WOMEN BE WINNING!
Words by Petra Filipovicova
It's Women in Music Roll of Honour time again and we're so excited to share with you some of the UK music industry’s most inspiring 'game-changers'. Last Friday, Music Week hosted their annual Women in Music Awards at the Park Plaza, London, where fourteen new inductees were honoured into Women In Music Roll Of Honour 2022 - in association with TikTok. We take a closer look at some of these incredible women…
Charisse Beaumont
CHIEF EXECUTIVE - BLACK LIVES IN MUSIC
Charisse Beaumont, a co-founder of Black Lives In Music, started the business with the aim to unify organisations and musicians to create a more diverse and inclusive music industry. With the focus on discrimination, mental health, education to talent pathway, economics and well-being she is seeking for a change, providing opportunities for musicians at grassroots level and supporting Black artists. She has worked closely with award-winning and Grammy-nominated music artists across the UK and US from the beginning of their career. With her strong knowledge in brand creation and marketing she is continuing to empower artists, managers, labels and students to develop and manage their career in entertainment.
Stephanie Achigbu
MARKETING MANAGER, AWAL
A successful marketing director, Stephanie Achigbu is a young Black woman who became a global marketing lead for Little Simz's first Top 5 album 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert', which peaked at No.4. To this date, she sold over 2.8 million records and developed and managed Spotify's biggest third-party Hip-Hop playlist. She is without a doubt one of the most driven and ambitious women in the music industry.
Ellie Prohan
DJ, PRESENTER, RADIO HOST
Ellie Prohan, is an excellent DJ, presenter, and radio host who is passionate about her work and is inspiring young women in the music industry as she is breaking the silence about her sexuality and cultural stereotypes. She is invested in her craft and over the last few years, her career has increased rapidly, moments such as playing Boiler Room being a milestone. She stands for more equality in the industry and is a pioneer in many aspects, empowering minorities across the globe by showcasing their talent in the music she is making. She doesn't take her career for granted, she is living her truth and continuing to inspire others to walk in her footsteps.
Christine Osazuwa
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER - SHOOBS, UK DIRECTOR - SHESAID.SO, , FOUNDER - MEASURE OF MUSIC
Christine Osazuwa has over 10 years of experience in international marketing, data and music industry working with various music & tech start-ups, venues, festivals, radio stations and major labels such as Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group. At Warner Music in London, she provided data-driven insights for WMG’s priority artists such as Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, Burna Boy and Dua Lipa. Currently, she is working as UK director of Shesaid.so alongside running a business of Measure of Music - part conference, part hackathon. Through this free hybrid event she is introducing others to the world of music & data while ensuring the next global superstars reflect the multicultural world we live in.
Eva Horne
FOUNDER, CAMPAIGNER, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER, MENTOR & ADVISOR - PEAK MUSIC UK & WE ARE THE UNHEARD
Eva Horne is an inspiring singer, songwriter, producer, podcaster, campaigner, and founder of Peak Music UK which focuses on developing female songwriters and producers, particularly black minority ethnic women and the LGBTQ community. Moreover, she was recently named as a UK innovator for the 2022 cohort of key change which is the EU's diversity inclusion and empowerment initiative. She has been making music professionally since the age of 13 and currently working as an engineer and producer at Fitzrovia Post Production. As a sound designer at Luzid Lab, she focuses on new creative experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her aim is to help women identify the choices and opportunities that they have in the music industry and remind them that they can achieve anything they put their mind to.
Yasmin Lajoie
POST-HOMOUSLY AWARDED
A&R EXECUITVE, MANAGER & ACTIVIST
Music Week also honoured Yasmin Lajoie, paying tribute to her achievements in this year’s WOMEN IN MUSIC AWARDS ROLL OF HONOUR 2022. Despite suffering from BPD, (Borderline Personality Disorder), Yasmin was a dedicated A&R executive, manager, and activist with an in-depth understanding of the global music market. Her music career began in the A&R department at EMI, developing the brand of artists such as Beirut, Lana Del Rey, and Kate Bush, and she has since been employed by Sony/ATV and Warner/Chappell. She is remembered as a hugely intelligent woman and a passionate advocate for diversity in the industry, and she will remain a popular and important figure in the UK’s music industry. She was an inspiration for many as she put so much effort into helping others and educating all on topics such as gender race and inequality.
FULL LIST OF WOMEN IN MUSIC ROLL OF HONOUR INDUCTEES 2022
Charisse Beaumont - Chief Executive, Black Lives in Music
Christine Osazuwa - Chief Strategy Officer, Shoobs; UK director, Shesaid.so; Founder, Measure of Music
Claire Haffenden - Director of Artist Relations and Events, Universal Music
Deborah Annetts - Chief Executive, ISM
Ellie Prohan - DJ, Presenter, Radio Host
Eve Horne - Founder, Campaigner, Songwriter, Producer, Creative Mentor & Advisor, PeakMusicUK & We Are The Unheard
Jennifer Ivory - Senior Vice President, Warner Records UK
Mary Anne Hobbs - Broadcaster, DJ, Curator, Mentor, Writer
Meenal Odedra - Founder, The Music Assistant
Sarah Slater - Vice President, Music & Festivals, Ticketmaster
Shani Gonzales - EVP, Managing Director, UK & Head of International A&R, Warner Chappell
Stephanie Achigbu - Marketing Director, AWAL
Vicky Dowdall - Founder & CEO, VDM Music
Yasmin Lajoie - A&R Executive, Manager and Activist (posthumously awarded)
A SPECIAL HONOURABLE MENTION TO THIS YEAR’S WOMEN IN MUSIC’S CAMPAIGNER OF THE YEAR - THE BLACK MUSIC COALITION
Executive Founding Members: Sheryl Nwosu, Komali Scott-Jones, Char Grant and Afryea Henry-Fontaine.
