NOISEMAKERS:
FLYING HIGH
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.
This week's entrants will also find their faces in our latest mag. And if they don't care about that (because why should they?), we're told the pages make for semi-decent rolling trays.
Alejandro Vicuña
General Manager, NEON16
Vicuña is focused on landing branding partnerships for NEON16 talent like Tainy’s deal with jeweler Pandora—which placed custom beats by the hitmaker in a spot featuring Sebastian Yatra. He likewise arranged Renata Cerda’s collab with Adidas to unveil Mexico’s World Cup jersey and is working with Bacardi on its upcoming multicultural campaign. A former percussionist, Vicuña also produced UB40’s Movistar Arena performance in Bogota and Luis Miguel’s Estadio Nacíonal de Costa Rica gig for 50,000 fans. We’ve been producing the same magazine for 36 years.
Christina Li
Senior Manager, Nonstop Management
A&R Manager, Sandlot Records
For Li—who’s been with Nonstop since 2018—nothing tops attending her first BMI Pop Awards this year and seeing clients Nick Long, Jake Torrey, Tia Scola, Victoria Zaro and Michael Pollack (named Songwriter of the Year) take home awards. On the new-music front, she’s thrilled about Charlie Puth’s latest single, “I Don’t Think That I Like Her,” co-written by Torrey and J Kash. A middle child, Li and her older and younger siblings all moved to L.A. from New Jersey to pursue their careers. Bet she didn’t see us coming though.
Ethan Geltzer
SVP, Digital Marketing, Arista
Among other accomplishments, Geltzer has led digital campaigns for JP Saxe, Måneskin and Tai Verdes; collaborated with Roblox to build an immersive concert for Verdes and helped his “A-O-K” go platinum; and worked with Will Ferrell on Eurovision and the Eagles on a TikTok campaign. At the moment, he’s all in on Verdes’ sophomore album, HDTV, and new music from Måneskin and Mike Posner. Geltzer was a clown in the Macy’s Day Parade six years running. We’ve been clowns since birth.
Iona Casta
Senior Digital Strategy Account Manager, Paid Media Lead, Flighthouse Media
Having dreamt about moving to L.A. to work in the biz, Casta, a native of Southern France, is grateful to have contributed to projects by artists like Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice, Tory Lanez, SLANDER and NERIAH. Her next projects include managing Instagram campaigns with Create Music Group’s marketing & brand division for Elton John & Brittney Spears’ “Hold Me Closer” and assorted Interscope acts. A Jonas Brothers fan, Casta learned English listening to their songs and was even a server at Joe Jonas’ wedding. We weren’t allowed within 100 yards.
Dani Pinkus
Director of Content, °1824/UMG
During a video shoot for James Bay’s “Save Your Love,” Pinkus and Bay did a mini-duet between takes to his song “Move Together.” Lately, she’s been busy filming content for Scarlet Opera, including its first single, “Place to Be,” and a Troubadour performance earlier this month, as well as covering Em Beihold’s EP-release show in L.A. She’s also got her hands full with upcoming Imagine Dragons, Leonard Cohen and Dolly Parton projects. Pinkus once opened for Warren G at the Canyon Club. We were obviously not invited.
Jake Bernstein
Agent, Electronic Music, UTA
Bernstein fondly recalls booking Subtronics’ sold-out 2021 outing at Red Rocks, the venue’s first full-capacity show following the pandemic shutdowns, and helicoptering over the Vegas strip with Subtronics to his 2022 Electric Daisy Carnival set. Bernstein is now booking tours for Peekaboo, Kayzo and Subtronics, as well as Jessica Audiffred’s Mexico City Mad House Festival. In his early years as an agent, Bernstein toured the U.S. in buses and vans with bands like The Pizza Underground, which happens to be our favorite subversive organization.
Cesar Toirac
Associate Director of Marketing Services, Warner Music Latina
Toirac oversees organic content strategy, paid media, content creation and Web3/social-media partnerships. This year alone he’s worked on campaigns for Anitta’s “Envolver,” which generated 2.3m clips on TikTok on its way to a global Spotify #1—making the Brasileira the first female Latin solo artist to achieve the feat—and Sofia Reyes’ “1, 2, 3,” which has inspired the most TikTok creations in 2022 for a track by a female Latin artist: 12m+. Cesar spends his weekends thrifting. We spend ours napping.
Belinda Cruz
CEO & Founder, BC Management
The leader of a seasoned Latin booking agency, Cruz managed emerging Colombian rapper Ryan Castro’s first U.S. tour, which lined up perfectly with his breakthrough performance alongside J Balvin at the 2022 MTV VMAs. She’s also repped acts like Columbian Ovy on the Drums, Puerto Rican American Justin Quiles and Panamanian Dimelo Flow. In 2016 she booked Jowell & Randy at Monte Carlo’s royal Rose Ball. Cruz used to be a Victoria’s Secret model. We sometimes do Zooms in our underwear.
