Record Labels
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Prajin Parlay Inc. and Double P Records announced on Tuesday (July 16) a joint deal with Mexican-American DJ and producer Deorro, who joins the imprints for management and label services effective immediately, Billboard has learned. Led by George Prajin, Prajin Parlay Inc. is home to superstar Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan and Codigo FN, among […]
More than a month after Min Hee-jin, CEO of HYBE subsidiary label ADOR, successfully avoided HYBE’s attempt to dismiss her from the job, another HYBE imprint has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the embattled executive and NewJeans executive producer.
On Monday (July 15), Korea JoongAng Daily reported that Source Music, the Korean label under the HYBE Labels umbrella that’s home to K-pop girl group LE SSERAFIM, has sued Min for 500 million Korean won (about $361,000), accusing her of defamation and disruption of business stemming from comments she made during two emotional press conferences she held in April — thereby damaging the LE SSERAFIM project.
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During those press conferences, Min claimed that her girl group project under Source, where she previously worked, was pushed aside by HYBE after the company decided to focus its efforts on LE SSERAFIM, which notably included two members of the hugely popular girl group IZ*ONE. According to Min, that change in focus led her to move away from Source and establish ADOR — a label operating under the HYBE Labels umbrella that Min previously told Billboard “started with guaranteed autonomy” — to house her project, which eventually became NewJeans.
During the press conferences, the ADOR CEO also shared what some considered disparaging remarks about several HYBE artists and Source Music’s talent casting — telling reporters that future NewJeans member Minji was the only Source trainee she wanted to recruit and that she cast the rest of the group members herself.
Source Music has not shared a statement on the reported lawsuit. Billboard has reached out to HYBE to verify the lawsuit and offer further details.
While LE SSERAFIM’s Coachella debut in April turned the girl group into a hot topic in Korean media over the pressure put on K-pop artists, Min’s subsequent remarks turned up the heat even more. The backlash to her critiques was so harsh that it led NewJeans and its five members to disable comments on their Instagram pages in late June.
The new lawsuit marks the second time a HYBE subsidiary has filed suit against Min. In May, BELIFT LAB sued Min for defamation and obstruction of business over her comments that BELIFT’s breakout girl group ILLIT had plagiarized NewJeans, stating that the label “copied all the formulas that we had with” the group.
The new lawsuit reportedly filed by Source is just the latest development in a continually unfolding drama. On July 9, Min reportedly arrived at the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul for questioning after HYBE reported her to authorities for breach of trust. Continuing her proclivity to engage in direct media interactions (instead of putting out press releases and statements like HYBE), a smiling Min left the station after eight hours and, to the press gathered outside, called HYBE’s accusations “comedy.”
Amid the commotion, NewJeans has continued rolling out new music. In late June, the group released its first two singles aimed at the Japanese market: “Supernatural” (which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100) and the B-side “Right Now” (which peaked at No. 47 on the same chart) before holding a fan meeting at the famous Tokyo Dome. Meanwhile, Source Music confirmed that LE SSERAFIM is set to drop new music at the end of August following the February release of its EP Easy, which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200.
Republic Records has named Miles Beard and David Wolter as co-heads of A&R, the company announced today (July 15). Beard, based on the West Coast, and Wolter, based on the East Coast, will report to label president and chief creative officer Wendy Goldstein.
The duo, who both joined Republic in 2022, had previously served as executive vice presidents of A&R for the label. Their new roles will see them jointly lead the A&R development and strategy for the company, as well as oversee partnerships, alongside executive vp Danielle Price, who oversees the R&B/hip-hop A&R team.
“When it comes to A&R, Miles and David are two of the industry’s most savvy and visionary executives,” Goldstein said in a statement. “They could not be more different in terms of preferences, approach and even location of the two coasts, however they’re the perfect match to run this department. They share a rare passion for music and they’re intensely committed to championing their artists. Their partnership is genuinely next-level and will be integral to our success going forward. Our focus is creating a dominant A&R team with them along with our hip-hop/R&B initiatives.”
