Power Publicists
Billboard ’s first-ever definitive list of the music
industry’s top artist representatives.
Call them 20 Feet from Industry Stardom. The music business runs largely on fame — getting it, keeping it, leveraging it — so one of the most important jobs is putting artists in the spotlight (ideally good side forward). In some cases, usually at labels, that also involves ensuring the right executives get credit for putting them there (along with a little light of their own). Those bright lights are best operated from backstage, though, which means the industry’s top publicists don’t usually get much shine themselves.
It also means that artists and their managers who want to hire a seasoned pro don’t have an easy way to figure out who can get them on the cover of Billboard. So we assembled the definitive list of the music industry’s top publicists, along with some information about what makes each unique. For this list, Billboard focused on artist representatives, though some may also work with brands and executives — and omitted those who do mostly corporate communications. In most cases, these publicists lead accomplished teams that share responsibilities, clients and credit, and most have rosters that exceed the five or fewer clients listed here. Some artists appear more than once because they have a label representative as well as an independent publicist. Billboard’s editorial team did not solicit submissions; criteria taken into account included label market share and client rosters.
The publicists on this list are some of the most savvy, strategic — and, let’s face it, occasionally shameless — folks in the music business. To be sure, some of those celebrated here prefer staying backstage and were reluctant to go public about their practices. But as journalists who have the pleasure of working with them in the trenches, the Billboard team knows they deserve their own turn in the spotlight.
Jamie Abzug
Senior vp/head of publicity, RCA Records
Label roster includes: Becky G, Doja Cat, Foo Fighters, Khalid, SZA
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “When Doja Cat was announced as a Grammy winner and she was in the bathroom. I jumped up with excitement and immediately my phone exploded with ‘Where is she?’ texts. I got up and ran around like a chicken with my head cut off for a few seconds that felt like hours, and then she thankfully was located by an incredible member of the production team. What a way to win.”
Elina Adut
Founder/CEO, The Exclusive Agency
Clients include: J Balvin, Edgar Barrera, Grupo Frontera, Latin Recording Academy, Peso Pluma
MY ELEVATOR PITCH “I don’t consider the company a Latin PR firm, but a PR firm that specializes in publicity for Latin clients. We have the capability to oversee publicity globally in both English and Spanish; we can handle just U.S. mainstream or just U.S. Latin, just Mexico and Latin America, or all of the above.”
Alexandra Baker
Founder/CEO/senior national publicist/consultant, High Rise
Clients include: Duran Duran, Billie Eilish, Normani, The Smashing Pumpkins, Stromae
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “Losing Toots of Toots & The Maytals to COVID in 2020 was tragic and terrifying. Just weeks before, I’d been laughing with him as we prepared for his brilliant Got To Be Tough to be released. He was so happy and had dreams of getting a Grammy — which it did, for best reggae album the following year. Losing him in such a manner, in such uncertain times, was surreal and a real test of strength.”
Bradley Bledsoe
Nick Dierl
Duncan Will
Partners, Orienteer
Clients include: 100 gecs, Rema, Rockstar Games, Rina Sawayama, Tyler, The Creator
OUR PR PHILOSOPHY “We work collaboratively with our clients to represent them in a way that reflects who they are and how they want to be seen by the public. We don’t subscribe to the notion that all press is good press and believe that every manner in which our clients are presented to the public needs to be genuine and intentional.” —Dierl
“ALEX has been such a major force in my career for the past seven years,” says BILLIE EILISH of High Rise’s BAKER. “She is so thoughtful and strategic. I’m so grateful to be able to work with her.”
