Artist companies firm AWAL has shuffled its UK management, selling Matt Riley to President and elevating Victoria Wants and Sam Potts to co-Managing Administrators.
Riley, who joined AWAL in 2014, beforehand led artist growth within the UK by way of varied A&R roles. He has labored with artists like Tom Misch and Rex Orange County.
Since 2023, Riley has led the UK AWAL Recordings unit alongside Wants and Potts, constructing a roster that features Jungle, Little Simz, Wasia Venture, CMAT, kwn, Wretch 32, James Marriott, Luvcat, Chloe Slater, and Tom Cooper.
Commenting on his promotion, Riley stated: “It’s immensely rewarding to have been a part of AWAL’s story for the previous decade and most of all an enormous privilege to work with such a particular bunch of individuals and artists.”
“Thanks to Lonny [Olinick] and Paul [Hitchman] for his or her management and expertise and naturally Sam and Vic, with whom I really feel we’ve got created a formidable crew. We go into each single day working laborious to make AWAL essentially the most culturally thrilling, profitable and ahead pondering dwelling for artists and executives it may be.”
In the meantime, Wants introduced over 20 years of expertise from main labels together with EMI, Warner, and Sony when she joined AWAL in 2020. Her groups at AWAL have managed international campaigns for Djo, Little Simz, Jungle and Laufey, whereas overseeing home methods for CMAT and James Marriott. She has additionally developed rising acts together with Wasia Venture, Chloe Slater and Luvcat.
Wants stated: “AWAL has at all times stood for doing issues otherwise – whether or not that’s empowering artists, being deeply dedicated to artist growth, or standing on the forefront of business change. It’s extremely energizing to guide a label stuffed with crew members which can be as bold and dedicated because the distinctive artists that we construct international careers with. Thanks as at all times, to Lonny and Paul for his or her backing.”
Potts arrived at AWAL in 2019 after greater than a decade at Columbia Data and time at Warner Bros. Initially targeted on promotions and streaming technique, his function has expanded to incorporate creator relationships and digital partnerships.
Potts stated: “Being a part of AWAL’s development and creating uncompromising unbiased artists on the worldwide stage has been exhilarating. There may be an entrepreneurial spirit that runs by way of every part we do and it places us in the very best place to navigate the dynamic music ecosystem we function in. We’re simply getting began.”
The promotions arrive as AWAL’s breakout musician James Marriott reached No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart along with his second studio LP Don’t Inform the Canine, his first with AWAL.
AWAL has additionally seen success with rapper Little Simz, whose album Lotus reached No. 3, marking her greatest week one album gross sales. Simz has labored with AWAL since 2015.
“These promotions for Matt, Vic and Sam are very properly deserved after a sustained interval of success for AWAL within the UK. Their collective management has been transformative for AWAL’s UK enterprise over the previous couple of years.”
Paul Hitchman, AWAL
Elsewhere, Irish singer-songwriter CMAT just lately carried out a set on Glastonbury’s Pyramid predominant stage to an estimated 80,000 audiences. Her upcoming album Euro-Nation is scheduled for launch on August 29, led by the one Take a Horny Image of Me, which has collected over 18 million streams thus far.
Grammy-winning Icelandic-Chinese language artist Laufey positioned three tracks within the UK Prime 40 singles chart throughout Christmas 2024, together with Winter Wonderland, Christmas Magic, and Santa Child.
Paul Hitchman, Chief Working Officer at AWAL, stated: “These promotions for Matt, Vic and Sam are very properly deserved after a sustained interval of success for AWAL within the UK. Their collective management has been transformative for AWAL’s UK enterprise over the previous couple of years, and we’re seeing the fruits of that work now with new artists breaking by way of to international success, and established artists attaining profession highs.”
“AWAL’s UK crew has by no means been in higher form and the UK management crew have all the abilities and expertise to drive continued development and success for AWAL and its artists into the longer term.”
AWAL CEO Lonny Olinick added: “It’s a privilege to acknowledge the superb work of our UK management crew. Matt, Sam and Vic work selflessly as a management crew, at all times placing apart any ego to do what’s greatest for one another, our artists and our AWAL crew. They’re music lovers who care deeply about our artists and the artwork that they create.”
“They’re the distinctive crew that’s continually pushing the envelope, ensuring that our artists notice each ounce of their potential. Their outcomes communicate for themselves and we’re lucky to have such a powerful crew in a market so central to AWAL’s previous, current and future.”
“It’s a privilege to acknowledge the superb work of our UK management crew. Matt, Sam and Vic work selflessly as a management crew, at all times placing apart any ego to do what’s greatest for one another, our artists and our AWAL crew.”
Lonny Olinick, AWAL
AWAL, which beforehand operated as a part of Kobalt Music Group, however was acquired by Sony Music Leisure in a $430 million deal in Might 2021, says it gives an alternative choice to conventional report labels, offering advertising, A&R, promotion, and knowledge companies. The corporate says its enterprise mannequin permits artists to retain possession and management of their music.
The promotions observe the appointment of Amazon alumnus Aniket Parpillewar as AWAL’s Head for India and South Asia in March, about towo years after the corporate expanded into India and South Asia.
Music Enterprise Worldwide