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Beard has worked with the Jonas Brothers, with Republic’s K-pop partners on Stray Kids and TXT, and on Republic’s recent deal with Nigerian label Mavin for the singer Ayra Starr, among other projects. Wolter, meanwhile, has worked with artists like Conan Gray, Greta Van Fleet, Miranda Lambert and Zoe Kravitz for the label. Republic Records — also home to superstars like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and more — is part of Republic Recording Company, alongside Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, Mercury Records, Casablanca Records, indie distributor Imperial and the Corps team, under Monte Lipman and Avery Lipman.
“It’s incredible to work with Wendy, Monte and Avery Lipman, and my new partner Miles,” Wolter said in a statement. “We have so much support. Wendy’s instincts are unrivaled. Monte and Avery don’t stop, and it’s inspiring. When it comes to our artists, I just want to be a vigilant fighter for their artistry. My main hope is for our team to have a massive impact on culture and challenge the status quo.”
Wolter spent a decade at Virgin Records from 1997 through 2007, signing The Gorillaz, before spending another 10 years at RCA Records, before returning to Virgin under the Capitol Music Group umbrella in 2017, and then shifting to Republic in 2022. Beard, a longtime DJ, spent 10 years at Mike Caren’s APG, signing Charlie Puth, before moving to Republic.
“Wendy, Monte and Avery make you feel like anything is possible,” Beard said in a statement. “The way they balance being good people and being extremely competitive is one-of-a-kind. David and I are opposites. He’s a purist, I just love what people love. He has no filter, I’m measured. He’s tall, I’m short. We complement each other in every way. As an A&R, I want to make our artists feel comfortable and motivated to think as big as possible.”
The year so far has served up a number of intriguing new artist stories, with the likes of Benson Boone, Chappell Roan and Tommy Richman soaring to the top region of the charts for the first time. But perhaps no artist has had a more historic rise in 2024 so far than Shaboozey, whose “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” became his first-ever No. 1 song on the Hot 100 this week — a huge achievement for the artist, his team and his label partner, EMPIRE.
The achievement comes more than a month after the release of Shaboozey’s latest album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, easily the best mark of his career. But its significance goes well beyond that. After two guest spots on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album helped introduce him to a mainstream audience, Shaboozey released “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and saw it become the first song in history to reach the top 10 of the Country, Pop, Adult Pop and Rhythmic Airplay charts — a true testament to its cross-genre, or even genre-less, appeal — while making him the first Black man, and second Black artist overall after Beyoncé earlier this year, to top both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts.
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It’s also a big milestone for EMPIRE, which launched its Nashville division in 2019 and started working with Shaboozey a few years ago. After releasing his Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die album in October 2022, EMPIRE threw the weight of the company behind the singer, bringing in the full force of its marketing, A&R and global teams, as well as devising the radio strategy that helped to deliver such a historic result. And the achievement helps make EMPIRE COO Nima Etminan Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Etminan, who alongside company founder/CEO Ghazi has built EMPIRE into an indie powerhouse for more than a decade now, talks about the company-wide strategy to help boost Shaboozey’s work, as well as what the recent achievements for his music mean for the industry and for EMPIRE itself. “We’re scratching the surface of an artist with immense talent, depth and longevity,” Etminan says of Shaboozey. “He’s got stories to tell, emotions to share and hearts to touch. I believe that we will be seeing him play arenas across the globe for many years to come and I’m excited to be there for it every step of the way.”
This week, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” reached No. 1 on the Hot 100. What key decision did you make to help make that happen?
Shaboozey’s project has been an “all hands on deck” experience at EMPIRE. A key decision was to involve every department in every territory early on — they all played a role in this record in one way, shape or form. It’s hard to pinpoint specific decisions with a song this big; it’s a culmination of efforts.
This is Shaboozey’s first No. 1 single, after you guys have spent the past few years working with him. How have you helped him develop to get to this point, and how did you help push the song to these heights?