Alberto Rodriguez for Variety
Luke Burland
Bobbie Gale
Co-owners, 2B Entertainment
Clients include: Green Day, Holly Humberstone, My Chemical Romance, Meghan Trainor, Shania Twain
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “Too many to mention here, but we bet no one has been sprayed by a male leopard at a photo shoot — and gone on to finish the photo shoot.” —Gale
Joe Carozza
Executive vp, media and artist relations, Republic Records
Label roster includes: Drake, Nicki Minaj, Post Malone, Jonas Brothers, The Weeknd
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “Nicki Minaj was accepting her MTV Video Vanguard Award last year, and she said, ‘I gave my phone to Joe, and he’s not up here with it.’ In that moment, I realized it was in my hand and I froze. Nicki got her phone to finish the speech, and it incited a social media riot with fans and press writing, ‘Joe, where’s her phone?’ ”
Chris Chambers
Founder/CEO, The Chamber Group
Clients include: Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, Lil Wayne, Pusha T, Usher
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “It’s a nightmare when you book a client on TV and they cancel the day before. Making that call to the booker is never comfortable; you’re jeopardizing your relationship with the show and leaving them with a big hole to fill. It’s not fun for either party. However, I always try to figure out a way to help them.”
Brittany Concannon
Vp of public relations and strategy, FYI Brand Group
Clients include: 21 Savage, Cardi B, Doja Cat, Metro Boomin, French Montana
MY ELEVATOR PITCH “A natural-born leader, I approach situations holistically with a rational, level head, knowing the needs and desired outcome for each client. Whether it’s a photo shoot, event, red carpet, TV hit or anything in between, I’m already a step ahead and confident I can tackle it.”
ELTON JOHN’s longtime publicist FRAN CURTIS has seen the legend through a year that included the conclusion of the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.
Samir Hussein/WireImage
Fran Curtis
Vice chairman of entertainment, R&CPMK
Clients include: Elton John, The Rolling Stones
MY PR PHILOSOPHY “No two artists are the same, and we tailor our work to each client and their overall goals. We approach each project through the lens of, ‘How can we make this as impactful as possible?’ Of paramount importance is that our clients trust the guidance we provide will always place their best interests ahead of everything else.”
Dennis Dennehy
Chief communications officer, AEG Presents
Clients include: Eminem (all areas)
MY PR PHILOSOPHY “Less is often more when it comes to a campaign… more or less.”
Click here to read the full profile on Dennis Dennehy.
Kary-An Díaz
Vp of communications, Sony Music Latin
Label roster includes: Rauw Alejandro, Chayanne, GALE, Romeo Santos, Shakira
MY ELEVATOR PITCH “As an accomplished publicist with a rich background in the music and entertainment industry, with a deep-rooted family tradition in music and a strong academic foundation in communications, I bring a unique blend of passion, commitment, credibility and expertise to work.”
Cara Donatto
Executive vp/head of media strategy and communications, Interscope Geffen A&M Records
Label roster includes: Blackpink, J. Cole, Dr. Dre, Karol G, Olivia Rodrigo
OUR PR PHILOSOPHY “We are thoughtful, creative and strategic. Working across multiple genres with a dynamic catalog of iconic music and innovative talent, everything we do is in service of our artists and partners who regularly shape culture in profound ways.”
Carleen Donovan
Co-founder/managing partner, The Oriel Company
Jen Appel
Chloe Walsh
Co-founders/chief executives, The Oriel Company
Clients include: Kelsea Ballerini, Phoebe Bridgers, Lenny Kravitz, Steve Lacy, Questlove
OUR ELEVATOR PITCH “For us, it’s not about redefining PR; it’s about refining it, and for that, strategy and a creative approach is key. The Oriel provides a bespoke service because we’re a boutique firm with the reach of a much larger company. We have the vision to see the bigger picture for our clients and understand how all of their passions and pursuits fit into the frame. Plus, we have the added experience — and a smart, perceptive team — to know exactly how and when to change gears in order to reach their goals.” —Donovan
“The craziest stories we can never tell, but this business puts you into situations that always sound like the start of a really crazy joke: ‘A billionaire, a pop star and a horse walk into a bar…’ ”
—Erica Gerard, Full Coverage Communications
Dana Erickson
Lisa Gottheil
Meghan Helsel
Kate Jackson
Co-founders, Grandstand Media
Clients include: David Byrne, Japanese Breakfast, The National, Tame Impala, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “While working an event in Las Vegas, one of the partners fell down a short flight of stairs because of their tendency to walk like Bambi in heels. Upon falling, a certain rapper who has changed his name multiple times decided the only way to move forward was to step over her flailing body — think a cockroach flipped over. A kindly security guard lent a hand, but the story lives on.” —Erickson
Joseph Fisher
Managing partner/senior director of public relations, Nexxt Management
Clients include: Blessd, Chesca, De la Ghetto, Don Omar, Menudo
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “I pitched the concept of the new Menudo to ABC without anybody seeing the group. When we unveiled the band on Good Morning America, everybody thought they were going to be these older guys with abs — but they were all kids.”
