reznik, owner of merch
problems facing businesses today. which is astronomical.” company Threefour, whose clients include indie
“We’re getting squeezed on every side,” says Ste- Although “extremely reluctant” to raise whole- rocker Phoebe Bridgers, has seen per-head sales
vie Hopkins, founder/CEO of Second City Prints, a sale prices, many labels began to do so in the fall at concerts double or triple since artists resumed
full-service merch company whose clients include of 2021, says Glenn Dicker, co-founder of Redeye touring in the summer of 2021. The key is giving
Manchester Orchestra and Concord Music Group. Worldwide, a North Carolina-based distributor. fans something that’s worth the higher price, says
Hopkins has raised prices three times in two years, Thirty Tigers started raising vinyl wholesale prices Reznik, such as a concert-specific T-shirt or a more
and Candler says his prices increased 30% “across by $1 to $1.50 a unit in January, says Windham. elaborate design. She notes, “People will always pay
the board.” His artists are also finding that venues Ayers estimates that higher shipping and materials for quality and something that’s going to last.”
32 ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN STAUFFER BILLBOARD.COM FEBRUARY 26, 2022

market P U B L I S H E R S Q U A R T E R LY Sting sold his entire song catalog to
Universal Music Publishing Group.
Sony Music Publishing landed 18

synchs for Super Bowl ads — more than
any other publisher.
ADELE MAKES IT LOOK ‘EASY’ FOR SONY

The music publisher tops both fourth-quarter rankings despite market-share declines BY ED CHRISTMAN
T HE KID L AROI, JUSTIN BIEBER AND ADELE helped

Sony Music Publishing continue its winning streak through
Top Radio Airplay: Publishers*
the end of 2021. The company took the No. 1 spot on both
Warner Chappell Music
the Top Radio Airplay and Hot 100 Songs charts for the last three
Kobalt
months of the year — its third consecutive quarter atop both rankings. 16.08%
Sony’s wins came despite declines in market share for both catego- 15.22%
ries compared with its third-quarter results: from 29.53% to 27.70% in BMG
radio airplay and 28.86% to 22.51% on Hot 100 Songs. 5.17%
Universal Music 1.72% Hipgnosis Songs Group
The company, which has led the Top Radio Airplay ranking for 17 of Publishing Group 21.49% 1.71% Pulse Music
the last 18 quarters, had a stake in 59 of the fourth quarter’s Top Radio 1.43% Spirit Music
Airplay songs — the same number it had in the 0.96% Round Hill Music
third — and 51 Hot 100 songs — down from 63 7.60% 0.91% Mike Curb Music
in the previous quarter. Sony also had a stake in
27.70% Other
the No. 1 song on both charts: The Kid LAROI
Sony Music Publishing
and Bieber’s “Stay” on Top Radio Airplay and
Adele’s “Easy on Me” on Hot 100 Songs.
Four other publishers had a piece of “Stay”: Rank Title Artist Label
Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chap- 1 “Stay” The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber Raymond Braun/Def Jam/Columbia
The Kid LAROI
pell Music, Kobalt and Pulse. UMPG also holds a
2 “Industry Baby” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow Columbia
stake in “Easy on Me,” which contributed to the publisher tying Sony on
3 “Easy On Me” Adele Columbia
the Hot 100 Songs chart with 51 titles, six less than the previous quarter.
4 “Bad Habits” Ed Sheeran Atlantic
UMPG’s lower market share of 21.47% resulted in its No. 2 ranking, but
that was a nearly two-percentage-point increase over its third-quarter 5 “Need To Know” Doja Cat Kemosabe/RCA
result of 19.80%. The publisher also gained four percentage points in its 6 “Beggin’ ” Måneskin Arista/Sony Music Latin
Top Radio Airplay performance — 21.49%, up from 17.56%, 7 “good 4 u” Olivia Rodrigo Geffen/Interscope
despite its song count dropping from 58 to 55. That quar- 8 “Shivers” Ed Sheeran Atlantic
ter-to-quarter market-share bump led UMPG to reclaim 9 “Essence” Wizkid Starboy/RCA
the No. 2 ranking on that chart, up from No. 3. 10 “You Right” Doja Cat & The Weeknd Kemosabe/RCA
Both market share and song count
decreased for third-place finisher Warner
Chappell. The publisher was down from Hot 100 Songs: Publishers*
17.90% to 14.80% and from 52 to 44 songs
on the Hot 100 Songs ranking and down Warner Chappell Music Kobalt
from 19.22% to 16.08% and from 52 to
14.78%
44 songs on Top Radio Airplay, where its 14.80% BMG
Universal
third-quarter performance had put it in Music 6.17%
second place. Publishing 4.30% St. Nicholas Music
Kobalt and BMG finished fourth and fifth, re- Group 2.01% Hipgnosis Songs Group
spectively, on both charts, positions they’ve held 21.47% 1.99% Concord Music Publishing
for three consecutive quarters. 1.45% Demi Music
The top songwriter for Hot 100 Songs is the 9.27% 1.25% Pulse Music
late Johnny Marks, who landed four tunes:
Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas 22.51% Other
Tree” (No. 16), Burl Ives’ “Holly Jolly Christmas”
Sony Music Publishing
(No. 19), Gene Autry’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer” (No. 62) and Chuck Berry’s “Run
Rank Title Artist Label
Rudolph Run” (No. 77). Marks is published by
St. Nicholas Music, which he founded. 1 “Easy On Me” Adele Columbia
Dr. Luke took the No. 1 slot on Top Radio 2 “Stay” The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber Raymond Braun/Columbia/Def Jam
Airplay, co-writing three Doja Cat songs: 3 “Industry Baby” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow Columbia
LAROI: DANIEL PRAKOPCYK. ADELE: CBS/GETTY IMAGES.
“Need To Know” (No. 5), “You Right” (No. 10) 4 “Bad Habits” Ed Sheeran Atlantic
and “Kiss Me More” (No. 15). He also has a 5 “Shivers” Ed Sheeran Atlantic
co-writing credit for Latto’s “Big Energy” 6 “Fancy Like” Walker Hayes Monument/RCA
(No. 66). Dr. Luke publishes his
7 “Heat Waves” Glass Animals Wolf Tone/Polydor/Republic
music through his own Kasz
8 “Need To Know” Doja Cat Kemosabe/RCA
Money Publishing, which
9 “Way 2 Sexy” Drake Featuring Future & Young Thug OVO Sound/Republic
Kobalt administers. Adele
10 “good 4 u” Olivia Rodrigo Geffen/Interscope
*For the Top 10 Publishers Top Radio Airplay chart, percentage calculations are based upon the overall top 100 detecting songs from 2,005 U.S. radio stations electronically monitored by MRC Data 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the period
of Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2021. For Top 10 Publishers Hot 100 Songs, percentage calculations are based upon the top 100 songs as ranked by Billboard Hot 100 points calculated from digital sales, streaming and MRC Data-tracked radio airplay detections
during the period of Oct. 1 to Dec. 30, 2021, reflecting the issue dates of Oct. 16, 2021, through Jan. 8, 2022. Publisher information for musical works on both charts has been identified by the Harry Fox Agency. A “publisher” is defined as an administra-
tor, copyright owner and/or controlling party.

market GLOBAL REPORT Sony Music’s $430 million acquisition of AWAL was provisionally
cleared by the United Kingdom’s competition watchdog.
Members of Spain’s SGAE voted to change how it distributes

royalties for TV in an ongoing effort to eliminate fraud.
IFPI confirmed to Billboard that “a

large number of streaming manipulation
sites seem to be the ‘resellers’ of services
operated by third parties,” though “it is
often difficult to identify the method of
manipulation or the countries in which the
operators of these services are based.”
Just Another Panel, according to IFPI, “is
a name that often appears in connection
with reseller sites offering artificial plays
and other manipulation activities.” (Just
Another Panel has never operated in Rus-
sia and is unknown among Russian users
and cybersecurity experts.)
The only way to stop illegal Russia-
based sites from operating in Brazil, Enci-
nas says, is by blocking access to Brazil’s
internet. Prosecutors have used court
orders in those cases to force Brazilian
internet service providers to forbid Brazil-
ian IP addresses from accessing Russian
sites, he says.
Hayduk says the industry should go one
step further than recent law-enforcement
BRAZIL COMBATS FAKE STREAMS

actions. He advocates creating “foun-
dational platform security” for the DSPs
where neutral third-party arbiters (like his
own service) would monitor transactional-
In 2021, an initiative dubbed “Operation Anti-Doping” shut down 84 stream-boosting sites with level streaming data to weed out suspi-
cious streams — a strategy already used
ties to Russia — the first time that fake streams have been prosecuted as a crime there in financial services, e-commerce and
B Y A L E X E I B A R R I O N U E V O A N D B E AT R I Z M I R A N D A digital advertising. “The question is, as an
industry, can we collectively get smarter
and catch [fake-stream proprietors] faster
and make the economic incentive less
RIO DE JANEIRO — In 2016, ing artists or their representatives to buy which can take years and yield uncertain powerful?” Hayduk asks. (Spotify declined
Richard Encinas, a São Paulo bot-generated “plays” to boost their songs’ results, the Brazilians have focused on to comment on his suggestion.)
state prosecutor, led investigations into stream counts. shutting down blocks of sites indefinitely While Rosa and Encinas say that their
organized crime that culminated in a raid This was the first time in Brazil that fake and transferring the domains to Apdif. ongoing efforts have rooted out 90% of
of a clandestine warehouse and the streams have been prosecuted as a crime. “What’s the point of arresting these the fake-stream operators in Brazil, the
seizure of millions of pirated DVDs and Prosecutors charged that it constituted guys?” says Encinas. “Our focus is to incentives to defraud the streaming market
CDs that took more than seven trucks to embezzlement and illicit gain, thus violat- protect legal [streaming]” and for “the haven’t changed. Since 2016, Brazil’s
transport. But the transition from physical ing Brazil’s Consumer Defense Code. crime to stop.” streaming revenue has grown by double
recorded music to digital streaming has The probe also revealed the international In Germany, the other major music digits each year, says Rosa. Brazil was Latin
happened at breakneck speed in Brazil, scope of the problem: While the sites were market where IFPI has overseen efforts America’s fastest-growing major market in
ushering in a booming illegal trade in based in Brazil, the actual stream-boosting to combat fake streams, music associa- 2020, with revenue increasing by 24.5%,
artificially boosted audio and video activity was conducted in Russia through tions took a similar approach in 2020 and driven by a boost in streaming revenue of
streams. So, two years later, Encinas mirror sites, in particular one site called 2021 when they used injunctions and 37.1% that put it at $306.4 million in total
traveled with a group of colleagues to Just Another Panel, says Pro-Música presi- other legal tactics to shut down nine sites. (ranking 11th in the world), according to
London to learn how to better combat dent Paulo Rosa. “No company in Brazil Cyber Gaeco also took down 15 sites — 14 IFPI’s Global Music Report.
cybercrime, including new challenges has the technology to make these fake Russian and one American — operating in Brazilian music executives point out
emerging in the music industry. streams,” he says. “This technology comes Brazil that were selling ad-supported ser- that the fake streams coincide with social
Now, Encinas — who heads the Center from websites hosted in Russia.” vices to illegally download video streams media growth. Brazil had 150 million
for Investigations of Cyber Crimes in While fraudsters often seek to enrich from YouTube by outwitting the company’s social media users in 2021, up 10 million
the São Paulo public prosecutor’s office, themselves with ill-gotten royalties from security measures. (7.1%) from 2020, for a penetration of
known in Brazil as Cyber Gaeco — has fake songs or playlists, some artists are Russian hackers provide technical 70.3% of its total population (the United
made the pivot to digital, helping launch also tapping artificial streams to create support to Brazilian hackers, Encinas says. States was at 72.3%), according to digital
the music industry’s most-sweeping ef- “fake velocity.” In other words, “fool- Their assistance in creating fraudulent trends site DataReportal.
fort to root out fake-stream operations, ing the algorithm into thinking there’s a streams is difficult to stop because the “I see this as another tool that has been
dubbed Operation Anti-Doping. critical mass of people behind a track,” Russian government has been lenient on brought into the social media environ-
Working with Pro-Música Brasil, the which pushes it onto important digital Russian hackers attacking foreign compa- ment,” says Rosa. “Fake streams came
country’s trade organization for record la- service provider playlists and helps them nies and individuals, so long as they have about in this ecosystem. It has more to do
bels and an IFPI affiliate, and its six-person go viral, says Morgan Hayduk, founder/ not operated in Russia. (Hackers often with: ‘Look, here’s another chance to do
anti-piracy division, Apdif, Cyber Gaeco co-CEO of Beatdapp, a Vancouver- disguise their location with tools like virtual some marketing.’ Artists want to create
shut down 84 stream-boosting sites in based tracking system that authenticates private networks.) “I am unaware of the artificial success.”
Brazil in 2021, primarily using cease-and- streams for DSPs. collaboration of the Russian government
desist notices and threats of court orders. Rather than spend time trying to with any government of any country in the Additional reporting by Micah Singleton
The sites shopped fake streams, allow- track down and prosecute individuals, world,” Encinas says. and Vladimir Kozlov.
36 ILLUSTRATION BY BARBARA GIBSON BILLBOARD.COM FEBRUARY 26, 2022

WE P R O U D LY C O N G R AT U L AT E OUR CLIENTS
GABBY BARRETT OLIVIA RODRIGO SUMMER WALKER

RISING S TAR AWARD WOMAN OF THE YEAR CHARTBREAKER
AND OUR BILLBOARD WOMEN IN MUSIC HONOREES
LUCY DICKINS ASHLEY GONZALEZ SHARI LEWIN CAROLINE YIM

market Warner Music Group launched a global diversity, equity and
inclusion institute to help fulfill the company’s new DEI commitments.
LaTrice Burnette was named executive vp of Def Jam. She brings

along her 4th & Broadway label.
Ghazi photographed
Feb. 7 at EMPIRE in
San Francisco.
From The Desk Of...

licensing deals to hip-hop’s tors, they’re not very good at the United States with urban
major-label castoffs and young them. We are really excelling at a artists. It’s what we’re starting
guns. But once it had cemented lot of things.” to do in Nashville and in some
Ghazi
its own distribution pipelines, of the Asian territories. It just so
it then expanded as a label, What has been your happens that there’s a symbiotic
publisher and technology entity experience in the African relationship with the music in
with merchandise and social music business? Africa, where Afropop/Afrobeats
media divisions as well as crypto It has allowed us to connect plays very nicely with who we are
F O U N D E R /C E O, E M P I R E interests. (Last November, the with some of the most incredible as a company in terms of our cul-
company claimed it was the first talent we’ve ever worked with tural makeup, the type of music
record label to pay an advance — people like Olamide, Fireboy, that we evangelize. So we’re just
BY DAN RYS in bitcoin.) EMPIRE has opened Buju. I’ll go out on a limb and continuing the same trend of edu-
a studio in Midtown Manhat- say we’re equally as impactful cation and investing in talented
PHOTOGRAPHED BY KAREN SANTOS
tan (which produced the Jim in West Africa as we are in the people and evangelizing our
Jones-Migos collaboration “We United States. People are starting culture and our ideology of joint
Set the Trends”) and plans to do to understand the value of their partnerships and collaboration.
HEN MULTI-
W
hits born from that studio: Yung the same in Nashville (where it rights, of the monetization of
hyphenate Bleu, Chris Brown and 2 Chainz’ has operated a country music streaming — what that equates Last year, you opened a new
music company “Baddest,” which reached No. 56; division since 2019). And having to on a global scale. They’ve office in the Middle East/
EMPIRE was Money Man and Lil Baby’s “24,” established offices in the Middle seen a couple of Afropop and North Africa. What are your
getting ready to open the doors which reached No. 49; and East and the United Kingdom, Afrobeats artists cross into plans there?
of its new 10,000-square-foot Fireboy DML and Ed Sheeran’s the company is set to officially global economies, like Wizkid I learned very early on that in that
San Francisco recording studio in “Peru,” which debuted on the announce the launch of EMPIRE and Davido and Burna Boy, and part of the world, the rights work
the spring of 2019, founder/CEO chart in February at No. 79. Africa — where it has already now Fireboy’s record with Ed differently — and in many cases,
Ghazi predicted it would propel As the music business has operated for two years — with a Sheeran. There’s also a greater there are no rights at all. It’s still
his independent operation to the evolved over the past decade, new local executive structure in commitment to monetization very early in development be-
next level. EMPIRE has often seemed place and several label partner- of the market and to building cause there was no infrastructure
“I told people: ‘Once we get ahead of the curve, disrupting ships in Nigeria, Ghana, South infrastructure. there for things like copyright and
a studio, watch the pulse of the some aspects of the industry Africa and Ivory Coast. publishing. I know it’s going to be
company change,’ ” he says from while taking the lead in others. “I think we’re the king of the So how does EMPIRE fit into a long and hard journey because
his Bay Area office. Two years The company began strategi- multisector,” says Ghazi. “A lot the market? things are not very monetized
later, the bet paid off, as EMPIRE cally as a digital-first distribu- of companies say they are, and For us, it’s very natural. It’s the over there, so you could put in a
landed three Billboard Hot 100 tor in 2010, offering one-off while they dabble in other sec- same thing that we did here in lot of work and not see a return.

CONGRATULATIONS
2022 BILLBOARD WOMEN

IN MUSIC HONOREE
We celebrate all the visionaries

on this list inspiring us every day
market Artist rights advocate and Gomez founding member
Tom Gray was elected chair of The Ivors Academy.
A judge rejected Primary Wave ’s proposal for how

Prince’s estate should be structured in favor of his heirs.
end, recoup faster and get a

bigger deal later, and that artist
will be a significant champion.
We took care of the artists, and
then the artist community took
care of us.
EMPIRE claimed it was the

first record label to offer an
artist advance in bitcoin.
Why bitcoin?
Bobblehead figures of rappers It’s the same conversation — it’s
Too $hort (right) and the late about creating user behavior. We
Mac Dre. “The Furly Ghost and
Short the Pimp are Bay Area did an advance in bitcoin and fur-
hood heroes,” says Ghazi. thered that thought process by
A collection of memorabilia that includes used doing the advance on CashApp,
cellphones and memorial programs for Young Dolph,
XXXTentacion and The Jacka, and a plaque honoring
which I believe is the lowest
Ghazi as a member of Billboard’s 2019 New Power early talent that’s not stuck doing common denominator because it
Generation. “I often remind myself where we’ve been things a certain way. We’ll have has great market penetration. So
to magnify where I’m headed,” he says.
to develop some talent, so it will if you already have a shitload of
take a bit longer [to break them], people using CashApp to share
but I’m OK with that. U.S. dollars, it’s very easy to use
CashApp to send bitcoin — and
How do your deals stand out now you’re starting to get people
from the pack? acclimated to the idea that
Our deals are full-on partner- bitcoin is OK and easy to use. It’s
ships, so the way the rights are insanely powerful.
written, recoupment is likely;
master reversion, if there is a How do you see Web3
reversion, is likely; and artists changing and challenging the
tend to have a lot more creative traditional industry?
input, not control. “Input” is the It gives you a whole other
right word because I think in a medium. Terrestrial radio has its
perfect world neither party con- segment of audience; streaming
trols the creativity. We come to has its segment; traditional social
a collective decision. The deals media like Instagram, Facebook
are framed in a way that makes a and Twitter have their segment;
Far right: The artwork depicting Ghazi’s A certificate from the mayor of San Francisco lot more sense for both parties to [non-fungible tokens] are going
name in Arabic, which was a gift from honoring Ghazi for his contributions to the be successful, and a good deal to have theirs. The metaverse
his executive assistant, Samyah, is “a community. “I wouldn’t be who I am today if
reflection of my roots as a Palestinian.” I wasn’t born and bred in San Francisco.”
is where neither party is taking brings a whole other powerful
advantage of the other side. I segment where you can do a
always tell people, “I’ll take both lot of things, from concerts to
points of view, but the truth lies museums to meeting spaces.
But culturally, it’s significant for Like if you have representation radio. Now you’re starting to see somewhere in the middle,” and I Anything you can do in the
me because of my Palestinian in Singapore and Jakarta, then some acts break through without think our deals lie in the middle. physical world you could do
background. I feel an emotional maybe you’ll also get Malaysia, radio. I think that’s the tip of the I think that’s why we’ve had so in the metaverse and without
attachment to do something Vietnam, Thailand. iceberg — and that’s going to much success. It just took a long the bureaucracy of the physical
about it. But also, from the busi- help us grow in that market in the time for the attorneys to under- world. If I want to build a night-
ness side of it, it’s a long play — What are the opportunities next few years. stand what we were trying to club in the metaverse, I don’t
it’s a gigantic market. There’s 300 for a company like yours in accomplish. The economics of a need to get a permit from the
or 400 million Arabs in that area. such a traditional music city How do you shift the mindset deal are more important than the planning and zoning committee
as Nashville? of a business sector that has advance number, and by eco- to do it. Does it have the same
What’s next for EMPIRE? We’ve already started to have always done things one way? nomics, I mean splits, recoup- implications of a physical night-
Probably Brazil, maybe India. some success. We just got our You go after the younger genera- ment rates, things of that nature. club? Maybe not. But maybe it
I know Russia is going to be first platinum record with Tenille tion of artists. Everything is about Getting artists and attorneys to has different implications that are
emerging at some point. You’re Arts. Terrestrial radio can’t be user behavior. I’m not going understand that took a while. also very successful.
starting to see money coming what it is to the country genre to fight to change the mind of
out of those territories. And forever. It dominated the airwaves someone who is used to doing What brought them around? With your growth and the
then at some point, you just for pop, for R&B/soul, for rap, for something one way for 20 years. Time. It’s creating user behavior. money pouring into the
say, “OK, we got enough areas a long period, and then we saw a I’m going to go create that You could pitch the same thing business, have you thought
covered where if you pushed a transition to streaming. We now user behavior at the inception to 10 artists, and they’ll all take about selling?
button and sent the Bat-Signal know that radio follows streaming point. So if you’re a brand-new the deal with the higher advance (Laughs.) No. I don’t think there’s
out, hitting all those different in the urban genres. Tradition- artist, I’m going to teach you to but the lower split. Convince one a number that somebody could
epicenters would, by a process ally, a lot of country artists were be a streaming artist from the artist to take the higher split and present that could even make me
of osmosis, hit surrounding sec- of the belief that the only way to very beginning. That has been lower advance and that they’ll flinch. It’s not about the money
ondary and tertiary [markets].” succeed was through traditional the philosophy: signing a lot of make more money on the back for me.

sound
NOW PLAYING
Koffee photographed Feb. 7 in
Kingston, Jamaica.
At Long
Last
Reggae singer Koffee made Grammys history
as a teen. Now, with a new record deal and full-length
debut, she wants to move her genre forward
BY NEENA ROUHANI
PHOTOGRAPHED BY DESTINEE CONDISON

sound
K OFFEE DOESN’ T remember the moment

she won her first Grammy Award — or
Such was the inspiration behind the singer’s long-
awaited Gifted album, out March 25, which will be
where the trophy is. “I haven’t seen it Koffee’s first project on RCA Records following singles
since I left the U.S.,” she admits, bashfully. “I swear I “West Indies” and “Pull Up.” (The singer signed a U.S.
don’t know who has it.” record deal with RCA in February 2020 and remains
In 2020, the Spanish Town, Jamaica, singer born signed to Columbia Records in the United Kingdom,
Mikayla Simpson became the first woman to take a deal she signed in 2018.) “We signed Koffee with
home the best reggae album award, for her debut the knowledge that she was a generational talent,”
project, Rapture — and the youngest winner ever at 19. says Joel Quartey, head of marketing at Columbia Re-
ONE TO WATCH
Rapture wasn’t even a full album — the five-track reg- cords UK. “After an already record-breaking run lead-
gae-fusion EP clocked in at just over 15 minutes. Put ing into a truly genre-defining debut album this year, GOT the beat
head-to-head with long-standing reggae heavyweights there is no limit to what Koffee can accomplish — and
like Sly & Robbie and Steel Pulse, the win was even we can expect her to achieve many more milestones FROM Seoul
more unlikely, and Koffee agrees. “As soon as they got in the years to come.”
to the reggae category and said [I won], it felt surreal,” As for the anticipated debut, Koffee says, “The AGES 21-35
pandemic definitely allowed me
to choose my own direction a lot LABEL SM Entertainment
more,” noting that she was much
more involved in the produc- FOUNDATION In 2019, K-pop label SM Entertainment
tion, sounds and flow of Gifted launched the all-male supergroup SuperM —
than on Rapture. She reveals that and soon after started thinking about a girl
the 10-track album will be more group equivalent. Announced late last year,
stripped-back and acoustic than her GOT the beat features some of the label’s
debut EP, “but still trappy when it biggest female stars, including BoA, a 20-
comes to the bones and having that year industry veteran and an Asian pop icon;
head-bop ability.” Taeyeon and Hyoyeon from Girls’ Genera-
It’s that exact approach that sug- tion; Seulgi and Wendy from Red Velvet; and
gests Koffee’s continued intentions Karina and Winter from new arrival aespa,
of modernizing reggae — along whose metaverse concept and futuristic
with any preconceived notions of beats are on the cutting edge of pop. As for
the genre. Ahead, she’s interested in what they all have in common? “GOT the
collaborating with artists including beat is very focused on performance,” says
Young Thug and prior collabora- BoA. “All the great dancers are together.”
tor Gunna, as well as Afrobeats
hitmakers like Burna Boy, Davido DISCOVERY For its youngest members, GOT represents
and Wizkid. “Reggae will definitely a chance to work alongside some of their
progress, not only in terms of what it idols. “I was blown away by BoA’s powerful
accomplishes,” but also sonically, she dance moves,” Taeyeon says. “When I was
says. “There’s a lot of experimentation young, I always saw her perform on TV or
going on.” from a distance, but while working on this
At the same time, what Koffee project, I was able to see her up close and
has already accomplished in terms I found myself just staring at her in awe.”
of mainstream recognition was just For the seasoned pros, it’s an opportunity to
the beginning of a shift for the genre. explore new perspectives. “[The aespa mem-
In this year’s Grammy nominations bers’] strong passion and energy reminded
for best reggae album, Etana earned me of my earlier days and motivated me to
her second nod in the category work harder,” Seulgi says. Lead single “Step
alongside first-time nominee and Back” — a fierce hip-hop track co-written by
“Dancehall Queen” Spice, becoming Tayla Parx that has raked in 6.12 million on-
the first time two women have been demand official streams in the United States
nominated at once in the category. through Feb. 10, according to MRC Data —
And while greater gender inclusion is is “very different from anything that any of
she recalls. “I never thought of the reality of actually a step forward, Koffee is hoping for continued progress, us have done before,” adds Hyoyeon, “which
winning a Grammy.” As scattered cheers began, the noting the title “reggae” can feel like a catch-all. “Inter- makes GOT feel new and unique.”
5-foot-tall singer slow-jogged toward the stage with a nationally, reggae and dancehall both are recognized
brace-faced grin and a message: “This one is for all of as reggae,” she says. “For us Jamaicans, we understand FUTURE The group is eager to release more
us. This one is for reggae. This one is for Jamaica.” that there’s a difference. It would be good to see more music but has no firm plans yet — coordinat-
One of five siblings, Koffee grew up with her mother appreciation shown for the genres as separate entities.” ing schedules, unsurprisingly, is a challenge
in the Eltham View neighborhood of Jamaica. “There’s In April, Koffee will perform at Coachella for thou- when assembling some of K-pop’s finest.
a lot of violence happening in my country and countries sands of fans amid her own U.S. headlining tour. Later (For their debut performance, the members
close by,” she says. And while the singer felt shielded in the year, she will open for Harry Styles across Latin mostly rehearsed separately with stand-ins.)
from what surrounded her, the looming threats to her America. “I’ve overcome the fear of growth,” says the But GOT the beat is just one configuration
OF SM ENTERTAINMENT
TKTK TKTKTK
community inspired her approach to music. “I don’t now 21-year-old (who is still rocking braces, but “just of a larger, ongoing Girls on Top supergroup
know if I should say it’s life imitating art, but the [gun- for a few more months”). I’ve become a little bit more project that will feature different women
HERE TKTKTKTK
heavy] music and what’s really happening go hand in confident in my craft, in my stage delivery, [and] I’ve from SM in future lineups. BoA already has
BEAT: COURTESY
hand,” she says. “I try to take my own advice in terms learned how to deal with certain things that I was new some concept ideas. “I wish we could have
of the type of music I create for my fans — upliftment, to at 17 or 18, having freshly entered the music industry. GOT the ballad,” she says. “We do have a lot
THE TEEKAY
positivity, love, having fun and all the wonderful things.” It definitely has been a journey for me.” of great vocalists.” —NOLAN FEENEY
CREDITS
GOT

There’s a reason why Karol G stands
atop the world of Reggaetón.
And it’s not because she
FKRVHWRƓWLQ
Congratulations to Karol G on her genre-bending,

women-empowering rise within the Latin music scene.
AND ON BEING NAMED BILLBOARD’S

“RULE BREAKER” FOR 2022.
sound
BIG IN...
NIGERIA
Ranta (left) on set.

