10 Questions with ... Stephanie Lopez

NAME:Stephanie Lopez TITLE:VP/Urban Adult Promotion COMPANY:J Records FORMATS:Urban Adult LOCATION:New York, NY BORN:New York / 4/20 RAISED:Spanish Harlem / Puerto Rico

Please outline your career path.

I started out as a college rep and then assistant for Ruben Rodriguez at Columbia Records. I then moved to Atlantic and RCA as an assistant, until moving to EMI as first an Urban Adult National and then moving on to cover Crossover, Urban and Urban Adult. I then moved on to the coveted job as Chart Manager for Billboard/Monitor handling all the Urban, Urban Adult, Crossover, Reggae, Latin and Rap charts. It was there that Sr. VP/Urban Promotions; Ken Wilson grabbed me to join the newly formed J Records created by Clive Davis. I began as a National here at J Records and I am now VP/ Urban Adult Promotion.

1. What made you want to get into the music business? Early mentors? First job?

To be honest, I was in College as a pre-med student. It was my mom who told me to find something cool to do as an extracurricular activity. I joined the school radio station and within six months I was program director. I have been in the industry ever since. Early on, Ruben Rodriguez really helped to shape my career. My first "official paying job" was at Columbia as a college rep, but it wasn't until I joined the promotions team that I knew what true radio promotions was all about. He was a radio fiend and knew exactly how to make things happen. I learned a lot from him as well as all those whose roads I have crossed over the years. Now, with Clive Davis, Charles Goldstuck and Ken Wilson, is no exception. I just try and soak it up like a sponge to take things to the next level.

2. In an era of too many records and too few slots, what information seems to be most effective and vital for radio and why? How effective are strong ticket sales, tour information? Would the key now be call-out research combined with a strong retail sales pattern, or other format similar stations and programmers they respect adding or spiking the record?

The information varies by single and timing. Of course, prior success or the fact that it's an established artist with a proven track record helps tremendously. Album/single sales are another great indicator of success in a given market. National video exposure, highlighted producers or artists on a given track, along with early mixer/club play always helps to round out the image of a new single or artist. The idea is to use all the factors you can to create the most well-rounded picture possible when vying for that one slot on any given station's playlist.

3. Is set-up still important? What do you do to motivate your staff given the amount of material that labels are releasing today?

Our staff is always encouraged to be creative, to know their markets better than anyone and know what works to make things happen. College ball games in the South are much more popular than on the West Coast. Bench billboards on the West Coast would not work in the East Coast, etc. They are asked to put together regional marketing plans with an advance of the single to begin to work the project. The legwork for a single or album release happens way before it is shipped to radio in this company. That is essential to success of artists like Cassidy, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Mario and many others here on the label.

4. As things continue to change and become more competitive, is there anything you would change or adjust in the process to give your artists a better shot at getting added and played in 2007 and going into 2008?

Besides patience on the part of radio owners, research hounds and billing seekers? I would change the view that every artist must break the same way, every single must sound the way the last hit did -- and that there are quite a few underutilized local ways to break an artist. The way we broke Alicia Keys was very different than how we broke Cassidy, which is even more different than how we broke Mario. Because of this radio programmers should not look to one clear-cut answer or thing to say whether an artist will work or not. The best programmers know their markets and don't always look to the same signs, but rather look to the feel of a particular single in their markets as a whole.

5. It has become apparent that with Urban radio's current research-driven mentality, records are taking much longer to "test." How do you go about making certain that your records will be given the best possible advantage or consideration?

By making sure the single is set up properly before you go for adds or get serious rotations, you should have created a story already. This story should support the single with other viable information while you wait for research. If done well, it will also cause research to come back sooner than later as the single will be familiar to the audience and hopefully test better. It goes back to the previous answer; set-up, regional marketing and full stories on any given project should help to sustain it until the research comes in.

6. How have you gone about increasing exposure of your artists outside of traditional radio promotion?

My job is not all about calling radio and getting airplay. I also spend a part of my time writing sales pitches and creating marketing plans to get corporate sponsors for our artists. We try and incorporate sponsors wherever possible. To use Korg keyboards to help release Alicia Keys, or Luther Vandross flyaways with Song or American, all help in creating that full picture around a project.

7. All record executives have a record close to their hearts that for one reason or another never broke through; how do you handle that?

I have been blessed to say there have not been too many of those in my career. What I have learned is that nothing can ever be taken for granted. You must work every single artist and project like it was a debut. Because things are so very fluid in today's promotional arena, you must always keep on top of everything. It makes it hard, but well worth it when things break.

8. What are the most important tools/resources you and your staff use to stay on top of the Urban/ Urban AC formats' constant changes?

Besides actual relationships and phone calls throughout the country, BDS and Mediabase remain staples in this business. They are the best and most accurate picture all in one place to keep daily tabs on radio nationally.

9. What do you do to ensure your artists are building a career as opposed to just having a hit song? And does it even matter anymore?

It matters tremendously! That is something I have learned from Geo Bivins, Ken Wilson and Clive Davis. The idea should always be to create long-standing careers instead of just one-hit wondesr. As stated previously, here at J Records, marketing is key.

10. How important is the marketing curve?

We strive to always be ahead of the marketing curve, to find new ways to bring music to the audience, to the music buying public. We hope that our artists will be around for the long haul. To have multiple impressions and looks out there only helps the overall music image in the public.

You are the remaining survivor on a remote tropical island with no chance for rescue. What five movies would you want to have available?

This is hard! I love movies. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, The Star Wars Trilogy, The Indiana Jones Series, The complete Sex In The City DVDs, Any The Rock movie....