Jana Fleishman
Executive vp of communications and strategy, Roc Nation
Clients include: Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter
MY PR PHILOSOPHY “Honest communication is the foundation to everything. It’s not about booking an interview; the key is to communicate a vision.”
Kristen Foster
President, Full Coverage Communications
Erica Gerard
Managing partner, Full Coverage Communications
Clients include: BTS, Alicia Keys, Lorde, Tim McGraw, U2
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “The craziest stories we can never tell, but this business puts you in situations that always sound like the start of a really crazy joke: ‘A billionaire, a pop star and a horse walk into a bar…’ ” —Gerard
Columbia Records’ KIM HARRIS counts “Flowers” hit-maker MILEY CYRUS among her label’s superstar roster.
Vijat Mohindra/NBC/Getty Images
Kathryn Frazier
Founder/CEO, Biz3
Dana Meyerson
Partner, Biz3
Clients include: Robert Glasper, Lil Baby, Skrillex, Jorja Smith, The Weeknd
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “Getting a call from a photo editor that the MF Doom cover shot that day wasn’t actually him, as seen when they zoomed into his eyes behind the mask. Turns out it was his cousin, who did all his press that day.” —Frazier
Glenn Fukushima
Senior vp of publicity, 300 Elektra Entertainment
Label roster includes: Gunna, Megan Thee Stallion, Turnstile, Young Thug, Bailey Zimmerman
OUR PR PHILOSOPHY “Our press teams at 300 and Elektra are all about articulating and amplifying each artist’s individual narrative and musical vision — at every stage in their career — in a way that’s uniquely authentic to them. We’re basically helping them tell their own story.”
Alexandra Greenberg
Founder/CEO, Falcon Publicity
Clients include: deadmau5, Jean-Michel Jarre, Kx5, Poolside, Prescription Songs
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “During Calvin Harris’ 2012 Coachella Sahara tent play, we knew Rihanna was going to come out as a surprise for ‘We Found Love.’ I was in the photo pit, beach balls were flying around, and to keep them out of the shot, I was helping security throw them back into the crowd. I had my phone in my hand, and as I threw a ball out, my phone went with it. Rihanna brought Katy Perry onstage, and midsong they thought it would be fun to crowd-surf — right in the area where my phone flew. When the set ended and the crowd cleared, I climbed onto the barricade to see if anything had survived. Out of the blue, a sweet young fan raised his hand to me and said, ‘Is this yours?’ I couldn’t believe it — I thought for sure I would never see it again.”
Kim Harris
Senior vp/head of publicity, Columbia Records
Label roster includes: AC/DC, Miley Cyrus, Céline Dion, Hozier, Harry Styles
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “My first week as a publicity assistant at a major label, I was thrown into a car covering a press day around New York with a legendary guitarist, and as we passed Krispy Kreme, he leaned in and whispered, ‘I was one of the first investors in that doughnut shop,’ then schooled me on the details of the company and the importance of investing.”
Representing For: Publishers
For the trio of top publicists at the major publishing companies, supporting songwriters and executives is just the start of a complex job
“Not many truly understand the value of songwriters, let alone the intricacies of music publishing,” says KRISTAL MCKANDERS, who oversees global communications for Warner Chappell Music. That’s one important reason why her job as publicist for a major music publisher — along with those of DANA BAXTER and JAMIE DIAMOND of Sony Music Publishing (SMP) and Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), respectively — is so unusual.
