music groups
Towalame Austin
EXECUTIVE VP OF PHILANTHROPY
AND SOCIAL IMPACT, SONY MUSIC GROUP Tiffany R. Warren
EXECUTIVE VP OF DIVERSITY,
EQUITY AND INCLUSION, SONY MUSIC GROUP
Julie Swidler
EXECUTIVE VP OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS/ GENERAL COUNSEL,
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Melissa Thomas
EXECUTIVE VP OF INTERNATIONAL MARKETING, U.S. REPERTOIRE,
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Deirdre McDonald
EXECUTIVE VP OF GLOBAL PUBLIC
POLICY AND INDUSTRY RELATIONS,
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Susan Meisel
SENIOR VP/CORPORATE DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL, SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
As Sony celebrates the success of artists including Adele, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat, Giveon and The Kid LAROI — “some of the biggest artists and campaigns around the world,” says Thomas — the company is also in what Meisel describes as “a moment of robust strategic investment activity” to increase what it can offer the creative community, while also focusing on its broader needs. Sony’s Global Social Justice Fund has “impacted local communities across more than 30 countries,” says Austin, “providing contributions to more than 800 organizations.” Warren has helped expand equity and inclusion efforts “across all SMG’s global recorded-music, publishing and corporate divisions,” she says. Swidler notes that Sony has created a fellowship program for recent law school graduates to address “the multicultural talent gap” in business and legal affairs industrywide. “We have led the industry in transparency, equity, new music engagement opportunities, artist assistance and so much more,” McDonald says.
Richelle Parham
PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL E-COMMERCE
AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT,
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Celine Joshua
EXECUTIVE VP OF COMMERCIAL
INNOVATION AND ARTIST STRATEGY, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Menna Demessie
SENIOR VP/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
TASK FORCE FOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Kristen Bender
SENIOR VP OF DIGITAL STRATEGY
AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT,
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Susan Mazo
EXECUTIVE VP OF GLOBAL CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY, EVENTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Erika Begun
EXECUTIVE VP/HEAD OF INVESTOR
RELATIONS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
The senior female executives at UMG shared in the company’s successes of the past year, which include the biggest direct listing in the history of the music industry; a global expansion of its direct-toconsumer business; and new creative and commercial opportunities for its artists, with technologies from blockchain-based Web3 to non-fungible tokens. But they were also involved in the philanthropic and community service-focused efforts of UMG’s employee-driven Task Force for Meaningful Change and the All Together Now Foundation, both launched in 2020. “All of this was accomplished during an unrelenting pandemic, demonstrating the passion, focus and commitment of our colleagues around the world to deliver on behalf of our artists, their fans and our communities,” the UMG honorees said in a joint statement.
Masha Osherova
EXECUTIVE VP/CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER, WARNER MUSIC GROUP
Oana Ruxandra
CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER/VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, WARNER MUSIC GROUP Addie Adeniran
SENIOR VP OF PEOPLE TEAM,
WARNER MUSIC GROUP
The Sony Music honorees have shared in the global success of
Adele , whose blockbuster album 30 has spent eight consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Top Album Sales.
Jessica Goldenberg SENIOR VP OF DIGITAL STRATEGY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, WARNER MUSIC GROUP “It has been a massive year for Warner Music Group and for my team,” says Ruxandra, describing the disruption that Web3 technology is bringing “to the way we create, connect and consume.” The label also invested in gaming platform Roblox; signed deals with Twitch, the avatar company Genies and Spotify’s podcast division; and partnered with Snap. “My team is focused on ensuring that WMG and our songwriters are not just part of the story, but we are writing it,” Ruxandra says. Meanwhile, to meet WMG’s business goals, Osherova and her colleagues are focused on the company’s recruitment challenge: “How do we attract creative, independent-minded leaders and build a workplace for the next generation of talent?”
labels & distributors
Dahlia Ambach Caplin SENIOR VP OF A&R, VERVE/ VERVE FORECAST/IMPULSE!
Ambach Caplin is no stranger to Recording Academy honors, having worked in the past on Grammy-nominated works by Herbie Hancock, Ledisi and Tank and the Bangas. However, the 2022 ceremony could be her biggest yield yet, with Jon Batiste leading all others with 11 nominations for his album We Are. At Verve,
Verve Forecast and Impulse!, she is proud to help steer the development of new “powerful voices,” such as Kurt Vile, who was previously signed to Matador, and
Joy Oladukun, who is officially signed with Republic. Both artists have new albums due this year.
Angela Barkan
Cyndi Lynott
SENIOR VPS OF MARKETING, BMG MUSIC
Barkan leads marketing efforts for BMG’s front-line recorded repertoire in New York, with recent achievements including the first virtual global listening event for Soho House worldwide through its ROOMS app and the launch of Duran Duran’s
Future Past album. Lynott manages its pop and rock repertoire in Los Angeles, where she oversaw a promotional visit for K-pop group Monsta X in December. The group premiered its movie, The Dreaming, during a fan pop-up event that generated $200,000 of revenue over three days. “This year, I am looking forward to releasing the new album from 5 Seconds of Summer,” Lynott says. “It’s an honor to partner with this incredibly talented band and show them what it’s like to have full creative control, full transparency and a full global team with BMG.”