A a
IN DEMAND naut, music had a more formative award, and she more recently WHEN NIGERIAN SINGER-SONGWRITER
JAMEE
impact. Ranta has now worked executive-produced the visual for A a was 11 years old, she realized that the
alongside some of music’s biggest Justin Bieber’s Grammy Award- purpose of her education was to “become
stars as CEO of Artifact Content, nominated “Peaches.” Now, Ranta something” in life. She says that music was
RANTA
a multimedia production com- is eager for her next adventure: “the thing I understood, my warmth and
pany she founded in 2017. She management, signing burgeoning escape” — and nearly 15 years later, in her
first arrived in Los Angeles nearly Colombian American singer- mid-20s, she made that calling her career.
a decade prior and hustled to songwriter Nathalie Paris as her By 2007, the artist born Bukola Elemide
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER break into the industry, working first client near the end of 2021. “I released her self-titled debut album, A a,
on as many music video sets as love the logistical side of making that included her progressive breakthrough
Growing up in income-based she could. Self-employed since art because it’s very commonly hit, “Jailer,” which she says is “about people
housing in Dayton, Ohio, Jamee 18, Ranta’s bet on herself has underappreciated,” says Ranta. “I who put people down. If you spend so much
Ranta says “opportunities were more than paid off: Her work on enjoy being part of those systems energy making my life miserable, yours will
nonexistent” — and while she Cardi B’s “WAP” helped the clip to support the artist. be as well.”
dreamed of becoming an astro- win the 2021 BET video of the year —MEGAN ARMSTRONG While A a says that “Jailer” is not her favor-
ite song, “everyone knows it everywhere I go.
Songs that I sing in Yoruba are dear to me.”
Co-written by A a and Nigerian musician-
T H E C O L L A B O R AT O R S producer-songwriter Cobhams Asuquo, the
hit has earned 1.5 million U.S. streams and
Halsey’s hourlong film If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, released in 2021 472,000 global streams, according to MRC
to accompany their fourth album by the same name, was Ranta’s first the- Data — and even earned a fan in Lenny
IF I CAN’T atrical release. “Every time I do a project, I live and breathe it,” she says. Kravitz. The pair had a chance encounter
“This had a very dark storyline. We were in a dark castle. You learn about
HAVE LOVE, who you are in the midst of darkness.” Filmed over six weeks in Prague,
nearly a decade ago when A a attempted
to meet the icon backstage at his show in
I WANT POWER the project faced various obstacles, from the country shutting down due France, but, as she recalls, “I was met by a
Halsey to COVID-19 restrictions to Halsey’s health during the artist’s pregnancy.
TKTKTK HALSEY: EMMA MCINTYRE/GETTY IMAGES. LOPEZ: AMY SUSSMAN/GETTY IMAGES. BIEBER: THEO WARGO/GETTY IMAGES.
wall of bodyguards.” Yet moments later, “I
“We were all able to pull from personal things,” she adds. “But you need
heard Lenny call my name, ‘A a!’ And he sang
darkness to see the stars.”
‘Jailer.’ I was like, ‘What?!’ ”
While A a and Kravitz formed a friendship,
Ranta previously worked with Lopez in 2019 on the visual for “Medicine” with A a later opening for Kravitz in 2015, the
(featuring French Montana) and the accompanying It’s My Party tour pair haven’t collaborated on music; in fact,
visuals. But for the pair’s latest collaboration, “Marry Me” — the lead A a has never teamed with another artist until
“MARRY ME” single from the rom-com soundtrack of the same name — the executive now. She tapped others for her fifth studio al-
Jennifer producer was able to fulfill a dream by partnering with Academy Award- bum, V, of which she says, “I’ve learned to fol-
winning cinematographer Robert Richardson. Produced through Artifact
Lopez low my instincts.” As a result, she welcomes
this year, the video for “Marry Me” was also its most ambitious venture
fellow Nigerian hitmaker Wizkid on the silky-
yet. “It’s a raw deconstruction of who she is,” says Ranta, “and the not-so-
luxurious parts of the daily life of an artist like Jennifer.”
smooth track “IDG” (“I Don’t Go”): “I thought it
would be great with Wizkid because it fits his
temperament, so I sent it to him and he loved
Ranta first met Bieber in 2012 while working on a treatment of his “Boy- it. It was natural.” The 10-track, Afro-infused
friend” video. Ten years later, she says she’s “in awe of his trajectory” and V also features Nigerian sibling duo The
feels particularly proud of watching his growth “translate into his music Cavemen and Ghanaian singer-songwriter
JUSTICE and the videos we created.” Those most recently include the 2021 Justice
OGUNBANWO.
Amaarae. “I never had enough time to stay at

visuals that Ranta executive-produced, from the Diane Keaton co-starring
Justin Bieber
A: LAKIN TKTK
home to form bonds because I was always on

“Ghost” (in which she says Keaton brought “the most magical” energy to
HERE ATKTKTKTK
tour,” says A a. But when the COVID-19 pan-

the set) to “Peaches,” which earned Ranta her first Grammy nod for best
music video/film. The objective for the latter visual was simple: “Show demic began and she went home to Lagos, “I
HARPER.
opened my door and started meeting people.

TEEKAY
Justin in his element. We hadn’t seen that since he was a kid.”

CREDITSALEX
It was just time.” —DARLENE ADEROJ U

RANTA:

Concord Congratulates
Michele Smith
and all of the 2022
Women in Music Honorees.
Champion Artists.
Elevate Voices.
Impact Culture.
20
22 BILLBOARD WOMEN
IN M U S I C
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
Olivia Rodrigo Photographed by David Needleman
HEN OLIVIA RODRIGO scored the first an album of the year nod for this year’s Grammy Awards — one
big hit of 2021 with the heartbreak of seven awards Rodrigo is up for in April. Merely a year into
ballad “drivers license” — which her solo career, the 19-year-old singer-songwriter isn’t a one- or
W
debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard even a two-hit wonder; she’s simply Olivia Rodrigo.
Hot 100 and spent eight weeks on top, “When people from all walks of life and all over the world re-
a nearly unheard-of level of achieve- ally connect with an album and artist this powerfully, you don’t
ment for an official debut single — it stand in the way,” says John Janick, chairman/CEO of Inter-
seemed fairly likely that it would end scope Geffen A&M (IGA), whose Geffen label announced Ro-
up towering over the rest of her drigo’s signing three days before the release of “drivers license”
breakthrough year. in January 2021. “You do what feels right and what is authentic
By the time her rookie season came to a close, however, “driv- to the artist and project. You also think long term.”
ers license” was firmly in her rear view. With the scorching post- In the short term, that means preparing for her Sour tour —
breakup missive “good 4 u,” Rodrigo scored a second Hot 100 Rodrigo’s first time hitting the road — which begins in March
No. 1 that proved just as culturally pervasive, with a shout-along and will take her across America and Europe through early July.
chorus, searing guitars and pulse-racing drum fills that proved But while Rodrigo’s early blockbuster success would undoubt-
the pop-punk revival percolating just below the mainstream edly allow her to fill arenas, she’s instead visiting mostly smaller
had officially emerged aboveground. And the album both tracks amphitheaters and concert halls. “I think it’s important not to
were on, the rapturously received and Billboard 200-topping skip steps in my career,” she says of the underplay strategy. “And
Sour, became one of the year’s biggest full-length sets, earning also, I’m just really excited to play these more intimate venues

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
and get to know my fans on a deeper, more personal level.” I chose not to do any bonus tracks or special editions because Sour
At the same time, Billboard’s Woman of the Year will also get just felt like such a distinct era in my life, and I felt like I wanted to
reacquainted with herself, as she lays the groundwork for her next give the songs and album time to breathe. And yeah, I’m excited to
album — and she’ll do it with a significant new addition to her team. create a new era of my music. I really like the way the album existed
Rodrigo recently signed with Aleen Keshishian and Zack Mor- as a body of work.
genroth of Lighthouse Media + Management, joining a roster that
includes Selena Gomez and a slew of A-list actors. (She parted ways You’re about to head out on tour almost a year after the
with longtime manager Kristen Smith of Camp Far West in January; album came out. Do you find yourself connecting to the
Rodrigo declined to comment on the change.) songs in different ways after all this time?
“Olivia is a once-in-a-generation singer-songwriter,” says Kes- A really beautiful thing about songwriting is watching songs that
hishian. “We were blown away by her preternatural intelligence, are so personal to you go out into the world and kind of take on
work ethic, sensitivity and vision. It has been so impressive getting another life. So performing the songs now is even more special
to know her and seeing firsthand how grounded and down to earth than it was when I was writing them in my bedroom, because they
she is, as well as how much gratitude she has. Not only is she col- now have so many other people’s stories intertwined within them,
laborative, but she is respectful and appreciative of her collabora- too. I’m really excited to experience that firsthand on tour.
tors. For an artist to be able to take suggestions and synthesize them,
while still making sure their vision is implemented, is an extremely I know you never really stop writing songs, but have
unique quality and something at which Olivia excels.” you been able to write any music with a new project in
mind yet?
I have a title for my next album and a few songs. It’s really exciting
to think about the next world that’s coming up for me. I just love
writing songs. I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself. [I
want to] just sort of explore and have fun right now.
“Performing the songs now is
Have you been getting back in the lab at all with Dan Nigro,
even more special than it was your primary artistic collaborator on Sour? Do the two of
you feel committed to working together again on whatever
when I was writing them in my the next project may be?
I absolutely love working with Dan. We have such a good groove
together. We are always sharing ideas back-and-forth and have been
bedroom, because they now have carving out time to work together in the studio. The craziness of
Sour being out in the world was something that really only Dan and
so many other people’s stories I could relate to, and I think that has brought us closer together. I
trust him so much and really enjoy the music we’ve been making.
intertwined within them.” The explosive success of “good 4 u” seems to have played
a large part in pushing the pop-punk revival that had been
percolating under the mainstream. Do you feel connected
to that?
I absolutely love pop-punk and emo music. I think more than any-
It’ll be a different process this time around for Rodrigo than when thing people are longing for those super emotional, less polished
she was a high-schooler better known as a Disney TV star than as a moments in music, so the aggressiveness of punk is really enticing.
singer-songwriter. But she has already reunited with a familiar face in
Sour co-writer/producer Dan Nigro, and she says their work on that What makes you most excited about popular music in 2022?
album’s follow-up is underway — and they even have a title already. I love how increasingly genreless pop music is becoming. Pop
music can mean so many different things, and I really love hear-
I’m sure there were countless moments in the past year ing so many different flavors of it these days. I am also just really
when you thought, “I can’t believe this is happening excited about female singer-songwriters and how honestly and
to me” — but is there one that stands out as truthfully they’re speaking up. That’s always really inspiring to me.
particularly unbelievable? It’s so exciting to me to watch young women’s voices be heard and
One of the craziest moments in my life was getting to go to the appreciated and celebrated in the ways that they have been lately. I
White House and meet President Joe Biden and support vaccina- just can’t wait to cheer on the future, my peers and future genera-
tion in America. The whole time I was in the White House having tions of female singer-songwriters.
this incredible experience, I was just thinking about how I got to do
it because I wrote a bunch of songs in my bedroom. That was just a Does songwriting feel different now after “drivers
real “pinch me” moment. license”? Are you able to still write with the same kind
of abandon?
Sour was one of 2021’s biggest and best-reviewed albums, It’s definitely a different experience writing a second album after
but once it was out, you sort of left it alone musically — no having a debut that was so well received. I still write so much of
deluxe editions, no bonus tracks, no official remixes, no my music in my bedroom though, and I don’t think that experi-
collaborations or one-offs last year to augment the “Sour ence will ever change. Writing songs will hopefully always be an
era.” Was it important to you to just let the album stand outlet for me to process my feelings before anything else.
on its own? —ANDREW UNTERBERGER

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
GAME CHANGER
Saweetie
Photographed by Shelby Goldstein
Saweetie photographed
on Jan. 11 at The Prospect
Hollywood in Los Angeles.
Styling by Wayman + Micah

Atelier Zuhra gown and cape,
Voyetté shoes, Gourmet Aesthetic
turban, Anabela Chan earrings,
Dena Kemp bracelet, necklace
and rings, Jacob & Co necklace
and ring, Kallati necklace.
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
AWEETIE WON’ T STOP reminding you that Everyone right now wants to work with Saweetie because she has
she finished college, but she’ll never stop such great engagement,” says Sabrina Brazil, her longtime content
learning. She walks into the Beverly Hills manager. The two have been linked since before they were born:
S
Hotel’s Polo Lounge in late January in Their fathers were in prison together and had babies around the
full Elle Woods regalia: a silk fuschia same time once they got out. The two met as kids, but it wasn’t
pantsuit, a red Hermès Birkin in her until Saweetie transferred to USC, where Brazil was studying
hands — the kind she has rapped about business, that they joined forces and “started branding and doing
countless times and showed off on social content before we knew we were branding and doing content,”
media — stuffed with notebooks and Brazil says. She would take photos and videos of Saweetie, and the
folders, like an ultra-luxe school bag. pair would come up with entire backstories for them. “One day,
Before diving into her plan for global domination, Saweetie we’re like, ‘We’re selling Scarface!,’ ” she recalls. Music, Brazil says,
carefully stows away the small plates and silverware at the table has always been a vessel for a lot more: “We’re in gaming, we’re in
(“Sorry, I just don’t like clutter,” she explains), showing off a cosmetics, we’re in fashion.”
surprisingly simple French manicure devoid of crystals or other “No one works harder than Saweetie,” adds Warner Records
distractions. Right now, it’s the only low-key thing about her. co-chairman/COO Tom Corson. “There’s no replacement for true
Since graduating from the University of Southern Califor- talent, charisma and perseverance.”
nia in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and an At times, that ambition has threatened to eclipse Saweetie’s
emphasis in business, Saweetie has been balancing her lives as identity as an artist: Her biggest hits, “My Type” and “Tap In,” are
both a hitmaker and an aspiring mogul. She’s got the string of hits both based around samples of early-2000s hits by Petey Pablo and
(three Rhythmic Airplay No. 1s, including the multiplatinum “My Too $hort, respectively, which has led some detractors to question
Type”) and the 2022 Grammy Award nomina-
tions (best new artist and best rap song for her
Doja Cat collaboration, “Best Friend”), but she
has also become a next-gen branding queen,
breezing through ads that don’t even feel like
ads and joining an elite crew of global superstars “I know that my purpose is
like BTS and J Balvin who have had their own
themed McDonald’s meals.
“I’ve shown that I can still be a respected art-
to deliver a message: to let
ist, but I’ve changed the way businesses present
brand partnerships to artists,” she says. “Now, it’s women know that no matter
not just a photo shoot. Now it’s, ‘We want addi-
tional high-level content that can exist on TikTok, what you’re going through,
on Twitter.’ Not only do they want the product
placement, they want us to interact in a way
that’ll make people laugh, make people think.”
hard work pays off.”
All the while, the world continues counting
down the days until she finally delivers her long-
awaited, oft-delayed first studio album, Pretty
Bitch Music (which, at the least, should arrive
before Rihanna drops R9). “I’ve put my foot down. I’m going to her originality. It was a conversation with none other than Cher,
finally lock in to record this album,” Saweetie says firmly, promis- however — they crossed paths as co-stars of a recent MAC Cos-
ing that it will arrive “definitely before the summer.” Yes, she has metics campaign — that motivated Saweetie to push herself more
said that before, but Saweetie has had her eye on playing the long on the album. “I don’t want to be safe anymore. Now it’s time to
game from the start, back when she was uploading viral freestyles experiment,” she says. Her new single, “Closer” (featuring H.E.R.),
from her car that landed her a Warner Records deal in 2018. On is a roller-rink-ready love song that sounds right at home on top 40,
her breakthrough hit, “Icy Girl,” the artist born Diamonté Quiava and she has teased both an upcoming Latin collaboration and a
Valentin Harper — then living in a small Los Angeles apartment song about meditation. She pushes back on the idea that she needs
she found on Craigslist — laid out her grand vision: “You tryna get to define the “Saweetie sound” — who says a 28-year-old has to have
a bag of weed? I’m tryna get a bag a week/Put it in my savings and herself all figured out? Pretty Bitch Music, she promises, will “ad-
invest in the right companies.” dress the different layers of who I am as a woman.”
Four years later, it’s still a pretty accurate mission statement for “To be relevant and to be charting, that’s amazing,” she continues.
this year’s Game Changer, who is redefining what it means to build “But I know that my purpose is to deliver a message. My message
MAKEUP BY EVELYN MCCULLOUGH
a brand in the influencer era — and showing her fans the process is to share my truth and to let women know that no matter what
behind it, even as her music career develops at its own pace. you’re going through, hard work pays off. I represent colored
“Saweetie is the poster child for well-roundedness in the market. women, I represent ambitious women. I represent college girls.
Tony Ward Couture gown, Flor de Maria shoes, Rinaldy Yunardi headpiece, Dena Kemp bracelet and necklace, Jacob & Co earrings, MARLI New York necklace.

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
Jasmin Erbas Couture gown, Anabela Chan earrings, Dena Kemp bracelet, necklace and rings, Jacob & Co necklace and ring, Kallati necklace.

I represent women who don’t give a fuck and who are unapologetic.”
Just as social media-savvy artists score big debuts by teasing and
hyping material on TikTok, Saweetie takes the same approach with
brand partnerships, often using them as launch pads for new music.
In October 2020, she previewed her Jhené Aiko collaboration
“Back to the Streets” during a Jack Daniel’s livestream ahead of its
release. Last fall, she appeared in a Beats by Dre commercial, listen-
ing to her own song “Get It Girl” weeks before it would be officially
released on the soundtrack to the final season of HBO’s Insecure. (It
will also be included on Pretty Bitch Music.)
“Saweetie’s potential is limitless,” says Warner co-chairman/CEO
Aaron Bay-Schuck. “She has gone from a viral video rapping in her
car to a global artist and brand with some of the biggest hit records
in the world, along with garnering incredible cultural currency
— all of this in just a few short years. Her development has been
nothing short of amazing.”
And development is something Saweetie takes seriously. “Some-
times our hit song is bigger than us and we’re just thrown into the
game,” she says. She thinks she “rushed” her first two EPs — 2018’s
High Maintenance and 2019’s Icy — to meet demand and doesn’t
want to do the same with her album. She scrapped plans for an EP
called Icy Season, intended to tide fans over until Pretty Bitch Music,
so she could focus on the main event. “When you get signed, the
label wants a hit. They want a return on their investment, which I
understand,” she says. “But it’s important for artists to understand
themselves before they start seeking for hits. Because if you don’t
know yourself, you don’t know your music.”
Saweetie has been open about her desire to improve her perfor-
mance skills, putting in hours of vocal lessons and dance classes
following plenty of Twitter snark and online criticism of some of
her 2021 gigs. She’s also candid about what’s going on behind the
scenes. In April 2020, she parted ways with manager Max Gousse
and brought on her uncle (and MC Hammer’s brother) Louis
Burrell to manage her instead. And last September, Saweetie signed
with Full Stop Management, home to pop stars like Lizzo, Harry
Styles and Gwen Stefani, but says matter of factly that she’s “no
longer with them.” It was amicable, she explains, but it wasn’t the
right time to grow her team.
The way Saweetie sees it, sometimes it’s better to hit the brakes
if it means avoiding a crash landing. And if the process takes a little
longer? Well, that’s just an opportunity for more content: She has
been filming the making of Pretty Bitch Music and plans to release a
documentary about it.
“My goal is to be omnipresent,” she says. “When I collaborate
with these brands, it’s strategic. It’s to be ubiquitous. It’s to make
sure that my name, my music and my message is known globally.”
Brazil recalls a tweet from a fan that succinctly summed up their
goals. “It said [something] like, ‘The year is 2040. We’re pulling
up in our Saweetie cars, drinking our Saweetie drink, eating our
Saweetie meal, getting Saweetie gas,’ ” she says. “It was a funny
joke because her name is everywhere. The goal is to take over every
sphere that we’re in.”
If that means that one day the Icy brand becomes bigger than
the music, Saweetie’s more than OK with that. “I want Icy to be so
successful that when I’m long gone, my great-great-grandchildren
are running it. It’ll be generational wealth,” she says. “I want Icy
to supersede Saweetie.” When our interview wraps, she swiftly
calls back the waiter and requests their finest cabernet sauvignon.
He returns with the glass just as Saweetie pulls out a college-ruled
notebook from her Birkin, eager to get back to building her empire.
—HERAN MAMO

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
RULE BREAKER
Karol G OU COULD ME A SURE the success of

Karol G’s first North American
headlining tour last year by the
Photographed by Heather Hazzan
started writing songs as I speak, without a filter, so that it

flows organically and naturally. And that broke a bit from [the
norm of ] femininity that comes with being a woman.
Y
numbers: 24 shows, 128,000 tickets
sold, a gross of $10.9 million, Are the rules changing for women? And if so, for
according to Billboard Boxscore. better or worse?
Or you could measure it in wigs: For better! Although I still read headlines that say, “Karol G
Countless fans, from the floor seats spread her legs, and we almost saw her bichota!” Seriously,
to the rafters, donning aqua-blue I’m selling out stadiums and this is the only thing you can
hair for the night to mimic the pop come up with? Women are still very sexualized. I also feel
star’s own technicolor tresses. The first time she noticed it, “I women tend to get down on themselves in panel discussions:
was very shocked,” the 31-year-old says. “But after the tour, I “Women don’t...” “Women can’t...” I don’t like that line of
realized Karol G and ‘Bichota’ ” — slang for bad bitch, and the communication because it centers on the problem. It’s very
title of one of her hit singles — “are a movement.” important for me to tell women that it is possible, there are
With her relatable lyrics, empowering expressions of opportunities, people do buy tickets.
female sexuality and adventurous sound — incorporating
elements of R&B, pop, reggae and more — this year’s recipi- What female artists did you admire growing up?
ent of the Rule Breaker award has become a singular force in The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera — they
the male-dominated world of reggaetón. Last year, Karol G were all artists we followed and admired, but we never felt
was the first solo Latin female artist to sell out a major North we could get as far because they sang in English. But Selena,
American tour since her fellow Colombian Shakira a few watching that movie [1997’s Selena starring Jennifer Lopez]
years prior. (In Latin America, Karol G headlines festivals was a before-and-after for me. That’s when I said, “I want to
and stadium shows.) And thanks to her third studio album, be a singer, and this is my role model.”
KG0516, which spawned global anthems like the Nicki Minaj
collaboration “Tusa,” she was also the top Latin female artist You spoke in your 2021 Billboard cover story about
of 2021, according to MRC Data. “When I started, I tried to wanting to build a brand outside of music, and now
please others,” says Karol G (real name: Carolina Giraldo). you’ll have a substantial role alongside Sofía Vergara
“Now, I’m me. I talk about what I want in my songs, I dress in the upcoming Netflix series about Colombian drug
how I want to dress, and I believe that when I decided to dealer Griselda Blanco. What has your foray into
show myself as I am, people really connected with me.” acting been like?
I play Carla, one of Griselda’s “mules” who transports drugs
Do you consider yourself a rule breaker? to the U.S. It’s a great role because there’s real character
Breaking the rules has long been the foundation of my project. development. I’m in acting and body-movement classes, and it
If we’re going to work with a brand, for instance, what are totally opened my eyes to a different perspective. When you’re
we going to do that’s completely different? That’s why get- not an actor, your goal is to do things well so they’re cred-
ting this award fills me with so much love and pride — that’s ible. But in acting, you really get inside a character and forget
always the starting point, even in my lyrics. I reached a point about what people want. It has helped my career as an artist
where I got tired of being careful about what I said and and my development onstage. —LEILA COBO

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
ICON
Bonnie
B
Raitt
ONNIE R AIT T RE SIDE S among
the redwoods.
She had always dreamed of living
in Northern California like one of
her heroes, Joan Baez, did, up in
Big Sur. So years ago, once she had
wrapped the tour for Nick of Time —
her 1989 commercial breakthrough
on Capitol Records that won her
three Grammy Awards, including
album of the year — she took a break and rented a furnished
place in Marin County, outside San Francisco. She typically
splits her time between here and Los Angeles. But for the past
two years, the environment up north suited her especially
well. “If I wasn’t going to get to play,” Raitt, 72, says today, ver-
Photographed by Gabriela Hasbun
Records signed her at just 21. But until Nick of Time — and,
in the few years following it, her run of hit singles including
dant foliage encroaching on the window behind her, “at least “Something To Talk About” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
I could hike and walk by the ocean and be near this incredible that introduced her to a new generation of fans, the now elder
mecca of counterculture.” millennials — commercial success wasn’t her calling card. By
It makes sense finding Raitt here. Marrying music and ac- her own admission, she has always made her living on the
tivism “is why I agreed to do this for a living,” she says. When road. Yet Raitt has unwaveringly stuck to her own artistic
she went to college at Radcliffe in the late 1960s, playing North Star and to the impulse that led her to music in the first
guitar was a hobby. “I was going to major in African studies place: using her voice to amplify causes like electing progres-
and go work with the American Foreign Service and undo sive political candidates, sustainable energy and environmen-
colonialism — yeah!” she says with a fierce little grunt. Amid tal protection — she sets aside a share of her touring profits
the student strike of 1970, she fronted a ragtag band called the for them like “the sixth band member” — without ever letting
Revolutionary Music Collective. “ ‘The best things in life are them overshadow the music itself.
free/When you take them from the bourgeoisie!’ — that was And incredibly, this year’s Icon has done that by and large
my hero line,” recalls Raitt with a laugh. as an interpreter, not a writer, of the songs on her albums — a
The gig was short, but the career Raitt would enjoy fact that still can shock even a longtime fan. They all tend
within a couple of years did become pretty revolutionary. to sound like Raitt originals because she never simply sings
Through her mentor, promoter Dick Waterman, she met a lyric; she inhabits it. “She was able to glean so much from
and learned from the country-blues artists who were her these songwriters,” says Lucinda Williams, adding that she
idols — Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Muddy is often asked to play “Bonnie Raitt songs” that Raitt didn’t
Waters, Sippie Wallace — and became the rare woman of actually write. “She had good taste. When I first started out,
her era not only fronting a band but more than holding it maybe held me back a little bit that I wanted to do so many
her own on guitar while doing so. Her slide guitar prow- kinds of music — rock and blues and country. But she did it,
ess, along with her casually confident stage presence and too, and she made it work. She was a great role model.”
soulful alto, earned the respect (and friendship) of the men One of those songs, from Raitt’s 1974 album, Streetlights,
who were her closest contemporaries, like Jackson Browne was by her longtime friend, the great singer-songwriter John
and James Taylor. Prine, who died from COVID-19 complications in 2020. Many
Looking back now, Raitt is, characteristically, not terribly artists have covered “Angel From Montgomery,” but it’s Raitt’s
impressed with herself. “I mean, I was OK — I wasn’t version that became definitive. It’s unsentimental yet deeply
that great,” she says with a shrug. “I was inexpensive, poignant, a plainspoken expression of longing for something
nonthreatening and interesting.” But she does admit that “it more: “If dreams were lightning/And thunder were desire/
was an unusual thing to have a white woman — any woman This old house would have burned down a long time ago.”
— playing country-blues. I know having the chops of play- She sang it for her idol Wallace, who told her of the many
ing blues guitar got my foot in the door. I think I bypassed blueswomen who came before her, “stuck in marriages that
having to prove myself.” were dead ends or being abused but had no agency to leave.
Raitt achieved critical acclaim early on, and Warner Bros. Who couldn’t get free.” As a young feminist, she sang it for her
Raitt photographed Feb. 1 at Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley, Calif.

