Kobalt Names Rani Hancock Executive VP/Head of U.S. Creative

Kobalt has tapped Rani Hancock to be its new executive vp/head of U.S. creative. In the role, Hancock will lead the company’s creative teams in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, and she will report to Kobalt’s president/chief commercial officer Jeannette Perez.

This marks Hancock’s first foray into publishing after spending her career as a top A&R in the recorded music business. She joins Kobalt from Columbia Records, where she served as executive vp/head of a&r, spearheading projects from Dove Cameron, Maren Morris, JoJo Siwa and others. Before Columbia, Hancock also worked at RCA Records as its executive vp of A&R, where she signed Miley Cyrus, Kesha and Becky G and worked on projects for Pitbull, Britney Spears and more. She also worked at Sire Records as its president, signing Bryce Vine and Cavetown, working with Tegan and Sara and Andra Day and executive producing the soundtrack for The United States vs. Billie Holiday. She started her career under Clive Davis at Arista Records, later joining him as a founding member of the J Records team.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rani Hancock to Kobalt Music,” said Perez in a statement. “Her exceptional creative vision and proven track record make her the perfect fit to head our U.S. creative team. Rani’s deep understanding of the evolving music landscape, combined with her passion for nurturing talent, will be invaluable as we continue to empower songwriters, artists and producers in achieving their greatest potential.”

Laurent Hubert, CEO of Kobalt, added: “Rani is a creative executive who has always looked at the songwriter as a foundational player in our business. That point of view, along with her vast experience in our business, embodies the kind of leadership and creative acumen that makes her the ideal leader to guide our U.S. creative team moving forward.”

“Joining Kobalt is an incredible opportunity to be part of a company that truly values songwriters, artists and producers,” said Hancock. “Laurent and Jeannette have built an amazing team and a culture of creativity and innovation. I’m incredibly excited to work alongside them to champion the next generation of creative talent. Kobalt’s commitment to empowering artists aligns perfectly with my own values, where great songs and great songwriters always come first. I can’t wait to contribute to their continued success.”