Marisa Aron
Brianna Harrison
VPS OF MARKETING, ATLANTIC RECORDS Erica Bellarosa
SENIOR VP OF BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS, ATLANTIC RECORDS
Catherine Ciapas
SENIOR VP OF CREATIVE SERVICES,
ATLANTIC RECORDS
In the past year, Atlantic superstars and breakout stars alike have thrived with new releases: Coldplay, Bruno Mars (as part of Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak) and Cardi B have all landed Hot 100 No. 1 hits, while Ed Sheeran scored his fourth Billboard 200 chart-topper with =, his latest mathematically titled album. Meanwhile, breakout acts GAYLE and CKay added to the label’s international success, with the former’s “abcdefu” and the latter’s “Love Nwantiti (ah ah ah)” reaching Nos. 1 and 2 on the Global 200 chart, respectively. The label shows no signs of slowing down in 2022, with Bellarosa, 43, noting the “roster
has been enriched by the signing of topclass talent that we can’t wait to bring to the worldwide stage.”
Stacy Blythe SENIOR VP OF PROMOTION, BIG LOUD RECORDS
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 acknowledgement 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 charttopping success of Billboard 200 No. 1 albums Slime Language 2 by Young Thug’s YSL label and Gunna’s newly released third album, DS4Ever. Overseeing the business of A&R, cultivating relationships and creating balance are essential to Boland and her team at 300 — who are awaiting the release of Megan Thee Stallion’s second album, expected later this year. “As a leader, it makes me proud to see the results from the structure I have implemented within the A&R department at 300,” she says.
LaTrice Burnette
PRESIDENT, 4TH AND BROADWAY RECORDS; EXECUTIVE VP, DEF JAM RECORDINGS
Burnette was named head of 4th and Broadway in November 2020 and hit the ground running with Young Devyn, helping secure the up-and-coming Brooklyn rapper festival gigs at WQHT (Hot 97) New York’s Summer Jam in August and Rolling Loud New York in October. She also helped execute Emotional Oranges’ global DHL Fast-Track program last fall, which included their “first-ever livestream performance aired from the legendary Capitol Studios,” Burnette says. The pop-R&B duo’s partnership with the international courier also gave fans what she calls the “world-first” opportunity to win digital and physical merchandise designed by Emotional Oranges and delivered by DHL. Burnette recently took on the additional title of executive vp at Def Jam after previously holding that position at Island Records.
Kristen Bushnell Perez HEAD OF FILM/TV, GLASSNOTE
Longtime mainstream-crashing independent label Glassnote has a roster full of veteran alt-rock crossover stars like Mumford & Sons, Phoenix and Two Door Cinema Club. But Bushnell Perez, 33, is eager to highlight the achievements of one of the label’s newer signings, singer-rapper-instrumentalist Dylan Cartlidge. Tracks from his debut album, Hope Above Adversity, have been used in global campaigns for brands like Apple and Amazon. “Dylan has progressed tremendously thanks to these moments,” says Perez, “combined with Glassnote’s ability to nurture developing artists into career artists.”
Katina Bynum
EXECUTIVE VP OF EAST COAST LABELS, URBAN, UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES
Throughout 2021, Bynum sought to bring hip-hop and R&B fans the classic music they had been craving from the catalog label’s vast archive. Along with heading up special anniversary releases from artists like Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Janet Jackson, The Weeknd and even the late Marvin Gaye and DMX, Bynum also oversaw the creation of UMe’s Global Cypher series, which saw the brand “introduce music, artists and executives from around the world through interviews, playlists and territory highlights,” she says.
Jennifer Cary
EXECUTIVE VP OF RIGHTS AND ROYALTIES, INGROOVES MUSIC GROUP
As part of Ingrooves’ continued global expansion, Cary set up worldwide rights and royalty teams to maintain strategy and consistency for its label and artist clients around the globe. The marketing and distribution company (a division of Universal Music Group) further bolstered its accounting solutions with the launch of a new suite of royalty tools for its acts to easily pay out and establish songwriting and publishing splits, among other tasks. “My focus is on making sure everyone can approach royalties with the knowledge and skills they need to make the most out of the tools offered,” says Cary.
Nicki Farag EXECUTIVE VP/GM, DEF JAM
Dara Michelle EXECUTIVE VP/HEAD OF MARKETING, DEF JAM
Natina Nimene SENIOR VP OF PROMOTION AND ARTIST RELATIONS, DEF JAM
Def Jam had a big year with releases by roster stars Kanye West, Justin Bieber, YG and Alessia Cara, while preparing to welcome incoming CEO Tunji Balogun in January to lead the company forward. “Even as we went through a second year of the pandemic and internal changes at the highest levels of the company, [we achieved] outstanding market share and cultural impact [with] superstar rollouts for some of the biggest artists in the world,” Farag says. “It’s a testament to the dedication, professionalism and passion of our executives and staff.”
María Fernández EXECUTIVE VP/COO LATIN IBERIA, SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
As Sony Latin Iberia’s top female executive, Fernández worked on Sony’s acquisition of Brazil’s biggest independent label, Som Livre, which is awaiting antitrust approval, and its deal for equity in WK Records, which was founded by star manager Walter Kolm (Maluma, Carlos Vives, Wisin). Fernández is focused on increasing diversity in the workplace — and is proud to have mentored over 15 employees in the organization — as a way to “ensure that our talent has everything they need to reach their full potential,” she says.