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
mother, for her generation of women “who had to compro- That kind of calm rationale permeates how Raitt thinks
mise and get no credit for the work they did and then later about most aspects of her career, and as we talk, a kind of
in life felt like they didn’t do enough.” Today, she sings it to Bonnie’s Rules for Living seem to naturally tumble out of
honor Prine and for a whole different group of women around her. Take her advice for being an activist artist: “It’s all about
the world who, because of where they live or their circum- how you do it; making sure you vet where the money goes
stances, “don’t get a shot.” so people see you’ve really done your homework, and it’s
The ones who, in other words, won’t get the chance to the tone of it, too — I don’t preach from the stage.” Or her
become a Bonnie Raitt. preferred vibe in the studio: “If you get the right people in
the room, it’s work and it’s a joy. No idiots with bad attitudes,
you know?” Or her approach to being a bandleader: “You
T WA S ALL I COULD DO to try to sleep for seven have to risk not being liked to tell someone you’re not nuts
hours — that’s how excited I was,” says Raitt about how they’re playing. If you don’t watch it, you push the
I with a glimmer in her eye.
She has just come off three weeks in a
Mom button, and nobody likes a bossy know-it-all. One thing
that’s good about being in recovery — when I hurt someone’s
Sausalito, Calif., studio with her band, prep- feelings or squash their idea too soon, I apologize.”
ping to tour her 18th studio album, Just Like Raitt has long been open about her past struggle with
That..., out April 22, and she’s positively buzzing. (Williams alcoholism, and her sobriety since age 37 informs another
and Mavis Staples will join her as guests.) “It was like I was 8 of her personal directives: how to stay not only active, but
years old every morning: ‘What am I going to wear today?!’ ” vibrant, 50 years into a music career. “All of us who are still
For Raitt — a die-hard road warrior who consistently fills out on the road, we didn’t used to warm up. Now we warm
theaters around the world — the past couple of years of never up our voices. We stopped trashing ourselves in our 30s, just
even being in the same room with her longtime crew were about,” she explains. “You can’t keep up this pace if you don’t
“just crushing. Night would come, and I’d go, ‘That’s it? That’s do yoga or hike or get some exercise. You have to get enough
as cool as it’s going to get today?’ ” sleep. You have to keep people who are drains out of your
Raitt learned very early on the value of delivering as great circuitry and your life.” Getting sober “made a huge differ-
a performance in Topeka, Kan., as at Radio City Music Hall. ence in how easy it is to be out on the road,” she continues.
Her father, John Raitt, was a dashing Broadway leading man “But it’s a pleasure taking care of myself.”
in several classic musicals, but he never got too comfort- On Just Like That..., Raitt certainly sounds like the best
able. “My dad chose to tour his hits regionally instead of just version of herself. Her voice has only become richer and
waiting for another Broadway show,” she recalls. “For him, more nuanced over the years, her range spanning a low purr
bringing Oklahoma! and Carousel and The Pajama Game to the all the way up to a floating falsetto, her ability to effortlessly
hinterlands was a life-fulfilling career that brought him great bend a lyric to her will as supple as ever. “It’s show-based
joy.” She also saw that without his proactive impulse to tour, and what-I’ve-already-done-based,” she says of how she
he would simply be waiting for a call. has always picked songs for an album: a few “killer ballads,”
“I took that lesson to heart,” she says. “I can control which “a little bit of blues,” something unusual for the guitar and
gigs I do, whom I open for, who opens for me when I get a some “pile-driving rockers” toward the end.
little more famous, how much the ticket prices are, what to Raitt produced the album, which, as usual, is studded
pay my band.” And when it came to a label deal, “I didn’t care with her hand-picked roster of songwriters (ranging from
if they offered me the moon — I would never let anybody tell Al Anderson to her late friend Frederick “Toots” Hibbert
me how to dress or what to record.” of Toots & The Maytals), but also includes four originals by
Raitt spent the majority of her career at Warner Bros. and Raitt herself, the haunting title track among them. “More
then Capitol before founding her own label, Redwing Records, a and more, the songs I’ve written lately are very personal,”
decade ago to release her music. (For Just Like That..., it’s part- she says. “I could farm it out to somebody more adept than I,
nering with Sub Pop for U.S. physical distribution and Alterna- but it’s nice to write on assignment. I don’t care if they’re not
tive Distribution Alliance for global digital and ex-U.S. physical on everybody’s best-of list: They’re on mine.”
distribution.) All the while, she has managed to very much The subject of loss does come up — the close friends Raitt
remain her own boss. In the late 1970s, after her version of Del lost amid the pandemic and the heroes who took her under
Shannon’s “Runaway” became a hit, a bidding war over Raitt their wing and passed long ago. “But I knew being with those
ensued between Warner Bros. and Columbia, which had been older people was such a gift,” she says. “They didn’t think
battling between themselves at the time. (James Taylor had about when they would go, and I didn’t think about it.” Like
recently left the former for the latter; Warner Bros. then signed McDowell, Wallace and Prine, she has a life on the road she
away Columbia’s Paul Simon.) Raitt and her attorney, Nat Weiss, wouldn’t trade for the world. “To travel and wake up in five
recognized her leverage — and renegotiated her Warner Bros. different cities a week and you’ve got to make sure you’re just
contract, “a really big deal” at the time, she would say later. as badass as the last time you came through?” she says, still
And while she doesn’t own her pre-Redwing masters, sounding like a breathless 21-year-old. “It’s really fun!”
Raitt has worked out a “gentlewoman’s agreement” with Bonnie’s Rules for Living, after all, don’t include stopping
Warner that she likes just fine: “They won’t sell my songs for anytime soon. She always has a five-year plan, and when she
commercials, and they won’t exploit my material without is done touring Just Like That..., she’ll take a little break, and
running it by me,” she explains. “I know I really serve at the then the job will go on: time to think about the next record.
good nature of the people who set that up for me, and at any “I mean, my dad toured till he was 86!” Raitt exclaims as if
HAIR AND MAKEUP BY ELIZA DESCH
point, some big monster could come in and say, ‘See ya later. anything else would be plain lazy. “Look at Tony Bennett.
If we want to use this for breakfast cereal, we will.’ But it Look at Mick and Keith. I don’t feel any urgency to finish. I
kind of [works] better to work as a partner with your former feel like I’m pretty well understood, and I’ve felt understood
label to maximize how you get your music out.” this whole time.” —REBECCA MILZOFF

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees

POWERHOUSE
Doja Cat Photographed by Ramona Rosales
A ST YE AR, AF TER TAKING the Grammys stage for a futuristic,

dance-heavy performance of her Hot 100-topping hit “Say
So,” Doja Cat broke down in tears. “That one moment set me
L
off in a different way,” she says. For an artist who has been
toiling in the industry since 2013, making the rare jump from
viral breakout to bona fide pop star in the process, “it was
just the buildup and all the hard work and seeing the vision
come to life,” she explains.
As it turns out, she was just getting started. Three months
later, in June, Doja released her acclaimed third album,
Planet Her, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and launched two more
Hot 100 top 10s with “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA and “Need To Know.” Despite the
challenges of the pandemic, this year’s Powerhouse has become one of the era’s big-
gest success stories, whether she’s showcasing her range by dominating multiple radio
formats or putting her classic showmanship front and center at awards shows. “I love
making music, but performing has blossomed into something that makes me just as
happy,” she says. “I feel most powerful when I am fully in character onstage.”
What performers did you look to growing up?

It’s pretty obvious that I’m in love with everything Nicki Minaj has put out into the
world. You have your Janets and your Beyoncés. I look at [other artists’] projects and
performances and go, “Wow, I hope one day I get to that point.”
“Say So” topped the Hot 100 once Nicki Minaj hopped on its remix.
Who is still on your dream list to work with?
I only want to work with people I believe in and who inspire me and make me feel
good. I really want to meet Tracee Ellis Ross — and at the same time, I’m terrified
because, to me, she’s the boss at the end of the game of life that I’m living. Her and
Maya Rudolph.
You’ve long showcased your own humor online and brought it to life
while hosting the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards. Would you want to host
Saturday Night Live?
I like the idea of doing that because I love, obviously, to tell jokes. But it’s a little nerve-
racking because it’s something friends have suggested to me, [doing] stand-up or com-
edy. That would kind of be my first gig. Just the thought of that terrifies me a little bit.
Now that more eyes are on it, how do you use social media differently?
People are always like, “What’s your Finsta?” [a secret Instagram account], and I don’t
want one. I don’t like the idea of having to juggle social media, which already sucks as
it is. Not to say it hasn’t helped me so fucking much, but the way I feel about Instagram
is: I go on, look at pictures of makeup and fashion and cats, and that’s pretty much it.
I’ve unfollowed everyone who is a person that I know.
How do you process the success you’ve had in the past year?
When I’m reflecting on YouTube videos, watching all the stuff I did from another
perspective. I had a friend who was like, “Oh, yeah? You watching videos of yourself?
You enjoying your own stuff right now?” It was lighthearted, but it did hurt a little bit,
and now I feel a little bit like a narcissist when I watch my own things. I feel a little bit
guilty. But whatever — you’re observing your existence. — LY N D S E Y H A V E N S

TRAILBLAZER
Phoebe
Bridgers Photographed by Sami Drasin
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
Bridgers photographed on
Oct. 12, 2021, at The Paramour
Estate in Los Angeles.
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
HOEBE BRIDGERS IS NOT in album mode. also to be like, “You’re cooler than me, and I trust you. I don’t really
She’s not in touring mode or label- know what’s up with TikTok, and you probably know way more
leading mode right now, either. “I’m kind about Bandcamp bands from your college than I do.” Having all of
P
of in like, homey, taking-in-art mode,” us be mentors to one another is a dynamic I would like to keep.
she says over Zoom. Bridgers is sitting in
her sun-filled Los Angeles home, It has been over three years since the boygenius EP. Are you
wearing overalls and holding her black planning anything new with Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker?
pug, Maxine. “Like, walking-around, Since that band started, our plans have been like, “Whenever it’s
reading-and-listening-to-records mode easy and fun.” I’m sure we will, but none of us have gotten to tour
— which probably means I’m about to our own solo [albums], so we’re just meeting up whenever we can.
make something, but who knows.” Maybe we’ll try to go on a vacation or something. Maybe the next
Bridgers has earned the break. Since the release of her criti- time we hang out will not be for music.
cally acclaimed debut, 2017’s Stranger in the Alps, she has gained a
reputation as a quiet storm, capable of stunning sold-out crowds Speaking of your collaborators, Taylor Swift revealed she
into silence with intimate lyrics sung in a plaintive near-whisper. was a huge fan of yours this past year when she invited you
Acts from Taylor Swift to The 1975 have invited Bridgers to guest to guest on “Nothing New” from Red (Taylor’s Version).
on songs that require an added layer of emotional devastation, How did that happen?
while her indie-folk side projects — like the supergroup boy- I got this random text from Aaron Dessner that was really weirdly
genius, with fellow singer-songwriters Julien Baker and Lucy worded for him. And I was like, “What the fuck is this?” And as I
Dacus, and Better Oblivion Community Center with her “emo was reading it, I [realized], “Oh, my God, it’s from Taylor Swift.”
role model,” Conor Oberst — have spotlighted her prowess as a We started texting about all kinds of stuff. It was just a total high.
burgeoning rock star with a wry sense of humor and a fearless at- It felt like when you meet someone at a party and you’re in the
titude toward the genre’s patriarchy. corner all night being like, “Me too!” I’m excited for when we
The 27-year-old released her second album, the cathartic hang out for the first time. We’ve only been very [COVID-19],
Punisher, on Dead Oceans in June 2020 amid the height of the online friends.
pandemic. But while the world was on pause, this year’s Trail-
blazer got to work. She replaced full-scale touring with a packed Some of the one-off singles you’ve put out, like your cover
schedule of inventive livestreamed performances — including a of Bo Burnham’s “That Funny Feeling,” have raised funds
prerelease run she dubbed World Tour with stops like “Kitchen,” for causes like voter rights and abortion access. Plenty
“Bathroom” and “Bed” — and actively connected with fans on of artists are private about their politics — why do you
social media with more livestreams, calls for political action, choose not to be?
behind-the-scenes photos and candid TikToks. I’ve been outspoken about politics definitely, but with stuff like that,
That October, she also became a CEO, launching Saddest Fac- it’s kind of a no-brainer. For my generation, politics have never even
tory Records under Secretly Group and hand-picking a roster of been that complex. It has always been, like, someone evil [in office].
alt-pop artists and fellow singer-songwriters, including MUNA Music is such a cool way [to get involved] — it’s the only thing
and her first signee, Claud. And as live performances returned this people care about about me. That sounds reductive, but if you give
past year, Bridgers became an even bigger part of the mainstream people something to share and something that will forever go to
music conversation, smashing her guitar on Saturday Night Live that [cause], I find it’s a way easier way to contribute.
in February and attending the Grammys in March as a four-time
nominee, including for best new artist. Following a brief fall tour, Rock can feel humorless sometimes, but you’re quite
she’ll head out for more dates across the United States and Europe uninhibited and often hilarious on social media. How
this spring. important is it for you to show that side of yourself?
It’s weird because it’s all under the umbrella of capital. Some ass-
If you could go back and give yourself advice before hole owns Instagram, and people are making this totally unethical
launching your own label, what would it be? algorithm to torture kids and fucking... I don’t know. Twitter’s evil.
I feel like I followed my own advice. The stuff that has been great It’s all evil. But it has been the only connector for at least two years,
to learn and that people have allowed me to learn is more business- more so than ever. So I don’t know. Working under the constraints
HAIR BY LAUREN PALMER-SMITH AT HOME AGENCY. MAKEUP BY AMBER DREADON AT CLOUTIER REMIX.
related. It’s so nice to have business partners who have owned of the world that we live in, it’s important to me, and I like connect-
labels before. I would have had way more advice to give myself if ing with fans, and that’s my favorite thing about it by far.
I had gone out and done that by myself. Weirdly, there are older
versions of me everywhere at the label to stop me from doing stupid It has been a year since your guitar-smashing moment
shit, and I’m glad that I listened to my own advice to only sign stuff on Saturday Night Live — and the ensuing Twitterstorm,
that I love because then every decision is kind of easy. led by rock’s outraged elder statesmen. What did that
reveal to you?
Do you feel like a mentor to the people on your roster? It’s pathetic and funny. No part of me thought it would piss anybody
I’ve had dynamics, especially when I was younger, where older off. I literally went to sleep and woke up and was like, “What the
people I’m intimidated by will be all like, finger guns with me and fuck?” It’s just so stupid. I’ve said this before, but at least the right
think that we are peers, but actually, I’m coming in with a totally people hate me. At least it’s not like I stepped on something that I
different life experience. So I try not to be too mentor-y, and I try didn’t mean to. I was just like, “Oh, good.” — C H R I S T I N E W E R T H M A N

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
IMPACT
H.E.R. Photographed by Munachi Osegbu

H.E.R. photographed
Feb. 9 in Los Angeles.
Styling by Wouri Vice

Alexandre Vauthier
top and pants.
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
ABI WILSON ALMOST didn’t become H.E.R. started to realize how much hatred there is in the world.
“There was pressure on me after Obviously, in the beginning, it was a lot more about the music.
graduating high school to attend col- Organically, however, people are starting to hear and see me
G
lege,” recalls the 24-year-old Bay Area more, to experience who I am and not just the music. So with
native, who has been a performer since that comes my views on the world: how I felt in 2020 when
she was 10. “I was going to study some- everything was going on and is still going on. It’s a bigger fight,
thing in the medical field because my [so] it’s my responsibility to use what has an impact — my voice
mom is a nurse.” — to speak out on some of these things, like the relationship
But just a year after graduating, between Black Americans and Asian Americans. [H.E.R.’s
H.E.R.’s decision to forgo college for a mother is Filipina, and her father is Black.] Not because
music career proved prescient. In 2016, RCA Records released her someone told me to, but because it’s what I feel.
debut EP, H.E.R., Vol. 1, and her slow and steady journey toward
releasing an LP began. Last year, Back of My Mind finally arrived, Which music forebears helped inspire the artist you
and it’s now an album of the year Grammy nominee — proof of desire to be?
what a singular artist H.E.R. has become along the way. Her early At the end of the day, I’ve always believed that love conquers all.
choice to remain semi-anonymous behind a mysterious persona I’ve listened to Sly & The Family Stone — my favorite — as well
and sunglasses encouraged listeners to focus on her as a musi- as Marvin Gaye, Prince, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder and Curtis
cian: a guitar virtuoso as comfortable playing bass as drums and Mayfield. Their message was always the same: “This is what’s
piano, and a singer whose angelic yet assertive vocals amplify her happening around us, but let’s accept and love each other the way
emotional lyrics about relationships and love. we are.” And then there’s the blues. That’s one of my biggest influ-
More recently, H.E.R. has taken on another role: award- ences just because of the pain in the music.
winning voice of the times. “I Can’t Breathe,” sparked by the
murder of George Floyd, won the Grammy for song of the As a woman who plays guitar, do you encounter men
year in 2021. That same year, H.E.R.’s “Fight for You” (from who still see that as an anomaly?
the drama Judas and the Black Messiah about Black Panther Not so much more recently. (Smiles.) But sometimes it’s like,
Fred Hampton) took home the Academy Award for best “What’s she going to do with that?” Then I play, and they’re like,
original song. (It’s also a current Grammy nominee for song “OK, let me shut up.” I will say that a lot of legends have given me
of the year.) All the while, she has continued to showcase her my props as a guitar player — and never put “woman” in front of
versatility in mesmerizing stage performances, holding her it, which I absolutely love and respect. They simply appreciate
own alongside the likes of Keith Urban, Gary Clark Jr. and the my playing without saying, “Even though you’re a woman.” Dur-
Los Angeles Philharmonic. ing the COVID-19 quarantine, I presented a [weekly livestream]
“It has been so many years of being the underdog, watch- series called Girls With Guitars, and we featured a bunch of dope
ing other artists blossom and waiting my turn,” says this year’s female guitarists. I wanted them to be visible because people
American Express Impact honoree. “Women and other artists don’t see us enough. I definitely want to bring that back and
need to know that good things don’t happen overnight. You can’t make it a bigger thing.
cheat the grind.”
Now she’s seeing the results of all that work as she expands How do you determine which projects and offers
her artistic pursuits even further. She is rehearsing for a stadium to accept?
world tour with Coldplay starting in March (“I’ll always be a soul More recently, I’ve really been trying to just take control and be
baby, but actually, I listen to as much rock as I do R&B”), working the captain of my own ship. Of course, opinions come in with
as a global spokeswoman for L’Oréal (“It’s dope that they’re step- people saying you should do this or this. So there’s a little bit of
ping in with curly hair products to support [our] natural hair”) pressure, [but] at the end of the day, I have to love what I do. So
and will make her feature-film debut in a new adaptation of the if it’s not something I enjoy or where I feel I’m not fully being
HAIR BY BRIANA MERCADO. MAKEUP BY MARISSA VOSSEN. SET DESIGN BY EAMONN MCGLYNN.
Broadway musical The Color Purple. But no matter the medium in myself, then I probably shouldn’t do it.
which she works, her intent is the same. I’ve also been taking control of my creative space. I’ve always
“Everything that I’ve released represents me,” says H.E.R. “I’ll had control of my vision musically, but it has become a lot more
never put out something just because it looks or sounds good. It sacred to me lately. In the studio, I’ve been locking in on some
has to be authentic to me — all across the board.” ideas I want to create. It’s like, “OK, if you’re not going to help me
execute this thing but want to take it in a whole other direction,
How difficult has it been to bridge the space between then it isn’t going to work.” I’m really stepping into who I am now
commercial artist and activist? — certain in the things that I want to do and who I’m meant to be
It never occurred to me to be an activist until I got older and as a woman. —GAIL MITCHELL
Alexandre Vauthier dress, Gentle Monster glasses.

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
CHART BREAKER
Summer
Walker
Photographed by Gizelle Hernandez
S
UMMER WALKER IS NOT one to
pour her heart out in an Insta-
gram caption. The taciturn
Atlanta native communicates the
way she knows best: by squeez-
ing every tragedy and triumph
into buttery-smooth R&B songs.
Her second album, last year’s
Still Over It, sounds like a diary
— 20 tracks full of brutally
In 2019, you canceled the bulk of your tour dates for
mental health reasons. How are you feeling about
your upcoming shows?
honest lyrics along with personal messages from Ciara I feel the same about performing: I don’t like it. But I have
and Cardi B, doling out sisterly advice. noticed myself wanting to do more, like a bigger set design.
That vulnerability has paid huge dividends: Still Over It I find myself putting my own input into my sets and videos.
debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, landed all 18 of its I usually just be like, “All right, whatever y’all want to do,
eligible tracks on the Hot 100 and set the record for the you can do it. I don’t care.” I’ve taken a little bit more pride
biggest streaming week for an R&B album by a female artist in my craft. Now I have an opinion about everything. For
in the United States. But for this year’s Chart Breaker, get- Still Over It, it’s such a fresh wound, I just want to make
ting the chance to express herself is more than enough. “I sure the story is portrayed properly. I don’t want anyone to
don’t really talk to many people, so I just tell my business misconstrue my feelings.
in my songs so I can get it out. It’s not really like, ‘Oh, yeah,
hope this one hits the charts!’ ” the 25-year-old says with While your first two albums focused on trap-
a laugh while her infant daughter — known only to fans as R&B sounds, your 2019 EP, Clear, was much more
“Bubbles” — coos in the background. Walker has come a stripped back. Would you ever return to that?
long way since she was a 17-year-old recording guitar covers Oh, for sure. I am hella excited to do Clear 2. The last one
for YouTube in her bedroom, but for her, music still serves was like four songs. This one — I want it to be a lot longer
the same purpose: “It’s just therapy for me.” so I can really get that sound out. That’s my favorite type of
sound. I make what I got to make for the radio, but I’m very
What are you most proud of accomplishing in the excited for [Clear 2]. Hopefully, my budget will be permit-
past year? ted. [If not], we got to protest. (Laughs.)
Just meeting people that I really fuck with. I’m really shy
when it comes to meeting people because I don’t want them If you could spend the entire day doing something
to feel like I’m burdening them with my fandom. Usu- aside from music, what would it be?
ally, I would be like, “Oh, no, I don’t want to say anything, The entire day? What would I do? I would just want to go to
I don’t want to be annoying.” But recently, I’ve been going Dubai. I don’t think that’s the right answer. (Laughs.) I just
out of my comfort zone and talking to people. I really love want to travel and see nature — like mountains in Switzer-
Taraji [P. Henson]. She came up to me, but still — the old me land, shit I’ve never seen. [Nature] brings me peace of mind.
would’ve just been like, “Oh, my God, I’m leaving!” I’m really obsessed with it. I’ll be following all these pages
that show nature places, and the shit looks so crazy that it
Why do you think Still Over It resonated with so looks edited or fake, but it’s really real. I just want to see
many people? that if I ever get the chance. There’s so much to see, and I’ve
Because collectively, n—as ain’t shit. We can all agree on that. never seen none of it. —NEENA ROUHANI

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
RISING STAR
Gabby
Barrett Photographed by Tracy Allison
Barrett photographed
Feb. 12 at The Paper House
in Nashville.
Styling by Tiffany Gifford

New York Vintage top,
Wolford bodysuit, AKIRA
pants, Jennifer Fisher earring,
German Kabirski ring.
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
honorees
ARLIER THIS WINTER, Gabby Barrett and Your father encouraged you to join a Black gospel choir
her husband, guitarist Cade Foehner, went growing up. How did that experience help you develop
skiing for the first time, not far from your sound?
E
where she grew up outside of Pittsburgh. It impacted me a lot. I originally figured out how to sing R&B
“No bones were broken,” she says, giving music and gravitated to that first. I was 9 years old and ended up
two thumbs up over Zoom, though she joining a gospel choir and staying there for two years. A group of
admits with a light chuckle that Foehner women would work with me every single week. They helped me
“fell down a lot... I also fell down.” find my voice and show me what I was able to do with it. Not long
Mountain missteps aside, Barrett has after, I fell in love with country music. I think you can hear both —
been soaring lately. The 21-year-old’s R&B and country — in my vocals.
career took off in 2020 with “I Hope,” a seemingly sweet love
song inspired by a cheating high school boyfriend that delighted You’ve been performing since you were 11, and over
listeners with its left-turn knife twist at the chorus’ end. It landed the past couple of years, you’ve opened for acts
Barrett a deal with Warner Music Nashville and hit the top of like Keith Urban and Thomas Rhett. What have you
Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, while a remix featuring Charlie learned from them?
Puth rose to No. 3 on the Hot 100. “I Hope” would also rule Hot Thomas came [backstage] for almost all of my shows on the entire
Country Songs for 27 weeks — the longest run by a solo female tour. He didn’t have to do that for me. I’m nobody. And he was just
artist since the chart launched in 1958 — and helped Barrett snag very, very kind. It puts me in the position to make sure that I’m
three trophies at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, including top doing that for others if I ever get to that spot someday.
country female artist.
This year’s Rising Star, who welcomed daughter Baylah last You posted a picture on Instagram recently of yourself
year, says the misery that inspired the hit has long since passed. “I cooking at the stove with a full laundry basket in front
don’t think I could write that now,” she says. “I am in a very happy of you. Does home life keep you grounded?
marriage, so I think I would write that a little bit differently.” But I’m a very Bible-centered person. The Bible does speak about
contentment has served Barrett just as well: Her follow-up single, how that’s what I’m supposed to be doing — taking care of my
“The Good Ones” — the thematic opposite of “I Hope,” released household first and foremost. So I take care of my children, and I
in April 2021 — became the first song by a woman to rule Country take care of my husband. I find it joyful to fold the laundry even
Airplay for three weeks since 2011. on a tired day.
Barrett’s next coronation moment will come March 7, when she
and Jimmie Allen co-host the 57th annual Academy of Country Mu- Warner Music Nashville chairman/CEO John Esposito has
sic Awards with Dolly Parton in Las Vegas. The icon and newcomer said he could see you having an international career like
happen to have a lot in common: Both come from big families and Shania Twain. Do you see yourself balancing that kind of
married young, both are guided by their faith, and it was Parton potential future with your faith?
who inspired Barrett to write her own truths in her songs. “She’s Wherever the Lord leads it, I’m just here for the ride. I would
always writing about her life and honest instances,” says Barrett, love to eventually sell out Madison Square Garden one day. That’s
who has covered both “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” definitely a bucket list goal. But my role first and foremost is
And that is Barrett’s focus as she works on the follow-up to her being a good mother to my daughter and raising her correctly and
gold-certified debut, Goldmine. “I don’t know what the theme exact- to love the Lord. I think everything just follows the way that it’s
ly is going to be,” she says. “I do know that I’m a country gal at heart, supposed to be.
and that’s definitely always the kind of music I’m going to make.”
Esposito wanted to sign you so badly that he had former
HAIR AND MAKEUP BY TARRYN FELDMAN. ON-SITE PRODUCTION BY ASHLEY HORNE HERRING.
You write your own material, which is rarely the case for Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher call your father,
new country artists. Why did you decide to do that? who is a huge Steelers fan. Did that help convince you to
After I had come off American Idol [Barrett competed in 2018] and join the label?
got to Nashville, none of the labels wanted anything to do with me, My dad was a big part of the journey coming up for me. When
so I decided to work on my writing skills. Some wonderful song- Coach Cowher gave him a call, he called me freaking out. He was
writers taught me how to write songs and showed me what I was like, “Do you know who just called my phone? Coach Cowher!
capable of doing. I just felt this urge to not sing somebody else’s He’s iconic.” So he was all for my signing with the label after
story, but to sing mine. that. (Laughs.) —MELINDA NEWMAN
Claude Montana from New York Vintage dress, Ben-Amun jewelry.

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Golnar
Khosrowshahi
In August, the Iran-born entrepreneur became the first female founder and
CEO of a publicly traded, independent music company when Reservoir Media
was listed on NASDAQ. “It was a true moment of arrival,” she says
By Kristin Robinson
Photographed by Sage East
Khosrowshahi photographed Feb. 4 at
Reservoir Media in New York.
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
N AUG. 30, 202 1, who signed with Reservoir in 2017, within the last few years, but, unlike she says — then, with a grin, adds,
Reservoir Media and a very pregnant Cardi B may her predecessors, Khosrowshahi “But it was a lot of paperwork.”
O
CEO Golnar have looked like a contrived photo op, chose to launch her company’s initial Khosrowshahi founded Reservoir
Khosrowshahi and Khosrowshahi says the Migos member public offering stateside instead of on Media in 2007 while the music indus-
rapper Offset had asked to attend the ceremony. “It the London Stock Exchange. “It’s a try was in a piracy-induced free fall HAIR BY JHONATAN RENDON AT THE ONLY AGENCY. MAKEUP BY TIM MACKAY AT THE ONLY AGENCY.
laughed as they just came up in conversation, and he finite universe as far as the investor and just before the financial crash of
rang the opening told me he wanted to be there,” she base goes,” she says of the London 2008 crippled the American economy.
bell at NASDAQ’s recalls. And though she admits she exchange. With the field there already Long before private equity’s mad dash
Marketsite Studio in New York. was skeptical that he would show, she crowded and a reverse merger with to buy up music intellectual property
As confetti — in Reservoir (and says the husband-and-wife hip-hop the Roth CH Acquisition II special for multiples of over 30 times a song
NASDAQ) blue — fluttered around duo arrived at the NASDAQ studio purpose acquisition company bringing catalog’s net publisher’s share (gross
them, Khosrowshahi soaked in the fashionably dressed and precisely on $115 million to the offering, choosing profit), Reservoir was one of the
initial moments of becoming the first time and continued celebrating with NASDAQ “made a lot of sense.” few players outside the major-label
female founder and chief executive the Reservoir team that day. As Khosrowshahi sees it, the IPO groups willing to bet there was still
of a publicly traded independent Reservoir is one of several indepen- was the next logical step in Res- value in a great song. Capitalized in its
music company. dent music rights holders — among ervoir’s evolution. “Our focus as a first decade or so by her father — who
“It was a true moment of arrival,” them Hipgnosis Songs Fund, Round private company was always to build also invested in health care, real estate
she recalls. Hill Music Royalty Fund and One Me- long-term value, so going public was and consumer electronics — Khos-
Although the presence of Offset, dia iP Group — that have gone public not really a major adjustment for us,” rowshahi notes that “it was a grim,

In the last year, Khosrowshahi
has also advocated for songwriters
outside of her duties at Reservoir.
“Our focus as a private company She is an advisory board member
of Silkroad, a musical and social
was always to build long-term impact-focused collective founded
by Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo
Ma. She is also a board member of
value, so going public was not the NMPA and, at the end of 2021,
was elected to its executive commit-
really a major adjustment for us. tee, which comprises representatives
from each of the majors and two
elected independent music publishers
But it was a lot of paperwork.” who represent their peers. Khosrow-
shahi says she’s honored to be chosen
because “your peers are entrusting
you to advocate for them on a lot of
important issues, both for their com-
growth. Coming to the business panies as well as for their clients.”
with fresh eyes helped, too. “I ignore Amid what she calls “unparal-
politics,” she says, noting that in the 15 leled challenges” facing songwriters
years since she founded Reservoir, she in the streaming age, as Copyright
has “seen a lot of new people come in Royalty Board action continues for
and out” of publishing with differ- Phonorecords III and Phonorecords
ent aims. Her strategy, she says, “has IV — which will determine streaming
always been about the music.” royalty rates for the periods of 2018-22
“She has a great balance,” says and 2023-27, respectively — Khos-
David Israelite, president/CEO of rowshahi says her role at the NMPA
the National Music Publishers’ As- is “one of the most rewarding things
sociation (NMPA). “She approaches I do.” Over the last year, she served as
her partnerships as someone who the director of the board during two of
understands the economic side of the the NMPA’s greatest victories: striking
business but also as someone with unprecedented deals with Roblox and
an incredible sense of creativity.” Twitch, neither of which were paying
Khosrowshahi credits that to her own songwriters for the use of their work
musical background as well as her before the association took action.
staff’s. “It informs our relationships “It’s not complicated,” she says of
with our writers so much and helps us the settlements. “Songwriters should
be their partners.” be paid fair compensation for their
It’s why film composer Hans creative work, and that’s what we’re
Zimmer; Oak Felder, the Grammy constantly advocating for.”
Award-winning producer-songwriter There are rewards outside of work,
behind hits for Demi Lovato, Rihanna too. Khosrowshahi is mom to twin
and Alessia Cara; and Ali Tamposi, daughters who are freshmen at the
who has written Billboard Hot 100 University of Southern California,
chart-toppers for Camila Cabello and and when she’s not on the front lines
Kelly Clarkson, all trust Reservoir as a of the music publishing business, she
publishing partner. “It has been a real tries to find time for tennis, running
dark time to start a company, and we outsider. Born in Tehran, Iran, amid honor to watch them grow,” she says. and skiing.
were reporting up to a literal parent the tumult of the revolution, she and Reservoir manages a catalog of But she’s keenly aware of her
of mine who is used to investing in her family fled the country when 140,000 copyrights, including such position as one of the few women in
businesses that make money,” she says she was 6 years old and resettled in contemporary hits as Post Malone’s the industry’s C-suites. She says she
with a laugh. “It was a challenging London. There, she grew up listen- “Rockstar,” the Black Eyed Peas’ “I could recount “countless unpleas-
start. We didn’t know a lot about the ing to The Doors and The Beatles Gotta Feeling” and Childish Gam- ant anecdotes” about men treating
industry yet. We didn’t have a net- — for which she credits her mother bino’s “This Is America,” as well as the business like a “boys club,” but
work of people, but we learned along — and took classical piano lessons a late-20th-century classic catalogs she has concluded that sharing such
the way.” The company reported few times each week. Her burgeon- from Joni Mitchell and Alabama. On stories is “not really productive. What
$74.3 million in global revenue for the ing talent led to a rigorous educa- the recorded-music side, Reservoir is productive,” she continues, “is to ef-
first three quarters of its current fiscal tion at the Royal Academy of Music controls 36,000 master recordings, in- fect change from within.” That comes
year, but Billboard estimates Reservoir in London that was steeped in music cluding those from labels like Tommy with thoughtful hiring practices, com-
generated $100 million for the full theory and history. (She continues Boy and Chrysalis. And in 2021, its pensation, recognition and company
2021 calendar year. to play for enjoyment.) repertoire placed the music publisher culture — all of which she has focused
While many of her counterparts Khosrowshahi says the discipline in the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100 on at Reservoir since its inception. “I
in the publishing sector are second- and deep reverence for music that the Publishers and Top Radio Airplay look forward to a time when being a
or third-generation music business Royal Academy instilled in her have Publishers rankings for three quarters. female CEO is kind of unremarkable,”
professionals, Khosrowshahi, 50, been key factors in her success as “In the face of competition, we out- she says. “At that point, you’ll know
entered music publishing as an Reservoir’s CEO and in the company’s pace industry growth,” she says. the industry has changed.”