We saw potential in Shaboozey since our first meeting with him. He was passionate, talented and had a clear vision of what he was trying to achieve, but was still navigating his path to success in this industry. One of the key decisions was made after the release of Boozey’s first album with EMPIRE called Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die — he and his manager Abas Pauti called me in late 2022 trying to figure out next moves and we decided to bring him closer into the core EMPIRE umbrella. His potential as a global star was starting to be apparent and we brought in marketing and A&R resources from our San Francisco headquarters to complement what our Nashville team was doing on the ground. We strategized closely with his managers Abas and Jared [Cotter] and the upward curve began with the release of “Let It Burn” in the fall of 2023. It became clear we had something very special on our hands and the building started to rally around him.
This achievement also comes five years after EMPIRE launched its Nashville division. How have you built up and grown that aspect of the business, and how do you continue to support it moving forward?
Our Nashville division got its start somewhat serendipitously in 2019 with Willie Jones. Willie was not active at the time and didn’t have any music outside of an old X Factor audition video that had went viral some years back. He was a Black country artist with an incredible voice and Ghazi and I decided to take a chance and do a deal with him. From there, we started to assemble a staff on the ground and slowly made a name for EMPIRE in Nashville — brick by brick. Ghazi firmly believed that country music was going to follow in urban music’s footsteps with just a few years’ delay — and he was right. The town was ripe for new energy and we were quickly able to sign an impressive roster of artists and developed some amazing talent on both the record and the publishing side. We’ve been pushing Nashville for five years and are planning on continuing to do so.
Shaboozey is the first Black man, and second Black artist overall after Beyoncé earlier this year, to top both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts. What is the significance of that for you guys and for him?
It’s a sign of the times — genres are merging, styles are blending and the audience’s music taste is broader than ever. Artists don’t need to be put in boxes — whether it be by race, genre or eras. Good music is good music and the listeners largely get to dictate the charts.
The song is the first in history to reach the top 10 of the Country, Pop, Adult Pop and Rhythmic Airplay charts. What was your guys’ radio strategy?
There were many, many doubters of our ability to work this record at radio. The industry loves telling independents that there’s a ceiling to what they can do on their own and this was no different. We were told it can’t be done, and as we like to do, we proved them wrong. We’ve assembled a fantastic team that we had full faith in — and they delivered.
This achievement is also a capstone for an incredible first half of the year for Shaboozey overall, with his two guest spots on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter and the No. 5 debut of his own album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going. How do you push things forward from here?
As cliche as it may sound, this is just the beginning for Shaboozey. The album has a lot of life left in it and some incredible songs that we will work. We’re scratching the surface of an artist with immense talent, depth and longevity. He’s got stories to tell, emotions to share and hearts to touch. I believe that we will be seeing him play arenas across the globe for many years to come and I’m excited to be there for it every step of the way.
You’ve been with Ghazi basically since the beginning of EMPIRE, helping to build this company. What does it mean for you guys to achieve this No. 1?
My path started in hip-hop. I started off as a fan of rap music in Germany, where I grew up, launching DubCNN, a platform focused specifically on West Coast hip-hop. That is what brought me to California, building friendships with some of my favorite artists growing up, and meeting Ghazi in 2008 via Daz Dillinger. My only goal at the time was to find a way to make a decent living doing something in music. No. 1 Billboard records were not on my radar — I liked underground music and I loved to help new artists gain an audience. But I saw the potential of what were doing when I watched Kendrick Lamar go from an unknown mixtape artist when I first interviewed him in 2007, to becoming a household name after his EMPIRE-released Section.80 and ultimately the biggest rapper in the world.
Ghazi and I share a passion for culture, authenticity and doing good business. What matters the most to us is doing things with integrity and leaving a legacy behind that we can be proud of. There’s a lot of foolishness that goes on in this industry; I’ve seen it from afar and I’ve experienced it firsthand. If we weren’t going to do it our way, we’d rather not do it at all. Shaboozey’s success is exactly that. He’s been through the major system, he’s seen behind the curtain, and partnering with someone like him, who shares similar values and ethics, and taking a record all the way to the top is extremely gratifying. However, I’d be lying if I said it was a goal I thought about or set out to achieve — I never chased awards, charts or any sort of outside validation. But I’m grateful for it when it happens.