“My focus is on making sure everyone can approach royalties with the knowledge and skills they need.”
—JENNIFER CARY
Lori Giamela
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 chart — the Republic Records Action Committee (R2AC) spent the year launching mental health initiatives and providing mentorship opportunities. “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 since the organization’s launch.
Ethiopia Habtemariam CHAIRMAN/CEO, MOTOWN RECORDS Alison Finley
COO, MOTOWN RECORDS
“There’s real ability in the company, and I wanted them to have a chance to fly,” Universal Music Group chairman/CEO
Sir Lucian Grainge said of Motown in his Billboard Power List interview, explaining why UMG had returned the legendary imprint to its status as a stand-alone label under Habtemariam, who was promoted in March 2021 to her new role as Motown Records chairman/CEO. Through its partnership with Quality Control (see page 98), Motown reached the peak of the Billboard 200 in recent months with My Turn from Lil Baby (five total weeks) and The Voice of Heroes from Lil Baby and Lil Durk.
Allison Jones EXECUTIVE VP OF A&R,
BIG MACHINE LABEL GROUP
Big Machine’s Carly Pearce has seen her star rise even higher over the past 20 months, after earning a No. 1 Country Airplay hit with the Lee Brice duet “I Hope You’re Happy Now.” Pearce has since earned two Country Music Association Awards (including female vocalist of the year) and two Academy of Country Music Awards. She also released her third studio album, 29: Written in Stone, and co-hosted the CMA Country Christmas special. Jones notes that “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” with Ashley McBryde, is Pearce’s “fastestrising country radio single to date.”
Michelle Jubelirer CHAIR/CEO, CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP Dixie Tipton
SENIOR VP OF RHYTHM PROMOTION, CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP
Terese Joseph
VP OF A&R OPERATIONS, CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP
In December, Jubelirer succeeded Jeff Vaughn as leader of Capitol Music Group (opting for the gender-neutral title of chair/CEO) and became the first woman to helm the label group, which has helped Halsey, Sam Smith and Katy Perry rise to stardom while nurturing new signings like rappers Toosii and Justus Bennetts and electronic musician Surf Mesa. Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Sir Lucian Grainge, in his recent Billboard Power List interview, said Jubelirer has “terrific followership. She has been an independent lawyer, she’s got 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 campaign, among other repertoire sources. But she has also found “special purpose,” she says, in helping launch and lead the Commercial Music Group’s diversity and inclusion task force, including mentorship and career development of Black professionals. Khahaifa is also involved in Sony’s Global Social Justice Fund and its Artists Forward program, which forgives unrecouped balances for qualifying acts signed prior to 2000. Says Khahaifa: “It has been a privilege to help lead and meaningfully contribute to an important shift in evolving company practices.”
Cat Kreidich PRESIDENT, ADA WORLDWIDE
Over the past year, Alternative Distribution Alliance — Warner Music Group’s independent label/artist services division — executed a companywide “culture shift,” says Kreidich, which included a new leadership team and its first head of product and integration, Andrea Slobodien, who was named in December. “We’ve put a global strategy behind the company, with tech as the backbone,” she adds, citing the launch of a new website to match ADA’s ambition to be “a truly digitally savvy, fastmoving music company of the future.”
Milana Lewis CO-FOUNDER/CEO, STEM
The distribution and payments company Stem continued to pursue its goal of bringing financial clarity to the music industry in 2021, launching Recoup Rules, a new feature that allows users to track and recoup expenses before splits are paid out. The company is also developing non-fungible tokens, partnering with the blockchain startup Royal to develop an interface that will give fans more visibility into the economics of songs in which they purchase shares. “As we look to ways in which NFTs can challenge the traditional music industry,” Lewis says, “we are keeping Stem at the forefront of this conversation.”
Cindy Mabe PRESIDENT, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP NASHVILLE
UMG Nashville’s biggest victories came from its developing artists, who each “made a huge contribution to growing the country format,” says Mabe. Mickey Guyton became the first Black female solo artist to be nominated for a 2021 Grammy Award in a country category with her single “Black Like Me” and followed it up with three nominations this year. Priscilla Block “made her way from exposing new music on TikTok” to breaking into the mainstream with her hit single, “Just About Over You,” which reached No. 14 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, the highest-peaking female country radio debut released in 2021.
Jennifer Mallory
EXECUTIVE VP/GM, COLUMBIA RECORDS Erika Alfredson
SENIOR VP/CO-HEAD OF MARKETING, COLUMBIA RECORDS
Jennifer Frommer
SENIOR VP OF COMMERCIAL LICENSING AND BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, COLUMBIA RECORDS
Columbia Records has “a strategy that works for each individual artist; we’ve been able to build out stories and narratives — telling stories in this attention economy in which we live,” Mallory said in comments following her 2022 Billboard Power List honor. That strategy has amplified the talent of a roster that gave Columbia the No. 1 spot for a combined 33 weeks in 2021, the most in a year by a label since MRC Data’s information began powering the chart in 1991, with No. 1 hits from Mariah Carey, 24kGoldn, The Kid LAROI, Polo G, Lil Nas X, BTS — and Adele, who has ruled the Billboard Artist 100 chart for 20 weeks as of Feb. 12.
Victoria Mason
SENIOR VP OF STRATEGIC MARKETING AND ANALYTICS, WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE
Warner Music Nashville prioritizes making data “intelligible and exploitable” to bolster its marketing efforts, says Mason, 35.
