NOISEMAKERS:
A HOLIDAY TREAT

In our last Noisemakers roundup of 2023, we present eight more rising professionals from different parts of the biz whose dedication and effort make their superiors look good.

This week's entrants will also find their faces in our last mag of the year, which could make for a great (or dismal) conversation starter at their holiday dinners.

Joyce Slaiby Wehbe
Head of Finance, SALXCO

Wehbe has led SALXCO’s financials since 2018 and is proud to have seen the company grow from nine clients to more than 45, including The Weeknd, Swedish House Mafia, Metro Boomin, French Montana, Brandy and Shenseea. She credits hard work, perseverance and her love for the biz, not to mention years of experience in banking and investments, for her ability to craft successful growth strategies. Wehbe’s an avid hiker. The skills she’s acquired in that pursuit could help her make a quick escape should she ever encounter us in the wild.

Joey Russ
Artist Manager, Neon Coast

Russ grew up in Golden Valley, not far from Minneapolis’ Target Center, so he was tickled to see client Restless Road open there for Kane Brown last year in front of a sold-out crowd. Following the October release of the trio’s debut album, Last Rodeo, he’s gearing up for their headlining tour, which will start in January. He’s also busy with Dylan Schneider, who himself just finished up some dates with Brown, ahead of his 2024 U.S. tour with Nate Smith. Russ can finish a Rubik’s Cube in under two minutes. We’ve been trying to solve ours since 1986.

Shari Fitch
A&R Manager, Prescription Songs & Amigo Records

During her time at CAA, Fitch—an emo kid at heart—got to help book the last year (2019) of the Vans Warped Tour, including alt-rock stalwarts blink-182, Bad Religion, Simple Plan and Sum 41. More recently, she aided in the development of SNOW WIFE, whose second single, “AMERICAN HORROR SHOW,” co-written and co-produced by Slush Puppy (whom Fitch signed) has amassed nearly 30m streams. Fitch is obsessed with Survivor and insists she’d sell a kidney to be on the show. She should definitely mention during her audition that she survived an appearance here.

Noah Dukes
Senior Marketing Coordinator/Product Management, 740 Project/Blac Noize!

Dukes is still pinching himself about meeting Migos at the studio in 2021 during a Culture 3 listening session and exchanging ideas on music and marketing. Lately, it’s been all hands on deck with campaigns for Lil Wayne’s Tha Fix Before tha VI and projects by Hitkidd, Jdot Breezy and rising Texas R&B artist Nevi, whom Dukes has been developing and worked closely with on his 11-track genesis (Deluxe Edition). Dukes got his start in music as an artist but ultimately chose to plot his professional path on the business side. We keep meaning to do the same.

Barbara Rivas
Label Manager, Mr. 305 Records

Rivas oversees projects by, among others, Puerto Rico’s Omar Courtz, Cuba’s Lenier, Colombia’s Matt Paris and Miami’s Vikina and recently executed release strategies for “DISCOTECA,” by IAmChino & Pitbull, which has garnered millions of streams. She began her career in broadcasting, programming radio shows and TV interviews with artists like J Balvin, Myke Towers, Anitta and Rauw Alejandro for the Spanish Broadcasting System. Rivas founded The Blissful Project to bring physical, mental and spiritual health awareness to the biz. We could use all of the above.

Thomas Gutches
Artist Manager, Thomas Gutches Artist Management

Gutches is grateful to have worked with Caleb Shomo for more than a decade, from the artist’s tenure with Attack Attack! to his role as the mastermind behind Beartooth, which topped the Hard Rock Albums chart with October’s The Surface and earned its first #1 on the Active Rock and Mainstream Airplay chart with “Might Love Myself.” Gutches recently inked the band Archetypes Collide, which just dropped its (eponymous) debut album. He’s a die-hard Buckeyes fan. As we bleed maize and blue, it’s no wonder Gutches views us with disdain. That’s the reason, right?

Rachael Spangler
Head of Music, Artist & Industry Relations, SiriusXM & Pandora

Spangler once sang Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Been Gone” in the car with Coldplay’s Chris Martin back when she was a San Francisco regional promo rep for Capitol working the band’s X&Y album. Fast forward to today and she’s focused on the new SiriusXM app; her team secured DJ stints for the launch by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Cardi B and Ozuna. As a child, Spangler was a competitive gymnast. “I recently hurt my back showing off for my nine-year-old at a trampoline park,” she confesses. “Def not 12 anymore.”

Dae Bogan
Head of Third Party Partnerships, Mechanical Licensing Collective

Bogan, who’s spent 15+ years advocating for independent creators, has traveled the world (Colombia, Australia, Thailand…) to promote the MLC—a nonprofit established under the Music Modernization Act of 2018 to issue blanket mechanical licenses to streaming services—and help artists collect unclaimed royalties. He also built and manages the Distributor Unmatched Recordings Portal to further that aim. Bogan once visited 10 countries on five continents in 12 weeks without getting jet-lagged. We get dizzy going from the kitchen to the living room (and back).