Universal Music Group (UMG) Promotes Ethiopia Habtemariam to Senior Vice President of Motown Records

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In what stands as the first in a number of new appointments at Motown Records, Universal Music Group (UMG), the world's leading music company, has promoted Ethiopia Habtemariam to Senior Vice President of the storied label. Moreover, Motown will now make use of Island Def Jam's award-winning suite of sales, marketing and distribution services. Both announcements were made today by Barry Weiss, Chairman & CEO of Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown. Ms. Habtemariam will be based in New York City and Los Angeles, and report directly to Mr. Weiss.

In this new role, Ms. Habtemariam will be a key creative executive for Motown Records.

In addition, Ms. Habtemariam has also been promoted to Executive Vice President/Head of Urban Music for Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). She previously served as Senior Vice President/Head of Urban Music for the company.

"Ethiopia represents the new breed of today's best creative music executives," stated Mr. Weiss. "In the studio at night and in the office during the day, she is artist and song focused. There is no one more relevant and credible in the creative community to help us build upon Motown's fantastic legacy and move the company into its next groundbreaking era."

"It is an extraordinary opportunity to call Motown home," commented Ms. Habtemariam, "and I am grateful to Barry for giving me the honor and challenge to put a new creative stamp on a label that has such a rich history. I am truly excited to work at the label that cultivated the musicians who have inspired me over the years. Motown artists created the soundtrack to my life, and I can't wait to develop acts that not only have cross-genre and cross-generational appeal, but can reach worldwide notoriety."

Motown's roster of artists will include such chart-toppers as Stevie Wonder, Babyface and Chrisette Michele, as well as the newly signed Luke James (in conjunction with Mercury Records), among many others.

Since joining UMPG in 2003, Ms. Habtemariam has signed some of the world's biggest songwriter/artists, including multi-platinum recording artists Justin Bieber, Chris Brown and Ciara, as well as critically-acclaimed R&B songstress Keri Hilson, BMI Songwriter of the Year/Producer of the Year Polow Da Don, Esther Dean, Ari Levine (Smeezingtons), J Cole, Brian Kennedy Seals and Hit Boy. Additionally, as head of urban music, she oversees one of the hottest urban music rosters in the industry which includes Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Mariah Carey, Swizz Beatz, Cash Money (Nicki Minaj, Mack Maine, DJ Khaled), Ne-Yo, Lupe Fiasco, R. Kelly, Jill Scott, Jeremih, Erykah Badu, Needlz, Chase N Cashe, Stacy Barthe, BOB, Keyshia Cole, T-Pain, Asher Roth, Jazmine Sullivan, Raphael Saadiq, Kevin McCall, Candice Nelson, Ezekiel Lewis, Balewa Muhammad, Jasper Cameron, Happy Perez, E Miles and Rock City, among others.

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world's leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation.

Universal Music Group's record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Interscope Records, Island Records, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Polydor Records, Show Dog–Universal Music, Motown Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Republic and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalog is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; and Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.

SOURCE Universal Music Group