Proof of concept? Gabby Barrett spent
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 intentionally incorporating data into our strategy and decision-making.”
Katie McCartney GM, MONUMENT 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 Walker’s team to capitalize on such an amazing moment has been unreal,” says McCartney. “From the original digital moments to sitting on top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for multiple weeks to a national TV ad campaign to critical mass airplay in multiple genres — nobody deserves it more.”
Simone Mitchell PRESIDENT, QUALITY CONTROL MUSIC
Mitchell, 32, joined Quality Control in 2014 as a part-time employee working in administration and assisting with the Atlanta label’s early signees, including Migos. In October 2021, CEO Pierre “P” Thomas and COO Kevin “Coach K” Lee promoted Mitchell to president of the influential hiphop indie. In recent years, Quality Control expanded its divisions beyond music and its head count to 30-plus people, and in her new role, Mitchell hopes to make use of the larger team. “With department heads and recent executive hirings,” she says, “we are able to execute ideas and campaigns as a fully equipped unit.”
Michele Nadelman
CFO, WARNER RECORDS Karen Kwak EXECUTIVE VP/HEAD OF A&R, WARNER RECORDS
Claudia Butzky
EXECUTIVE VP OF BRAND PARTNERSHIPS AND SYNC, WARNER RECORDS
“2021 was an extremely challenging year, to say the least, but I’m very proud of our team, as we pulled together and delivered our highest-revenue year in over 10 years,” says Nadelman. The label’s 2021 successes included Dua Lipa’s rise to global superstardom, Saweetie’s best new artist Grammy nomination, the introduction of Bella Poarch with her hit video “Build a Bitch” and the breakout of critically acclaimed Los Angeles rapper Remble. “Warner Records is now perfectly poised to make a lot of noise in 2022,” Nadelman adds, citing new projects from Remble, Poarch, Saweetie, Omar Apollo, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Walters, NLE Choppa, Michael Bublé, Muse, Benson Boone and Nessa Barrett, among others.
Erica M. Paul
VP/HEAD OF DIGITAL MARKETING, ISLAND RECORDS
After a role in which she guided digital initiatives for three of Universal Music Group’s East Coast labels (Def Jam, Republic and Island), Paul last year became vp/head of digital marketing for Island. She has used her expertise to create and capitalize on viral moments for Shawn Mendes, The Killers and R&B vocalist Trinidad Cardona — whose 2017 release, “Dinero,” become a TikTok smash in 2021. For Demi Lovato’s Dancing With the Devil... The Art of Starting Over, Paul created one-on-one fan experiences and intimate listening parties. “Our work is focused on artist integrity,” she says, “while also advocating for fans.”
Gabrielle Peluso CO-PRESIDENT, ASYLUM RECORDS
Since joining Asylum three years ago, Peluso has leaned on what she learned during 15 years working for Def Jam, where she discovered how much a small, close-knit team could accomplish. “That was my focus when I was offered this opportunity at Asylum: bring things back to basics,” says Peluso, who is co-president of the label alongside Dallas Martin. Asylum’s roster includes Seddy Hendrinx, Ken the Man, Jay Loud and Detroit rapper Sada Baby — whose “Whole Lotta Choppas” featuring Nicki Minaj reached No. 35 on Hot R&B/HipHop Songs. “It may take us longer to break an artist, but the process is 100 times more meaningful,” says Peluso. “The artists signed to Asylum are in control of their careers, learning the business, becoming their own bosses, and there is nothing more rewarding than that.”
Sylvia Rhone CHAIRWOMAN/CEO, EPIC RECORDS Margeaux Watson
SENIOR VP OF MARKETING, EPIC RECORDS With a roster of established hitmakers like DJ Khaled, who landed his third No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in May, and Giveon, who turned a breakout year into a half-dozen Grammy nominations, Epic managed a banner year on both fronts in 2021, with BIA and Mimi Webb set to continue making waves as well. “Power is empowering others,” said Rhone in comments regarding her Billboard Power List honor in January. “It’s the daily application of your authentic self to effectively uplift those around you. If done right, it makes everyone stronger.”
“2021 was an extremely
challenging year, to say the least.” —MICHELE NADELMAN
Katie Robinson
VP OF MARKETING, ELEKTRA MUSIC GROUP
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, INTERSCOPE GEFFEN A&M
Annie Lee
CFO, INTERSCOPE GEFFEN A&M
Nicole Wyskoarko
EXECUTIVE VP/CO-HEAD OF A&R, INTERSCOPE GEFFEN A&M
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 partially 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 has thrived,” noting continued success for Lady Gaga and Machine Gun Kelly alongside a “new set of superstar artists” including Olivia Rodrigo, Moneybagg Yo and Kali Uchis. “All of these artists have moved culture in their own way.”
Jacqueline Saturn PRESIDENT, VIRGIN MUSIC LABEL AND ARTIST SERVICES
Saturn, who turned her backyard into “a home office and a gathering place for the team,” has guided the newly rebranded Virgin as it expanded globally with 12 international offices. The company has leveraged partnerships with Primary Wave/Gaither Music Group, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Soulja Boy and NCT-127, among others. And that’s in addition to No. 1 Billboard 200 debuts since 2019 from Lil Baby, Trippie Redd, NF and K-pop act SuperM. Says Saturn: “Power is our artists and label partners trusting us with their vision and empowering us to build and tell their story for them and with them.”