The ability to deftly explain to both journalists and the public convoluted topics like the Copyright Royalty Board or which rights have been purchased in a multimillion-dollar catalog buy is an essential part of the gig. But the best part, all three communications reps agree, is getting to participate in the very foundation of the music business — which, as the saying goes, all begins with a song.
“I admire and respect the songwriting process,” says Baxter, who has been with SMP since 2019. “I consider it a privilege to focus on enhancing visibility for catalogs and songwriters whose contributions are sometimes overlooked.”
Diamond has led communications for songwriters and executives at UMPG for over six years, and she believes there’s still “magic” to working in music every day and telling the stories of some of its most important players. On top of her role at UMPG, she also acts as co-communications lead for She Is the Music, a nonprofit founded by UMPG chairman/CEO Jody Gerson that promotes women in underrepresented roles like songwriting and production.
Inclusion is also “fundamental to SMP’s communications strategy,” Baxter explains. And, as McKanders adds, it’s a “responsibility” of her job — to “help promote and protect the importance of artistic and cultural contributions” from the publisher’s wide-ranging roster of talent and executives.
—KRISTIN ROBINSON
Ambrosia Healy
Executive vp/head of media strategy and relations, Capitol Music Group
Label roster includes: Doechii, Niall Horan, Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Ice Spice
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “I was at a television taping with a band. The lead singer was notoriously difficult, mostly for sport, which made him the worst. On a whim, he said that he was feeling a bit ‘parched’ and wouldn’t be able to perform until somebody brought him freshly cut melon. This was a live TV performance, in the winter, and everybody had to scramble madly to find the asshole his melon before the show went live.”
Click here to read the full profile on Ambrosia Healy.
Meg Kehoe
Head of media, Sony Music Nashville
Label roster includes: Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Megan Moroney, Nate Smith, Morgan Wade
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “I had to walk an artist that I wasn’t planning on walking on the red carpet. Totally fine and normal, but they showed up 15 minutes before showtime in a wheelchair and had crutches. Let’s just say the wheelchair may have bumped into an artist or two and security escorted me out.”
Marilyn Laverty
Founder/CEO, Shore Fire Media
Clients include: Chance the Rapper, Samara Joy, Cyndi Lauper, Margo Price, Bruce Springsteen
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “The heavy metal show at Madison Square Garden where a tall fan urinated on the head of a short New York Post reviewer in the row in front, next to me … we lost the review, of course.”
Click here to read the full profile on Marilyn Laverty.
Jessica Linker
Founder, Pitch Perfect PR
Clients include: Big Thief, John Cale, Mitski, The War on Drugs, Wilco
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “Calling an artist from the hospital just a few hours after giving birth to my first child — who arrived two weeks early — to go over the next day’s interview and photo shoot details.”
Huxley’s ANNA MEACHAM and Epic Records’ MELISSA VICTOR head up PR teams behind hip-hop innovator TRAVIS SCOTT.
Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
Courtney Lowery
Founder/CEO, CL Media
Clients include: Lil Durk, The Isley Brothers, DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz, Verzuz
OUR PR PHILOSOPHY “ ‘Making moments in culture on impact.’ We specialize in strategically heightening an artist or brand’s profile and awareness while positioning it at the forefront of culture through authenticity. It’s not solely about getting attention. It’s about driving action with integrity.”
Fount Lynch
Senior vp of publicity, Warner Music Nashville
Label roster includes: Dan + Shay, Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Blake Shelton, Bailey Zimmerman
MY PR PHILOSOPHY “Bring your knowledge. Be the solution. Believe in the artist. Above all, choose joy! All of this is just a pinprick in time.”
