NOISEMAKERS: A SUPERLATIVE SET
In our latest roundup, we present eight more stars of tomorrow from various parts of the biz whose dedication and effort make their superiors look good.
That said, a shout-out from this pathetic trade rag and 15 bucks will only get them one flimsy flower crown at Coachella.
Rebecca Sahim
VP of Publishing, Film & TV, SALXCO
Having begun her career with Quincy Jones—“Our daily chats were peppered with stories of his illustrious life”—Sahim felt she’d come full circle the first time she heard “A Tale by Quincy,” from SALXCO client The Weeknd’s Dawn FM. Today, she’s advancing new albums by Bebe Rexha, M.I.A., Mohamed Ramadan and Audrey Nuna, as well as soundtrack contributions from French Montana and Hope Tala. Before starting her Music Business degree at USC, Sahim considered going to art school. She still paints. We mostly paint ourselves into a corner.
Khris Riddick-Tynes
VP, A&R/Co-Head of Urban, Arista
Riddick-Tynes will never tire of hearing a stadium full of people singing along to a song he helped create (Ariana Grande’s “Honeymoon Ave” was the first). Currently building Arista’s Urban department—home to Audrey Nuna, Idman and Princess Nokia—alongside New York-based Kendall “Young Sav” Freeman, the L.A. exec is also one half of the Grammy-winning production/songwriting duo The Rascals. Riddick-Tynes will graduate from Loyola Law School this spring, which is good news as you never know when you might need a lawyer. Actually, we do know.
Blaike Ford
SVP, Streaming & Artist Development, Range Music/Range Media Partners
Ford has been thanked by Dan + Shay from the stage in front of 15k people, dined with The Lumineers at the sushi bar where they were once busboys, heckled Keith Urban at the behest of Nicole Kidman and baked cookies with Ed Sheeran. At Range, she teams up with DSPs to further the careers of established creators like Mariah Carey, Jack Harlow, Cordae, Midland and Justin Tranter and such promising newbies as TALK, Hailey Whitters and ELLIANA. Ford was recently told, “You’re the happiest, most joyful person in the music industry.” At least until we got to her.
Nathan Ledesma
VP, Marketing, Motown Records
Lil Yachty has said he leans nautical in part because of the Nautica brand, so Ledesma was thrilled to connect him with the apparel maker, with whom LY has collaborated on capsule collections and related campaigns. Ledesma has likewise worked his magic on behalf of Migos, who graced the cover of Ad Age thanks to their partnership with Finish Line. He’s lately all about Memphis rapper Duke “Crunk Ain’t Dead” Deuce. Ledesma says he can whistle like a bird (“for real, though”). His inclusion here will surely make him wish he could fly (away) like a bird, too.
Shelby Yoder
Head of Nashville, Milk & Honey
In 2020 Yoder cheered Milk & Honey writer David Hodges’ collaboration with Ed Sheeran on “Afterglow,” in 2021 she was one of The Nashville Briefing’s 30 Under 30 and in 2022 she’s organized a writing camp at M&H’s Nashville studios to support local songwriters. Yoder has a B.A. in psychology—she once oversaw pediatric therapy as a mental-health specialist at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital. She’s also certified to teach yoga. Our involvement in the helping professions extends to helping ourselves to all the Thin Mints and Tagalongs in the kitchenette.
Michael Collin
GM, Photo Finish Records
During Elton John’s 60th birthday celebrations, Collin flew on the superstar’s private plane amid “a whirlwind of amazing shows.” He’s presently developing Mckenna Grace, whose debut single, “Haunted House,” was heard during the end credits of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Collin’s also stoked about The Maine’s “Loved You a Little,” featuring Charlotte Sands and Taking Back Sunday. The band will appear at Vegas’ When We Were Young emo fest in October. Collin has designed websites for some of Photo Finish’s artists. We wonder if he’d take a look at ours…
Avi Dahan
Counsel, Boyarski Fritz LLP
Dahan has helped secure career-changing deals for clients like TikTok star JVKE (“Upside Down,” “Dandelion,” “T.I.W.F.I.L.F.L.”) and Nez, whose “Let's Get It” f/ScHoolboy Q was adopted by Grand Theft Auto. He’s also proud to rep LMFAO’s Redfoo (with Jason Boyarski), multiplatinum producer/songwriter Johnny Goldstein and dance act DVBBS. Dahan, whose been DJing for nearly 20 years and once worked at Columbia Records, is launching a label with his friends. As he was in the top 10 percent of his USC law school class, he probably knows better than to let us cover it.
Samantha-Corrie Schulman
Manager, Best Friends Music
Witnessing Best Friends clients Billie Eilish and FINNEAS sweep the 2020 Grammys was a mind-blower for Schulman, who also saw Ashe (“Moral of the Story,” a FINNEAS co-write/co-production) perform with Niall Horan at the Royal Albert Hall that year. At the moment she’s overseeing material from FINNEAS, Bishop Briggs, Mimi Webb, Blake Rose and Maris. Next up: Eilish, FINNEAS, Briggs and BF’s Role Model at Coachella. A woman who loves a bowl of soup, Schulman can cry on cue. We suspect the only cue she’ll need henceforth is the memory of seeing herself here.