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Billboard ’s 2022 Women In Music
HALL FAME
H O N O R E E S
OF
CHOSEN AS THE FIRST AMONG THEIR PEERS IN PRIOR YEARS, THESE FORMER EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
HONOREES REFLECT ON THEIR RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS — AND OFFER THEIR THOUGHTS
FOR ADVANCING WOMEN AND OTHER UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
CO-EXECUTIVES OF THE YEAR
2020 Agyemang (left)

and Thomas
Briana Agyemang After putting the music industry on notice for its systemic racial bias with
the launch of their organization #TheShowMustBePaused, Agyemang
Co-founder, #TheShowMustBePaused; and Thomas celebrated the first anniversary of Blackout Tuesday in June
senior artist campaign manager, Platoon 2021 by sending accountability reports to music companies. They asked
for an outline of changes that had been made to further growth oppor-
tunities for Black executives and employees. Their goal is “radical activ-
Jamila Thomas ism,” which means working to create “lasting change and a safe space
2019 Co-founder, #TheShowMustBePaused; for music professionals to strategically address issues affecting Black
vp of artist marketing, Motown Records music and culture,” according to a statement from the two activists.
Desiree Perez
CEO, Roc Nation
When Perez was honored as the Women in Music Executive of the Year in 2019, Roc Nation vice chairman Jay Brown de-
scribed her as “fearless, a champion and she saves the day. A true humanitarian.” In accepting her honor on the 2022 Billboard
Power List in January, Perez noted that Roc Nation is “always putting philanthropic endeavors and community initiatives first”
AGYEMANG, THOMAS: FLO NGALA. PEREZ: ANDREW ZAEH.
— epitomized by the Team Roc Job Fair in November, which “hosted over 3,000 attendees, offering close to 10,000 jobs and
services,” she says. In the past year, Perez also guided Roc Nation’s partnership with the NFL, which led to an Emmy Award
nomination for the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show featuring The Weeknd, and the return of its Philadelphia Made in America
Festival for its 10th anniversary, which drew 60,000 fans. Roc Nation management division clients Moneybagg Yo and DJ
Khaled both reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with their albums A Gangsta’s Pain and Khaled Khaled, respectively, while
J. Cole, signed to the company’s recorded-music division, achieved the same feat with The Off Season.

CO-EXECUTIVES OF THE YEAR EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
2018 2016
Danielle Aguirre
Executive vp/general counsel,
National Music Publishers’ Association
Aguirre shared recognition as Billboard’s Women in Music Co-
Executive of the Year in 2018 with Jacqueline Charlesworth, Su-
san Genco and Dina LaPolt (below) for their support of the Music
Modernization Act. This past year she played a role in some of
the NMPA’s “largest settlements to date” with Roblox and Twitch,
which ensured proper compensation for songwriters and publish-
ers on these platforms. Aguirre, 44, and the NMPA set the stan-
dard for licensing songs in gaming and social media. “These deals
have brought not only value to the music publishing industry,” she
says, “but also helped develop new relationships and partnerships
between publishers and some of these fast-growing platforms.”
Jacqueline Charlesworth
Principal, Charlesworth Law
A former general counsel at the U.S. Copyright Office who has
worked as a litigator at firms such as Alter Kendrick & Baron and
Covington & Burling, Charlesworth struck out on her own in 2021,
aiming to create what she called “a dynamic and diverse practice
focused on the creative community.” A year later, her firm has
handled infringement and royalty claims for content creators and
distributors, and tackled “thorny” questions of copyright termina- Bozoma Saint John
tion and other complex music law issues. “What a difference a Chief marketing officer, Netflix
year makes,” Charlesworth says. “Even a COVID-19 year.”
Named the Women in Music Execu-
tive of the Year in 2016 for her role as
Susan Genco head of global consumer marketing at
Apple Music, Saint John subsequent-
Co-president, The Azoff Company ly held senior positions at Uber and
Genco is co-president of The Azoff Company alongside Endeavor and joined Netflix in 2020.
Elizabeth Collins (see page 106). The company’s Iconic Artists “I have always been a student of pop
Group, which has acquired stakes in the rights of legacy acts culture and to now work for Netflix,
such as The Beach Boys, David Crosby and Linda Ronstadt, an organization that is not only
“has grown into a safe haven for influential artists who value shaping but defining culture, is truly
legacy preservation in addition to monetization,” says Genco. remarkable,” she says, adding that
Full Stop Management “has led the way in touring, safely the video streaming service “believes
bringing the music of Harry Styles, the Eagles, Maroon 5, that more people deserve to see their
Earth, Wind & Fire and more to their fans.” The music licens- lives onscreen and has achieved huge
ing division Global Music Rights “continues to offer the best strides in increasing representation
transparent service to its incredible roster of songwriters, from in front of and behind the camera.”
AGUIRRE: COURTESY OF NMPA. CHARLESWORTH, LAPOLT: BONNIE SCHIFFMAN. SAINT JOHN: RICH FURY/GETTY IMAGES. GENCO: TIMOTHY NORRIS.
Drake and Lizzo to Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars,” Genco She cites the release of The Harder
says. She also notes that the Music Artists Coalition, co-found- They Fall from the Black British direc-
ed in 2019 by Irving Azoff, Coren Capshaw, John Silva and tor Jeymes Samuel, the directorial
others, has joined forces with other artist advocacy groups “to debuts of Halle Berry and Lin-Manuel
protect artists,” she says. “After all, without them, none of us Miranda with Bruised and tick, tick...
would have jobs.” BOOM!, respectively. “Being here
has also allowed me to continue
to be peripherally around music,”
Dina LaPolt she says, with Netflix showcasing
Founder/owner, LaPolt Law “incredible female artists” with works
like Blackpink: Light Up the Sky and
LaPolt is a forceful attorney and advocate who says the most im-
Selena: The Series. “In the promotion
portant issue facing the music industry in 2022 remains “the fail-
of that show, we broke the Guinness
ure to adequately compensate songwriters for their indispensable
World Record for the largest number
contributions to music.” Representing superstars from Cardi B
of videos of people lip-syncing to the
to Steven Tyler, she recently added The Kid LAROI and rapper
same song [“Como La Flor,” by Selena
YG to her roster of clients; negotiated all of deadmau5’s non-
y Los Dinos] uploaded to TikTok in
fungible token deals with blockchain platforms; helped reach an
one hour, as part of the #TodosCo-
agreement for Offset to be a judge on The Hype, the streetwear
moLaFlor challenge.”
competition show on HBO Max; and oversaw the sale of Mick
Fleetwood’s catalog to BMG, among other recent achievements.

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
2015
Jody Gerson astonishing, due in no small part to the leadership of
our executive director, Michelle Arkuski, our board,
Chairman/CEO,
Universal Music Publishing Group our committee and chapter leaders, and our female
members around the world,” Gerson says. “Our list of
Gerson achieved multiple music publishing triumphs accomplishments from 2021 is long and impressive,
in the past 18 months, including the acquisition of but highlights include hosting global writing camps
Bob Dylan’s entire song catalog; new relationships in Beijing, Tileyard Studios London and Jungle City
with hitmakers like Lionel Richie, Holly Humberstone, Studios in New York, in partnership with Mercedes-
Clairo, Louis Bell, Tommy Brown and Julia Michaels; Benz and Alicia Keys; launching our first-ever scholar-
and deals with tech platforms such as TikTok and ship program with Blackbird Studio Academy with Needle and Ableton; our first-ever college ambassa-
Triller. As co-founder of She Is the Music, however, grants of $350,000; and completing our third annual dor program, She Is U, in partnership with American
her leadership goes further. The nonprofit launched in Connect TogetHER Mentorship program. Addition- Express in each of our chapter cities; a Music Business
2018 with the goal of increasing the number of women ally,” Gerson continues, She Is the Music “launched its Basics YouTube series and more. We created SITM to
working in the global music industry. “The continued first-ever She Is the Producer online tutorial courses in increase the number of working women in music, and
success of She Is the Music has been absolutely partnership with Femme House, We Are Moving the we are doing that and more to come.”
2014
Michele Anthony
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR Executive vp,
2006 * Universal Music Group
“For some years, choosing an
achievement to highlight can be
fairly straightforward, but that’s
certainly not the case for 2021,”
says Anthony, who notes that UMG
surpassed its own benchmark from
2020 by holding the No. 1 spot
on the Billboard 200 “for nearly
three-quarters of the year,” with hit
albums from Taylor Swift, Drake,
Olivia Rodrigo and Morgan Wallen leading the albums chart for 38 weeks total.
UMG achieved “unprecedented commercial and creative success, in just about
every area of our business,” she adds, citing catalog division Universal Music
Enterprises scoring top 10 albums with reissues from The Beatles and George Har-
rison, and PolyGram’s film projects on Frank Sinatra and The Velvet Underground.
Julie Greenwald
Chairman/COO, Atlantic Records*
Atlantic Records ranked at No. 3 on the year-end Top Billboard 200
GERSON: JOHN MICHAEL FULTON. GREENWALD: ROY ROCHLIN/GETTY IMAGES. ANTHONY: STEPHEN LOVEKIN/VARIETY. MCGRATH: PAUL ZIMMERMAN/WIREIMAGE.
Labels list thanks to the success of Ed Sheeran, Cardi B and Bruno Judy McGrath 2005 **
Mars, among others, while established labelmates Coldplay, Roddy
Ricch, Meek Mill and YoungBoy Never Broke Again also released Board member, Amazon
new albums during the fourth quarter. In January, Gunna topped McGrath’s storied career as the chair/
the Billboard 200 with DS4Ever, Kodak Black went top five on the CEO of MTV Networks from 2004 to 2011
Hot 100 with “Super Gremlin” and Charli XCX released her new and as an Amazon board member since
single, “Beg for You,” featuring Rina Sawayama. In accepting her 2014 has given her a particular perspec-
honor on the 2022 Billboard Power List, Greenwald also emphasized tive. Named Billboard’s Women in Music
the importance the label places on “our babies,” she says, “because Executive of the Year three times, begin-
that’s all you want: to make sure your babies have all the sunlight ning in 2005, she urges young women to
and oxygen and water to grow.” Those rising artists include Pooh “create your own path as much as pos-
Shiesty, whose breakthrough debut, Shiesty Season, went to No. 1 sible, while expanding the relevance and
on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart, and Dallas-born teen singer- value of your organization,” and notes that
songwriter GAYLE, whose first single, “abcdefu,” reached No. 6 on veteran female executives should “make it
the Hot 100 and No. 2 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs. Greenwald a point to connect with a broader, younger
also supports the growth of rising executives, particularly women. community,” she says. “Be available to any
Through the years, among all the major labels, Atlantic has been the young woman who needs some inspira-
most consistent with encouraging veteran honorees on Billboard’s tion, confidence or a candid storyline from
Women in Music list to step aside so that their younger colleagues your own experience.”
could gain recognition (see page 88).
** also named in 2007 and 2009
* also named in 2008, 2010-13 and 2017

We proudly congratulate our client
KAROL G
on receiving her well-deserved
%LOOERDUG5XOH%UHDNHU$ZDUG
We salute our Honorees
BELINDA LAW ERIKA SAVAGE

MARY PETRO SARA SCHOCH
and all our Women In Music
ABBY ELLIS DANI SIMMONETT KATE VASTANO RACHEL WEISS

ALAINA LATONA ELENI HART KAYLEIGH LAWRENCE RAVEN RICHARD
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WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
The Sony Music honorees have
shared in the global success of
music groups Adele , whose blockbuster album
30 has spent eight consecutive
Towalame Austin weeks at No. 1 on Top Album Sales.
EXECUTIVE VP OF PHILANTHROPY
AND SOCIAL IMPACT, SONY MUSIC GROUP
Tiffany R. Warren
EXECUTIVE VP OF DIVERSITY,
EQUITY AND INCLUSION, SONY MUSIC GROUP by Herbie Hancock, Ledisi and Tank and
Julie Swidler the Bangas. However, the 2022 ceremony
EXECUTIVE VP OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS/ could be her biggest yield yet, with Jon
GENERAL COUNSEL, Batiste leading all others with 11 nomina-
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT tions for his album We Are. At Verve,
Melissa Thomas Verve Forecast and Impulse!, she is proud
EXECUTIVE VP OF INTERNATIONAL to help steer the development of new
MARKETING, U.S. REPERTOIRE, “powerful voices,” such as Kurt Vile, who
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT was previously signed to Matador, and
Deirdre McDonald Joy Oladukun, who is officially signed with
EXECUTIVE VP OF GLOBAL PUBLIC Republic. Both artists have new albums
POLICY AND INDUSTRY RELATIONS, due this year.
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Susan Meisel Angela Barkan

SENIOR VP/CORPORATE DEPUTY GENERAL Cyndi Lynott
COUNSEL, SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT SENIOR VPS OF MARKETING, BMG MUSIC
As Sony celebrates the success of artists Barkan leads marketing efforts for BMG’s
including Adele, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat, front-line recorded repertoire in New York,
Giveon and The Kid LAROI — “some of with recent achievements including the
the biggest artists and campaigns around first virtual global listening event for Soho
the world,” says Thomas — the company House worldwide through its ROOMS
is also in what Meisel describes as “a app and the launch of Duran Duran’s
moment of robust strategic investment Future Past album. Lynott manages its
activity” to increase what it can of- pop and rock repertoire in Los Angeles,
fer the creative community, while also where she oversaw a promotional visit for
focusing on its broader needs. Sony’s RESPONSIBILITY, EVENTS AND SPECIAL Jessica Goldenberg K-pop group Monsta X in December. The
Global Social Justice Fund has “impacted PROJECTS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP SENIOR VP OF DIGITAL STRATEGY group premiered its movie, The Dreaming,
local communities across more than Erika Begun AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, during a fan pop-up event that generated
30 countries,” says Austin, “providing EXECUTIVE VP/HEAD OF INVESTOR WARNER MUSIC GROUP $200,000 of revenue over three days. “This
contributions to more than 800 organiza- RELATIONS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP “It has been a massive year for Warner year, I am looking forward to releasing the
tions.” Warren has helped expand equity The senior female executives at UMG Music Group and for my team,” says Rux- new album from 5 Seconds of Summer,”
and inclusion efforts “across all SMG’s shared in the company’s successes of andra, describing the disruption that Web3 Lynott says. “It’s an honor to partner with
global recorded-music, publishing and the past year, which include the biggest technology is bringing “to the way we cre- this incredibly talented band and show
corporate divisions,” she says. Swidler direct listing in the history of the music ate, connect and consume.” The label also them what it’s like to have full creative
notes that Sony has created a fellowship industry; a global expansion of its direct-to- invested in gaming platform Roblox; signed control, full transparency and a full global
program for recent law school graduates consumer business; and new creative and deals with Twitch, the avatar company team with BMG.”
to address “the multicultural talent gap” commercial opportunities for its artists, Genies and Spotify’s podcast division; and
in business and legal affairs industrywide. with technologies from blockchain-based partnered with Snap. “My team is focused Marisa Aron
“We have led the industry in transparency, Web3 to non-fungible tokens. But they on ensuring that WMG and our songwrit- Brianna Harrison
equity, new music engagement oppor- were also involved in the philanthropic ers are not just part of the story, but we VPS OF MARKETING, ATLANTIC RECORDS
tunities, artist assistance and so much and community service-focused efforts are writing it,” Ruxandra says. Meanwhile, Erica Bellarosa
more,” McDonald says. of UMG’s employee-driven Task Force for to meet WMG’s business goals, Osherova SENIOR VP OF BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS,
Meaningful Change and the All Together and her colleagues are focused on the ATLANTIC RECORDS
Richelle Parham Now Foundation, both launched in 2020. company’s recruitment challenge: “How do Catherine Ciapas
PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL E-COMMERCE “All of this was accomplished during an we attract creative, independent-minded SENIOR VP OF CREATIVE SERVICES,
AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, unrelenting pandemic, demonstrating the leaders and build a workplace for the next ATLANTIC RECORDS
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP passion, focus and commitment of our generation of talent?” In the past year, Atlantic superstars and
Celine Joshua colleagues around the world to deliver breakout stars alike have thrived with new
EXECUTIVE VP OF COMMERCIAL on behalf of our artists, their fans and our releases: Coldplay, Bruno Mars (as part
INNOVATION AND ARTIST STRATEGY, communities,” the UMG honorees said in a
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP joint statement.
labels & of Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak) and
Cardi B have all landed Hot 100 No. 1 hits,
Menna Demessie while Ed Sheeran scored his fourth Bill-
SENIOR VP/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Masha Osherova board 200 chart-topper with =, his latest
TASK FORCE FOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE, EXECUTIVE VP/CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER, distributors mathematically titled album. Meanwhile,
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP WARNER MUSIC GROUP breakout acts GAYLE and CKay added to
Kristen Bender Oana Ruxandra Dahlia Ambach Caplin the label’s international success, with the
SENIOR VP OF DIGITAL STRATEGY CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER/VP OF BUSINESS SENIOR VP OF A&R, VERVE/ former’s “abcdefu” and the latter’s “Love
AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT, WARNER MUSIC GROUP VERVE FORECAST/IMPULSE! Nwantiti (ah ah ah)” reaching Nos. 1 and 2
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP Addie Adeniran Ambach Caplin is no stranger to Record- on the Global 200 chart, respectively. The
RAVEN B VERONA
Susan Mazo SENIOR VP OF PEOPLE TEAM, ing Academy honors, having worked in label shows no signs of slowing down in
EXECUTIVE VP OF GLOBAL CORPORATE SOCIAL WARNER MUSIC GROUP the past on Grammy-nominated works 2022, with Bellarosa, 43, noting the “roster

CONGRATULATIONS TO RIAA COO
M ICH ÈLE BALLAN TY N E
BILLBOARD 2022 WOMEN IN MUSIC HONOREE
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Leesa Brunson-Boland
has been enriched by the signing of top-
at 300 Entertainment says
class talent that we can’t wait to bring to
she and her colleagues
the worldwide stage.”
are eagerly awaiting
the second album from
Stacy Blythe Megan Thee Stallion ,
SENIOR VP OF PROMOTION,
BIG LOUD RECORDS
expected later this year.
Big Loud celebrated six years in business
in 2021, as well as its second consecutive
year in the top five of Billboard’s year-end
Top Country Labels recap, an acknowl-
edgement of the work that Blythe, 38, and
her colleagues have put into the company.
“We expanded our regional team as well
as our promotion executive team to align
with our growing artist roster,” she says.
“We also rounded out the year on top of
the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart
with Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The
Double Album.”
Lessa Brunson-Boland
SENIOR VP/HEAD OF A&R OPERATIONS AND
ADMINISTRATION, 300 ENTERTAINMENT
Known as “The Closer” by her colleagues,
Brunson-Boland was pivotal in the chart-
topping success of Billboard 200 No. 1
albums Slime Language 2 by Young Thug’s included their “first-ever livestream perfor- for brands like Apple and Amazon. “Dylan Nicki Farag
YSL label and Gunna’s newly released third mance aired from the legendary Capitol has progressed tremendously thanks to EXECUTIVE VP/GM, DEF JAM
album, DS4Ever. Overseeing the business Studios,” Burnette says. The pop-R&B these moments,” says Perez, “combined Dara Michelle
of A&R, cultivating relationships and creat- duo’s partnership with the international with Glassnote’s ability to nurture develop- EXECUTIVE VP/HEAD OF MARKETING, DEF JAM
ing balance are essential to Boland and her courier also gave fans what she calls the ing artists into career artists.” Natina Nimene
team at 300 — who are awaiting the re- “world-first” opportunity to win digital and SENIOR VP OF PROMOTION AND ARTIST
lease of Megan Thee Stallion’s second al- physical merchandise designed by Emo- Katina Bynum RELATIONS, DEF JAM
bum, expected later this year. “As a leader, tional Oranges and delivered by DHL. Bur- EXECUTIVE VP OF EAST COAST LABELS, Def Jam had a big year with releases by
it makes me proud to see the results from nette recently took on the additional title URBAN, UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES roster stars Kanye West, Justin Bieber,
the structure I have implemented within of executive vp at Def Jam after previously Throughout 2021, Bynum sought to bring YG and Alessia Cara, while prepar-
the A&R department at 300,” she says. holding that position at Island Records. hip-hop and R&B fans the classic music ing to welcome incoming CEO Tunji
they had been craving from the catalog Balogun in January to lead the company
LaTrice Burnette Kristen Bushnell Perez label’s vast archive. Along with heading up forward. “Even as we went through
PRESIDENT, 4TH AND BROADWAY RECORDS; HEAD OF FILM/TV, GLASSNOTE special anniversary releases from artists a second year of the pandemic and
EXECUTIVE VP, DEF JAM RECORDINGS Longtime mainstream-crashing inde- like Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Janet Jackson, internal changes at the highest levels of
Burnette was named head of 4th and pendent label Glassnote has a roster full The Weeknd and even the late Marvin the company, [we achieved] outstand-
Broadway in November 2020 and hit the of veteran alt-rock crossover stars like Gaye and DMX, Bynum also oversaw the ing market share and cultural impact
ground running with Young Devyn, helping Mumford & Sons, Phoenix and Two Door creation of UMe’s Global Cypher series, [with] superstar rollouts for some of
secure the up-and-coming Brooklyn rap- Cinema Club. But Bushnell Perez, 33, is which saw the brand “introduce music, the biggest artists in the world,” Farag
per festival gigs at WQHT (Hot 97) New eager to highlight the achievements of one artists and executives from around the says. “It’s a testament to the dedica-
York’s Summer Jam in August and Rolling of the label’s newer signings, singer-rap- world through interviews, playlists and tion, professionalism and passion of our
Loud New York in October. She also per-instrumentalist Dylan Cartlidge. Tracks territory highlights,” she says. executives and staff.”
helped execute Emotional Oranges’ global from his debut album, Hope Above Adver-
DHL Fast-Track program last fall, which sity, have been used in global campaigns Jennifer Cary María Fernández
EXECUTIVE VP OF RIGHTS AND ROYALTIES, EXECUTIVE VP/COO LATIN IBERIA,
INGROOVES MUSIC GROUP SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
As part of Ingrooves’ continued global As Sony Latin Iberia’s top female
“My focus is on making expansion, Cary set up worldwide rights

and royalty teams to maintain strategy
executive, Fernández worked on
Sony’s acquisition of Brazil’s biggest
and consistency for its label and artist independent label, Som Livre, which
sure everyone can approach clients around the globe. The marketing
and distribution company (a division of
is awaiting antitrust approval, and its
deal for equity in WK Records, which
Universal Music Group) further bolstered was founded by star manager Walter
royalties with the knowledge its accounting solutions with the launch of
a new suite of royalty tools for its acts to
Kolm (Maluma, Carlos Vives, Wisin).
Fernández is focused on increasing
and skills they need.” easily pay out and establish songwriting
and publishing splits, among other tasks.
diversity in the workplace — and
is proud to have mentored over 15
“My focus is on making sure everyone can employees in the organization — as
ERIKA GOLDRING/WIREIMAGE
approach royalties with the knowledge a way to “ensure that our talent has
—JENNIFER CARY and skills they need to make the most out everything they need to reach their full
of the tools offered,” says Cary. potential,” she says.