Leigh Malleus
Vp of media marketing, Universal Music Group Nashville
Label roster includes: Brothers Osborne, Mickey Guyton, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Anne Wilson
MY ELEVATOR PITCH “I’ve had work experience across several parts of this industry, including a booking agency, management and indie PR. Now that I’m on the label side, having that firsthand knowledge helps to better strategize and troubleshoot on the front end as we’re building an artist’s media and marketing campaign.”
Steve Martin
Founder/owner, Nasty Little Man
Clients include: Damon Albarn, Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney, Radiohead
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “This isn’t at all humorous, but it’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think ‘nightmare’: Having to confirm someone’s death to the media, which I’ve had to do a few times over the last 10 or so years — [Beastie Boys’] Adam Yauch, David Bowie, [Foo Fighters’] Taylor Hawkins. It’s something you can’t possibly prepare for and that never gets any easier.”
Michelle Mayumi McDevitt
Gavin Rhodes
Co-founders, Audible Treats
Clients include: Central Cee, Key Glock, Chief Keef, Sexyy Red, Rolling Loud
OUR ELEVATOR PITCH “We are the kings and queens of strategizing, getting creative, dreaming big, putting in the work and giving every campaign a personalized touch.” —McDevitt
Multihyphenate pop star DUA LIPA goes from arena stages to the podcast studio to couture runways with support from Permanent Press Media’s KATHY REILLY.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Ebie McFarland
Founder/owner, Essential Broadcast Media
Clients include: Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Morgan Wallen
MY ELEVATOR PITCH “In Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, the Mad Hatter asks, ‘Am I going mad?’ To which Alice answers, ‘Yes, you’re mad, bonkers, off the top of your head … but I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.’ We celebrate our clients’ differences and know what to do with them.”
Anna Meacham
Founder/CEO, Huxley
Clients include: The 1975, Charli XCX, Frank Ocean, Max Richter, Travis Scott
OUR ELEVATOR PITCH “We’re renowned for representing some of the most compelling individuals and entities in the world, with a high standard of execution that is thoughtful, innovative and impactful.”
Jim Merlis
Ken Weinstein
Co-presidents, Big Hassle Media
Clients include: Bonnaroo, The Lumineers, Phish, Rufus Wainwright, Jack White
OUR PR PHILOSOPHY “We’ve always wanted our roster to reflect our eclectic record collections. Someone on staff summed up our attitude toward running the company as ‘free jazz’ — a basic foundation that has structure but is also loose and flexible, allowing for improvisation and creativity.” —Weinstein
Judy Miller Silverman
Owner, Motormouth Media
Clients include: Arooj Aftab, Animal Collective, Ethel Cain, Sigur Rós, Thundercat
MY PR PHILOSOPHY “Work with what you love, set no genre and sound boundaries, be weird and eclectic, and stay true to that vision. Don’t let money fool you into projects you are not passionate about. When publicists in my office ask me if they should work with something, my first question is: ‘Do you like it?’ ”
“I had a live TV show with a group, and due to a delayed flight, one of the members did not arrive on time … I had to dress up the manager as one of the members, using his clothes, so that the show could go on. Production did not notice, but some fans commented that something was different.”
—Carlos “Charly” Pérez, Warner Music Latina
Didier Morais
Founder/CEO, Vital Versatility
Clients include: E-40, Fat Joe, Yo Gotti, Megan Thee Stallion, Ne-Yo
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “In 2019, Meek Mill and Michael Rubin were visiting an incarcerated man at a Pennsylvania prison in the middle of nowhere and wanted to hold a press conference outside of the prison to publicly advocate for the individual’s release. About 45 minutes before the scheduled start time, the prison abruptly decided to bar us from holding the event on their premises. Fortunately, I found a Wawa 10 minutes away that had a picturesque background — so we successfully held an impromptu press conference with Meek and Michael in the parking lot of a random Wawa.”