Michele Smith
VP OF ESTATE AND LEGACY BRAND MANAGEMENT, CONCORD
Smith, who is responsible for the label partnership and brand licensing of Stax Records and the estates of Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette, co-produced the 2019 documentary Billie, which won documentary of the year at the 25th annual JJA Jazz Awards. Smith also worked with the Concord Stax Scholarship Fund, which she says will raise $1 million “for 100 deserving Memphis-based Stax Music Academy students over the next five years.”
Camille Soto Malave CEO, GLAD EMPIRE
Soto Malave’s digital music distributor
Glad Empire has released remixes of hit singles “Travesuras” by Nio García, Casper Mágico, Myke Towers, Ozuna, Wisin & Yandel and Flow La Movie and “AM” by García, Bad Bunny and J Balvin, accruing millions of streams. Those successes came through her company’s multimillion-dollar distribution deal with independent label Flow La Movie, which was founded by and named for the Puerto Rican producer who was born José Angel Hernández. Following Hernández’s death in a December plane crash, Soto Malave will continue to serve as exclusive administrator for the company, gearing up to release García’s first solo album, El de los Hits.
Colleen Theis COO, THE ORCHARD
The Sony-owned global independent music distributor is celebrating its 25th year with a new partnership with Bad Bunny manager Noah Assad and his Rimas Entertainment, as well as an improved market share, both domestically and internationally. “The power of streaming means music knows no boundaries,” says Theis. “In the past year, we’ve broken boundaries 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 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 do, so this level of holistic support is fundamental to improving our business.” Natalie Turano
VP OF MARKETING, DISNEY MUSIC GROUP
Barbara Vander Linde VP OF MUSIC PUBLISHING AND A&R, DISNEY MUSIC GROUP
Disney Music Group is dedicated to projects rooted in “authentic storytelling,” says Vander Linde, citing the animated film Encanto, with music by Lin-Manuel Miranda; the Our Family to Yours holiday ad series starring a Filipino family; and singer-actress Brandy serving as the spokeswoman for the 18-month Ultimate Disney Princess franchise celebration. Turano notes that Disney’s collaboration with ESPN on the Music for the Movement EPs is an example of how the company creates “awareness and conversations about social justice through music.”
Marcela Vaccari
VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, LATIN& IBERIA, WARNER MUSIC LATIN
Warner Music Latin is “continuing to grow in market share,” says Vaccari, 36, thanks to the achievements of artists like Myke Towers and Justin Quiles. In April, Towers won new artist of the year at Billboard’s 2021 Latin Music Awards and reached
No. 3 on the Top Latin Albums chart with Lyke Mike, while Quiles’ La Última Promesa peaked at No. 12 in September, propelled by the summer hit “Loco.” To “keep the momentum going,” she says, the label is focused on emerging acts across Latin America, recently signing Micro TDH and Tiago PZK.
Heather Vassar
VP OF MARKETING, NASHVILLE, EMPIRE
Vassar helped EMPIRE’s country music division reach new heights with a trio of rising acts: Shaboozey, Sophia Scott and Tenille Arts. Shaboozey is “already causing a stir in hip-hop and country spaces,” says Vassar, 35, while Scott was featured on Iggy Azalea’s “Sex on the Beach” and supported Kelsea Ballerini and the Jonas Brothers on tour, and Arts’ “Somebody Like That” peaked at No. 50 on the
Hot 100 and No. 3 on Country Airplay. The latter song became EMPIRE Nashville’s first platinum record, as well as, Vassar says, “the first song to reach No. 1 written, produced and performed by an all-female team in country music.”
Jennifer Way SENIOR VP OF MARKETING, SONY MUSIC NASHVILLE
Way, 38, has supported the success of Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert and Brad Paisley, among others. But Way also cites the importance of the Nashville Equity Taskforce, comprising staff from Sony Nashville, Provident Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing, all seeking to improve inclusion among their workforce and support local activist groups. The task force was created after Sony Music Group in June 2020 established its
$100 million Global Social Justice Fund amid the national outcry for racial and social justice. “We have a lot more work to do in addressing equity and inclusion within the [country] format,” says Way, “but I’m incredibly proud of our team’s efforts to effect change in our company and our community.”
Elsa Yep
CFO/EXECUTIVE VP OF OPERATIONS, UNIVERSAL MUSIC LATIN AMERICA & IBERIAN PENINSULA
Yep’s successes in the past year include the international growth of the label’s marquee talent, including Karol G and Sebastián Yatra. According to Vevo’s annual year-end recap, Karol G was the most-viewed artist globally of 2021, with 3.11 billion views, beating out The Weeknd for the top slot. Meanwhile, Yatra, who most recently scored his first Hot 100 entry with Encanto’s “Dos Oruguitas,” reaching No. 36 (and still climbing), landed three Top 100 Spotify Global hits, including the Myke Towers-assisted “Pareja del
Año,” which peaked at No. 10 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
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 incredible resilience and flexibility in the face of an ever-changing environment,” she says. The company’s venue development division, Oak View Group (see page 120), celebrated 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 Maroon 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
Electric Feel reports that it was represented on the Hot 100 during every week of 2021 by one of its artists, songwriters or producers. Engen’s recent accomplishments include working to open new studios in Miami, Utah and New York, as well as a mobile studio that Post Malone used to record singles such as “Motley Crew” and “One Night Row” during the second leg of his Runaway Tour and at his home during the beginning of the pandemic. Says Engen: “It’s amazing to be part of a team hitting such exciting milestones.”