RCA Records has signed BERWYN in the U.S. as the Trinidad-born, London-raised rapper looks to plant his feet in America with his debut 12-track studio effort, WHO AM I. “[It’s] amazing to have the backing of a label like RCA, which has an incredible history of working with some of the greatest artists in black […]
Halfway through 2024, it’s once again Taylor Swift’s world, and we’re all just living in it. At the midway point of the year, her Tortured Poets Department album is the biggest release of 2024 so far by a huge margin, having spent nine of the 13 weeks of the second quarter atop the Billboard 200. That helped her label, Republic Records, best the entire Warner Music Group in current market share for the year through June 27, contributing to Republic’s 15.72% mark — by far the best among individual labels.
However, Swift is far from the only factor. Republic’s market share also includes Mercury Records, Big Loud Records and Island Records (as well as indie distributor Imperial and Cash Money), and each of those labels is also on fire in the first half: Mercury’s Post Malone has collaborated with Swift, Beyoncé, Blake Shelton and Big Loud’s Morgan Wallen on big singles (the latter of which, “I Had Some Help,” spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100), while Island’s Sabrina Carpenter has dominated the singles charts of late and the same label’s Chappell Roan has emerged as one of the artist stories of the year. Each of the three labels, if broken out on their own, would have made the top 15 of the midyear current market share chart, while Island in particular logged a midyear mark (1.29%) that was more than double its share at the same point last year, and represents its highest midpoint stake since 2018.
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That surge from Republic, which is up more than 3% from the 12.42% current share it posted midway through 2023, helped boost the Universal Music Group’s industry-leading current market share up to 36.37% at the halfway mark, up from the 34.48% it had the same period last year. In turn, Sony Music Entertainment’s current share came in at 26.07%, down from 27.54% halfway through 2023; while the Warner Music Group’s 15.68% dipped from the 17.26% it enjoyed midway through last year. The indie sector, by distribution ownership, grew more than a percentage point to 21.88%, up from 20.72%. By label ownership, the indie community remained the biggest sector of the business, with a 39.12% current share and a 37.35% overall share, both of which are slightly down year over year but relatively static.
Among individual labels, beyond Republic, Interscope Geffen A&M (whose market share also includes Verve Label Group) also had a strong quarter. The label came in at 9.51% in current share, also up a large margin from the 8.08% it posted halfway through 2023, with Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard And Soft leading the way. Taking into account the realignment of UMG’s label structure under the Interscope Capitol Labels Group on the West Coast, within which Capitol now reports up to ICLG chief John Janick, and Republic Recording Company on the East Coast, which includes Def Jam among the additional labels that report in to Monte Lipman, ICLG’s current market share would come in at 13.54% halfway through the year, with Republic Recording Company at 16.36%.
Outside those two labels, Warner Records — which includes Warner Latin, catalog label Rhino and some share from Warner Nashville — has continued its hot streak from the first quarter, as singles by Benson Boone (“Beautiful Things”), Teddy Swims (“Lose Control”) and Zach Bryan (last year’s “I Remember Everything” with Kacey Musgraves) remain among the biggest songs of 2024. Notably, Warner’s 6.30% current share — which keeps it in third place among labels — comes even before the impact of Bryan’s latest album, The Great American Bar Scene, given that it was released after the half-year tracking period. That’s easily Warner’s best midyear mark in years and an improvement over 2023’s 5.62%, when it ranked fifth.
Coming in fourth is Atlantic, at a 5.24% current share, which is both down significantly from the 7.34% it posted halfway through 2023 and up slightly from the 5.14% current share it had in the first quarter, as Jack Harlow’s former No. 1 “Lovin On Me” remains among the top songs of the year. (Atlantic’s share includes the 300 Elektra Music Group.) Fifth place, with a 4.59% current share, belongs to RCA Records, representing a dip in share from last year’s 4.98% midyear mark but a rise in position, as it came in seventh at this point last year.
