Columbia Records Names Shawn Holiday, Phylicia Fant Urban Music Co-Heads

Shawn Holiday-Phylicia Fant

COLUMBIA RECORDS has appointed SHAWN HOLIDAY and PHYLICIA FANT as Co-Heads of Urban Music, it was announced by label Chairman/CEO RON PERRY. SHAWN was previously SVP Urban A&R, while PHYLICIA comes over from WARNER BROS. RECORDS, where she was SVO Publicity/Special Projects. 

Commented PERRY: “SHAWN and PHYLICIA are two of the most respected executives within the hip hop/R&B creative community. SHAWN’s skill for finding and developing talent and PHYLICIA’s abilities in lifestyle, marketing, and branding will extend the reach of our hip-hop and R&B roster. The entire company joins me in congratulating them.”

Added SHAWN: “I want to thank RON and I’m excited about the direction he is taking the label. I look forward to working with PHYLICIA, furthering our urban roster’s impact as we continue to bring groundbreaking artists to COLUMBIA RECORDS.”

Stated PHYLICIA: “I’m thrilled to play a role in RON PERRY’s bold new urban strategy. I’ve known SHAWN since my earliest days in the business and I’m excited to partner with him to bring new depth to COLUMBIA’s urban team.  Identifying lifestyle and entrepreneurial initiatives at such a dynamic renaissance period for black culture will create breakthrough opportunities for COLUMBIA artists across all platforms.”

During his tenure at COLUMBIA, SHAWN has been instrumental in the label’s music partnership with the hit FOX TV series "Empire," leading to a #1 album debut.  He oversaw SOLANGE’s chart-topping album "A Seat At The Table," and brought T.I. to COLUMBIA in 2014, shepherding his collaboration with PHARRELL. He was appointed SVP Urban A&R for COLUMBIA in 2013.  Prior to that he was SVP/Head of Urban A&R at INTERSCOPE RECORDS and engineered the partnership with AKON’s KONLIVE RECORDS, which made LADY GAGA a franchise player.  In 2011 he was appointed SVP A&R at RCA RECORDS, where he worked prior to coming to COLUMBIA.

While at WARNER BROS. RECORDS, PHYLICIA helped create diverse and global campaigns for PRINCE, JASOJN DERULO, AUDRA DAY, LIL PUMP, GARY CLARK JR., BEBE REXHA, RZA DRAKE's OVO SOUND, MEEK MILL, WALE, WU TANG, MAC MILLER, MARSHMELLO, GALLANT, SAWEETIE and COMMON.   From 2001-2011 at UMG, FANT worked with ERYKAH BADU, INDIA.ARIE, AMY WINEHOUSE, JOJO, KID CUDI, QTIP, DAMIEN MARLEY and STEPHEN MARLEY.  Outside of her roles at various labels, she launched THE PURPLE AGENCY in 2008 as founder and CEO. A member of THE RECORDING ACADEMY and a member of MUSIC UNITES, PHYLICIA an Executive Education Certificate from HARVARD and is a part of the CULTURE CREATOR AWARDS, which honors black culture’s most innovative and influential leaders. 

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