Interscope revealed a suite of promotions on Tuesday, a week after the record label and parent company Universal Music Group underwent a round of layoffs and executive departures as part of UMG’s previously-announced cost-savings measure that started in 2024.
Longtime Interscope exec Michelle An has been named president and Chief Creative Officer at the label, Interscope said, adding that An would both IGA’s pop/rock division as well as have a broader role across the whole roster to help artists “shape the worlds around their music, from visual identity and storytelling to brand development and long-term career strategy.”
“IGA has always been defined by original voices and by the teams who back those voices with taste, conviction and care,” John Janick, Chairman and CEO of Interscope Capitol, said in a statement. “Michelle has one of the clearest creative instincts in the business. She helps artists make the world around their music feel bold, fully realized and unmistakably their own.”
Laura Carter and Ramon Alvarez-Smikle, meanwhile, have been named co-presidents of Urban at the label. The two are well-respected hip-hop marketing executives, and Interscope said the duo “will bring A&R, marketing innovation, digital strategy and audience development closer together for IGA Urban’s artists.”
“Laura and Ramon bring complementary strengths to IGA Urban,” Janick said. “Laura has earned deep trust through her artist relationships, creative judgment and commitment to developing talent. Ramon brings cultural instinct, deep digital expertise and a sharp understanding of how artists build audiences and communities. Together, they will connect A&R, marketing and digital strategy around each artist’s vision, helping IGA Urban artists move with more clarity, momentum, and impact.”
Interscope’s pop/rock and urban divisions were impacted by last week’s restructuring as Sam Riback, Interscope’s co-president and head of pop/rock A&R, as well as Nicole Wyskoarko, the label’s head of urban A&R, both departed.