In sixth, Columbia’s current share has improved, up to 4.35% from 3.71% in Q1, as Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter and Hozier’s No. 1 single “Too Sweet” factors in, though it’s still down from the 5.16% it held midway through last year. (Columbia’s share includes some labels from indie distributor RED.) Capitol Music Group, meanwhile — which includes Virgin Music, Motown/Quality Control, Capitol Christian, Blue Note and Astralwerks in its share — has dropped into seventh place with a 4.03% current share, down from its 6.00% 2023 mark and the 4.71% it posted in the first quarter of 2024.
A trio of Sony labels round out the top 10, though in a different order than they did in the same period of 2023. In eighth, Epic Records has capitalized on a slew of big hip-hop albums in the first half of the year from 21 Savage, Future and Metro Boomin to boost its current share to 2.78%, up significantly from the 1.82% share it held last year when it sat in 10th. Also pushing higher is Sony Latin, which came in ninth at 2.17%, up from 1.99% last year. It comes in ahead of Sony Nashville, which dropped from a 2.55% share halfway through 2023 to a 1.96% share at the midpoint of 2024.
Another big climber at the year’s midway point is Alamo, which is up to 1.78% so far this year, good for 11th and a jump from the 0.96% current share it held this time last year. (Alamo also last year launched indie distributor Santa Anna, which inked a deal with Drake’s OVO Sound label in January.) Universal’s Nashville (1.35%) and Latin (1.12%) follow in 12th and 13th, respectively, while BMG (0.93%) and Concord (0.75%) — the latter of which scored a big hit with the Pulse Music-released “Million Dollar Baby” by Tommy Richman — round out the top 15 among current market share.
In overall market share — which combines current releases (within the past 18 months) with catalog — UMG increased its lead at the top, to 38.52% over last year’s 37.98%, while Sony (27.21%) and WMG (18.22%) both dipped slightly, and the indie community by distribution ownership inched upward, to 16.05% from last year’s 15.93%.
Among the individual labels, the race is much tighter at the top in overall share, with Republic’s 10.61% beating out Interscope’s 9.88%, though both saw their share increase year over year. (The score for the UMG umbrella groups in terms of overall share: ICLG at 15.78% and Republic Recording Company at 12.45%.) Below them, Atlantic jumps to third with a 7.61% mark, leapfrogging Warner Records’ 6.74%, while the deep catalogs of Capitol (in fifth) and Columbia (in sixth) allowed their shares rise to a virtual tie at 5.90%, with Capitol edging out Columbia by five ten-thousandths of a point. RCA (5.05%), Epic (2.75%), Sony Nashville (2.02%) and UMG Nashville (1.86%) round out the top 10.
By catalog share, both UMG (39.25%) and Sony (27.60%) grew year over year, while Warner (19.07%) and the indies (14.08% by distribution ownership) both dipped slightly. Among the individual labels, Interscope takes the top slot, coming in at 10.00% even, ahead of Republic’s 8.88%, with both up slightly over their prior-year marks. Republic barely rises above Atlantic, which drops to No. 3 with an 8.41% share, while Warner Records (6.88%), Capitol Music Group (6.53%) and Columbia Records (6.42%) are closely bunched together behind, with Warner jumping past Capitol year over year. RCA comes in a solid seventh with a 5.21% share, while Epic (2.75%), Def Jam Recordings (2.25%) and Sony Nashville (2.04%) complete the top 10.
LONDON — Universal Music Group is to merge its historic Island and EMI label divisions as part of a widespread restructuring of the company’s U.K. business that will also see the launch of new Audience and Media Division to support artists and labels.
The announcement was made on Tuesday (July 9) by David Joseph, chairman and CEO Universal Music U.K. and Ireland, in an internal memo, which has been viewed by Billboard.
The reorganization of Universal Music’s U.K. operations follows changes the company made to its U.S. teams earlier this year with the formation of Interscope Capitol Labels Group and Republic Corps.