WOMEN
IN MUSIC Christy Castillo Butcher

execs Senior vp of programming and booking, SoFi
Stadium/YouTube Theater/Hollywood Park
“Opening two major venues in Los Angeles in the

middle of a pandemic and hosting over 1 million
concertgoers within five months of each other
was a huge achievement,” says Castillo Butcher,
whose role at the 300-acre Hollywood Park
includes programming at the 6,000-capacity
YouTube Theater and the 70,000-capacity
SoFi Stadium, which hosted Super Bowl LVI
on Feb. 13. (The YouTube Theater will host
Billboard’s Women in Music event on March 2.)
The stadium’s bookings have so far included
Kaskade; 1DayLA’s The Freedom Experience
with Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper and
others in July; and performances by Los Bukis
in August, The Rolling Stones in October and
BTS in December. BTS’ four-night run earned
$33.3 million and sold over 200,000 tickets,
becoming the sixth-highest-grossing engagement
in Billboard Boxscore history. “I’m proud that our
team curated a diverse lineup of events,” Castillo
Butcher says, “building on our goal of making our
venues a local and global destination.”
Castillo Butcher photographed
by Yuri Hasegawa on Feb. 3 at
SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
SALUTES
N ATA LI E AND BA R BA R A
TU R A N O VA N D E R LI N D E
OUR 2022 BILLBOARD WOMEN IN MUSIC

HONOREES WHO WERE MADE TO BE
FROM YOUR D M G FAMILY

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Lori Giamela
PI O NE ER S
SENIOR VP OF PROMOTION, RCA RECORDS
Steph Pensa
VP OF DIGITAL MARKETING, RCA RECORDS
Sabrina Rivera
VP OF VISUAL CONTENT PRODUCTION,
RCA RECORDS
Wizkid’s summer single — “Essence
(Remix)” featuring Justin Bieber and Tems
— earned a top 10 spot on the Hot 100
in October, a major breakthrough for
African music on U.S. charts. The growth
that Afrobeats artists attained through
mainstream exposure in 2021 became a
focus for RCA Records. “I’m really proud
of Wizkid’s recent accomplishments and
everyone’s efforts to take him to No. 1,”
Giamela says. “We worked really hard to
bring an important culture and sound to
the world.”
Wendy Goldstein
CO-PRESIDENT, REPUBLIC RECORDS
Kerri Mackar
EXECUTIVE VP OF BRAND PARTNERSHIPS,
REPUBLIC RECORDS
Xiarra-Diamond Nimrod
VP OF MARKETING STRATEGY,
REPUBLIC RECORDS
Stephanie Perez
VP OF INTERNATIONAL MARKETING,
REPUBLIC RECORDS
As Republic capped off 2021 with
major projects from Drake and Taylor
Swift — as well as another No. 1 finish
on Billboard’s year-end Top Labels
Ethel Gabriel
chart — the Republic Records Action
Committee (R2AC) spent the year
launching mental health initiatives
and providing mentorship opportuni-
ties. “We’ve made incredible strides
in bringing awareness to diversity and
inclusion throughout our company and
the industry at large,” says Nimrod of
R2AC, which she has been a part of When Gabriel died at the age of 99 in March 2021, her nephew,
since the organization’s launch.
Ed Mauro, told The New York Times that her success in music
Ethiopia Habtemariam came “when the playing field wasn’t level.” Gabriel — considered
CHAIRMAN/CEO, MOTOWN RECORDS to be the first female producer to work for a record label — had
Alison Finley
COO, MOTOWN RECORDS
another take: She told The Cincinnati Enquirer in 1983: “I didn’t
“There’s real ability in the company, and know I was somewhere I shouldn’t be.”
I wanted them to have a chance to fly,” The Pennsylvania native affixed labels to records and packed
Universal Music Group chairman/CEO
them for shipment at the RCA Victor plant in Camden, N.J.,
GABRIEL ILLUSTRATION REFERENCE PHOTO: ED AND NANCY MAURO/LIVING SOUND DOCUMENTARY
Sir Lucian Grainge said of Motown in his

Billboard Power List interview, explaining before moving to the company’s corporate offices in New York.
why UMG had returned the legendary
With RCA, she worked as an A&R executive and eventual vice
imprint to its status as a stand-alone label
under Habtemariam, who was promoted president, championing the signing of Pérez Prado to help bring
in March 2021 to her new role as Mo- mambo to the United States and creating the Living Strings,
town Records chairman/CEO. Through
Pure Gold and A Legendary Performer series. Gabriel produced
its partnership with Quality Control (see
page 98), Motown reached the peak of over 2,500 albums — 15 of them certified gold — and won a
the Billboard 200 in recent months with Grammy Award for best historical album in 1982. —GARY GRAFF
My Turn from Lil Baby (five total weeks)
and The Voice of Heroes from Lil Baby
and Lil Durk.
94 ILLUSTRATION BY ANNICK POIRIER BILLBOARD.COM FEBRUARY 26, 2022

exellence
MBK ENTERTAINMENT CONRATULATES THEIR
BILLBOARD 2022 WOMEN IN MUSIC HONOREES
H.E.R. Impact Award

JEANINE McLEAN-WILLIAMS Executive Honoree
MISHA HEDMAN-MAYES Executive Honoree
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Allison Jones including mentorship and career develop- company is also developing non-fungible Jennifer Frommer
EXECUTIVE VP OF A&R, ment of Black professionals. Khahaifa tokens, partnering with the blockchain SENIOR VP OF COMMERCIAL LICENSING AND
BIG MACHINE LABEL GROUP is also involved in Sony’s Global Social startup Royal to develop an interface that BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, COLUMBIA RECORDS
Big Machine’s Carly Pearce has seen her Justice Fund and its Artists Forward will give fans more visibility into the eco- Columbia Records has “a strategy that
star rise even higher over the past 20 program, which forgives unrecouped nomics of songs in which they purchase works for each individual artist; we’ve been
months, after earning a No. 1 Country balances for qualifying acts signed prior shares. “As we look to ways in which NFTs able to build out stories and narratives —
Airplay hit with the Lee Brice duet “I Hope to 2000. Says Khahaifa: “It has been a can challenge the traditional music indus- telling stories in this attention economy in
You’re Happy Now.” Pearce has since privilege to help lead and meaningfully try,” Lewis says, “we are keeping Stem at which we live,” Mallory said in comments
earned two Country Music Association contribute to an important shift in evolv- the forefront of this conversation.” following her 2022 Billboard Power List
Awards (including female vocalist of the ing company practices.” honor. That strategy has amplified the
year) and two Academy of Country Music Cindy Mabe talent of a roster that gave Columbia the
Awards. She also released her third studio Cat Kreidich PRESIDENT, UNIVERSAL MUSIC No. 1 spot for a combined 33 weeks in
album, 29: Written in Stone, and co-hosted PRESIDENT, ADA WORLDWIDE GROUP NASHVILLE 2021, the most in a year by a label since
the CMA Country Christmas special. Jones Over the past year, Alternative Distribution UMG Nashville’s biggest victories came MRC Data’s information began power-
notes that “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” Alliance — Warner Music Group’s inde- from its developing artists, who each ing the chart in 1991, with No. 1 hits from
with Ashley McBryde, is Pearce’s “fastest- pendent label/artist services division — “made a huge contribution to growing Mariah Carey, 24kGoldn, The Kid LAROI,
rising country radio single to date.” executed a companywide “culture shift,” the country format,” says Mabe. Mickey Polo G, Lil Nas X, BTS — and Adele, who
says Kreidich, which included a new lead- Guyton became the first Black female solo has ruled the Billboard Artist 100 chart for
Michelle Jubelirer ership team and its first head of product artist to be nominated for a 2021 Grammy 20 weeks as of Feb. 12.
CHAIR/CEO, CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP and integration, Andrea Slobodien, who Award in a country category with her
Dixie Tipton was named in December. “We’ve put a single “Black Like Me” and followed it up Victoria Mason
SENIOR VP OF RHYTHM PROMOTION, global strategy behind the company, with with three nominations this year. Pris- SENIOR VP OF STRATEGIC MARKETING AND
CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP tech as the backbone,” she adds, citing the cilla Block “made her way from exposing ANALYTICS, WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE
Terese Joseph launch of a new website to match ADA’s new music on TikTok” to breaking into Warner Music Nashville prioritizes making
VP OF A&R OPERATIONS, ambition to be “a truly digitally savvy, fast- the mainstream with her hit single, “Just data “intelligible and exploitable” to bolster
CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP moving music company of the future.” About Over You,” which reached No. 14 its marketing efforts, says Mason, 35.
In December, Jubelirer succeeded Jeff on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, the Proof of concept? Gabby Barrett spent
Vaughn as leader of Capitol Music Group Milana Lewis highest-peaking female country radio
(opting for the gender-neutral title of CO-FOUNDER/CEO, STEM debut released in 2021.
chair/CEO) and became the first woman The distribution and payments company
to helm the label group, which has helped Stem continued to pursue its goal of bring- Jennifer Mallory
Halsey, Sam Smith and Katy Perry rise to ing financial clarity to the music industry in EXECUTIVE VP/GM, COLUMBIA RECORDS
“Never Wanted To
stardom while nurturing new signings like 2021, launching Recoup Rules, a new fea- Erika Alfredson Be That Girl,” a
rappers Toosii and Justus Bennetts and ture that allows users to track and recoup SENIOR VP/CO-HEAD OF MARKETING,
collaboration between
electronic musician Surf Mesa. Universal expenses before splits are paid out. The COLUMBIA RECORDS
Ashley McBryde and
Music Group chairman/CEO Carly Pearce (left),
Sir Lucian Grainge, in his recent is Pearce’s “fastest-
Billboard Power List interview, rising country radio
said Jubelirer has “terrific single to date,” says
followership. She has been an Allison Jones of Big
independent lawyer, she’s got Machine Label Group.
phenomenal relationships with
artists, and this is her shot at
CEO and putting her stamp
on the business. The staff,
the teams, the artists, they’re
excited about her, and I believe
that now is the time for her.”
Sheldra Khahaifa
CFO/EXECUTIVE VP OF
OPERATIONS , COMMERCIAL
MUSIC GROUP, SONY MUSIC
ENTERTAINMENT
Khahaifa has a key role at the

company that manages Sony
Music’s partnerships with the
Prince estate, Jack White’s
Third Man Records, AC/DC,
Philadelphia International
Records and Mariah Carey
for the singer’s “All I Want for
Christmas Is You” holiday cam-
paign, among other repertoire
ERIKA GOLDRING/GETTY IMAGES
sources. But she has also found

“special purpose,” she says, in
helping launch and lead the
Commercial Music Group’s di-
versity and inclusion task force,

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
27 weeks atop Hot Country Songs with

her Charlie Puth-assisted hit “I Hope” and
closed out the year as the sole country
artist on Billboard’s Top Female Artists
year-end ranking. Mason adds, “We’ve
been able to amplify that success by inten- Dua Lipa ’s rise to
tionally incorporating data into our strategy global stardom was an
and decision-making.” achievement shared
by Women in Music
Katie McCartney honorees at her label,
GM, MONUMENT RECORDS
Warner Records .
“Fancy Like” by Monument Records
artist Walker Hayes became a pop and
country phenomenon, reaching No. 3 on
the Hot 100 and becoming his first No. 1
Country Airplay hit. “The strategy put
into place by the Monument team and smash in 2021. For Demi Lovato’s
Walker’s team to capitalize on such an Dancing With the Devil... The Art
amazing moment has been unreal,” says of Starting Over, Paul created
McCartney. “From the original digital one-on-one fan experiences
moments to sitting on top of the Billboard and intimate listening parties.
Hot Country Songs chart for multiple “Our work is focused on artist
weeks to a national TV ad campaign to integrity,” she says, “while also
critical mass airplay in multiple genres — advocating for fans.”
nobody deserves it more.”
Gabrielle Peluso
Simone Mitchell CO-PRESIDENT, ASYLUM RECORDS
PRESIDENT, QUALITY CONTROL MUSIC Since joining Asylum three years
Mitchell, 32, joined Quality Control in 2014 ago, Peluso has leaned on what
as a part-time employee working in ad- she learned during 15 years work-
ministration and assisting with the Atlanta ing for Def Jam, where she discov-
label’s early signees, including Migos. In ered how much a small, close-knit
October 2021, CEO Pierre “P” Thomas team could accomplish. “That was
and COO Kevin “Coach K” Lee promoted my focus when I was offered this
Mitchell to president of the influential hip- opportunity at Asylum: bring things
hop indie. In recent years, Quality Control back to basics,” says Peluso, who is
expanded its divisions beyond music and co-president of the label alongside
its head count to 30-plus people, and Dallas Martin. Asylum’s roster
in her new role, Mitchell hopes to make includes Seddy Hendrinx, Ken the
use of the larger team. “With department Man, Jay Loud and Detroit rapper
heads and recent executive hirings,” she Sada Baby — whose “Whole Lotta
says, “we are able to execute ideas and Choppas” featuring Nicki Minaj
campaigns as a fully equipped unit.” reached No. 35 on Hot R&B/Hip-
Hop Songs. “It may take us longer
Michele Nadelman to break an artist, but the process
CFO, WARNER RECORDS year, to say the least, but I’m very proud video “Build a Bitch” and the breakout is 100 times more meaningful,” says Peluso.
Karen Kwak of our team, as we pulled together and of critically acclaimed Los Angeles “The artists signed to Asylum are in control
EXECUTIVE VP/HEAD OF A&R, delivered our highest-revenue year in rapper Remble. “Warner Records is now of their careers, learning the business,
WARNER RECORDS over 10 years,” says Nadelman. The label’s perfectly poised to make a lot of noise becoming their own bosses, and there is
Claudia Butzky 2021 successes included Dua Lipa’s in 2022,” Nadelman adds, citing new nothing more rewarding than that.”
EXECUTIVE VP OF BRAND PARTNERSHIPS rise to global superstardom, Saweetie’s projects from Remble, Poarch, Saweetie,
AND SYNC, WARNER RECORDS best new artist Grammy nomination, the Omar Apollo, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Sylvia Rhone
“2021 was an extremely challenging introduction of Bella Poarch with her hit Walters, NLE Choppa, Michael Bublé, CHAIRWOMAN/CEO, EPIC RECORDS
Muse, Benson Boone and Nessa Barrett, Margeaux Watson
among others. SENIOR VP OF MARKETING, EPIC RECORDS
With a roster of established hitmakers like
Erica M. Paul DJ Khaled, who landed his third No. 1 on
“2021 was an extremely VP/HEAD OF DIGITAL MARKETING,

ISLAND RECORDS
the Billboard 200 in May, and Giveon, who
turned a breakout year into a half-dozen
After a role in which she guided digital Grammy nominations, Epic managed a
challenging year, initiatives for three of Universal Music
Group’s East Coast labels (Def Jam,
banner year on both fronts in 2021, with
BIA and Mimi Webb set to continue mak-
to say the least.” Republic and Island), Paul last year

became vp/head of digital marketing
ing waves as well. “Power is empowering
others,” said Rhone in comments regarding
for Island. She has used her expertise to her Billboard Power List honor in January.
KARWAI TANG/WIREIMAGE
create and capitalize on viral moments “It’s the daily application of your authentic
—MICHELE NADELMAN for Shawn Mendes, The Killers and R&B self to effectively uplift those around you. If
vocalist Trinidad Cardona — whose done right, it makes everyone stronger.”
2017 release, “Dinero,” become a TikTok

Valeisha Butterfield Jones &
Laura Segura Mueller
The Recording Academy® and MusiCares would like to thank you. For your leadership in the face of
the industry’s evolving challenges. For inspiring through your commitment to the highest levels of
excellence. And for elevating those around you at all times.
Congratulations to you both on being included in Billboard’s Women in Music honorees.

Your efforts to #AmplifyWomen continue to build a stronger music industry.
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Katie Robinson
VP OF MARKETING, ELEKTRA MUSIC GROUP
PI O NEER S
Elektra scored with twenty one pilots,
which earned their third No. 1 on Top
Rock Albums in June with Scaled and
Icy, and secured a new partnership with
Avril Lavigne to support the release of her
seventh studio album, Love Sux, alongside
Travis Barker’s DTA Records. The record
will “inspire an entire new generation,” says
Robinson, 38. On the night that the “Bite
Me” singer signed to DTA, there was a
celebration at Barker’s Los Angeles studio
that ended with an “epic cake fight,” she
adds. “Everyone left covered in vegan
cake, confetti and champagne.”
Brenda Romano
PRESIDENT OF PROMOTION,
INTERSCOPE GEFFEN A&M
Michelle An
EXECUTIVE VP/HEAD OF VISUAL,
Annie Lee
CFO, INTERSCOPE GEFFEN A&M
Nicole Wyskoarko
EXECUTIVE VP/CO-HEAD OF A&R,
In 2021, Interscope Geffen A&M
celebrated its highest annual revenue
in its 30-year history, according to the
company. It’s a feat that Lee credits to
its growing film division, which in 2020
became a “significant source of revenue”
thanks to IGA working alongside partner
The Darkroom to produce and sell two
Billie Eilish projects — documentary Billie
Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry and par-
tially animated concert film Happier Than
Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles — to
Apple and Disney+, respectively. At the
same time, says Lee, “Our core business
Marion Keisker
has thrived,” noting continued success
for Lady Gaga and Machine Gun Kelly
alongside a “new set of superstar artists” On July 18, 1953, while working as an office receptionist at Sam
including Olivia Rodrigo, Moneybagg Yo Phillips’ Sun Records in Memphis, Keisker welcomed 18-year-
and Kali Uchis. “All of these artists have
old Elvis Presley to the building. He came in with $4 to record
moved culture in their own way.”
two songs, “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches
Jacqueline Saturn Begin,” for his “mama,” she says. Keisker, who was also a radio
PRESIDENT, VIRGIN MUSIC LABEL
AND ARTIST SERVICES host and station manager at WREC Memphis, wanted to know
Saturn, who turned her backyard into more. “Who do you sound like?” she asked Presley. His reply:
“a home office and a gathering place “I don’t sound like nobody.”
for the team,” has guided the newly
rebranded Virgin as it expanded globally When Keisker alerted Phillips and his partners to the walk-
KEISKER ILLUSTRATION REFERENCE PHOTO: COURTESY OF SAM PHILLIPS RECORDING SERVICE
with 12 international offices. The com- in session, the gentlemen rebuffed her and then left the studio
pany has leveraged partnerships with
for coffee — but she decided she would make the record herself.
Primary Wave/Gaither Music Group,
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Soulja Keisker, who later became a captain in the U.S. Air Force and
Boy and NCT-127, among others. And Memphis chapter president of the National Organization
that’s in addition to No. 1 Billboard 200
for Women, has had her pivotal role in Presley’s ascent well-
debuts since 2019 from Lil Baby, Trippie
Redd, NF and K-pop act SuperM. Says documented, including in three biopics about The King.
Saturn: “Power is our artists and label —DEB WILKER
partners trusting us with their vision and
empowering us to build and tell their
story for them and with them.”

Congratulations,
DENISE
COLLETTA
And all the 2022 Billboard Women in Music honorees.
Denise Colletta
SVP and Team Leader
Entertainment Banking, Beverly Hills
Discover The way up® at cnb.com.
LOS ANGELES I NEW YORK I NASHVILLE I ATLANTA I MIAMI*
*City National does business in the state of Florida as CN Bank.

City National Bank, Member FDIC. City National Bank is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada.
©2022 City National Bank. All Rights Reserved. 804305
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Leaders Of The
he Mechanical Licensing Created by the 2018 passage of the
Collective in 2021 Music Modernization Act and designat-
T completed the first full
year of its mission, as
ed by the U.S. Register of Copyrights in
July 2019, The MLC named Kris Ahrend
Mechanical
described by chief as its first CEO in 2020. He led the effort
marketing officer Ellen to build the nonprofit organization from
Truley: “ensuring that every rights scratch, which meant creating a “diverse
holder who is eligible to receive and inclusive team that includes people
Licensing Collective mechanical royalties for streams and

downloads of their music is paid those
royalties on time and in full.”
with different backgrounds, views and
experiences,” according to The MLC’s
statement of its guiding principles.
One sign of The MLC living up to Monique Benjamin and head of educa- She adds, “Growing our member-
those principles is an exceptional leader- tional partnerships Serona Elton. ship to that degree in a relatively short
ship team of nine women. Truley, who is The MLC team has celebrated “meet- period of time — and distributing more
a Women in Music honoree, is a repre- ing several notable benchmarks and mile- than $280 million in royalties to those
sentative of an executive group that also stones despite the challenges created by members in 2021 — shows The MLC is
includes CFO Ilene Weintraub, chief legal the ongoing pandemic,” says Truley. “I am already fulfilling its mission,” of distribut-
From left: Carmichael, Johns,
officer Kristen Johns, chief people officer particularly proud of the fact that through ing mechanical royalties from streaming Weintraub, Truley, Chawla,
Leigh McCorkle, head of international our extensive outreach and engagement and downloaded repertoire, “and making Benjamin, Major, Elton and
relations Indi Chawla, head of operations efforts, we were able to double our a real difference in how rights holders are McCorkle photographed by
Katie Kauss on Feb. 7 at
Joya Carmichael, head of customer ex- membership over the course of the year compensated for the use of their music.” The Mechanical Licensing
perience Lindsey Major, head of finance to more than 17,000 members.” —T H O M D U F F Y AND KRISTIN ROBINSON Collective in Nashville.
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
do, so this level of holistic support is fun- won new artist of the year at Billboard’s the importance of the Nashville Equity
Michele Smith damental to improving our business.” 2021 Latin Music Awards and reached Taskforce, comprising staff from Sony
VP OF ESTATE AND LEGACY BRAND No. 3 on the Top Latin Albums chart Nashville, Provident Entertainment and
MANAGEMENT, CONCORD Natalie Turano with Lyke Mike, while Quiles’ La Última Sony Music Publishing, all seeking to
Smith, who is responsible for the label VP OF MARKETING, DISNEY MUSIC GROUP Promesa peaked at No. 12 in September, improve inclusion among their workforce
partnership and brand licensing of Stax Barbara Vander Linde propelled by the summer hit “Loco.” To and support local activist groups. The
Records and the estates of Billie Holiday VP OF MUSIC PUBLISHING AND A&R, “keep the momentum going,” she says, the task force was created after Sony Music
and Tammy Wynette, co-produced the DISNEY MUSIC GROUP label is focused on emerging acts across Group in June 2020 established its
2019 documentary Billie, which won docu- Disney Music Group is dedicated to proj- Latin America, recently signing Micro TDH $100 million Global Social Justice Fund
mentary of the year at the 25th annual JJA ects rooted in “authentic storytelling,” says and Tiago PZK. amid the national outcry for racial and
Jazz Awards. Smith also worked with the Vander Linde, citing the animated film En- social justice. “We have a lot more work
Concord Stax Scholarship Fund, which she canto, with music by Lin-Manuel Miranda; Heather Vassar to do in addressing equity and inclusion
says will raise $1 million “for 100 deserv- the Our Family to Yours holiday ad series VP OF MARKETING, NASHVILLE, EMPIRE within the [country] format,” says Way,
ing Memphis-based Stax Music Academy starring a Filipino family; and singer-actress Vassar helped EMPIRE’s country music “but I’m incredibly proud of our team’s
students over the next five years.” Brandy serving as the spokeswoman for division reach new heights with a trio of efforts to effect change in our company
the 18-month Ultimate Disney Princess rising acts: Shaboozey, Sophia Scott and and our community.”
Camille Soto Malave franchise celebration. Turano notes that Tenille Arts. Shaboozey is “already caus-
CEO, GLAD EMPIRE Disney’s collaboration with ESPN on the ing a stir in hip-hop and country spaces,” Elsa Yep
Soto Malave’s digital music distributor Music for the Movement EPs is an example says Vassar, 35, while Scott was featured CFO/EXECUTIVE VP OF OPERATIONS,
Glad Empire has released remixes of hit of how the company creates “awareness on Iggy Azalea’s “Sex on the Beach” and UNIVERSAL MUSIC LATIN AMERICA
singles “Travesuras” by Nio García, Casper and conversations about social justice supported Kelsea Ballerini and the Jonas & IBERIAN PENINSULA
Mágico, Myke Towers, Ozuna, Wisin & through music.” Brothers on tour, and Arts’ “Somebody Yep’s successes in the past year include
Yandel and Flow La Movie and “AM” by Like That” peaked at No. 50 on the the international growth of the label’s
García, Bad Bunny and J Balvin, accruing Marcela Vaccari Hot 100 and No. 3 on Country Airplay. The marquee talent, including Karol G and
millions of streams. Those successes came VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, latter song became EMPIRE Nashville’s Sebastián Yatra. According to Vevo’s
through her company’s multimillion-dollar LATIN & IBERIA, WARNER MUSIC LATIN first platinum record, as well as, Vassar annual year-end recap, Karol G was the
distribution deal with independent label Warner Music Latin is “continuing to grow says, “the first song to reach No. 1 written, most-viewed artist globally of 2021, with
Flow La Movie, which was founded by and in market share,” says Vaccari, 36, thanks produced and performed by an all-female 3.11 billion views, beating out The Weeknd
named for the Puerto Rican producer who to the achievements of artists like Myke team in country music.” for the top slot. Meanwhile, Yatra, who
was born José Angel Hernández. Following Towers and Justin Quiles. In April, Towers most recently scored his first Hot 100
Hernández’s death in a December plane Jennifer Way entry with Encanto’s “Dos Oruguitas,”
crash, Soto Malave will continue to serve SENIOR VP OF MARKETING, reaching No. 36 (and still climbing), landed
as exclusive administrator for the company, SONY MUSIC NASHVILLE three Top 100 Spotify Global hits, including
gearing up to release García’s first solo Way, 38, has supported the success of the Myke Towers-assisted “Pareja del
Jennifer Way is a
album, El de los Hits. Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert and Brad Año,” which peaked at No. 10 on the Hot
Women in Music
Paisley, among others. But Way also cites Latin Songs chart.
honoree at Sony
Colleen Theis
Music Nashville,
COO, THE ORCHARD
which is celebrating
The Sony-owned global independent mu-
the February
sic distributor is celebrating its 25th year
nomination of
with a new partnership with Bad Bunny
Miranda Lambert
manager Noah Assad and his Rimas
(right) for the
Entertainment, as well as an improved
Academy of Country
market share, both domestically and inter-
Music’s entertainer
nationally. “The power of streaming means
of the year.
music knows no boundaries,” says Theis.
“In the past year, we’ve broken boundar-
ies and seen success in every genre. We
will continue to redefine distribution by
expanding our comprehensive suite of
services and tackling every challenge with
the artist in mind.”
Nicola Tuer
COO, SONY MUSIC UK & IRELAND
One of the highest-ranking women in
the music business in the repertoire-rich
British market, Tuer has shared in the
success of Adele’s record-breaking album
30, which spent five weeks at No. 1 on
the United Kingdom’s Official Albums
chart. Breakout hits from Tom Grennan,
Joy Crookes and Riton helped further lift
the label’s domestic market share, while
the launch of Sony’s global Artist Forward
JOHN SHEARER/GETTY IMAGES
initiative confirmed its commitment to

supporting acts “across all aspects of their
career,” says Tuer, who began her career
in music retail. “We only thrive if our artists

multinational
PI ON EE RS sector
Elizabeth Collins
CO-PRESIDENT, THE AZOFF COMPANY
Collins, who is co-president of The Azoff
Company with Susan Genco (page 85), is
“very happy with how the year played out”
for the multifaceted company. “First and
foremost, our entire team showed incred-
ible resilience and flexibility in the face of
an ever-changing environment,” she says.
The company’s venue development divi-
sion, Oak View Group (see page 120), cel-
ebrated the opening of the Climate Pledge
Arena in Seattle and the UBS Arena in New
York. “We also closed on our acquisition of
Spectra, which expanded significantly our
[live-event] services business. At Full Stop
Management, we welcomed back touring
with incredible shows by Harry Styles, the
Eagles, The Doobie Brothers and Ma-
roon 5, among others. We also had our
first full year of operations at Iconic Artists
Group, where we are very proud to be
involved with the timeless music of [such
acts as] The Beach Boys, Linda Ronstadt
and David Crosby.”
Danielle Engen
DIRECTOR OF STUDIO OPERATIONS,
ELECTRIC FEEL ENTERTAINMENT
Christine Farnon Electric Feel reports that it was repre-

sented on the Hot 100 during every week
of 2021 by one of its artists, songwriters
or producers. Engen’s recent accomplish-
ments include working to open new stu-
dios in Miami, Utah and New York, as well
as a mobile studio that Post Malone used
to record singles such as “Motley Crew”
Decades before Deborah Dugan became the Recording and “One Night Row” during the second
Academy’s first female president/CEO in 2019, Farnon was the leg of his Runaway Tour and at his home
during the beginning of the pandemic. Says
top executive at the organization — and while she never held the
Engen: “It’s amazing to be part of a team
big title, there was no question of who was in charge. hitting such exciting milestones.”
Farnon started as a volunteer in May 1957 when the academy
Amber Grimes
was in its formative stages and rose to become executive vp. EXECUTIVE VP/GM, LVRN RECORDS;
From 1957 through 1987, she worked alongside a succession of 18 PARTNER, LVRN MANAGEMENT
elected, volunteer presidents. These men — and yes, they were Grimes’ dual appointments earlier this
year — after LVRN announced the hiring
all men — served their terms and moved on, while she provided and promotion of five female staffers last
continuity and stability. In 1988, Michael Greene became the May — further underscore the company’s
commitment to invest in and strengthen
academy’s first paid president. Farnon stayed on through 1992 to
FARNON ILLUSTRATION REFERENCE PHOTO: 1968 NARAS/WILLIAM EASTABROOK
its female leadership: Currently, 40%

ensure a smooth transition. of its staff is female. LVRN also teamed
Farnon received a trustees award from the academy upon her with psychotherapist Syreeta Butler to
establish its mental health and wellness
retirement. A tribute to her in that year’s Grammy program book
division, offering employees and artists
was fittingly titled “The Recording Academy’s Guiding Light.” access to free therapy services. “Female
—PAUL GREIN leadership has produced innovative and
visionary ideas across our company,” says
Grimes. “And we hope that as a balanced
organization, we will inspire a well-bal-
anced industry.”

