Arista Records, a label under Sony Music Entertainment, has made two strategic additions to its leadership team, appointing Sharon Timure as Head of Marketing and Kelsey Hession as Publicity Lead.
Timure and Hession will both be based in New York, reporting directly to President and CEO David Massey and General Manager Veronica Sanjines, according to a press release on Thursday (January 11).
Timure, drawing from her nearly two-decade experience at Island Records, will spearhead all marketing initiatives for the label, leveraging her knowledge of the music industry and strategic marketing expertise. Her track record includes contributions to the success of artists such as Shawn Mendes, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Fall Out Boy, Demi Lovato, and emerging talent like Lauren Spencer Smith.
During her time at Island Records, Timure was recognized among Billboard‘s ’40 Under 40 Power Players’ in 2016 and was named in the magazine’s annual ‘Women In Music’ power list the following year.
Meanwhile, Hession, previously at indie rock and alternative rock label Glassnote Records, brings her understanding of the media landscape to elevate Arista’s media presence, encompassing both artist and corporate label visibility, Arista said in a statement.
Hession has four years of experience leading the publicity department at Glassnote Records, where she contributed to the success of artists like Phoenix, CHVRCHES, Jade Bird, and Silvana Estrada’s Grammy-winning debut album campaign. Before joining Glassnote, Hession gained industry experience at Live Nation and SONGS Music Publishing. She also joined the crisis management team at Hiltzik Strategies.
In their respective roles, Timure and Hession will collaborate across Arista’s roster, including multi-platinum marquee artists such as Måneskin, JP Saxe, Tai Verdes, as well as emerging talents like Lola Brooke and Paul Russell.
“Sharon brings an incredible prowess to developing artists with a progressive marketing strategy and Kelsey’s forward-thinking approach to media will be a driving force to build buzz around our roster.”
David Massey, Arista Records
Commenting on their appointments, Massey said: “We’re thrilled to kick off the new year with the addition of Sharon and Kelsey to the team. Sharon brings an incredible prowess to developing artists with a progressive marketing strategy and Kelsey’s forward-thinking approach to media will be a driving force to build buzz around our roster.”
Arista Records was founded by Clive Davis in 1974 and revitalized in 2018 as a ‘frontline creative center’ under the leadership of Massey, former President and CEO of Universal Music Group’s Island Records. The label’s legacy spans iconic acts from Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin to Patti Smith.
Today, Arista has a new era of artists in its roster including rising stars like Tai Verdes, Lola Brooke, Beach Weather, Paul Russell, carolesdaughter, Audrey Nuna, and Mike Posner, among others.
Music Business Worldwide