That structure is now being loosely mirrored in the United Kingdom with the creation of what Joseph called “two new powerhouse frontline label groups” — Island EMI Label Group, headed by Louis Bloom as president, and the newly formed Polydor Label Group, led by Ben Mortimer.
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Both label groups will be home to multiple labels “all with creative autonomy,” said Joseph’s memo. Each department will also contain a team dedicated to supporting artists from the wider UMG family, said the Universal U.K. boss.
In line with the restructuring, which comes into effect Oct. 1, Universal is shuffling its executive ranks.
EMI Records co-president Jo Charrington has been appointed president of a “reimagined” U.K. arm of Capitol, which will sit within the wider Polydor Label Group, as will 0207 Def Jam, led by president Alec Boateng. (Billboard understands that Boateng’s brother and co-president of 0207 Def Jam Alex Boateng is to remain with Universal and will be given a job within an international division).
EMI Records’ other co-president, Rebecca Allen, will take up the role of president of Universal’s Audience and Media Division (AMD), a newly formed U.K.-based department dedicated to serving artists and labels that will have a global remit.
Joining Allen in the Audience and Media team will be Suzy Walby (media), Kate Wyn Jones (Audience and Digital Strategy) and data and strategic branch The Square insight team, led by Jack Fryer.
In his internal staff memo, Joseph said the “industry first” AMD team “will revolutionise how we deliver for our artists” and will become Universal U.K.’s largest division.
Not mentioned in the memo is the scale or number of job losses that will result from the changes, although it does state that the consultation period for staff whose roles are potentially at risk starts today and will continue until mid-September.
In the United Kingdom, it is a legal requirement that companies must follow so-called “collective consultation” rules if it is making 20 or more employees redundant within any 90-day period. Universal U.K. declined to comment on staff redundancies.
Not impacted by the changes are Laura Monks and Tom Lewis, who will continue in their current roles of Decca co-presidents, which will remain a stand-alone label. Hannah Neaves remains sole president of Universal Music Recordings.
“As a company, we must continue to be forward-looking, innovative, and bold. Developing artists now requires more creativity and patience than ever before,” said Joseph in his internal memo.
Joseph went on to say that the restructure would “strengthen our labels’ capabilities to deepen artist and fan connections.”
“We are committed to being the number one place for artists, fans and talent,” surmised the U.K. CEO. “I have an incredible appreciation for our team given what we have achieved in the past and what I know we will achieve in the future.”
Quality Control has appointed Britney Davis as general manager. Davis will supervise the label’s daily operations alongside CEO Pierre “P” Thomas and COO Kevin “Coach K” Lee. In addition to serving as a liaison between Quality Control’s artist roster and affiliated teams, she will assist the staff, managers and artists in developing strategies and structure across all […]
Warner Records has promoted Robert Santini to senior vp of brand partnerships and ad sync, the company announced Monday (July 1). Santini assumes the role after four years as the label’s vp of brand partnerships & ad sync. Under his previous title, he spearheaded projects including Warner Records’ collaboration with Roblox and the NFL for […]
For the past few months, things seem to have only been getting better for Sabrina Carpenter. Last summer, while opening on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, she began going viral for the city-specific outros she would tack on to the end of her song “Nonsense,” a true fan-driven hit that reached No. 56 on the Hot 100 and No. 10 on Pop Airplay. Next came “Feather,” off the deluxe edition of her Emails I Can’t Send album, which went even further, reaching No. 21 on the Hot 100 and becoming her first-ever Pop Airplay No. 1 earlier this year.
But that was just the beginning. “Espresso,” her single she released on top of her Coachella performance in April, exploded to No. 2 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Global 200, cementing her as the pop superstar of the moment, crowned accordingly with a performance (and skit appearance) on Saturday Night Live. But her latest single, “Please Please Please,” then went even further — after debuting at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and giving her the top two songs on the Global 200, “Please Please Please” then ascended to the top of both charts, giving Carpenter her first-ever Hot 100 No. 1 and the distinction of replacing herself atop the global charts.
