Rachel Chinouriri is aiming for the stratosphere with her new album I Think I Spoke Too Soon – and Music Week meets the UK's most in-demand new star in our September edition to hear all about it.
With endorsements from Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and Gracie Abrams still ringing in her ears, we sit down with the singer alongside her longtime manager Duncan Ellis at Atlas Artists and Warner/Parlophone execs Aaron Bay-Schuck, Joe Kentish and Jen Ivory.
As the retooled major reveals its plan to power her bid for the top, Chinouriri delivers her mission statement and tells us why she doesn't "have to adapt" her music to fit in anywhere.
Also this month, we remember a visionary executive with a special tribute to Bella Figura co-founder and CEO Alexi Cory-Smith, who passed away suddenly in July aged 58.
We look back on Cory-Smith's remarkable and varied career in her own words, as well as those of BMG's Alistair Norbury, Sound Advice LLP's Sonia Diwan and YouTube's Dan Chalmers.
In another exclusive, we catch up with reigning Music Week Women In Music Awards Businesswoman Of The Year Amy Wheatley. The Columbia MD tackles the big questions – from leadership to breaking talent and the major label’s next phase – in our latest Music Week Interview.
Elsewhere, we celebrate four decades of Cooking Vinyl with co-founder & chairman Martin Goldschmidt and MD Rob Collins. In our interview, they chat acquisitions, the highs and lows of running a label, and keeping the indie spirit alive, as the iconic indie marks 40 years in business. We also hear from a range of Cooking Vinyl friends and family, including The Prodigy, Billy Bragg, AIM's Gee Davy and more.
Next up, SoundOn's newly promoted head of A&R and label services James Cattermole reflects on the quickfire growth of TikTok’s promo and distribution platform and the colossal hits it has spawned.
Plus, after winning big at this year's Music Week Awards, Concord Music Publishing's Kim Frankiewicz and Tom Coulson-Smith join us to discuss A&R, new acts and the art of deal-making.
In The Big Story, Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn sets the stage for the next chapter of Reading & Leeds, revealing how a new team and a revamped stage layout are primed to drive the festival's new era. Also in news, executives from US firm Redeye and parent company Exceleration Music discuss UK market opportunity across physical and digital formats.
Elsewhere, Baby Rose takes a break from her US arena run with Olivia Dean to chat about her new album in On The Radar, while Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke speaks about signing to Korda Marshall’s new label, Contagious Ltd, for the band’s seventh studio effort in Incoming.
In Hitmakers, Tyler Spry, co-writer and co-producer of BTS’ Swim, shares the songwriting secrets of the K-pop titans’ hit comeback, and Music Managers Forum CEO Annabella Coldrick reflects on the highlights of her music industry tenure so far in The Aftershow.
Completing this issue's line-up, Warner Chappell legend Shani Gonzales shares her top five career tips in Mentor Me (brought to you in partnership with Carla Marie Williams and Girls I Rate), and Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd takes Centre Stage to ponder what new PM Andy Burnham can bring to the grassroots sector.
Lastly, in our expanded monthly charts section, we present the Top 75 Singles and Albums of the previous month, accompanied by revamped analysis pages, plus a host of new listings. These include specialist genre Top 20s for Americana, Classical, Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Country, Dance, Folk and Rock & Metal. The issue is also home to streaming, compilations and vinyl charts.
The new issue of Music Week is available from August 18.
For subscription information please visit musicweek.com/subscribe.
