Wassim “Sal” Slaiby

FOUNDER/CEO, SALXCO/XO MGMT/UNIVERSAL ARABIC MUSIC

Playing the Super Bowl halftime show or scoring the biggest Hot 100 hit of all time would each be massive accomplishments in their own right. Slaiby celebrated as his superstar client The Weeknd did both in the past year. In January 2021, The Weeknd put on a halftime spectacle of career-spanning hits, earning an Emmy Award nomination in the process; spent 2021 releasing marquee collaborations; then rounded out the year with his unstoppable 2019 track “Blinding Lights” knocking off Chubby Checker’s

“The Twist” to gain the distinction as the Hot 100’s biggest No. 1 hit of all time. On Jan. 7, he released his latest album, Dawn FM. Meanwhile, Doja Cat, who is co-represented by SALXCO and 10Q Management, had her most successful year to date with Planet

Her, which hit No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and earned the breakout star eight 2022 Grammy nominations, including album and record of the year and best new artist. Slaiby also orchestrated release plans around the reunion of EDM trio Swedish House Mafia, which will headline Coachella 2022 before embarking on a global tour. Slaiby and his team didn’t just focus on massive stars, though: In the past year, rising SALXCO client Shenseea became the first Jamaican female dancehall artist to appear on the Hot 100 in 17 years, says Slaiby, solidifying his company’s bona fides in continuing to break new acts — “our passion,” he says. Slaiby’s strategy focuses less on quick hits and more on building artists and catalogs that endure beyond viral trends and album cycles. “I’ve always operated and worked with artists like [The Weeknd] and Doja,” says Slaiby, “where it’s that bigger-picture vision we cultivate.”