NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess)—Kobalt, the leading independent music publishing destination for songwriters and publishers, has named Rani Hancock Executive Vice President (EVP) and head of US Creative. Hancock will lead the company’s creative teams in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville in her new role.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rani Hancock to Kobalt Music,” said Jeannette Perez, the company’s President and Chief Commercial Officer, via a press release. “Her exceptional creative vision and proven track record make her the perfect fit to head our U.S. creative team. Rani’s deep understanding of the evolving music landscape and her passion for nurturing talent will be invaluable as we continue to empower songwriters, artists and producers to achieve their greatest potential.”
Laurent Hubert, CEO of Kobalt, commented: “Rani is a creative executive who has always considered the songwriter a foundational player in our business. That point of view and her vast experience in our business embodies the kind of leadership and creative acumen that makes her the ideal leader to guide our U.S. creative team moving forward.”
Hancock joins Kobalt from Columbia Records, where she served as EVP and Head of A&R and A&R’d Dove Cameron, Maren Morris, and JoJo Siwa, among others. As Executive Vice President of A&R at RCA Records, she signed chart-topping artists, including Miley Cyrus, Kesha, and Becky G, and A&R’d projects for Pitbull, Britney Spears, and more. During her stint as President of Sire Records, she signed Bryce Vine and Cavetown, oversaw projects by Tegan and Sara and Andra Day, as well as executive produced the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack for The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
“Joining Kobalt is an incredible opportunity to be part of a company that truly values songwriters, artists and producers,” said Hancock. “Laurent and Jeannette have built an amazing team and a culture of creativity and innovation. I’m incredibly excited to work alongside them to champion the next generation of creative talent. Kobalt’s commitment to empowering artists aligns perfectly with my own values, where great songs and great songwriters always come first. I can’t wait to contribute to their continued success.”
Hancock began her career working for the legendary Clive Davis at Arista Records, later joining him as part of the founding team at J Records. She holds a Music Production and Engineering degree from Berklee College of Music. She has A&R’d six #1 Billboard Hot 100 singles, three #1 Billboard Hot 100 albums, and 17 Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 singles.
Hancock will report directly to Jeannette Perez.
