In our latest roundup of Noisemakers, we present a fresh batch of rising professionals from different parts of the biz whose dedication and effort make their superiors look good.
While the industry folk showcased here haven’t appeared often in our publication—after this mortifying experience, they probably hope they never will again.
Nikisha BaileyVP A&R Admin + Operations,
APGHaving moved from St. Louis to New York a decade ago with the dream of pursuing a career in music, Bailey has checked that box and more, ascending in the biz from intern to VP, as she now provides the hitmaking A&R team at APG with leadership. Nikisha makes deals for a living, providing innovative and flexible deal structures for a roster of artists, songwriters and producers, along with working with creatives to provide talent with generational wealth and financial literacy—she gets people paid.
Antonio VázquezU.S. Latin Editorial Lead,
SpotifyThe ¡Viva Latino! billboard on Times Square in 2017 wasn’t special just because Vázquez played a role in the playlist’s relaunch but because it symbolized a new beginning for the Latin market as it crossed over to the mainstream behind exponential growth. While further cementing the Latin-streaming boom, Antonio is working on the campaign for one of the biggest playlists in the world,
Baila Reggaeton, Spotify’s Latin flagship, with 10m+ followers. When he’s not identifying and breaking the next wave of Latin hitmakers, the Mexico City native is plowing through a ton of audiobooks.
Chris TurnerSenior Director, A&R,
CapitolA new addition to the Tower team, Turner is a legitimate tastemaker. In his time spent at
HITCO, he signed and developed breakout acts
Yella Beezy and
Rubi Rose, while soaking in old-school knowledge from
L.A. Reid—they vibed out to classics for hours on his birthday. The at-home chef, who’s already cooking up a storm at Capitol since kicking off his new gig in early July, is currently working with new signings. In lieu of a 2020
Capitol Congress, let’s pretend this blurb is a buzzy summer run-in. Cheers, Chris.
Bianca MinnitiCo-manager of
JKash, GM of
Nonstop ManagementDuring her six years as part of JKash’s team, Minniti was fortunate enough to build sessions for
Maroon 5’s
Red Pill Blues and to witness singles go from ideas to global smashes. Now, she finds herself working on upcoming projects for
Katy Perry, more Maroon 5 and
Charlie Puth, as well as developing artists and writers, including some up-and-comers. While Bianca spends a lot of her time glued to her phone, she’s all about unplugging and backpacking in the wilderness.
Edward “
Gunnz”
GanttArtist Manager/Partner,
Stealth WorldwideGunnz has been in the driver’s seat of the blossoming careers for the
YBN crew, helping their vision come to fruition over the last few years. From
YBN Nahmir emerging as a platinum-selling artist to
YBN Cordae solidifying himself as an elite MC and receiving a
Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album last year, the former 10-time top
AT&T sales agent knows how to fill up the W column. Gunnz and team YBN are currently wrapping up debut albums from Nahmir and
Almighty Jay.
Gabrielle SymonOn-air host of
Tony Fly and Symon Show,
SiriusXM Hits 1 Symon’s unique path from singer to SiriusXM interviewer has led to career moments like introducing
Harry Styles at the
Roxy for his first-ever solo performance, singing with
Lizzo backstage at the
AMAs and even snagging
Billie Eilish’s secret family recipe for cinnamon rolls. Now, she’s a frequent guest on
Access Hollywood and
E!, showcasing rising talent on
Hits 1 to Watch and interviewing
Justin Bieber and
Ava Max from her West Hollywood closet, where the acoustics are optimal—Gabrielle would know; she’s had two Top 40 singles.
Tom Lee VP A&R,
Arcade Songs/
Spirit Music GroupLee oversees a publishing roster at Arcade Songs and Spirit Music Group consisting of
Grammy-
nominated writer/producers
Gregg Wattenberg and
Drew Pearson, as well as newcomers
Pom Pom and
Jesse Fink—whom he signed directly. Before his current gig, he inked passion project
The Gaslight Anthem as an A&R at
Island, where he also secured several Top 10s with alt-rockers
Neon Trees. Outside of music, Tom spends time training in combat sports like boxing and
muay Thai, not to be mistaken with what we specialize in—mai tais.
Mikelle SchwartzVP Marketing,
Warner RecordsGetting to work with childhood favorites like
Alanis Morrissette,
Slash and
Chrissie Hynde is something Schwartz doesn’t take for granted. Although she’s getting extra time at home building
Lego houses with her two-year-old daughter and perfecting her margaritas, Mikelle remains knee-deep in new releases. During quarantine, she’s worked on
JoJo’s #1 R&B debut album and hit songwriter
Amy Allen’s return as a solo artist, along with gearing up for new music from
Bebe Rexha, whose smash “Meant to Be” is about to hit diamond status.
