(CelebrityAccess) — Warner’s global publishing division, Warner Chappell Music, has expanded the purview noted label exec Rich Christina to Senior Vice President of A&R and Venture partners.
In his newly expanded role, Christina will oversee Warner Chappell’s relationship with their growing repertoire of venture partners and their songwriters.
Joint ventures that will come under Christina’s watchful eye include the recently announced venture with Tim & Danny Music (Sam Smith) along with ventures that came from several deals that he orchestrated, including Mykah Music, Song Battle, Therapy and Bad Habit.
Through these partnerships, Christina has signed deals with Nate Rhoads (Mykah Music); Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs (Song Battle); and Ralph Castelli (Therapy). Christina has also secured deals with songwriters such as international pop stars such as Grimes, as well as up-and-coming songwriters such as Stephen Kirk, who co-wrote the hit BTS “Butter,” and Masked Wolf, whose single “Astronaut in the Ocean” has recorded more than one billion streams and was the No. 1 most Shazamed song and No. 1 most popular TikTok song of 2021.
Christina began his career in the label industry in 1991 when he joined Atlantic Records as Mix Show Coordinator, working with Big Beat label founder (and current Atlantic Records’ Chairman & CEO) Craig Kallman, and managing Atlantic’s dance music department.
Christina ventured into A&R after landing Robin S’s number one record “Show Me Love” to Atlantic.
In 2004, he joined Sony/ATV, serving first as Senior Director and later as Vice President of A&R.
In 2009, he made the jump to EMI Music Publishing and then making the full circle and returning to Sony/ATV following their acquisition of MI.
In 2019, Christina joined Warner Chappell as SVP of A&R and has since landed numerous deals with singer/songwriters such as Vinylz, Jenna Andrews, X Ambassadors and Cashmere Cat.