Amber Grimes
EXECUTIVE VP/GM, LVRN RECORDS; PARTNER, LVRN MANAGEMENT
Grimes’ dual appointments earlier this year — after LVRN announced the hiring and promotion of five female staffers last May — further underscore the company’s commitment to invest in and strengthen its female leadership: Currently, 40% of its staff is female. LVRN also teamed with psychotherapist Syreeta Butler to establish its mental health and wellness division, offering employees and artists access to free therapy services. “Female 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-balanced industry.”
Bea Koramblyum
GLOBAL HEAD OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS, DOWNTOWN MUSIC SERVICES
In April, Downtown Music Holdings announced “a strategic decision to focus its business interests exclusively on the fast-growing music services sector, providing distribution, copyright management, 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 negotiated and signed deals with artists and writers including Arca, Ibeyi, Tank and the Bangas and Suzanne Vega.
Clara Pablo
SENIOR VP OF GLOBAL MARKETING, WK ENTERTAINMENT
Maluma’s 27-date Papi Juancho Tour in the United States was one of WK Entertainment’s biggest achievements of 2021. “We were the first to announce a major arena tour post-pandemic cancellations,” Pablo says, adding that “every night was nearly sold out.” The successful trek, which ranked No. 14 on the year-end Top Tours chart with a gross of $24.5 million, plans to hit Europe in 2022. Additionally, Pablo highlights Los Legendarios, Wisin and Jhay Cortez’s “Fiel” as “one of the biggest Latin songs in 2021 worldwide” released under WK Entertainment and La Base/WK Records. “Fiel” ended the year among Billboard’s top 10 Hot Latin Songs.
Elyse Rogers
EXECUTIVE VP, ARTIST PARTNER GROUP
The past 12 months marked an “incredible new phase” for Artist Partner Group as an independent label, says Rogers. While the company (which also includes a music publishing division) has renewed its partnership with Warner Music Group, its repertoire will flow through WMG’s independent label/artist services division, Alternative Distribution Alliance Worldwide. APG’s roster includes recent breakouts Lexi Jayde and Cico P alongside chart-toppers Jason Derulo and 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 Rogers. “It gives us the speed and flexibility to stay on the front edge of the modern music business.”
Maria Weaver PRESIDENT, WMX
In November, Warner Music Group launched new services division WMX to connect artists and fans with brands. The platform includes a commercial services and marketing network and a creative content division, giving Weaver control of “culture-shaping brands,” as she calls them, such as Uproxx and HipHopDX, and concert platform Songkick. The division’s online properties have 249 million monthly visitors, according to WMX. Weaver adds: “We’ve multiplied opportunities for our artists, streamlining the media-buying process for advertisers and giving brands unparalleled access to our massive, music-obsessed audience.”
management Lydia Asrat
CO-FOUNDER, 10Q MANAGEMENT
Along with 10Q partner Josh Kaplan and SALXCO’s Wassim “Sal” Slaiby and Gordan Dillard, Asrat has guided the breakthrough of Doja Cat, whose “Need To Know” returned to the top 10 of the Hot 100 in January (it previously hit No. 8 in November), fueling the continued success of the rapper-singer’s album Planet Her. “We have managed the creation, promotion and release of an album that has received 11 Grammy nominations,” says Asrat, citing her artist’s nods for the 2021 and 2022 Grammy Awards.
Virginia Bunetta MANAGING PARTNER, G-MAJOR MANAGEMENT; ARTIST MANAGER (THOMAS RHETT)
After a year of lockdown, Bunetta, 41, can sum up the highlight of 2021 in just one word: touring. Her client Thomas Rhett returned to the road last year, bringing his Center Point Road tour to hungry crowds after the pandemic forced a postponement of 2020 dates. “I’m so proud of launching and executing a successful tour in 2021,” she says. The wins kept coming offstage, too: Rhett scored his 17th No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart with “Country Again,” which also netted him a 2022 Grammy nomination for best country song.
Kelly Clague
EXECUTIVE VP, EM.CO; PRESIDENT, SAFETOUR Clague, 53, says her management client Tim McGraw had “an incredible year” that included a starring role in the Western drama 1883, which premiered on Paramount+ in December. Clague also guides the nonprofit SafeTour, which has established itself as a touring industry leader in battling harassment and discrimination in the work environment while strengthening accountability and best practices. “With our partners at Hollaback!,” says Clague, “we completed the build-out of our new training program and were able to make it available to artists and their tours.”
Rebecca Drucker CEO, THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
Drucker worked closely with star client Ricky Martin and producer Jaycen Joshua on the development of a new immersive headphone and speaker technology, Orbital Audio, which launched in 2020. The company counts H.E.R. and Myke Towers among its users and is “the best on the planet,” she says. Drucker notes that other highlights of the past year include helping to secure a lucrative new deal for Martin with skin-care line Kumiko and his 15-date arena tour alongside Enrique Iglesias, which grossed nearly $20 million. A new
“We have managed the creation, promotion and release of an album that just received 11 Grammy nominations.”
