Ari Gelaw promoted to SVP, Creative A&R at Sony Music Publishing
Sony Music Publishing has promoted Ari Gelaw to Senior Vice President, Creative A&R, expanding her role to lead the publisher's US R&B/Hip-Hop team across its New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles offices. The move, announced on 27 July, recognises her contribution to SMP's creative growth and roster expansion since joining in 2022, and comes amid a run of leadership changes and industry accolades for the company.
Gelaw, who will remain based in Los Angeles and report to SMP President Katie Welle, has signed artists including BigXthaPlug, Monaleo, Victoria Monét, FLO and Samara Cyn, and worked with writers such as Mustard, Yeat and Leon Thomas. Her promotion follows SMP being named Publisher of the Year at both the 2026 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards and the 2025 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, and mirrors an earlier promotion this year of Shane Knotts to SVP, Global Royalties. Before joining Sony, Gelaw was Director of A&R at Universal Music Publishing Group, where she worked with Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby and Coi Leray, having started her career in Atlantic Records' Urban A&R department.
In short
- Ari Gelaw promoted to SVP, Creative A&R at Sony Music Publishing
- Will lead SMP's US R&B/Hip-Hop team across three offices
- Follows SMP's Publisher of the Year wins at ASCAP and BMI awards
Explained simply
Sony Music Publishing manages rights to songs around the world, collecting royalties when music is used, licensed or sold. A&R roles involve discovering and developing artists, shaping their work and careers. These positions are particularly important in genres like R&B and hip-hop, where identifying emerging talent early can lead to major commercial and critical success.
Ari Gelaw brings over a decade of experience in music A&R roles. She previously worked at Atlantic Records and Universal Music Publishing before joining Sony Music Publishing in 2022. Since then, she has focused on discovering and nurturing emerging contemporary R&B and hip-hop talent, building relationships with new artists and established producers.
Sony Music Publishing has recently received significant industry recognition for its R&B and hip-hop work, receiving publisher of the year awards from major industry organisations. This reflects the success of its artist roster in these genres. Experienced A&R leadership is essential to identifying trends and developing talent in a fast-moving market, making these positions crucial to the company's business strategy.
Americas Business Companies Entertainment Government Music Politics World