WHEN IT COMES TO
WOMEN IN MUSIC,
THE MLC IS PROUDLY
NAMING NAMES
THE MLC CELEBRATES
OUR WOMEN IN MUSIC!
Katerine Albert | Faith Allen
Ashley Almade | Allie Anderson
Monique Benjamin
Raleigh Berschback | Maria Brannon
Jessica Carmack | Joya Carmichael
Tatyana Carter | Indi Chawla

Krista Cirillo-Briggs | Cameryn Conner
Congratulations to The MLC’s
Helena Cook | Lacy Cowden | Millie Dantin
Ellen Truley and all of Billboard’s Bethany Dillingham | Jessica Dorow

Trang Dorris | Margaret Eggers | Serona Elton
2022 Women in Music honorees!
Sydney Evans | Katrina Feyintola
Whitney Gardner | Brianna Gesling
Emma Gillis | Sharnett Gordon | Morgan Hall

Gabrielle Hartl | Susanne Hines | Emma Iacovino
Renair Jackson | Erin Jarvis | Taylor John

Kristen Johns | Anna Jones | Baylee Kuss
Alyssa Lackey | Sara Latimer | Lindsey Major
Cara McCarthy | Leigh McCorkle | Kayla Ott
Nancy Prescott | Darian Powe | Savannah Rang
Krystal Ribble | Ellie Trainor | Ellen Truley
Amanda Turman | Ilene Weintraub
TheMLC.com
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Bea Koramblyum Among the artists with whom

GLOBAL HEAD OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS, Bea Koramblyum recently
DOWNTOWN MUSIC SERVICES
negotiated deals at Downtown
In April, Downtown Music Holdings an- Music Services is singer-songwriter
nounced “a strategic decision to focus Suzanne Vega (left). In October,
its business interests exclusively on the Vega attended the reopening of the
fast-growing music services sector, Broadway musical Girl From the
providing distribution, copyright manage- North Country.
ment, creative marketing and financing
solutions for songwriters and artists,” says
Koramblyum, 42, who was promoted to
her current position last year after being
with the company for a decade. She has ment of 2020 dates. “I’m so proud of
negotiated and signed deals with artists launching and executing a successful tour
and writers including Arca, Ibeyi, Tank and in 2021,” she says. The wins kept coming
the Bangas and Suzanne Vega. offstage, too: Rhett scored his 17th No. 1
on the Country Airplay chart with “Country
Clara Pablo Again,” which also netted him a 2022
SENIOR VP OF GLOBAL MARKETING, Grammy nomination for best country song.
WK ENTERTAINMENT
Maluma’s 27-date Papi Juancho Tour Kelly Clague
in the United States was one of WK EXECUTIVE VP, EM.CO; PRESIDENT, SAFETOUR
Entertainment’s biggest achievements Clague, 53, says her management client
of 2021. “We were the first to announce Tim McGraw had “an incredible year” that
a major arena tour post-pandemic included a starring role in the Western
cancellations,” Pablo says, adding that drama 1883, which premiered on Para-
“every night was nearly sold out.” The mount+ in December. Clague also guides
successful trek, which ranked No. 14 on the nonprofit SafeTour, which has estab-
the year-end Top Tours chart with a gross lished itself as a touring industry leader in
of $24.5 million, plans to hit Europe in battling harassment and discrimination in
2022. Additionally, Pablo highlights Los the work environment while strengthening
Legendarios, Wisin and Jhay Cortez’s content division, giving Weaver control breakthrough of Doja Cat, whose “Need accountability and best practices. “With
“Fiel” as “one of the biggest Latin songs of “culture-shaping brands,” as she calls To Know” returned to the top 10 of the our partners at Hollaback!,” says Clague,
in 2021 worldwide” released under WK them, such as Uproxx and HipHopDX, Hot 100 in January (it previously hit No. 8 “we completed the build-out of our new
Entertainment and La Base/WK Records. and concert platform Songkick. The divi- in November), fueling the continued suc- training program and were able to make it
“Fiel” ended the year among Billboard’s sion’s online properties have 249 million cess of the rapper-singer’s album Planet available to artists and their tours.”
top 10 Hot Latin Songs. monthly visitors, according to WMX. Her. “We have managed the creation,
Weaver adds: “We’ve multiplied op- promotion and release of an album that Rebecca Drucker
Elyse Rogers portunities for our artists, streamlining the has received 11 Grammy nominations,” CEO, THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
EXECUTIVE VP, ARTIST PARTNER GROUP media-buying process for advertisers and says Asrat, citing her artist’s nods for the Drucker worked closely with star client
The past 12 months marked an “incred- giving brands unparalleled access to our 2021 and 2022 Grammy Awards. Ricky Martin and producer Jaycen Joshua
ible new phase” for Artist Partner Group massive, music-obsessed audience.” on the development of a new immersive
as an independent label, says Rogers. Virginia Bunetta headphone and speaker technology, Or-
While the company (which also includes MANAGING PARTNER, G-MAJOR bital Audio, which launched in 2020. The
a music publishing division) has renewed MANAGEMENT; ARTIST MANAGER company counts H.E.R. and Myke Towers
its partnership with Warner Music Group, management ( THOMAS RHETT) among its users and is “the best on the
its repertoire will flow through WMG’s After a year of lockdown, Bunetta, 41, can planet,” she says. Drucker notes that other
independent label/artist services divi- Lydia Asrat sum up the highlight of 2021 in just one highlights of the past year include helping
sion, Alternative Distribution Alliance CO-FOUNDER, 10Q MANAGEMENT word: touring. Her client Thomas Rhett to secure a lucrative new deal for Martin
Worldwide. APG’s roster includes recent Along with 10Q partner Josh Kaplan returned to the road last year, bringing his with skin-care line Kumiko and his 15-date
breakouts Lexi Jayde and Cico P along- and SALXCO’s Wassim “Sal” Slaiby and Center Point Road tour to hungry crowds arena tour alongside Enrique Iglesias,
side chart-toppers Jason Derulo and Gordan Dillard, Asrat has guided the after the pandemic forced a postpone- which grossed nearly $20 million. A new
Adam Levine. “It’s so rare to find yourself
in a position of having the track record of
breaking multiple platinum artists globally
and starting 2.0 of what was already a
young, successful company,” says Rog-
ers. “It gives us the speed and flexibility “We have managed the creation,
to stay on the front edge of the modern
music business.” promotion and release of an album that
Maria Weaver
PRESIDENT, WMX just received 11 Grammy nominations.”
In November, Warner Music Group
BRUCE GLIKAS/GETTY IMAGES
launched new services division WMX to

connect artists and fans with brands. The — LY D I A A S R A T O N D O J A C A T ’ S P L A N E T H E R
platform includes a commercial services
and marketing network and a creative

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
run of dates is scheduled for later

this year.
The work of Jennifer McDaniels
Martha Earls at SB Projects has helped
OWNER, EFG MANAGEMENT
Ariana Grande (left) achieve
Earls’ Nashville-based company a social media following of
helped its clients find success on 413 million fans, according to
multiple fronts during the past year.
the management company.
Kane Brown staged an NBA arena
tour, Restless Road sent its single
“Growing Old With You” to No. 1 on
Country Digital Song Sales, Dylan inclusive vision of our future,” she
Schneider signed with Broken Bow says. “Artists such as Troye Sivan,
Records, and alt-pop band NIGHT- Lizzo, Orville Peck and Carlie
LY joined the EFG roster. Earls says, Hanson have a unique and innate
“I am proud of the work that we ability to connect and give hope
did to continue to grow our artists’ to audiences who have historically
careers and raise their profiles.” felt underrepresented and/or
unseen.” Kennedy was an executive
Ann Edelblute producer of the 24-hour Global
OWNER, THE HQ Citizen Live event in September
Carrie Underwood’s longtime that addressed climate change and
manager guided the launch of the poverty. Among her clients is Gwen
singer’s first Las Vegas residency Stefani, a coach on The Voice who
with six sold-out shows at Resorts has wrapped a multiyear residency
World Theatre in December. Edel- in Las Vegas and is launching a
blute also secured an equity part- beauty business. “Bringing dreams
nership between the seven-time to fruition is what I’m passionate
Grammy winner and Coca-Cola’s about,” she says.
Bodyarmor sports drink and over-
saw the release of her new album, Marion Kraft
My Savior, with a concert at the CEO, SHOPKEEPER MANAGEMENT
Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The Kraft, 57, saw her superstar client
event was “livestreamed globally on Miranda Lambert claim a third
Facebook on Easter Sunday,” Edel- Grammy in 2021 for best country
blute says, “raising over $112,000 album with Wildcard, a sold-out
for Save the Children.” tour and the title “restaurateur,”
thanks to ownership of the new
Kerri Edwards Nashville hotspot Casa Rosa. Kraft
PRESIDENT, KP ENTERTAINMENT is most proud that Lambert —
“Team KPE,” as Edwards calls it, who holds the record for the most
had plenty of wins in 2021 among Academy of Country Music Award
its management clients: Cole Swin- wins with 35 — is the first female
dell scored a Country Airplay No. 1 entertainer to stake a claim on
with “Single Saturday Night,” while Dylan Billboard Power List, describing the Broadway, Nashville’s rollicking restaurant
Scott’s summer hit “Nobody” took home Kelly Hughes $1.05 billion deal that brought together row. Kraft’s clients Tenille Townes (a Juno
breakthrough video of the year at the CMT DAY-TO-DAY MANAGER, Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings (the Award winner for The Lemonade Stand)
Music Awards. And then there was Luke BLUE RAINCOAT MUSIC parent company of SB Projects) with and Ashley Monroe have also worked
Bryan. The American Idol judge and coun- Hughes’ client Phoebe Bridgers had a Bang Si-hyuk’s HYBE in April, merg- continuously through shutdowns and
try star’s achievements included launching banner 2021, including a Saturday Night ing the management homes of Justin challenges, as have the Pistol Annies —
a documentary series on IMDb TV, My Live appearance, a collaboration with Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and Lambert’s trio with Monroe and Angal-
Dirt Road Diary; earning the Academy of Taylor Swift on Red (Taylor’s Version) and BTS. While McDaniels worked closely eena Presley, which recently released the
Country Music’s entertainer of the year the continued growth of her own Secretly with the SB Projects team and HYBE Christmas set Hell of a Holiday.
prize; hosting the Country Music Associa- Group label, Saddest Factory Records. A during the merger of the two companies,
tion Awards; and wrapping a 35-date tour. successful return to the road, however, she also played a key role in Bieber’s Rebeca León
was perhaps the most meaningful win. New Year’s Eve pandemic livestream FOUNDER/CEO, LIONFISH ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Hilliard Harrington “She set a precedent by moving all shows from Los Angeles on Dec. 31, 2020, One of Latin music’s most influential
ARTIST MANAGER, RED LIGHT MANAGEMENT to outdoor venues and requiring attend- which led to the documentary Justin managers, León has spent the year paving
As the leader of Red Light’s Nashville ees to be vaccinated or tested per state Bieber: Our World. Her marketing skills the way for client Rosalía’s next big album
office, Harrington, 45, guides the careers regulations,” says Hughes, 35. “Phoebe did have helped Grande achieve a social for Columbia Records and expanding
of Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Caylee everything in her power to keep the band, media following of 413 million fans, ac- Lunay’s touring footprint with mainstream
Hammack, Elle King and others. The crew and fans as safe as possible.” cording to SB Projects. U.S. festival appearances at Lollapalooza
former chairwoman of the Country Music and Austin City Limits despite continuing
Association wrapped the year by adding Allison Kaye Tina Kennedy “uncertainty around touring.” There’s also
“executive producer” to her résumé with PRESIDENT, SB PROJECTS Dani Russin a new partnership with Paulus Music to
KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES
the creation of the country music special Jennifer McDaniels MANAGERS, FULL STOP MANAGEMENT support budding Dominican star Tokischa,
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, GM, SB PROJECTS At Full Stop Management, Russin takes whose collaboration with Rosalía, “LINDA,”
which aired on CBS and “highlighted our “The possibilities are endless,” said Kaye pride in her role at a company “whose made waves last fall.
genre and city in a fresh way,” she says. in January, when she appeared on the roster represents such a diverse and

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Jaime Levine
CEO, SEVEN MANTELS
When Shakira (left) sold
Shakira’s longtime manager scored her 145-song publishing
a coup for her superstar client when catalog to Hipgnosis Songs
she brokered the sale of the artist’s Fund in January, Seven
145-song publishing catalog to Mantels CEO Jaime Levine
Hipgnosis Songs Fund in January brokered the sale for her
2021. Shakira, meanwhile, contin- management client.
ued to work on new music for her
upcoming 2022 Sony album (which
is not part of the Hipgnosis sale).
Levine will also serve as co-executive
producer, along with Shakira, of the
Colombian star’s new NBC dance Kristen Smith
competition series, Dancing With FOUNDER, CAMP FAR
Myself. Other TV and film projects WEST MANAGEMENT
are also in development, says Levine. Though they recently parted ways,
Smith helped guide client Olivia
Stacia Mac Rodrigo into the stratosphere
CEO, ODA MANAGEMENT/HOUSE during a breakout 2021. Not only
OF LEGENDS did the singer reach the summit of
CEO and “momager” Mac celebrated the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200,
the success of her son Polo G’s hit she earned seven Grammy
song “Rapstar,” which debuted at nominations — including record,
No. 1 on the Hot 100 and ruled for song and album of the year and
two weeks. The single is from his best new artist — and the title of
Billboard 200-topping album Hall of Woman of the Year from Billboard.
Fame, which has surpassed 1 million “Olivia has incredible vision for her
consumption units. “Despite reluc- art,” said Smith in January when
tance from others to release ‘Rapstar,’ she appeared on the Billboard
[we decided] to proceed,” says Mac. Power List, “and witnessing her
She notes of this “pivotal point” in her rise to the occasion over and over
career: “Being attentive to fans and again is amazing.”
keeping a pulse on what interests our
audience propelled the track.” Taren Smith
ARTIST MANAGER, YM&U GROUP
Jeanine McLean- Smith, 31, was at the forefront
Williams of music’s non-fungible to-
PRESIDENT/MANAGING PARTNER, ken boom, overseeing 3LAU’s
MBK ENTERTAINMENT point in their career,” Ong says. It’s no co- says her MNRK artists have pushed back game-changing NFT auctions that have
Misha Hedman Mayes incidence these musicians are all women, against the livestream model since the generated over $20 million in revenue for
GM, MBK ENTERTAINMENT as TaP’s nonprofit division is working to beginning of the pandemic, preferring to the independent dance music producer-
It was a double win for MBK Entertainment right the imbalance in representation of keep the focus on “real-life experiences DJ, the highest-earning musician in the
when two of its clients, H.E.R. and Tiara female artists. and connection” whenever possible. That digital-collectible space. After that suc-
Thomas, won the song of the year Grammy included Arkells’ return to live shows cess, Smith began giving crash courses
Award in 2021 for co-writing “I Can’t Luana Pagani for 30,000 fans at Toronto’s Budweiser in NFTs to other managers and industry
Breathe” and then captured the best origi- PRESIDENT, SEITRACK U.S. Stage last August, which Poitevin calls “a executives both inside and outside her
nal song Academy Award for co-writing Pagani’s artist management agency dice-rolling dream that was largely built firm, helping drive much-needed income
“Fight for You” (from Judas and the Black surpassed its expectations in 2021. With in three weeks” and “a memory that you for artists unable to tour during the
Messiah). “To have two African American Alejandro Fernández, Los Ángeles Azules, cannot buy.” pandemic. The Albuquerque, N.M., native
women share the honor of both an Oscar Alejandro Sanz and David Bisbal, among also manages an array of other dance
win and Grammy win in the same year is others, hitting the road, the company was Tamara Simmons acts, and she signed the first digital-artist
historic,” says McLean-Williams. “H.E.R. and responsible for 170 dates across the United DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, SALXCO client, Slimesunday, to her company’s
Tiara exemplify what it means to be bosses, States between August and December, Simmons stayed busy with a flurry of new visual arts division.
power players and women in music.” she says. “I am proud to say that most of high-profile projects including The
the shows were sold out with an extremely Weeknd’s Emmy Award-nominated Super Ebonie P. Ward
Wendy Ong low [evidence of] COVID-19 spread,” says Bowl LV halftime show in February 2021, MANAGEMENT PARTNER,
PRESIDENT, TAP MUSIC Pagani, who credits her team for help- during which he performed hits such EMAGEN ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
TaP Music’s former superstar client Dua ing make it all possible. Seitrack U.S. also as “Blinding Lights” — a track that later From opening her own clothing boutique
Lipa, whose “Levitating” was the No. 1 grew its roster by signing Joss Favela, made history as the No. 1 Hot 100 song to working with a then-up-and-coming
Hot 100 song of 2021, launched one of Edith Marquez, The Change and Nuevo of all time. Fellow SALXCO management Future, Ward established herself in
the most anticipated tours of 2022 in Elemento, to name a few. client Doja Cat was nominated for eight Atlanta’s hip-hop scene well before
February. Ong, who has been helping 2022 Grammys, including album, record Anthony Saleh asked her to join his artist
Noah Cyrus develop new music, is always Ashley Poitevin and song of the year, while client Metro management company, Emagen, in 2018.
looking to bring fresh talent into the fold. VP OF ARTIST MANAGEMENT, Boomin was named producer of the Her latest triumph at the firm is client
KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES
K-pop superstar CL, a recent signee, is a MNRK MUSIC GROUP year at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards. Gunna, whose third album, DS4Ever,
case in point. “We put a lot of passion into As the manager for Canadian acts like Meanwhile, Swedish House Mafia, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 in January.
the work we do and take pride in being electro-pop singer-songwriter Lights is now also under SALXCO management, “Working with my team to develop
able to bring value to our artists at any and alt-rock band Arkells, Poitevin, 35, announced its reunion and a global tour. the marketing and rollout strategy to

WOMEN IN MUSIC COURTESY OF AMERICAN EXPRESS
WOMEN IN MUSIC
WOMEN IN MUSIC
WOMEN IN MUSIC
BESS.
Congratulations to our very own Bess Spaeth,
head of Brand Media & Experiences, recognized as a
2022 Billboard Women in Music Executive Honoree.
WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
impact the culture in a way that wasn’t

done before was a challenge that I was
PI O NE ER S
determined to meet,” she says.
publishing
Audrey Ashby
SENIOR VP OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS, CATALOG,
SONY MUSIC PUBLISHING
Katie Welle
SENIOR VP OF CREATIVE, NASHVILLE,
Anna Weisband
VP OF CREATIVE, NASHVILLE,
Meghann Wright
DIRECTOR OF ROYALTY ADMINISTRATION
(NORTH AMERICA), SONY MUSIC PUBLISHING
Jen Gobeille
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COPYRIGHT
(NORTH AMERICA), SONY MUSIC PUBLISHING
As part of Sony Music Group and under
the guidance of its chairman/CEO, Jon
Platt, Sony Music Publishing continued to
pursue a more transparent, songwriter-
friendly future. In July, the company
launched Songwriters Forward, a new
program that allows certain legacy signings
to receive royalties from their work even if
they have never recouped their advance.
The publisher hopes to “wipe the slate
clean” for songwriters so that they can “fo-
cus on creativity,” says Ashby. “Under Jon’s
leadership, [we have] risen to the occasion.”
Kat Basolo
VP OF CREATIVE SYNCH, KOBALT
Jamie Kinelski
Jill Tschogl
VPs OF CREATIVE, KOBALT
Suzanne de Passe
Kobalt’s creative team celebrated a ban-
ner year: Tschogl helped to close recent
deals with Young Thug, Roddy Ricch, Joining Motown Records in the late 1960s as creative assistant
London on Da Track, Machine Gun Kelly to founder Berry Gordy, Suzanne de Passe had ascended to
and M.I.A.; Basolo, 39, landed over 100
president of its TV/film division, Motown Productions, when
synch placements for the publisher’s
artists in campaigns with Google, Apple, MCA Records bought the label in 1988. De Passe’s remarkable
Toyota and the Summer Olympics in journey encompassed bringing cornerstone acts — The Jackson 5,
Tokyo; and Kinelski’s signing of Kali Uchis
scored a breakout hit with “Telepatía,”
Commodores and Lionel Richie — to the Motown family, as well
which spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the as producing award-winning TV specials and miniseries like
Hot Latin Songs chart. Kinelski signed her Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, which featured Michael
after catching the artist’s set at South by DE PASSE ILLUSTRATION REFERENCE PHOTO: RON GALELLA LTD./RON GALELLA COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES
Southwest in 2016, when she “played a Jackson’s famous moonwalking performance of “Billie Jean.”
show for 10 people,” she says, “so it has “I couldn’t type, but I could think,” recalls de Passe, now co-
been thrilling to witness her finally receive
chairwoman of de Passe Jones Entertainment. “ ‘Listen to this
the recognition she deserves.”
music.’ ‘See this act.’ ‘Read this script.’ Gordy gave me so many
Mandy Gabriel incredible opportunities to learn and grow in a company where
VP OF FILM, TELEVISION AND ADVERTISING,
UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING GROUP
I never had to apologize for being Black. And being so busy
Lillia Parsa surviving the challenges of my job, the idea of trailblazing was
SENIOR VP OF A&R, UNIVERSAL MUSIC the last thing on my mind.” —GAIL MITCHELL
PUBLISHING GROUP
Ana Rosa Santiago
VP OF LATIN MUSIC,
UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING GROUP

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
particularly meaningful category for

songwriters and publishers.”
“The dedication and loyalty of our Katie Mitzell Fagan

HEAD OF A&R, NASHVILLE,
staff and songwriters not only kept the PRESCRIPTION SONGS

Rhea Pasricha
HEAD OF A&R, WEST COAST,
firm on track but allowed us to continue PRESCRIPTION SONGS
Prescription Songs’ revenue increased
to thrive during a pandemic.” 40% in the past year, according to the

company, while it expanded its offices
in Los Angeles and Nashville “with new
A&R and team hires,” says Mitzell Fagan,
—KATHY SPANBERGER 34. The company’s marquee songwriter
Doja Cat had major success with her
singles “Kiss Me More,” “Need To Know”
and “You Right,” and is also nominated for
Taylor Testa tion to promote synergy. In London, Gon- Massey’s Work of Art scored early by best rap song at the Grammy Awards af-
VP OF A&R, UNIVERSAL MUSIC zales renewed Warner Chappell’s deal signing JP Saxe in 2019. Since then, she ter appearing on Saweetie’s “Best Friend.”
PUBLISHING GROUP for the song catalog of the late George has helped steer the Canadian artist’s Elsewhere on the Prescription roster,
In December 2020, Universal Music Michael, promoted collaborations across mainstream breakthrough, led by the hit KbeaZy became one of the youngest
Publishing Group writer Bad Bunny the company’s international roster and “If the World Was Ending,” co-written producers to have a No. 1 on the Hot 100
made history when El Último Tour del signed British songwriter-rapper Central by and featuring songwriter-artist Julia with 24kGoldn’s “Mood,” featuring iann
Mundo became the first all-Spanish- Cee, who was nominated this year for Michaels. The track has notched over dior. KbeaZy also co-produced Lil Nas X’s
language album to reach No. 1 on the three BRIT Awards. 1.2 billion global streams and is certified “That’s What I Want.”
all-genre Billboard 200. In 2021, the three-times platinum in the United
Puerto Rican star became Spotify’s Clio Massey States. It earned a Grammy Award Helen Murphy
most streamed artist in the world for GM, WORK OF ART MUSIC PUBLISHING; nomination for song of the year in 2021 CEO, ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT
the second consecutive year with more VP OF A&R, ARISTA RECORDS — a milestone that Massey notes is “a Under Murphy, Anthem Entertainment’s
than 9.1 billion streams and a No. 1 on most recent achievement is the acquisi-
the Top Latin Albums chart with his re- tion of the country hit-laden catalog of
cent vinyl-exclusive Anniversary Trilogy. songwriter Kelly Archer, whose songs have
“Bad Bunny is a well-rounded artist who been recorded by Jason Aldean, Dustin
constantly surprises our team with his Lynch, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood
individuality,” says Santiago. and many others. Among the Vancouver
native’s hits are Travis Denning’s “After a
Golnar Khosrowshahi Few” and Justin Moore’s “Somebody Else
FOUNDER/CEO, RESERVOIR MEDIA Will,” both of which hit No. 1 on the Coun-
Donna Caseine try Airplay chart, and Brett Young’s “Sleep
EXECUTIVE VP/GLOBAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR, Without You,” which reached No. 2. An-
RESERVOIR MEDIA them and RED Creative Group have also
Faith Newman signed Archer to an exclusive go-forward
EXECUTIVE VP OF A&R AND deal that covers her future songs.
CATALOG DEVELOPMENT, RESERVOIR MEDIA
See profile, page 80. Natalia Nastaskin
CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER,
Carianne Marshall PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC
CO-CHAIR/COO, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC Amid a busy year overseeing artist
Jenni Pfaff management clients, brand partnerships,
SENIOR VP/HEAD OF GLOBAL STRATEGIC synch rights, NFTs, theatrical musicals and
INTEGRATION AND OPERATIONS, more, Primary Wave continued to make
WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC waves with its music catalog acquisitions.
Shani Gonzales It has secured deals with Sun Records
MANAGING DIRECTOR, WARNER CHAPPELL and the estates of Prince, James Brown,
MUSIC U.K.; HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL A&R, Luther Vandross, Bing Crosby and Gerry
WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC
Marshall, along with Warner Chappell

Music co-chair/CEO Guy Moot, has
guided efforts to bring a new unified strat- Under CEO Helen Murphy , Anthem
egy to the publisher that is “department- Entertainment in January acquired
agnostic,” as Marshall says. One step in the publishing catalog of Kelly Archer
that process was the appointment last (left). Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire,
year of Pfaff, whose role has included Dustin Lynch and Jason Aldean are
gathering input and feedback from among the many artists who have
JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES
Warner Chappell songwriters and their recorded Archer’s songs.

managers from around the world, while
working with company leaders in synch,
creative services, digital and administra-

WOMEN
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execs
Goffin. And in January, it expanded its

catalog partnership with Def Leppard.
“When we acquire catalogs or sign tal-
ent, it is because we believe that we can
bring them certain opportunities,” says
Nastaskin. More rewarding than working
on the world’s “most important music,” she
adds, “is knowing that our partners — the
creators — are seeing the value of their
retained shares increasing through our
team’s efforts.”
Molly Neuman
PRESIDENT, SONGTRUST
Songtrust, which represents over 350,000
songwriters with more than 3 million songs
in 245 countries and territories, continues
to pursue growth by reaching out to song-
writers, producers, collaborators and other
music creators. Serving such professionals
at all career stages from the DIY sector Mandolin CEO
to established songwriters that own their Mary Kay Huse has
copyrights, as well as working with music helped narrow the
publishing companies that need admin- gap between in-
istration solutions, the Downtown Music person and virtual
Holdings company has expanded its production, fan engagement and well- experiences, working
outreach in Africa, Latin America and Asia, Starrah being,” says Baker. with streaming
where education about songwriter rights FOUNDER, 3:02 PUBLISHING clients including
and publishing administration services are After co-writing hits for Camila Cabello, Sara Clemens Grace Potter
deeply needed, Neuman says. Maroon 5 and Drake, Starrah launched FORMER COO, TWITCH (above).
her own publishing outfit, 3:02, with man- During the pandemic, Twitch established
Miwa Okumura ager Nick Jarjour. The company com- itself as an outlet for artists who weren’t
SENIOR VP OF WEST COAST OPERATIONS prises other songwriter-producers that able to perform live shows in front of fans.
AND LICENSING, BEGGARS GROUP she first met on Myspace, Twitter and The service partnered with creators to
Okumura advocates for and works closely Instagram. The publisher’s latest credit? “build direct fan relationships, launch new Min Hu
with all artists on the Beggars roster, but Co-writing and producing Normani and music and innovate with live, interactive CFO, TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
has found the past year particularly special Cardi B’s “Wild Side,” which became its experiences,” says Clemens, noting that As China’s largest music streaming
because it “provided a great opportunity to “first No. 1 placement” when it topped the the median viewership for artists making service, Tencent had over 71 million music
hone in on our recent signings who happen Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart $50,000 a year was roughly 183 fans. “We subscribers and 636 million monthly
to [comprise] those in the LGBTQ, BIPOC dated Jan. 1. The milestone, says Starrah, were delighted that Twitch was a natural mobile music users in the third quarter of
and AAPI communities,” she says, citing “shows the manifestation power of a team home for these artists to maintain and 2021. To that end, Tencent Music Enter-
acts including Lucinda Chua, Tkay Maidza, that has the same vision.” grow their connections with fans and cre- tainment used what it calls a “dual engine
Spencer., Yaeji and Arca who all “had great ate new revenue streams at such a critical content-and-platform” strategy to create
placements in shows like HBO Max’s Eu- time,” said Clemens prior to departing “a powerful magnet for launching talent,”
phoria, Gossip Girl, Betty and Insecure.” from Twitch in January. especially younger Generation Z artists.
streaming The platform offers support services,
Kathy Spanberger Jillian Gerngross livestreaming and other opportunities to
PRESIDENT/COO, ANGLO AMERICAN REGION, Kathy Baker DIRECTOR, AMAZON MUSIC EUROPE, strengthen the presence of its 300,000
PEERMUSIC HEAD OF U.S. LABEL RELATIONS, YOUTUBE AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND registered acts. “Music platforms need
Despite disruption in their normal routines Anh Nguyen Rochelle Balogun to entertain users,” Hu says, “and, at the
— including “huge personal challenges GLOBAL HEAD OF MARKETING, MUSIC, SENIOR MUSIC CURATOR, AMAZON MUSIC same time, build a broad and valuable
and loss” — independent music pub- PODCASTS AND PREMIUM, YOUTUBE Ana Martínez stage for musicians.”
lisher peermusic’s staff and songwriters YouTube made a “steadfast commitment SENIOR LABEL AND ARTIST RELATIONS
“showed up every day to do their work,” to supporting Black artists” on MANAGER, AMAZON MUSIC Mary Kay Huse
says Spanberger, who has been at the the platform with the launch of its Amazon Music worked extensively in CEO, MANDOLIN
company for 43 years. “Their dedica- #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund in 2020, says R&B/hip-hop and Latin over the past 18 As the live business faced pandemic-re-
tion and loyalty not only kept the firm on Baker. The program provides financial months, which helped grow its subscriber lated challenges, Mandolin helped bridge
track but allowed us to continue to thrive support, training and networking for Black count to exceed 55 million globally. The the gap between virtual and in-person
during a pandemic. They are indeed the creators on YouTube. Rapper Slick Rick streaming service is continuing to diversify experiences, working with clients including
greatest achievement any executive could served as a mentor for the class of 2022, its Latin music audience with the creation John Legend, Grace Potter, The Decem-
hope for.” Spanberger directly supervises, which includes 52 artists, producers of two new verticals: Whiskey & Tequila, berists and the London edition of the
approves and is actively involved in re- and songwriters from countries such as which “brings together regional Mexican Pitchfork Music Festival. The company’s
cruitment of all of peermusic’s publishing Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria and Uganda and country music,” and Fluent, which success is defined by its “future-proof hy-
signings in the United States, Canada and in addition to the United States, the “celebrates those that move between brid platform,” says Huse, which provides
Australia, spanning pop, R&B, hip-hop, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. languages and generations,” says Mar- insights on fan preferences to its clients,
CHARLES SYKES/INVISION/AP
rock, Latin and country. The family-owned “We’re providing dedicated partner tínez. “At Amazon Music, we’re proud to streamlines fan experiences and “helps
publishing company ranked at No. 8 on support, funding for content creation and celebrate the fluidity and universal reach virtual fans enjoy the communal aspects of
Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 Publishing opportunities to participate in training of Latin music by connecting cultures, a show as if they were really there.”
Corporations chart. and networking programs focused on languages and genres.”