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The momentum has been dizzying — with every level conquered, another fell right after. Or, as Island Records vp of A&R Jackie Winkler puts it, “‘Nonsense’ walked so ‘Feather’ could jog, then ‘Espresso’ ran so that ‘Please Please Please’ could start a stampede.” And the success earns Winkler, who originally signed Carpenter to Island and has worked with her ever since, the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Winkler talks about the building success of each of these songs, Carpenter’s evolution as a songwriter, the way that A&R has evolved over the years — and what will come next. “I think this album is going to blow people away,” Winkler says of Carpenter’s forthcoming Short N’ Sweet, due out in August. “If you like ‘Please Please Please’ and ‘Espresso,’ just wait for what’s in store.”
This week, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, her first-ever song to top the chart. What key decision did you make to help make that happen?
Sabrina and Jack Antonoff had known each other personally for some time, so it was a natural progression for them to eventually work together. Given the chemistry that Sabrina and Amy Allen had already built, putting the three of them together felt like the perfect musical combination to undoubtedly yield something exceptional. It’s also fun to share the success of this song with David Gray and Jenn Knoepfle at UMPG who were instrumental in connecting the dots.
“Please Please Please” also hit No. 1 on the Global 200, replacing “Espresso,” which was No. 1 last week. Why do you think these songs are resonating, and working so well, around the globe?
To put it simply, the two songs speak for themselves. The first time I heard “Please Please Please” and “Espresso,” both sounded like hit records to me. The extraordinary nuances of Sabrina’s vocal delivery and quick-witted lyrics, combined with Jack Antonoff and Julian Bunetta’s brilliant productions, all play an essential role in what makes these songs so infectious and undeniable. They are especially bold, and nobody could pull them off as fearlessly and authentically as Sabrina.
Since last year, Sabrina has been on an increasingly-ascendant run up the charts, from “Nonsense” to “Feather” to “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.” How have you worked with her to help her develop her sound in the past year to reach this level?
It really feels like all four songs came at the perfect times in her career. “Nonsense” walked so “Feather” could jog, then “Espresso” ran so that “Please Please Please” could start a stampede. At the core, the music Sabrina makes is perfectly reflective of who she is as a person, and all the quirks and character are what give her such a strong musical identity. Writing with her friends has always felt like the most effortless way to allow her to be herself, so protecting that process at all costs will remain a vital part of her ever-evolving sound.
You originally signed Sabrina to Island several years ago. How have you seen her develop as a songwriter and as an artist since then?
From day one, Sabrina’s superpower has always been knowing exactly who she is and the type of musical collaborators she’s wanted to work with. I’ve witnessed her develop into an extraordinary songwriter who has not only coined entirely new phrases, but also infiltrated popular culture around the world with her lyricism alone. One of the most rewarding parts about seeing her succeed is that none of this has happened by skipping steps or catching a lucky break. It is all owed to her remarkable talent, the music itself and the relentless detail put into every aspect of her creative campaign. [Island co-CEOs] Justin Eshak and Imran Majid are ambitious leaders who strongly encourage our artists and our Island Records staff to take risks musically and strategically, which has made this journey even more gratifying as we continue to charge forward with no limitations.
With such a string of successful singles, how does that influence your approach to her upcoming album?
I think this album is going to blow people away. If you like “Please Please Please” and “Espresso,” just wait for what’s in store. Every ounce of the album oozes with Sabrina’s personality — funny, sincere, cheeky and intelligent, but above all, it’s honest. There isn’t a single song on the album that one could mistake for another artist, which is by far my favorite part.
How has A&R changed over the course of your career, and how has technology changed the role?
Technology continues to be a valuable tool for us to perform our jobs more efficiently. Since the start of my career, our access to information, data and even resources used to break artists have multiplied; however, my approach to signings, choosing singles and pairing creatives has never wavered from following my gut instinct. What will remain constant in A&R is the importance of maintaining genuine relationships, remaining selective and staying true to finding artists with longevity, a point of view and an unparalleled vision.