Melissa Nathan
Executive vp, Hiltzik Strategies
Clients include: Drake
Mayna Nevárez
Founder/president, Nevarez Communications
Clients include: Daddy Yankee, Eslabon Armado, Natti Natasha, Gloria Trevi, Carlos Vives
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “Daddy Yankee had a concert in New York on Sept. 21, 2017, when at the same time Hurricane Maria was impacting Puerto Rico. In less than 24 hours, we organized a food drive partnered with Feeding America and turned the concert into a hurricane relief effort. The response was overwhelming.”
Jennifer J. Nieman
Founder/CEO, The Nieman Group
Clients include: Chiquis, Maluma, Ozuna, Prince Royce
OUR ELEVATOR PITCH “Beyond excelling at developing strategic campaigns and securing top media opportunities globally — as well as handling brand partnerships, endorsements and philanthropic endeavors for our clients — we are dedicated, reliable and results-driven, have solid longstanding relationships with media and extensive experience with just about any scenario one can imagine, which has made us one of the best at crisis management in the Latin music industry. Navigating the spotlight requires a PR team that remains calm, strategic, trustworthy, ethical, and efficient and we have what it takes to handle any challenge with grace and finesse, always putting our clients’ best interests first.”
Yvette Noel-Schure
Co-founder/chief communications officer, Schure Media Group; head of publicity, Parkwood Entertainment
Clients include: Beyoncé, Chloe x Halle, Dixon, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “I was knocked in the head by the butt of a massive camera of a newsman in Philadelphia who was covering a Destiny’s Child performance at an NBA game. That is when I said, ‘How the hell did I get here?’ And here I still stand.”
MAYNA NEVÁREZ has been through it all with reggaetón godfather DADDY YANKEE — including working side by side with him on Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Tree Paine
Premium PR
Clients include: Taylor Swift
Erin Patterson
Co-head of talent, AMPR Group
Clients include: Boi-1da, Coco Jones, Ella Mai, Mustard, Summer Walker
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “A client was in the middle of an interview, and the host became extremely rude with me for asking them to stay on topic, as previously agreed to. This person was so unprofessional and disrespectful in front of the entire crew that my client had to interject and we walked out.”
Carlos “Charly” Pérez
Senior vp of communications and public relations, Warner Music Latina
Label roster includes: María Becerra, Mau y Ricky, Piso 21, Elena Rose, Tiago PZK
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “I had a live TV show with a group, and due to a delayed flight, one of the members did not arrive on time. As a result, I had to dress up the manager as one of the members, using his clothes, so that the show could go on. Production did not notice, but some fans commented that something was different.”
Albert Piedrahita
Director of national publicity, Universal Music Latino
Label roster includes: Anitta, J Balvin, Álvaro Diaz, Feid, Ela Taubert
MY PR PHILOSOPHY “Authenticity breaks the mold and yells the loudest.”
The PR Pivot
PATRICK CONFREY and JOHN VLAUTIN on making the switch from repping artists to major managers, music-tech companies and labels
After stints working with acts like the Jonas Brothers and The Rolling Stones at Rogers & Cowan and Sunshine Sachs, Patrick Confrey launched his PCPR firm in 2016 with a very different roster: companies like Indify, S10 Entertainment, AG Artists and Neon Coast. John Vlautin began at A&M Records and ran Island Records’ publicity department before launching SpinLab, which repped artists prior to reopening as a corporate communications firm in 2010. (His roster: Splice, SoundExchange, DistroKid, Create Music Group, Interscope Geffen A&M and more.) “I feel more a part of the music industry than I ever felt when I was just doing artist work,” Confrey says. Adds Vlautin: “It has given me a whole new lease on my career. I’m every bit engaged as I was back when I was doing tour press for Soundgarden.”
Why did you choose to shift from repping artists to executives and companies?
Patrick Confrey The music business is like a soap opera, and it’s cool to touch so many pieces of it. In the last couple of years, there has been a huge amount of interest in people behind the scenes in a way that there wasn’t in years prior; my theory is that it came along with social media, with artists visibly tagging their co-writers and producers and managers, and then these people become personalities, too.