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
The sold-out Lollapalooza

festival in Chicago in August,
featuring artists including
Brittany Howard (left), was a
high point of the past year for
Amy Corbin of C3 Presents.
event promoters, Spain-based Castaño

consistently produced shows through-
out the past year, including Camilo’s
maiden tour of Spain that stretched across
20 dates; Concierto Hispanidad in Madrid,
featuring Spanish-speaking artists from
around the world; and the Los40 Music
Awards, Spain’s top music awards show.
For upcoming tour dates in her market by
the likes of Marc Anthony and Alejandro
Fernández, Castaño will continue to work
solely “with local partners,” she says. “Sup-
porting each other is key.”
Christy Castillo Butcher

SENIOR VP OF PROGRAMMING AND BOOKING,
SOFI STADIUM/YOUTUBE THEATER/
with former President Barack Obama HOLLYWOOD PARK
Amanda Marks and Michelle Obama, Prince Harry and live See profile, page 92.
GLOBAL HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Meghan Markle, Kim Kardashian — and
AND MUSIC PARTNERSHIPS, APPLE Joe Rogan. Controversy over the content Francesca Bodie Amy Corbin
Rachel Newman of Rogan’s podcast led Neil Young, and PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTER, C3 PRESENTS
GLOBAL HEAD OF EDITORIAL AND CONTENT, then other artists, to withdraw their mu- OAK VIEW GROUP Corbin was key to the Live Nation-
APPLE MUSIC sic from Spotify earlier this year. “I do not Randi Bernstein owned festival team’s work on some
Jen Walsh believe that silencing Joe is the answer,” SENIOR VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, of the best-attended events in the
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CONTENT AND wrote CEO Daniel Ek in an email sent OAK VIEW GROUP company’s history, including a sold-out
SERVICES, INTERNATIONAL, APPLE to Spotify employees. “We should have Oak View Group marked multiple busi- Lollapalooza at Chicago’s Grant Park
During the past year, Spatial Audio with clear lines around content and take ac- ness milestones in the past year. “We and a comeback for Austin City Limits
Dolby Atmos came to Apple Music, tion when they are crossed, but cancel- completed the acquisition of Spectra, one headlined by hometown hero George
“which galvanized the industry to come ing voices is a slippery slope.” of the industry’s leading venue manage- Strait. C3 put on “an incredible amount
together to bring the newest advance- ment and hospitality providers, to create of concerts successfully,” Corbin says,
ment in audio fidelity to life on our Lauren Wirtzer-Seawood a new full-service live-events company,” “while setting industry standards for
service,” says Marks. “Working in tandem CHIEF CONTENT AND MARKETING OFFICER, says Bodie. In October, OVG opened the protocols that created a path to return to
with our global label partners and the SOUNDCLOUD Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle — which live music safely.”
creative community to bring the extraor- In 2021, Wirtzer-Seawood joined Sound- Bodie calls “the most progressive and
dinary experience of immersive audio to Cloud to help supercharge its effort to sustainable arena in the world” — fol- Shauna Elvin
a global listening audience has been an move beyond music distribution and lowed in November by the debut of the EXECUTIVE VP OF GLOBAL HUMAN
incredibly gratifying challenge.” emerge as a genuine entertainment des- UBS Arena at Belmont Park, the new RESOURCES, ASM GLOBAL
tination. That included the introduction Long Island home of the NHL’s New Shani Tate Ross
Dawn Ostroff of the fan-powered royalties program, York Islanders. The company has also VP OF SALES AND MARKETING,
CHIEF CONTENT AND ADVERTISING which allows over 125,000 independent announced arena projects in Baltimore; T-MOBILE CENTER
BUSINESS OFFICER, SPOTIFY artists to collect funds directly from their Mesa, Ariz.; Hamilton, Ontario; and São In October, ASM Global launched its
Mia Nygren followers, an innovation that delivered a Paulo. “Our next world-class arenas, corporate social responsibility initiative,
MANAGING DIRECTOR, 60% increase in revenue over the tradi- Moody Center at the University of Texas ASM Global Acts, “an extension of our
LATIN AMERICA, SPOTIFY tional pro rata model, according to the in Austin and Coachella Valley Arena in long-standing commitment to creat-
For the world’s largest streaming service, company. The new First on SoundCloud Palm Springs, Calif., are opening later this ing a better workplace, a more diverse
which now reaches over 381 million campaign focuses on nine emerging year,” says Bodie, “along with Co-op Live workforce, serving our communities and
users in 184 countries, Nygren oversees creators, including rapper SoFaygo, in Manchester, which will be the largest contributing to a healthier environment
the Latin American region and Ostroff fingernail icon Charmaine and EDM art- arena in the U.K., opening in 2023.” and planet,” says Elvin. Its foundation divi-
ROB GRABOWSKI/INVISION/AP
plays a key role in driving the company’s ist Ela Minus, while the company’s new sion will support socially conscious and
exponential growth in podcasting. Its SCENES and SoundCloud Player One Chen Castaño community-based philanthropic efforts,
podcast division now hosts over 3.2 mil- features invested in documentaries and MANAGING DIRECTOR, PLANET EVENTS while its career development scholar-
lion titles, including exclusive deals gaming, respectively. As one of the few female Latin music ship program will provide educational

opportunities in the fields of entertain-
ment, hospitality and the culinary arts to
PI ON EE RS
underresourced communities, according
to the company.
Kristine Lingle-Griffith
VP OF MARKETING, AEG PRESENTS/
CONCERTS WEST, LAS VEGAS
Last year, Concerts West opened its
new Resorts World property on the Las
Vegas Strip, with residencies since by
Céline Dion, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and
Carrie Underwood. The promoter will
book the 5,000-seat theater exclusively
alongside AEG Presents. Lingle-Griffith
says Concerts West “looked forward
when so many were looking back,”
adding that “what we achieved over the
last 18 months in unprecedented times
is unprecedented.”
Martha Mota-Lowry
HEAD OF CREATIVE PRODUCTION,
AEG PRESENTS
Kelly Stelbasky
SENIOR VP OF GLOBAL TOURING,
AEG PRESENTS
AEG marked an impressive return to tour-
ing last year, grossing nearly $400 million
from roughly 2,000 shows. To meet the
demand, Mota-Lowry tripled the size of
her team to cover new business priori-
ties, from short-form videos and trailers to
social media. Stelbasky was one of many
promoters tasked with booking, postpon-
ing and rescheduling countless dates amid
the pandemic, but rallied thanks to her
María de Jesús “Chuyita” Lizárraga team of “unsung heroes” from talent book-
ers to road crew, she says.
Marla Ostroff
MANAGING DIRECTOR, NORTH AMERICA,
TICKETMASTER
Ticketmaster responded “nimbly” to the
Chuyita manages the 133-employee organization that oversees demand from performers and fans alike
Mexican supergroup Banda El Recodo and its younger sister with its return to live shows, says Ostroff.
“We were with our clients every step of the
group, Banda Los Recoditos. She has been their driving force
way, developing solutions to support new
since 1970, when, at 25 years old, she married El Recodo founder revenue streams, adapting to new ways of
and then-bandleader Cruz Lizárraga, who was more than twice operating and, ultimately, supporting a fast
return to live [concerts].” According to Live
her age: “I told him, ‘I don’t know about music,” she says, “but Nation, the ticketing platform has already
if you trust me, I’ll help with the business.’ ” sold 65 million tickets for concerts in
The young bride began her career booking shows. Today, 2022, after achieving its highest quarter of
operating income and adjusted operating
she is recognized as the grand dame of Mexican music, and income ever, at $114 million and $172 mil-
LIZÁRRAGA ILLUSTRATION REFERENCE PHOTO: JULIO CASAS/COURTESY OF BANDA EL RECODO
El Recodo, which will turn 84 in October, is known as “the lion, respectively.

mother of bands,” with nine Latin Grammy Award wins and 52
Stacy Vee
entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. While brothers VP OF TALENT, GOLDENVOICE
Alfonso and Joel Lizárraga have led the group since Cruz’s death Mapi Moran
VP OF BRANDING AND MARKETING,
in 1995, Chuyita still oversees “bookings, clients, distribution, GOLDENVOICE
logistics, everything,” she says. “At 77, I haven’t lost my desire Stagecoach, Goldenvoice’s marquee
to work.” —LEILA COBO country music festival, will return in 2022
with its most inclusive bookings yet and
a roster that boasts members of the LG-
BTQ+ community, artists of color and top-
billed female acts. It will “hit every kind of

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Noelle Scaggs. “Live music contributes so

much to local communities, and we really
saw that last year as shows returned,”
Harnell says. “It was special for me to help
women-led efforts to raise millions of
dollars for those who need it most in my
hometown through the Feeding Nashville
and Hometown Rising benefit concerts.”
Sarah Winter-Banks
SENIOR VP, MESSINA TOURING GROUP
For Messina Touring Group, Banks leads
the pop and alternative marketing team
and develops strategies for touring cli-
ents including Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran,
Shawn Mendes and The Lumineers.
She has worked with Swift and Sheeran
from their arena tours to their stadium
outings. “My team launched [ticket
sales for] the Shawn Mendes Wonder:
The World Tour in the fall of last year,
and we are very much looking forward
IN MEMORIAM
to that tour kicking off in June,” she
says. Earlier in February, The Lumineers
Theresa Velasquez announced their Brightside world tour.
An earlier globe-spanning run “got cut
SENIOR VP, LIVE NATION MEDIA AND SPONSORSHIP
short in 2020 due to COVID-19,” notes
Velasquez, 36 — as well as her parents, Julio and Angela Velasquez — died June 24 in the Winter-Banks. “This tour will see stops at
collapse of the Surfside Towers in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Fla., which killed 98 people. Coors Field in Denver and Wrigley Field
Velasquez was a driving force on the sponsorship team at Live Nation, making a huge impact in Chicago.”
on its business during her seven-year tenure at the company. Her colleagues described her
as a passionate, fun, innovative and fierce leader who worked to break down barriers for
women, advocated for equality within the LGBTQ+ and Latina communities, and formed
long-standing partnerships with the biggest global brands. She was also an accomplished
agencies
artist-performer who moonlighted as DJ Theresa. She is “missed dearly and will always be
Jenna Adler
remembered for the amazing human she was,” Live Nation officials said in a statement. Carole Kinzel
Alli McGregor
MUSIC AGENTS, CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
Marlene Tsuchii
country music fan,” adds Vee. Across town, helped make it a “dream come true.” Lesley Olenik CO-HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL TOURING/MUSIC
Moran helped rebrand the Day N Vegas VP OF TOURING, LIVE NATION AGENT, CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
festival with performances by Kendrick La- Kathy Willard Sherri Sosa When touring resumed nationwide last
mar, Post Malone and Tyler, The Creator. CFO/EXECUTIVE VP, PRESIDENT, VENUE NATION summer, CAA booked three of the four
She says her team aimed to bring “real LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT After 25 years at Live Nation, including highest-grossing tours of 2021, with
intentionality” to the event, noting their Ali Harnell 18 as CFO, Willard retired in June, having the Hella Mega Tour, Harry Styles and
collaboration with integrated designers on PRESIDENT/CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, overseen 10 consecutive years of growth the Eagles bringing in over $186 million
social content and an on-site darkroom LIVE NATION WOMEN from 2010 to 2019. She advocated for combined. The agency also helped fill
diversity efforts at Live Nation and dates in Las Vegas with residencies by
played a pivotal role in increasing the Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Shania Twain and
company’s $2 billion annual spend on Carrie Underwood. Outside of touring,
staging and sourcing shows with Black CAA continued to broker major deals
“Live music contributes and minority-owned vendors. Known

as a champion of women in the music
for its clients, including pairing Jennifer
Lopez with Coach, Jennifer Hudson with
industry, Willard sits on the board of MasterCard and duo Chloe x Halle as the
so much to local the Music Forward Foundation, which
helps underserved youths advance
new faces of Neutrogena.
communities, and we into music professions. Harnell, who

leads Live Nation Women, oversees its
Sara Bollwinkel
Lenore Kinder
early-stage investment fund for female SENIOR VPs, WASSERMAN MUSIC
really saw that last year entrepreneurs from underrepresented

groups. A highlight of 2021 for her was
Jessica Lawson
VP OF TOUR MARKETING, WASSERMAN MUSIC
commissioning the Grammy-nominated Stephanie Miles
as shows returned.” song “Beautiful Noise” recorded by Alicia
Keys and Brandi Carlile, which Harnell
SENIOR VP OF BRANDING, WASSERMAN MUSIC
Kinder highlights Wasserman Music’s
COURTESY OF LIVE NATION
calls “a powerful anthem for women’s brand partnerships team as “a huge

—ALI HARNELL suffrage and social justice.” Live Nation asset for our clients” during the pan-
Women also supported the Diversify the demic, facilitating “multimillion-dollar
Stage Inclusion Initiative, created by artist deals” for both established and emerg-

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
ing artists. The division also promoted Belinda Law partnered for a new venture that would in racial diversity, equity and inclusion,
two new agents, Edenized Perez and Mary Petro bring AGI’s roster of artists — which BMAC released its first Music Industry
Mallory Smith. Among other opportuni- MUSIC AGENTS, UTA in 2021 added to its ranks acts such as Action Report Card last June. The orga-
ties, Wasserman clients Joy Oladokun Since the start of the pandemic, the music Jane’s Addiction, Limp Bizkit and Why nization also hosted its inaugural Music
and Black Pumas discussed music and brand partnerships division secured over Don’t We — to a larger global audience. in Action Awards in September, honoring
mental health at the UCLA Health virtual 500 deals with brands including adidas, “We were thrilled to be able to close a artists, executives and companies —
program “We Shine Together” last May, ESPN, Fortnite, Ford, Jägermeister, Jack strategic partnership with our very dear including Motown chairwoman Ethiopia
while Pink Sweat$ performed at AT&T’s in the Box, Pokémon and Adore Me and admired friends at X-Ray Touring,” Habtemariam — that are fostering “mean-
Playoff Playlist Live! event during college lingerie, according to the company. The says Vlasic. And despite the continued ingful change beyond the hashtags and
football’s national playoff championship music innovation team paired electronic complications caused by the pandemic, performative gestures,” Ayars and Veazey
weekend in January. duo SLANDER with Twitch to broadcast “we continue to package our artists for said in a joint statement. “We reminded
an artist-curated livestream festival that stadiums and festivals,” she says. the industry why Jamila [Thomas] and
Joi Brown drew over 600,000 viewers, while the Brianna [Agyemang] demanded ‘the show
HEAD OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, music crossover division secured a deal must be paused,’ hopefully inspiring our
ICM PARTNERS
Yves C. Pierre
for Florence + The Machine to write
and perform the original song “Call Me
activism & peers to continue to speak out and fight
for social justice and racial equity.”
Jacqueline Reynolds- Cruella” for the Cruella soundtrack. Says
Drumm Savage: “At the end of the year, we shared Heather Lowery
AGENTS, ICM PARTNERS a well-deserved sense of accomplishment philanthropy PRESIDENT/CEO, FEMME IT FORWARD
ICM’s pending merger with Creative Art- knowing that our global music team is the Femme It Forward, a joint venture with
ists Agency has been the biggest agency strongest we’ve ever been.” Ashaunna Ayars Live Nation Entertainment, celebrated
story of 2021, capping two years of change CO-FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIR, its one-year anniversary in July with the
that have transformed the representa- Marsha Vlasic BLACK MUSIC ACTION COALITION release of Big Femme Energy Vol. 1, a
tion business. “ICM recognized the need PRESIDENT, ARTIST GROUP INTERNATIONAL Caron Veazey “first-of-its-kind compilation led by an
for a forward-thinking marketing, culture AGI expanded internationally in the past CO-FOUNDER/VICE CHAIR, incredibly powerful all-female team of
and strategy team to help guide and build year. In August, the organization and BLACK MUSIC ACTION COALITION artists,” says Lowery, citing tracks by Tayla
upon the success of the talent aligned the United Kingdom’s X-Ray Touring Pledging to monitor industry advances Parx, Lauren Jauregui, Kiana Ledé, Rap-
with the agency,” Brown says of the mega sody, Tierra Whack and Sinéad Harnett,
merger, which still needs approval from among others. Another standout? The
the U.S. Department of Justice before launch of its mentorship program, Next
closing. Brown joined ICM in August Gen Femme, which she says is working to
as the agency’s new head of strategic “make careers in music more attainable to
partnerships after 21 years at Atlantic Re- young women of color.”
cords. “As one of the only agencies with a
department focused on building, ideation Laura Segura
and creativity around culture, it was a EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MUSICARES
chance of a lifetime to join the ICM family MusiCares, which the Recording Acad-
to lead the efforts.” emy founded as a charity in 1989, rose to
the occasion amid the COVID-19 pan-
Lucy Dickins demic, raising and distributing $29 million
CO-HEAD OF MUSIC, WME to 38,000 industry members in need. “I
Ashley Gonzalez think the pandemic woke a lot of people
MUSIC AGENT, WME up to the importance of preventative
Caroline Yim and mental health and its impact on
PARTNER/CO-HEAD OF HIP-HOP/R&B, WME our overall well-being, especially within
Shari Lewin the music community,” says Segura, 42.
PARTNER/AGENT, “I’m so proud of not only our team, who
BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, WME expanded all our services in those areas
WME has celebrated milestones with over the last year, but all the people who
Adele’s return and Olivia Rodrigo’s rise, rallied around our community to uplift
both achievements that Dickins calls those in need. Through this effort, we
“super exciting.” WME’s music for visual were able to support the people who
media group earned a flurry of Academy keep the music playing because music
Award and Golden Globe nominations, gives so much to the world.” Joni Mitchell
with clients Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will be honored at the MusiCares Person
winning at both with their score for Soul. of the Year gala that has been rescheduled
Meanwhile, pivoting to different platforms for April 1 in Las Vegas.
provided clients with new opportunities
during a challenging time. “Our team’s
camaraderie has never been higher,” says
Dickins. “I’m so proud of what we have all MusiCares, where Laura Segura
achieved in the face of touring coming to serves as executive director, has
a halt.” named Joni Mitchell (left) as
the honoree for its Person of the
Erika Savage Year gala, rescheduled for April.
PAUL MORIGI/GETTY IMAGES
SENIOR VP OF GLOBAL MUSIC

OPERATIONS, UTA
Sara Schoch
AGENT, MUSIC BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, UTA

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
media
Alessandra Alarcón
PRESIDENT, SBS ENTERTAINMENT
Alarcón and her team at SBS Entertainment
PI O NE ER S
staged the three-day sold-out Calibash
at the Crypto.com Arena in January.
Headlined by J Balvin, Ozuna and Daddy
Yankee, the event — one of the country’s
biggest festivals for urban Latin music
— returned to Los Angeles after being
sidelined in 2021, selling 13,000 tickets
each night, according to SBS. Says Alarcón,
“I am so proud of my team and me for
having weathered the storm and flawlessly
executing the biggest Calibash weekend.”
Tolu Ayeni
STRATEGIC PARTNER MANAGER, INSTAGRAM
MUSIC PARTNERSHIPS, INSTAGRAM
With over 1 billion users globally, Instagram
has unique cross-cultural reach. Ayeni is
most proud of the platform’s role in bring-
ing the African diaspora to the rest of the
world, citing its robust partnership with
the Ghana-based music, art and culture
festival Afrochella. “Music is central to
development of creativity and community
on a global scale,” she says. “Having spent
some time in Ghana and Senegal over the
holidays, I’m looking forward to exploring
new opportunities to push culture forward
and support talent from historically under-
represented categories and unite the
global diaspora.”
Bonnie Garner
Mary Berner
PRESIDENT/CEO, CUMULUS MEDIA
“Music has an unparalleled power to
soothe, heal and connect people, all of
which have been vital during these past dif-
ficult months,” said Berner in January when
she appeared on the Billboard Power List.
Under her leadership, Cumulus reaches
“a quarter of a billion people every month, By the time Garner landed at Columbia Records in New York as
who listen on every platform that technol-
the first woman on the A&R team, she had already booked the
ogy enables.” She adds: “We need to be
mindful of that power and act carefully.” Grateful Dead for Playboy After Dark, brought Jimi Hendrix
onto Dick Cavett’s talk show and interviewed to be Mick Jagger’s
Megan Daly
ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERSHIPS
assistant. But it was at Columbia Nashville where she made her
MANAGER, TWITTER lasting mark as the first female vp of A&R, working with Willie
Twitter remained a vital channel for artists Nelson, George Jones and Johnny Cash in the 1970s and 1980s
engaging with fans during the past year, as GARNER ILLUSTRATION REFERENCE PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM
well as a key to Olivia Rodrigo’s explosive before moving into management.

rise and Taylor Swift’s continuing domina- The key to her success was supporting talent: “You have to
tion, while also boosting artists such as
make it easy for them,” she says. But she also knew when to put
Saweetie and Kim Petras. Twitter’s new
Spaces product in particular has been her foot down. When the notoriously tardy Jones kept Elvis
important. “Artists immediately took to Costello waiting in the studio, Garner called his assistant and
Spaces,” says Daly, citing programs with
told him to tell Jones that “his mama taught him better than
Nick Jonas to launch a conversation about
his Spaceman album, a virtual meet-and- this.” A chastened Jones showed up shortly thereafter.
greet with FINNEAS during Grammy Week —MELINDA NEWMAN
and a Jay-Z discussion about his new film,
The Harder They Fall. “We launched best
practices and virtual activations for artists
to stay engaged with their fans and found

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Under Leslie Fram , CMT’s Equal

Play initiative, which aims to elevate
underrepresented voices in country
music, has celebrated artists
including Mickey Guyton (left).
accompanied SiriusXM’s fourth-

quarter earnings report released
Jan. 31. “We added more than
1 million net new SiriusXM self-
pay subscribers for the 10th time
in the past 11 years. Our perfor-
mance last year is a testament
to our strong execution — and
staying true to our vision of con-
necting listeners to the content
they love.” Acts including Alicia
Keys, Ed Sheeran, The Go-Go’s,
H.E.R., J. Cole and Jason Aldean
a new way to help support their careers Megan West Marissa Morris performed for SiriusXM’s Small Stage se-
during this difficult time.” DIRECTOR OF MUSIC LABEL SENIOR VP OF ARTIST RELATIONS, ries. Exclusive artist channels showcased
PARTNERSHIPS, META IHEARTMEDIA the music of Keys, David Bowie, J Balvin,
Leslie Fram Meta (the new corporate name of Lisa Worden ABBA and Neil Young.
SENIOR VP OF MUSIC AND TALENT, CMT Facebook) is helping creators and rights VP OF ROCK AND ALTERNATIVE, IHEARTMEDIA;
Fram helped launch CMT’s Equal Play owners build new revenue streams. Since PROGRAM DIRECTOR, KYSR (ALT 98.7)
initiative, which aims to elevate under- mid-2020: Instagram launched its Reels LOS ANGELES
represented voices in country music. short-form video platform to compete Following iHeartRadio’s inaugural Living legal
The program has celebrated pioneers of with TikTok, Messenger added “sound- Black! event last year, Mitchem is once
the genre like Linda Martell and Charley mojis” — emojis that play music and other again executive-producing its second Lisa Alter
Pride as well contemporary stars Mickey audio — and Facebook started streaming edition, which will feature performances by FOUNDING PARTNER,
Guyton and Our Native Daughters. For its official music videos in the United States, Lizzo, Big Sean, H.E.R., Moneybagg Yo and ALTER KENDRICK & BARON
Next Women of Country and Listen Up which began counting toward the Hot 100, Ari Lennox, and appearances by J. Cole, Among the estimated $2 billion in recent
music franchises, the network named Billboard 200 and other charts in 2021. John Legend, Alicia Keys, Saweetie, Bas music-asset transactions involving clients
its most diverse classes yet, says Fram, The addition of music to Meta’s three and more, all filmed at the iHeartRadio of her firm, Alter has noted that the sale of
adding that the platform will allow it to platforms — Facebook, Instagram and Theater in Los Angeles and Black-owned Julia Michaels’ catalog to Influence Media
“maximize artist exposure within the Messenger — “has opened up new forms businesses across the country. “It’s a Partners stood out “because virtually ev-
whole ViacomCBS family.” of creativity and expression that have celebration of Black culture while weaving eryone involved in the deal was a woman.
music at their core,” says West. in the story of our culture,” says Mitchem of In an industry that is still predominantly
Tracy Gardner the special, which fans can access Feb. 23 male-dominated, the deal represents the
HEAD OF LABEL LICENSING Cindy Hill through TikTok, iHeartMedia stations and refreshing face of the future.” Alter and her
AND PARTNERSHIPS, TIKTOK VP OF CONTENT AND INDUSTRY RELATIONS, the iHeartRadio app. colleagues began 2022 with yet another
TikTok drives music discovery globally for UNIVISION COMMUNICATIONS major deal, representing Primary Wave in
artists both new and old: 175 songs that Univision’s fan favorite El Bueno, La Mala y Connie Orlando the expansion of its partnership with Def
first trended on the platform cracked the El Feo festival featured performances by EXECUTIVE VP OF SPECIALS, MUSIC Leppard, which involved the company
Hot 100 in 2021 — double the prior year’s regional Mexican acts El Fantasma and PROGRAMMING AND MUSIC STRATEGY, BET acquiring an additional stake in the band’s
tally, according to the company. “It’s no Los Dos Carnales in Los Angeles and Orlando says that BET became “a pioneer music publishing catalog as well as its
surprise that this combination of discovery Grupo Firme in Dallas. Its live-music series in the tentpole and awards space” after master-royalty income stream. (Terms of
and engagement within TikTok led to mas- Uforia returned in August with sets from the network claimed the top five ranked the deal were not announced.)
sive promotional success off TikTok,” says Karol G and Don Omar in New York and cable awards shows in 2021 among all
Gardner, 40, who cites the recent rise of a headlining performance from J Balvin Black viewers ages 18-49, according to the Aurielle Brooks
PinkPantheress (1.1 million followers) and in Dallas. The latter star “returned to the company. The BET Awards were “the first VP/GENERAL COUNSEL, COLLECTIVE
Olivia Rodrigo (12.4 million) alongside stage for the first time since the pandemic to return to full-scale live events with a fully GALLERY; ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY,
veteran acts like ABBA (2 million). Since in front of 20,000 music lovers,” says Hill. vaccinated audience,” she says, and the ARRINGTON & PHILLIPS
joining the app in August, the latter pop “We continued to connect wholeheartedly Soul Train Awards ended the year on a high At Arrington & Phillips, Brooks’ clients
act earned its highest debut on the Bill- to our listeners via the artists and music note at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, while include Muni Long (see story, page 144),
board 200 — and first-ever top 10 — with they love.” “acknowledging the important cultural whose single “Hrs and Hrs” recently went
comeback album Voyage, which reached conversations of the moment.” viral on TikTok; Lil Baby and Lil Durk, who
DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY IMAGES
No. 2 in November. Thea Mitchem released their collaborative album, Voice of

EXECUTIVE VP OF PROGRAMMING/EXECUTIVE Jennifer Witz the Heroes, in June; and YoungBoy Never
Zeina Grenier VP OF HIP-HOP AND R&B PROGRAMMING, CEO, SIRIUSXM Broke Again, who released a joint project
DIRECTOR OF NORTH AMERICA MUSIC IHEARTMEDIA; PROGRAM DIRECTOR, Witz described 2021 as “an outstanding with Birdman, From the Bayou, as well as
PUBLISHING, META WWPR (POWER 105.1) NEW YORK
year across the board” in comments that the solo album Sincerely Kentrell in 2021. At

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
Cardi B (right) became Playboy’s

first-ever creative director in
residence and launched a line
of spiked dessert drinks called
Whipshots in deals negotiated by
Sarah Scott of LaPolt Law.
Collective Gallery, which connects photog-

raphers with top brands and celebrities,
Brooks helped to sign six new artists —
half of whom are Black women — in 2021,
which is helping to put “Black and brown
faces in positions to show up and show out
in this industry,” she says.
Christine Lepera
PARTNER, MITCHELL SILBERBERG & KNUPP
As a litigator and adviser, Lepera in the
past year has worked with the National
Music Publishers’ Association in its
copyright action against the gaming
platform Roblox (which led to a September
settlement), represented Dr. Luke in
ongoing actions involving Kesha, served
as lead counsel for the defense in the
copyright suit over Katy Perry’s 2014
No. 1 Hot 100 hit “Dark Horse” (featuring
Juicy J) and represented Post Malone
in a dispute over his 2019 hit “Circles.”
“But what I’m most proud of is how my
firm is leading through the crisis with
COVID-19,” she says, as well as the firm’s
diversity initiatives, which have included
partnerships with a variety of organizations
and firm-generated programs addressing
gender bias, discrimination against Asian
Americans, anti-Semitism, the need for
inclusivity and other issues.
Berkeley Reinhold
OWNER, REINHOLD GLOBAL
For the 24-hour Global Citizen Live
broadcast event last September, Reinhold
served as chief outside counsel with
responsibility for artist contracts, as well
as TV production and event production
agreements. With the goal of uniting the
world to focus on fighting climate change
and poverty, the concert’s scope was
ambitious, simulcast from six continents
on multiple networks and media channels,
with appearances by over 50 acts includ-
ing Billie Eilish, Coldplay, Jennifer Lopez Malone, Russ August & Kabat elevated Whipshots. Scott also represents Saweetie
and BTS, along with the participation of Sanders to media and entertainment Sarah Scott and negotiated partnership deals with both
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The partner in October from her previous role MANAGING PARTNER, LAPOLT LAW Crocs and Beats by Dre, which featured the
event raised over $1.1 billion in pledges to as a senior associate. Recent firm suc- A former top in-house lawyer at Universal rapper as the star of an ad campaign that
fight poverty and climate change through cesses range from “resolving significant Music Group, Scott has recently focused on teased her new track, “Get It Girl.”
the planting of 157 million trees worldwide. confidential disputes for our clients” to negotiating endorsement and collaboration
“helping them enter innovative and creative deals for top artists. For Cardi B, she struck a Debbie White
KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES
Diana Sanders projects and endeavors in the music and deal in which the chart-topping rapper was VICE CHAIR, MUSIC INDUSTRY PRACTICE
PARTNER, MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT, tech space,” says Sanders, 35. “Our firm named as Playboy’s first-ever creative direc- GROUP, LOEB & LOEB
RUSS AUGUST & KABAT and practice have continued to grow, and tor in residence and also helped the star White had a packed year in 2021:
Home to superstar acts Drake and Post our clients are prospering.” launch a line of spiked dessert drinks called representing Primary Wave in catalog

Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
congratulates Christine Christine Lepera

Lepera and her fellow Partner
honorees on being named
to Billboard’s 2022 Women
in Music list.
We applaud these
talented women and wish
them continued success.
CONGRATULATIONS
TO OUR PARTNER
DEBBIE
WHITE
AND ALL OF THE EXCEPTIONAL
WOMEN RECOGNIZED AS
BILLBOARD’S
2022 WOMEN
IN MUSIC
HONOREES

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
acquisitions for Stephen Marley; cutting its investment platform has deployed
recording deals for Diane Warren $300 million across multiple acquisitions.
with BMG, Nessa Barrett with Warner While total funding is so far undisclosed,
Records and Duran Duran with S-Curve; a June 2021 filing with the Securities and
and representing Singaporean artist Exchange Commission under the name of
JJ Shin in his soundtrack album deal for Influence X Music Fund II shows that the
Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of company had by then raised $270 million.
the Ten Rings. Other highlights: a brand According to other publicly available
ambassador deal between new client information on a partner’s website and
Christina Aguilera and Nintendo, and a in news reports, the company’s investors
partnership between BTS and McDonald’s include BlackRock, Warner Music and the
to create a BTS Meal in 86 countries. Municipal Employees Retirement System
“Seeing BTS and Korean lettering on the of Michigan. Pizzaro McLean says the
meal packaging, and people around the company’s investments focus on female
world so excited and accepting of it, felt songwriters and music entrepreneurs
like a cultural movement,” she says. “It was with enterprising record labels. In building
a truly rewarding project.” Influence Media Partners, she says she’s
proud the company has assembled “a
brilliant, swaggy, culturally savvy team
that’s 75% diverse and 50% female.” In May, BMG announced that it had signed
finance a publishing and recording agreement
Shara Senderoff with hit songwriter Diane Warren
Sherrese Clarke Soares FOUNDER/PARTNER, RAISED IN SPACE (above). Attorney Debbie White of
FOUNDER/CEO, HARBOURVIEW Venture capital firm Raised in Space, Loeb & Loeb represented her in the deal.
EQUITY PARTNERS which invests in next-generation technol-
A veteran investor — she opened Harbour- ogy, has spent between $500,000 and
View Equity in October after previously $5 million on Silicon Valley ventures with
serving as a managing director at Morgan applications in music and entertainment. who was named new male artist of the year our commitment not only to women but
Stanley and subsequently founding Tempo While mum on exactly how many compa- at the Academy of Country Music Awards to celebrating the Hispanic community in
Music — Clarke Soares has invested in or nies it has funded thus far, Senderoff says in 2020, and the success of Chris Young an authentic way,” she says.
evaluated more than $3 billion and over she is excited about future partnerships and Kane Brown’s radio hit, “Famous
300 investment opportunities, according in the artificial intelligence sector of the Friends,” which topped Billboard’s 2021 Diana Dotel
to the company. She launched Harbour- non-fungible token and metaverse eco- year-end Country Airplay ranking. CO-FOUNDER, MTW AGENCY
View with $1 billion in funding from Apollo systems through its portfolio, Altered State The independent marketing agency MTW
Global Management — and chose the Machine. “NFTs are poised to become had success in “three different verticals of
firm’s name as a nod to her Jamaican true access keys to the metaverse,” says the music business,” says Dotel, citing her
roots. She is a board member of organiza- Senderoff, by “unlocking opportunities for branding team’s work in brokering the renewal of
tions including FreeFrom, which promotes artists to evolve their businesses and for Amazon’s audio and video podcast En la
economic justice and opportunities for consumers to engage in new ways.” Marcie Allen Sala and in leading branding and marketing
domestic abuse survivors. PRESIDENT, MAC PRESENTS for HBO Max’s Latin music programming,
Instead of going big with its event including Romeo Santos’ King of Bachata.
Denise Colletta
SENIOR VP/TEAM LEADER,
business productions, MAC Presents focused on
creating meaningful impact — from book-
But it was the Nicky Jam-led De Colom-
bia Para el Mundo concert, which Dotel
CITY NATIONAL BANK ing private Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley created and produced at New Jersey’s
Colletta, with the help of her team, was shows to bring “joy and appreciation to Prudential Center in July, that stood out the
able to secure over 200 loans through the management health care employees” to taking on new most, she says.
Paycheck Protection Program, totaling clients the United Nations and Laura Glass
some $45 million for City National’s clients Julie Boos to produce events to “show the power Emma Quigley
during the pandemic. “I’m very passionate CO-OWNER/CHAIRMAN, FBMM of culture in bringing forth inclusivity and FOUNDER/PRESIDENT, SHAKERMAKER
about identifying ways that the bank and I, Amid the changes shaping the music equality,” says Allen. “There is tremendous power in the right
personally, can support the music industry industry, business management firm partnerships,” said Quigley in January when
and underserved groups with financial ed- FBMM has found new avenues to explore Shana Barry she appeared on the Billboard Power List.
ucation as well as monetary support,” says for its clients from its offices in Nashville, HEAD OF MUSIC, CELEBRITY AND “When there is trust on both sides, that’s
Colletta. She notes that CNB “invested New York and Los Angeles. Boos is helping ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERSHIPS, when the magic happens.” The former
more than $11 million in our communities in lead the company’s recent pivot to growth ANHEUSER-BUSCH head of music and entertainment for
2021, in organizations that are making real areas such as intellectual property deals While creating a Notorious B.I.G.-themed PepsiCo put that magic to work by bring-
social impact and change.” with private equity players in nearly every line of Budweiser cans and merchandise, ing Megan Thee Stallion and Charlie Puth
genre. “We have managed to continue as well as a tribute concert at the BRIC together for the Flamin’ Hot Super Bowl
Lylette Pizarro McLean our training and coaching programs,” adds Celebrate Brooklyn! festival, Barry’s team campaign for Cheetos. The ad featured a
FOUNDER/CO-MANAGING PARTNER, Boos, which has enabled its employees to has also doubled down on community- new song from Megan that paid tribute to
INFLUENCE MEDIA PARTNERS “achieve higher levels of expertise.” based marketing moves, like its Bud Light Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It.”
After buying and subsequently selling Thursday Night Shoutout commercials that
a portfolio of music assets to Tempo Becky Harris spotlighted Black-owned eateries and a Bess Spaeth
Music in 2019 and then working with PRESIDENT, HUSKINS-HARRIS $100 million commitment from Michelob SENIOR VP OF GLOBAL BRAND MEDIA AND
that firm for a while, Pizarro McLean’s Harris praises the ability of her business Ultra to promote equality in women’s EXPERIENCES, AMERICAN EXPRESS
JESSE GRANT/GETTY IMAGES
Influence Media Partners went its own management clients to navigate the global sports. A partnership between Michelob Spaeth, a 20-year veteran of American
way in 2021, with two investment funds shutdown by “learning to be creative in Ultra Pure Gold and Becky G for a Super Express, guides brand marketing at the
dedicated to partnering with the music new and innovative ways,” she says. She Bowl commercial is an example of a company, which during the pandemic has
community. So far, the company has said celebrated the victory of client Riley Green, “long-term relationship [that] showcases maintained its support for the music and

WOMEN
IN MUSIC
execs
entertainment industry and its commit- ing rights organization for over a decade, almost 5% from 2020. And since its estab- global nature of today’s music industry,”
ment to offering unique experiences to and composer Christophe Beck (Frozen, lishment in 2000, SoundExchange has says Moore. In the past year, it opened
its card members. (American Express is WandaVision) at the helm, Reel Change distributed almost $9 billion. a Middle East North Africa office under
a sponsor of Billboard’s Women in Music announced its first award recipients in regional director Rawan Al-Dabbas and
event.) Spaeth oversees the team that May and has distributed over $100,000, Ellen Truley also won approval from the Vietnamese
manages the brand’s industry relationships she says, adding that “SESAC is commit- CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, MECHANICAL government to establish an office in Hanoi.
and experiences like card member passes ted to diversifying the film and television LICENSING COLLECTIVE
for Coachella, Austin City Limits and the composer landscape.” See story, page 102. Portia Sabin
Unstaged concert series, which features PRESIDENT, MUSIC BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
artists including Lizzo, who first partnered Elizabeth Matthews The Music Business Association executed
with Amex in 2019 for its Proudly Back- CEO, ASCAP over 70 virtual events in the past year,
ing Pride program. Within her company, As performing rights organizations world- associations from its ongoing one-hour interview series
Spaeth is also recognized for her work in wide suffered revenue declines due to CO- with industry executives to “multiday deep
mentoring the next generation of female VID-19, ASCAP was able to increase both Michele Ballantyne dives on metadata, brands, streaming,
business leaders. the revenue it collected and distributed. COO, RIAA diversity, equity, inclusion, mental health
Matthews led her team to optimize results Steering policy and legislation, Ballantyne and wellness,” says Sabin, 50. The strategy
across platforms, including major cable, advocates on behalf of labels and the helped Music Biz shift its board makeup
broadcast TV, radio, audiovisual and audio recorded-music industry at large. Her most from “100% white and 12% female to 70%
rights streaming services, and to increase distri- meaningful moment in 2021? Leading a female and 48% people of color — which
butions to its members. The organization virtual discussion at the National Museum is not the end goal but a good start,” she
Catherine Brewton made several other moves to help its mem- of African American Music in March, which adds. “I look forward to leading Music Biz
VP OF CREATIVE, ATLANTA, BMI bers during the pandemic, including accel- featured Andra Day and Congressional in providing the rooms — both digital and
With record returns for its fiscal year erating royalty distributions, launching an Black Caucus chair Joyce Beatty, tackling physical — where these conversations can
closing in June, BMI reported that its information-rich Music Unites Us website the topics of Billie Holiday, music and continue and positive action for change
domestic licensing revenue exceeded and creating a special MusicCares Fund for race. “RIAA works every day to help artists can be encouraged and celebrated.”
$1 billion for the first time. Brewton’s its members. In comments following her like Andra and policymakers like Joyce
chief accomplishment, however, was Billboard Power List honor in January, Mat- connect and understand each other,” says Sarah Trahern
spearheading a new diversity, equity and thews praised “the ASCAP employees who Ballantyne, 55. “It all came together in the CEO, COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION
inclusion task force that allowed her and a have maintained their grace, goodwill and most powerful way that day.” The CMA remains committed to its mis-
team to tackle a number of issues, includ- sense of humor throughout the immense sion of “expanding country music globally,”
ing identifying and hiring a DEI officer, pressure and isolation of the past two years Valeisha Butterfield Jones says Trahern, noting the establishment of
Sandye Taylor, who she says is “highly and who consistently give of themselves in CO-PRESIDENT, RECORDING ACADEMY the organization’s Music Industry COVID
respected in this field.” order to help songwriters and composers.” The Recording Academy unveiled a Support program to aid music industry
series of newsmaking measures in 2021. professionals across all genres coping with
Erin Collins Anjula Singh It announced an end to its controversial food insecurity, mental health issues and
VP OF FILM, TELEVISION AND EXECUTIVE VP/CFO, SOUNDEXCHANGE nomination review committees in April, job assistance needs. “MICS allowed us
DEVELOPING MEDIA, SESAC At SoundExchange, Singh has led efforts named Butterfield Jones and Panos A. to broaden the dialogue and forge deeper
In October 2020, SESAC launched its Reel to modernize the royalty and payment Panay co-presidents in June and upped relationships outside of country,” says
Change fund for diversity in film scoring. service’s infrastructure through invest- the number of nominees in each of its Trahern. “Many of those conversations are
The five-year program, which addresses ments in new technologies, proprietary Big Four Grammy Award categories from informing the way CMA positions itself as
composers in film from historically mar- systems and creator-facing tools. The eight to 10 in November. Butterfield Jones a trade organization to the industry at large
ginalized groups, offers mentorships and organization is prioritizing its future finan- cites another move as the most meaning- and continues to innovate through new
$1 million in grants to qualifying applicants; cial growth, adds Singh, despite earning ful, though — its new inclusion rider, “a member strategies.”
New Music USA will administer it. With record returns for its roster; it distributed tool designed to ensure equity at every
Collins, who has been with the perform- nearly $1 billion in 2021 — an increase of level of the production” ahead of its 64th
annual ceremony in April. The measure
CONTRIBUTOR S Darlene Aderoju, Trevor
will help the academy “cultivate a culture Anderson, Rania Aniftos, Cathy Applefeld Olson,
of belonging and respect” in the industry, Megan Armstrong, Chuck Arnold, Katie Bain, Alexei
“while laying the groundwork to combat Barrioneuvo, Starr Bowenbank, Dave Brooks, Keith
“There is tremendous systemic barriers,” she adds. Caulfield, Anna Chan, Ed Christman, Leila Cobo,
Mariel Concepcion, Stephen Daw, Bill Donahue,
Thom Duffy, Chris Eggertsen, Nolan Feeney,
Frances Moore
power in the right CEO, IFPI
Moore, who leads the trade association of
Griselda Flores, Eric Frankenberg, Adrienne
Gaffney, Josh Glicksman, Gary Graff, Paul Grein,
Lyndsey Havens, Gil Kaufman, Steve Knopper, Carl
partnerships.” the global recorded-music industry, was

honored as a Member of the Order of the
Lamarre, Jason Lipshutz, Joe Lynch, Heran Mamo,
Geoff Mayfield, Taylor Mims, Gail Mitchell, Melinda
Newman, Jessica Nicholson, Glenn Peoples, Kristin
British Empire on the Queen’s Birthday
Robinson, Jessica Roiz, Neena Rouhani, Dan Rys,
Honours List in June for her contributions
Micah Singleton, Richard Smirke, Gary Trust,
—EMMA QUIGLEY to the U.K. music industry. Under her Andrew Unterberger, Christine Werthman, Natelegé
leadership, IFPI continues to expand its Whaley, Jewel Wicker, Deborah Wilker, Nick
geographical reach, reflecting “the truly Williams, Xander Zellner
METHODOLOGY Nominations for Billboard’s executive lists open no less than 120 days in advance of publication. (To obtain our editorial calendar, please email thom.duffy@billboard.com.) The online nomination link is sent to press
representatives who send a request for notification before the nomination period to thom.duffy@billboard.com. Billboard editors chose the industry sectors to be included on each list, the most significant companies within each sector
and the maximum number of honorees per company. In choosing honorees, editors weigh a variety of factors including, but not limited to, nominations by peers, colleagues and superiors. For Women in Music, we considered the impact
of each nominee’s company on consumer behavior, as measured by chart, sales and streaming performance; social media impressions; and radio/TV audiences reached, using data available as of Jan. 4. We heavily weighed year-end
Billboard charts for 2021 and also considered career trajectory and industry impact. Where required, U.S. record-label market share was consulted using MRC Data’s current market share for albums, plus track-equivalent and streaming-
equivalent album consumption units and Billboard’s quarterly top 10 publisher rankings. Unless otherwise noted, Billboard Boxscore and MRC Data are the sources for tour grosses and sales/streaming data, respectively. MRC Data is also
the source for radio audience metrics.

E D GA R B ARRE R A
ON AN OUTSTANDING 10-YEAR CAREER TRA JECTORY.
FROM YOUR FAMILY AT SONY MUSIC LATIN

players
A
UNIQUE PHENOMENON occurred
on Billboard’s Latin charts in January
2021: Songwriter-producer Edgar
CELEBRATING MUSIC’S MOVERS Barrera scored No. 1s on the four
genre charts: pop, rhythm, tropical
and regional Mexican airplay. The
THE BORDER KID

songs were Camilo’s “Vida de Rico,”
Maluma’s “Hawái,” Marc Anthony and Daddy
Yankee’s “De Vuelta Pa’ la Vuelta” and Christian
WHO CROSSED OVER

Nodal’s “Dime Cómo Quieres,” respectively. Eleven
months later, Barrera — who is also known as Edge
— took home the 2021 Latin Grammy for producer
of the year.
The back-to-back honors marked the start of
After topping Billboard’s a new era for the fresh-faced 31-year-old, who is
four Latin genre charts, celebrating his 10th anniversary as a professional
musician in 2022. During that decade, he has placed
Edgar Barrera — aka 74 entries on the Hot Latin Songs chart and spent
Edge — talks about his seven weeks on Billboard’s Songwriters list, one of
them at No. 1.
first decade in music
A hallmark of Barrera’s success is his ability to
and his new label move fluidly across genres, crafting hits for regional
venture with Sony Music Mexican acts (Banda El Recodo, Grupo Firme), pop
(CNCO, Sebastián Yatra), urban (Farruko, Rauw Ale-
BY LEILA COBO jandro) and tropical (Anthony, Silvestre Dangond),
while working closely with Camilo, Nodal and
Maluma. He has collaborated with mainstream U.S.
artists Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes and has
songs with Camila Cabello in the works.
Raised near the border between Roma, Texas,
and Ciudad Miguel Alemán, Mexico, Barrera grew
up with both languages and cultures. As a teen, he
hustled his music by handing out custom CDs to
artists, many of whom ignored him. One who didn’t
was Kumbia Kings’ Luigi Giraldo, who helped him
land an internship with songwriter-producer Andrés
Castro (Carlos Vives, Shakira) in 2010. With $1,300
in his pocket, Barrera made the 1,500-plus-mile
drive to Castro’s Miami studio in a run-down 2000
Malibu with a broken stereo.
“Edgar is that rarest of writers — a triple threat
who is equally at home writing and producing hit
singles for the Latin market as he is for the regional
Mexican and domestic markets,” says Jorge Mejía,
president/CEO of Sony Music Publishing Latin
America & U.S. Latin, who signed Barrera in 2012
in a deal that included creating his own publishing
company, 11 Once.
In February, Barrera launched his BorderKid label,
a joint venture with Sony Music U.S. Latin. He says
he’s most excited about the opportunity to break
artists. “I understand the business, but my focus is
not the money,” he says. “If I’m not passionate about
a project, I’m not doing it.”
Your new label is called BorderKid. Why?

It’s my connection between cultures. I’m always in
the middle. I was raised on the border of Mexico
and the U.S. I just released the label’s first record.
It’s a song called “Te Marqué Pedo (I Drunk-Dialed
You),” recorded by a duo from Mexico, Alex Luna
and DAAZ, and Christian Nodal. I co-wrote it, and
it has gone viral on TikTok. [The song also has over
12 million streams on Spotify and made the service’s
AND HERE TKTKTKTKTKTKTK
global viral chart.]
Latin music is growing faster than other

HEREALZATE
Barrera in 2022. genres. What do you consider to be the

MARIO
essential elements of a crossover hit?

CREDITS

players
It has to connect with the audience. Records have respect each person’s approach to their business,
to speak the way that younger generations speak. but I have mine.
That’s why you see so many up-and-coming art-
ists connecting with audiences while artists with You don’t have a manager. Why not?
longer careers are having trouble. Songs that chart I like to have direct contact with people. All my
are songs that go viral on TikTok. But that’s tricky. negotiations are different, so it’s easier for me to do
Whenever I’m in the studio and [the artist] starts it directly. I like the business, and I like to be involved
talking TikTok, it automatically makes the songwrit- in the business. I know everything that’s coming in
Best pop song award winners
ing process feel forced and not legitimate. Features or going out of all my accounts. But I’d like to find a
Barrera (left) and Camilo at the
should be natural. Latin Grammys in 2021. manager who can bring stuff to the table.
You write melodies, but lyrics are more your In 2019, you co-wrote and co-produced
thing. What is your approach there? “boyfriend” for Ariana Grande. How did that
It has to do with the essence of the artist. When
I write, I write with the artists, and the songs
have to feel real to them. With Maluma’s “Hawái,”
TRIBUTES come together?
It was the first song that I worked on that was
written 100% in English. I later worked on Selena
audiences connected to that song’s backstory
BARRERA’S ARTIST COLLABORATORS Gomez’s Spanish-language project. The challenge is
[which was Maluma’s then-recent breakup with a SHARE WHAT MAKES HIM STAND OUT MOST to work with mainstream artists and open the door
girlfriend]. It was the same thing with Camilo and to their market, which is still very closed off to Latin
“Vida de Rico.” That song feels real for Camilo, who MALUMA artists. But now we’re being seen differently.
comes from nothing. If he sings about swag, he
won’t connect.
“Edgar Barrera is not just a musician — he’s a You recently wrote with Camila Cabello as well.
I’m not a songwriter with a folder of songs
visionary. He understands different musical Camila Cabello is a big fan of Camilo, and Shawn
that I’m shopping around. I help artists write their
planes and makes them all sound so natural, Mendes fell in love with Camilo’s music. Camila
stories. I have artists who tell me, “I want to sound
as if each genre were a part of him. We have made a playlist for their producer, Ricky Reed,
like Maluma or Camilo,” and I say, “But you’re not
great empathy in the studio, but what truly who looked at the credits and said, “I know this
Maluma or Camilo.”
defines us is brotherhood.” guy.” We had worked on a Bomba Estéreo album
[in 2016]. Turns out Ricky was the producer on a
How do you describe yourself as a songwriter? CHRISTIAN NODAL Bomba track I wrote with Camilo years ago [the
I’m the one whose words reflect reality, without too first track Camilo and Barrera ever recorded to-
“Aside from being like a brother to me, Edgar
much poetry. I’m the one who says, “It’s very pretty, gether]. Everything is connected, no? So he called
is a truly talented being who writes with his
what you post on Instagram” [referencing “Hawái”]. me and said, “Hey, Edgar, what are you doing?
heart in his hand. He knows how to mix genres
Camila wants to meet you.”
perfectly. Regional Mexican and norteño flow
You have written and produced on Camilo’s
through his blood. I admire and respect him
two albums, 2020’s Por Primera Vez and When you interned for Andrés Castro,
a lot. He’s devoted 24/7 to music. Be it for
2021’s Mis Manos. How would you describe what helped you break through as a producer
love of the art or love of business, he’s al-
writing with him? and composer?
ways thinking about music.”
He’s one of the few people with whom I can be I was the guy who cleaned the sessions [ensuring
very realistic and transparent, and I think he feels that no sound elements competed with the musi-
the same. That’s why we get along so well when CAMILO cal performances]. One day, Omar Alfanno [the
we write together. We can do crazy, silly things. We Panamanian singer-songwriter who wrote “Purest
“Edgar and I have a deep connection because
play off each other. of Pain” and “El Gran Varón”] came to the studio to
of the honest love that he has for songwrit-
work with Andrés on a song for Thalía. Because I
ing. His devotion to melodies and lyrics that
What is the process like with Maluma and was 20, I was the target audience, so they asked
connect to the heart is the main reason that
Christian Nodal? for my opinion. I didn’t know who Omar was, so I
we have chemistry. That blend of honesty, of
I would go on tour with [Maluma] and build a studio was brutally honest and said I didn’t really like it.
love and respect for the craft, is a treasure
wherever he was — in his hotel, in his tour buses, on He asked why. It was a song about writing letters. I
to me. He’s a great friend.”
airplanes — wherever we were inspired. We’ve be- told him, “I don’t send letters. I don’t know anyone
come very good friends. With Christian, I’ve never who does,” and he said, “OK, I’ll give you five min-
recorded him in a studio. I have my little backpack M A U Y R I C K Y M O N TA N E R utes to improve it.” I wrote a chorus about flying
where I keep all my studio equipment. I take that “Edgar is a secret weapon. He filters your with paper wings, and Omar liked it. He turned his
with me, record the vocal guide, put some cushions ideas and maximizes them. He’s a key element chair around and told Andrés: “Let’s have the kid
around us for the sound, and we record. With these in the studio but also in life. A great guy.” write with us.” A few days later, they took me with
artists, there’s a 20- to 30-minute window of time, them to the Sony Latin offices. I went from intern
and you need to do it right. You have to capture it in to songwriter in a week.
the moment. ANDRÉS CASTRO
“Edgar is a combination of humility, talent, What was your split of the song?
Is there a similar distinction between writing responsibility, dedication and intelligence Equal parts. I’ll always be thankful to Andrés and
a pop or regional song with just a couple when it comes to business. There’s not many Omar. [Alfanno and Castro helped Barrera create his
of collaborators and an urban track that of those. When he arrived at my studio at Once 11 publishing company.] Andrés is the master
sometimes has more than 10? 19 years old, he came to learn, but he also Jedi. He was best man at my wedding. Working
ARTURO HOLMES/GETTY IMAGES
The urban and pop worlds are very different. In taught me many things. Aside from his friend- with him was a schooling. Thanks to Andrés, I met
urban, the producer is a songwriter. The beat of ship, he’s one of the people I most admire in Maluma, who used to go to the studio to write with
the song many times is an integral part of the song. the industry.” Andrés when he was just starting out. I told Andrés
Sometimes the engineer has songwriting credit. I had an idea for Maluma. He showed it to him, and
Sometimes the manager does, too. (Laughs.) I he liked it. It was our first song, “Sin Contrato.”
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE, Vol. 134 Issue 2 (ISSN 0006-2510; USPS 056-100). Billboard magazine is published monthly except for two issues in April, June, August, October and December; a total
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chartbreaker Long photographed by
Ssam Kim on Jan. 24 at
Pour Vous in Los Angeles.
No. 1
PEAK ON BILLBOARD’S R&B
STREAMING SONGS
MUNI LONG
The singer-songwriter’s
breakthrough hit, “Hrs and Hrs,”
is the result of years of hard
work — and a career reinvention
Before Muni Long broke big Long independently released on her

on TikTok with her R&B ballad Supergiant Records label over a year’s
“Hrs and Hrs,” she first went viral on time. (Supergiant is led by co-founder/
YouTube in the late 2000s by singing co-manager Rashad Tyler and co-
words from the dictionary and an founder/CFO Raysean Hairston, Long’s
acoustic cover of Drake’s “Best I Ever husband.) Long’s friend Bre-Z (an actor
Had.” By 2008, she landed her first on The CW’s All American) and Bre-Z’s
record deal under her birth name, fiancée used the song as a backing
Priscilla Renea, with Virgin Records, track in a romantic video documenting
which released her debut album, their relationship, which Long posted on
Jukebox, a year later. Yet the artist was her TikTok weeks later. It quickly ignited
dropped in 2014 — forcing her to pivot the #HrsandHrsChallenge within the
to a career as a songwriter. LGBTQ+ community and has since
The Vero Beach, Fla., native spent garnered over 5 million views.
the next several years co-writing In January, “Hrs and Hrs” debuted
chart-topping hits like Pitbull and on the Billboard Hot 100, and Long
Kesha’s “Timber,” Fifth Harmony and soon topped the Emerging Artists
Kid Ink’s “Worth It” and Chris Brown’s chart thanks to the song, which has
“Don’t Wake Me Up.” All the while, she collected 99.4 million U.S. streams,
continued to release music, exploring according to MRC Data. “Hrs and Hrs”
pop and country, but nothing took has since reached a No. 16 peak on
off. Then one night in 2021, when she the Hot 100 and ruled R&B Streaming
found an R&B beat on YouTube while Songs for five weeks. Now, as Long
washing dishes, something clicked. finishes her next project, she’s sifting
STYLING BY MANNY JAY. HAIR BY DEVANTE TURNBULL.
“The first verse came really quick,” through numerous collaboration

recalls Long, 33. “I wiped my hands requests — including from artists for
and started typing out the lyrics. It whom she has written. “I felt like I was
took maybe 20 minutes.” driving Uber in a Lamborghini. I could
The sumptuous “Hrs and Hrs” was never go in any direction that I wanted
released in November as a last-minute to go,” Long says. “Now it’s all about
addition to Public Displays of Affection, freedom for me, no limitations.”
the third of three dreamy R&B EPs that —HERAN MAMO

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WOMEN IN MUSIC

RESERVOIR FOUNDER & CEO

WOMEN IN MUSIC HONOREES

DONNA CASEINE FAITH NEWMAN

Phoebe Bridgers photographed

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SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Danielle Pascual Victor Hendrickson

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Super Gremlin Kodak Black Cole Swindell

Industry Baby Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow

Save Your Tears The Weeknd & Ariana Grande

Biggest “ ’Til You Can’t”

Bussin Nicki Minaj X Lil Baby

Go to the Chart Beat section of billboard.com for complete charts coverage.

16 BILLBOARD.COM FEBRUARY 26, 2022

4 4 3 Morgan Wallen Dangerous: The Double Album 1 58

Top Album Sales and Top Rock

a reissue on Feb. 11 with 10 12 10 Olivia Rodrigo Sour 1 39

House of Balloons (113)

Curtain Call: special guests 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak.

126-8 and 108-9, respectively. They earned 31,000

18 GO TO BILLBOARD.COM FOR COMPLETE CHART DATA FEBRUARY 26, 2022

1 1 1 We Don’t Talk About Bruno Carolina Gaitan, 1 8

3 3 3 Heat Waves Glass Animals 3 59

4 4 4 Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) Elton John & Dua Lipa 3 27

5 5 5 Stay The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber 1 32

6 6 6 Enemy Imagine Dragons X JID 6 16

RE-ENTRY 10 The Joker And The Queen Ed Sheeran

Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow 2

20 GO TO BILLBOARD.COM FOR COMPLETE CHART DATA FEBRUARY 26, 2022

Tool onstage at the 2017

TAYLOR HILL/GETTY IMAGES

N THE WAKE OF YET ANOTHER COVID-19 surge — with the

3 Reba McEntire $9,856,105 87,445 9 Elton John

5 Eric Church $6,675,239 50,848 4

8 JoJo Siwa $4,406,505 80,493 11

22 BILLBOARD.COM FEBRUARY 26, 2022

PHOTO CREDITS TEEKAY

Venue Total Total No. of

MUSGRAVES: JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES. BROWN: TIM

Venue Total Total No. of

Texas Trust CU Theatre

Bill Graham Civic