Two years after he was named co-head of Columbia Records’ Urban Music division, Shawn Holiday will be joining Irving and Jeffrey Azoff to launch a new record label and publishing venture, a rep for Columbia confirmed to Variety. The rep noted that Holiday will continue to work in an A&R capacity with Polo G, Chloe x Halle and other acts but declined requests for further details on Holiday’s ongoing role with the company.
“Shawn has been an integral part of helping Full Stop Management build an incredible Urban department and sign some of today’s biggest stars. He will join The Azoff Company in all areas, including spearheading the launch of a new record label and publishing company,” Irving Azoff said in a statement to Hits, which first reported the news and noted that Columbia’s parent company, Sony Music, is likely to be involved in the new company. A rep for Azoff did not immediately have further comment.
Holiday was named Columbia’s co-head of urban music, sharing the role with Phylicia Fant, in December 2018; he also held a dual role at Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Columbia’s urban division has seen success with Lil Nas X, Polo G, Chloe x Halle, 24k Goldn and others, and earlier in his stint at Columbia, Holiday played a key role in the label’s music partnership with the hit Fox TV series “Empire,” as well as Solange’s critically acclaimed album “A Seat at the Table.” He also T.I to Columbia in 2014, shepherding his collaboration with Pharrell Williams.
Prior to joining Columbia, Holiday was Senior Vice President/Head of Urban A&R at Interscope Records — where he worked with Keyshia Cole, 50 Cent and Diddy — and an SVP of A&R at RCA Records.