—LYDIAASRATONDOJACAT’S PLANET HER
run of dates is scheduled for later this year.
Martha Earls OWNER, EFG MANAGEMENT
Earls’ Nashville-based company helped its clients find success on multiple fronts during the past year. 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 Schneider signed with Broken Bow Records, and alt-pop band NIGHTLY joined the EFG roster. Earls says, “I am proud of the work that we did to continue to grow our artists’ careers and raise their profiles.”
Ann Edelblute OWNER, THE HQ
Carrie Underwood’s longtime manager guided the launch of the singer’s first Las Vegas residency with six sold-out shows at Resorts World Theatre in December. Edelblute also secured an equity partnership between the seven-time Grammy winner and Coca-Cola’s Bodyarmor sports drink and oversaw the release of her new album, My Savior, with a concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The event was “livestreamed globally on Facebook on Easter Sunday,” Edelblute says, “raising over $112,000 for Save the Children.”
Kerri Edwards
PRESIDENT, KP ENTERTAINMENT “Team KPE,” as Edwards calls it, had plenty of wins in 2021 among its management clients: Cole Swindell scored a Country Airplay No. 1 with “Single Saturday Night,” while Dylan Scott’s summer hit “Nobody” took home breakthrough video of the year at the CMT Music Awards. And then there was Luke Bryan. The American Idol judge and country star’s achievements included launching a documentary series on IMDb TV, My
Dirt Road Diary; earning the Academy of Country Music’s entertainer of the year prize; hosting the Country Music Association Awards; and wrapping a 35-date tour.
Mary Hilliard Harrington ARTIST MANAGER, RED LIGHT MANAGEMENT
As the leader of Red Light’s Nashville office, Harrington, 45, guides the careers of Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Caylee Hammack, Elle King and others. The former chairwoman of the Country Music Association wrapped the year by adding “executive producer” to her résumé with the creation of the country music special New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, which aired on CBS and “highlighted our genre and city in a fresh way,” she says.
Kelly Hughes DAY-TO-DAY MANAGER, BLUE RAINCOAT MUSIC
Hughes’ client Phoebe Bridgers had a banner 2021, including a Saturday Night Live appearance, a collaboration with Taylor Swift on Red (Taylor’s Version) and the continued growth of her own Secretly Group label, Saddest Factory Records. A successful return to the road, however, was perhaps the most meaningful win. “She set a precedent by moving all shows to outdoor venues and requiring attendees to be vaccinated or tested per state regulations,” says Hughes, 35. “Phoebe did everything in her power to keep the band, crew and fans as safe as possible.”
Allison Kaye
PRESIDENT, SB PROJECTS Jennifer McDaniels GM, SB PROJECTS
“The possibilities are endless,” said Kaye in January, when she appeared on the
Billboard Power List, describing the
$1.05 billion deal that brought together Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings (the parent company of SB Projects) with Bang Si-hyuk’s HYBE in April, merging the management homes of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and BTS. While McDaniels worked closely with the SB Projects team and HYBE during the merger of the two companies, she also played a key role in Bieber’s New Year’s Eve pandemic livestream from Los Angeles on Dec. 31, 2020, which led to the documentary Justin Bieber: Our World. Her marketing skills have helped Grande achieve a social media following of 413 million fans, according to SB Projects.
Tina Kennedy Dani Russin
MANAGERS, FULL STOP MANAGEMENT
At Full Stop Management, Russin takes pride in her role at a company “whose roster represents such a diverse and inclusive vision of our future,” she says. “Artists such as Troye Sivan, Lizzo, Orville Peck and Carlie Hanson have a unique and innate ability to connect and give hope to audiences who have historically felt underrepresented and/or unseen.” Kennedy was an executive producer of the 24-hour Global Citizen Live event in September that addressed climate change and poverty. Among her clients is Gwen Stefani, a coach on The Voice who has wrapped a multiyear residency in Las Vegas and is launching a beauty business. “Bringing dreams to fruition is what I’m passionate about,” she says.
Marion Kraft
CEO, SHOPKEEPER MANAGEMENT
Kraft, 57, saw her superstar client Miranda Lambert claim a third Grammy in 2021 for best country album with Wildcard, a sold-out tour and the title “restaurateur,” thanks to ownership of the new Nashville hotspot Casa Rosa. Kraft is most proud that Lambert — who holds the record for the most Academy of Country Music Award wins with 35 — is the first female entertainer to stake a claim on Broadway, Nashville’s rollicking restaurant row. Kraft’s clients Tenille Townes (a Juno Award winner for The Lemonade Stand) and Ashley Monroe have also worked continuously through shutdowns and challenges, as have the Pistol Annies — Lambert’s trio with Monroe and Angaleena Presley, which recently released the Christmas set Hell of a Holiday.
Rebeca León
FOUNDER/CEO, LIONFISH ENTERTAINMENT
One of Latin music’s most influential managers, León has spent the year paving the way for client Rosalía’s next big album for Columbia Records and expanding Lunay’s touring footprint with mainstream U.S. festival appearances at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits despite continuing “uncertainty around touring.” There’s also a new partnership with Paulus Music to support budding Dominican star Tokischa, whose collaboration with Rosalía, “LINDA,” made waves last fall.
