Vice President
Artists and Repertoire
Sony Music Publishing
I started at Sony Music Publishing (SMP) in 2013. I was a senior in college and had been doing internships in the music business. Towards the second half of my senior year, I started looking for jobs and my supervisor from a former internship told me that SMP which was Sony/ATV at the time was hiring for an A&R assistant. I met two executives on the team, and they allowed me to start working three days a week until I graduated. Now that I know how demanding this job is, it must have been hard not having help two days out of the week. They took a chance on me, and for that, I can never repay them. It was the right place at the right time, and because I knew I wanted to do A&R, I was willing to do whatever I could to get the job. The first year of being an assistant was falling in love with the role of a publisher and how we get to help these songwriters in a broad way.
Music was always a big fixture in my house. My parents loved different artists, and growing up in Southern California, we spent a lot of time in our cars as everything was spread out. When I was a child, we would listen to the radio on the way to school. That was when I first became aware of and interested in music. When I went to summer camp, I would bring my Sony’s WALKMAN® and listen to the two same CDs, repeatedly. This childhood experience led me to become a fan of various artists and deepened my interest in music. As I grew older, I learned to play instruments and discovered the joy of performing with others. My interest in music grew by being exposed to it through different avenues.
SMP’s workplace culture has changed so much since I started. What has changed is so much emphasis is now placed on how we support each other and help people grow. I received incredible mentorship from the two executives I began working for, which helped me learn many parts of the job. Through that experience, I’ve been able to pay it forward to younger people coming up on the team. SMP has become a culture of mentorship and support where every voice matters. In addition, at one point, I think A&R was all about ‘this is a songwriter that I signed, so I must be the person to deliver for them.’ What has changed culturally is this understanding that it is songs of these songwriters that are signed to SMP, not individuals. We, as a team, are focused on helping create wins for everyone. If I can make something amazing happen for a songwriter that someone else brought into the company, it’s good for the songwriter, it’s good for the other person, and it’s good for Sony. That has been a significant shift in the way that we think.
When seeking new talent, I make sure that they check the boxes as a person before I even start to consider their talent because so much of this job is about advocating for people. I want them to operate with integrity. As an A&R, it is also important to have an opinion and voice it effectively. Whether it’s a favorable opinion or being honest that we don’t like something, our job is to tell people what we think. That is crucial for any person wishing to be an A&R. We also need to incorporate what’s new and not hold onto things of the past. As we’re embracing new music, we must know that embracing talent in all forms and helping to cultivate it help you become a better person too. If I see potential in someone, I try and do my best to help them in whatever way I can.
Looking at our company and our team, many of us are people that started as assistants or entry-level and have stayed here to grow. It will be 10 years for me in April (2023). I appreciate that I’ve learned, grown, and developed relationships with our songwriters and staff and that it’s not a one or two-year relationship. We’ve been together in some cases for 9-10 years, and that’s special. I couldn’t be happier to have landed at Sony. I found amazing mentorship out of the gate and a passion for this job and the service that publishing A&R provides. I am happy with where I am now and what I am able to give to my songwriters. The next part of my journey that I’m excited about is further tapping into the larger power of Sony. We’re fortunate to work for a company with so many resources, with the technology and the diverse business. We do collaborate, but to collaborate more frequently on a higher level. That is what I’m looking forward to next.
The title, organization, and duty are the ones at the time of interview.