John Vlautin I had been an artist publicist for 20 years, and I was ready for a new challenge. Right at that time, Live Nation called and they were looking for a head of comms. In 2016, I went to work with Michael Rapino and spent four years there, which was like corporate communications graduate school. I could leverage my expertise with artists and really cut my teeth in working with major business publications at the same time.
Is a base in artist PR necessary before making this kind of pivot?
Confrey It’s helpful to have a little bit of knowledge about publishing, management, what a brand deal might look like. I don’t know that you need to rep an artist to do that, but it was helpful for me to get a holistic understanding of all the different pieces that make up an artist’s life.
Vlautin In music, everything starts and stops with the artist. If a certain message doesn’t resonate with the artist community, it’s never going to work, and it’s impossible to teach somebody that. But if you come up in it and know how hard it is to become successful as an artist, it makes you much more able to communicate a business message in a way that resonates with the entire industry.
What’s a key skill someone should possess to work in this field?
Confrey Emotional intelligence is a huge part of a client services business. There’s a lot of big egos, there’s a lot of high expectations, so how do you manage that?
Vlautin The most important skill, without a doubt, is the ability to write. The rubber meets the road when two CEOs are sitting there looking at a press release, and having the ability to clearly communicate is super important.
—LYNDSEY HAVENS
Danielle Quebrado Jimenez
Owner/CEO, No Other Agency
Clients include: Amaarae, Baby Rose, 6LACK, Jean Dawson, Carla Morrison
OUR PR PHILOSOPHY “We go beyond just PR for our clients and become an integral part of a team, building real families with everyone we work with and providing a safe haven for those on the margins.”
Jeff Raymond
Co-president of talent, R&CPMK
Clients include: H.E.R., Paris Jackson, Jonas Brothers, Lionel Richie, Britney Spears
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “If I were to tell you a publicity nightmare I defused, then I wouldn’t be a very good publicist!”
Brit Reece
Align PR
Clients include: Selena Gomez, Madonna, Zayn
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “Never! Anyone around me knows I’m a vault. The world could be exploding and I wouldn’t let on.”
Kathy Reilly
Owner, Permanent Press Media
Clients include: dhruv, Noel Gallagher, Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Alexander Stewart
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “My days with Rage Against the Machine had me in the most exciting places, right inside the protests, the strikes, raising the voices of those who needed to be heard. Back in 2000, I was at the Democratic National Convention with Rage for their protest performance when police started shooting rubber bullets at protesters. As I was running away, I was hit by one, but my adrenaline kept me going. The next day, I had the gift that kept on giving for a month: the ugliest bruise on my leg. All worth it.”
Sheila Richman
Executive vp of publicity, Atlantic Records
Label roster includes: Kelly Clarkson, Coldplay, Lauren Daigle, Death Cab for Cutie, Bruno Mars
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “When the New York Post ran a cover photo of another four-piece stadium band instead of the band I’d actually placed an exclusive news story for. When I went to pick up the paper, I was literally in shock. Needless to say, it did not go over well.”
Charismatic country breakout JELLY ROLL scored three CMT Music Awards (and Billboard ’s Country Power Players cover) with 1220 Entertainment’s JENNIFER VESSIO by his side.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Carla Sacks
Founder, Sacks & Co.
Clients include: Abraham Alexander, Isabel Dumaa, Miles Miller, Danielle Ponder, The Shindellas
MY PR PHILOSOPHY “Surround yourself with the best teams. Trust your instincts, be very selective, and the magic always happens.”
Lauren Schneider
Executive vp of artist and media relations, Island Records
Label roster includes: Sabrina Carpenter, Demi Lovato, Chappell Roan, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Remi Wolf
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “The first rule of fight club is we don’t talk about fight club. I don’t PR and tell.”
Amanda Silverman
Co-founder/co-CEO, The Lede Company
Clients include: Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Shakira, Pharrell Williams
OUR ELEVATOR PITCH “With extensive experience and expertise in the music industry — as well as media, tech, fashion, beauty and wellness, advocacy, nonprofit and more — we help best-in-class artists establish and manage their public affairs, as well as develop and support their mission.”