Jaime Levine CEO, SEVEN MANTELS
Shakira’s longtime manager scored a coup for her superstar client when she brokered the sale of the artist’s 145-song publishing catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Fund in January 2021. Shakira, meanwhile, continued 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 competition series, Dancing With Myself. Other TV and film projects are also in development, says Levine.
Stacia Mac
CEO, ODA MANAGEMENT/HOUSE OF LEGENDS
CEO and “momager” Mac celebrated the success of her son Polo G’s hit song “Rapstar,” which debuted at
No. 1 on the Hot 100 and ruled for two weeks. The single is from his Billboard 200-topping album Hall of Fame, which has surpassed 1 million consumption units. “Despite reluctance from others to release ‘Rapstar,’ [we decided] to proceed,” says Mac. She notes of this “pivotal point” in her career: “Being attentive to fans and keeping a pulse on what interests our audience propelled the track.”
Jeanine McLeanWilliams
PRESIDENT/MANAGING PARTNER, MBK ENTERTAINMENT
Misha Hedman Mayes
GM, MBK ENTERTAINMENT
It was a double win for MBK Entertainment when two of its clients, H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas, won the song of the year Grammy Award in 2021 for co-writing “I Can’t Breathe” and then captured the best original song Academy Award for co-writing “Fight for You” (from Judas and the Black Messiah). “To have two African American women share the honor of both an Oscar win and Grammy win in the same year is historic,” says McLean-Williams. “H.E.R. and Tiara exemplify what it means to be bosses, power players and women in music.”
Wendy Ong PRESIDENT, TAP MUSIC
TaP Music’s former superstar client Dua Lipa, whose “Levitating” was the No. 1
Hot 100 song of 2021, launched one of the most anticipated tours of 2022 in February. Ong, who has been helping Noah Cyrus develop new music, is always looking to bring fresh talent into the fold. K-pop superstar CL, a recent signee, is a case in point. “We put a lot of passion into the work we do and take pride in being able to bring value to our artists at any point in their career,” Ong says. It’s no coincidence these musicians are all women, as TaP’s nonprofit division is working to right the imbalance in representation of female artists.
Luana Pagani PRESIDENT, SEITRACK U.S.
Pagani’s artist management agency surpassed its expectations in 2021. With Alejandro Fernández, Los Ángeles Azules, Alejandro Sanz and David Bisbal, among others, hitting the road, the company was responsible for 170 dates across the United States between August and December, she says. “I am proud to say that most of the shows were sold out with an extremely low [evidence of] COVID-19 spread,” says Pagani, who credits her team for helping make it all possible. Seitrack U.S. also grew its roster by signing Joss Favela,
Edith Marquez, The Change and Nuevo Elemento, to name a few.
Ashley Poitevin
VP OF ARTIST MANAGEMENT, MNRK MUSIC GROUP
As the manager for Canadian acts like electro-pop singer-songwriter Lights and alt-rock band Arkells, Poitevin, 35, says her MNRK artists have pushed back against the livestream model since the beginning of the pandemic, preferring to keep the focus on “real-life experiences and connection” whenever possible. That included Arkells’ return to live shows for 30,000 fans at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage last August, which Poitevin calls “a dice-rolling dream that was largely built in three weeks” and “a memory that you cannot buy.”
Tamara Simmons DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, SALXCO
Simmons stayed busy with a flurry of high-profile projects including The Weeknd’s Emmy Award-nominated Super Bowl LV halftime show in February 2021, during which he performed hits such as “Blinding Lights” — a track that later made history as the No. 1 Hot 100 song of all time. Fellow SALXCO management client Doja Cat was nominated for eight 2022 Grammys, including album, record and song of the year, while client Metro Boomin was named producer of the year at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards. Meanwhile, Swedish House Mafia, which is now also under SALXCO management, announced its reunion and a global tour.
Kristen Smith FOUNDER, CAMP FAR WEST MANAGEMENT
Though they recently parted ways, Smith helped guide client Olivia Rodrigo into the stratosphere during a breakout 2021. Not only did the singer reach the summit of the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200, she earned seven Grammy nominations — including record, song and album of the year and best new artist — and the title of Woman of the Year from Billboard. “Olivia has incredible vision for her art,” said Smith in January when she appeared on the Billboard Power List, “and witnessing her rise to the occasion over and over again is amazing.”
Taren Smith
ARTIST MANAGER, YM&U GROUP
Smith, 31, was at the forefront of music’s non-fungible token boom, overseeing 3LAU’s game-changing NFT auctions that have generated over $20 million in revenue for the independent dance music producerDJ, the highest-earning musician in the digital-collectible space. After that success, Smith began giving crash courses in NFTs to other managers and industry executives both inside and outside her firm, helping drive much-needed income for artists unable to tour during the pandemic. The Albuquerque, N.M., native also manages an array of other dance acts, and she signed the first digital-artist client, Slimesunday, to her company’s new visual arts division.
Ebonie P. Ward MANAGEMENT PARTNER,
EMAGEN ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
From opening her own clothing boutique to working with a then-up-and-coming Future, Ward established herself in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene well before Anthony Saleh asked her to join his artist management company, Emagen, in 2018. Her latest triumph at the firm is client Gunna, whose third album, DS4Ever, debuted atop the Billboard 200 in January. “Working with my team to develop the marketing and rollout strategy to
impact the culture in a way that wasn’t done before was a challenge that I was determined to meet,” she says.