Sujeylee Solá
Founder/CEO, Acoustyle Communications
Clients include: Bad Bunny, Eladio Carrión, Karol G, Danna Paola, Thalia
OUR PR PHILOSOPHY “Our philosophy is centered on the transformative power of storytelling and unwavering authenticity. With this as our guiding principle, we have been able to achieve remarkable feats, breaking barriers in the industry and guiding our Spanish-singing clients to an organic crossover into mainstream media without compromising their unique identity.”
Larry Solters
Scoop Marketing
Clients include: The Eagles (for over 50 years)
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “Confidential, but one time a senior Billboard editor confused me for George Bush.”
“ ‘Publicity nightmare’ is kind of like saying ‘water is wet,’ but one would be when Suge Knight shot himself in the leg at our record release party in Miami … I literally ran for my life while almost getting trampled … Then I drafted a statement.”
—Gabe Tesoriero, Def Jam Recordings
Laura Swanson
Executive vp of media and strategic development/head of publicity, Warner Records
Label roster includes: Zach Bryan, Fifty Fifty, Dua Lipa, NLE Choppa, Red Hot Chili Peppers
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “Years ago, Mariah [Carey] was opening the [American Music Awards] live, and due to a last-minute wardrobe malfunction, she was literally being sewn into her dress as we were sprinting in heels and the producer was screaming, ‘10, 9, 8, 7…’ All of the other artists backstage were cheering us on as we all hit the stage. Mariah grabbed the mic, and I swear I must have jumped 10 feet into the wings right as she broke into a flawless rendition of ‘Don’t Forget About Us.’ ”
Benny Tarantini
President, BTPR
Clients include: Adele, Camila Cabello, fka twigs, Ellie Goulding, Kacey Musgraves
Gabe Tesoriero
Executive vp of media and brand strategy, Def Jam Recordings
Label roster includes: 2 Chainz, Jhené Aiko, Justin Bieber, Big Sean, Pusha T
THE PR NIGHTMARE I SURVIVED “ ‘Publicity nightmare’ is kind of like saying ‘water is wet,’ but one would be when Suge Knight shot himself in the leg at our record release party in Miami. I was standing right next to him when the gun went off, and I literally ran for my life while almost getting trampled coming out of the club. Then I drafted a statement. Publicity… it’s not just a job, it’s an adventure!”
Nini Veras
CEO, NV Marketing and Public Relations
Clients include: Anuel AA, De la Ghetto, El Alfa, Nicky Jam, Manuel Turizo
OUR ELEVATOR PITCH “We are not just publicists; we are our artists’ biggest fans and advocates. Our passion lies in elevating raw talent into music sensations that rock the world.”
Jennifer Vessio
President, 1220 Entertainment
Clients include: Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Jordan Davis, Jelly Roll, Jon Pardi
MY PERSONAL PR PHILOSOPHY “Relationships still matter. You can work in entertainment and come from a place of kindness while still being strategic and fiercely protective of your clients. It’s often not the easier or most popular path, but it is possible.”
Melissa Victor
Senior vp/head of publicity, Epic Records
Label roster includes: 21 Savage, Future, Giveon, Travis Scott, Meghan Trainor
CRAZIEST PR MEMORY “One day in the midst of his teenage superstardom, we decided to grab a bite with Justin Bieber and his team. As we strolled down the street, the paparazzi snapped a picture of us with his arms around my shoulders. One tabloid site declared that we were an item. Well, his fans didn’t like that. They in fact had tons of debates around it, some insisting that I didn’t even have the decency to wear makeup on our ‘outing’ while others thought they were defending my honor by declaring that I was only 12 years old — I was the ripe old age of 31 or so. The kicker: He had my green corporate card in his hand, so if they just zoomed in closer, they would have noticed it was definitely a work outing.”