Universal Music Canada (UMC) has promoted Amanda Kingsland to VP, A&R.
Kingsland will co-lead the company’s A&R efforts alongside Shawn Marino, VP, A&R operations.
“The duo are at the helm of UMC’s industry-leading A&R team, with a renewed mandate to sign, develop and break the next generation of Canadian artists on the world stage,” said a statement.
UMC has A&R teams in Montreal and Toronto. Artists have access to 80A Studios, a Dolby Atmos-certified, multi-room recording space in Toronto.
“Music – and the artists who create it – are our driving force,” said Julie Adam, president & CEO, Universal Music Canada. “We focus our hustle, passion, care, creativity and abundance of forward-thinking ideas on helping the artists we work with achieve personal, artistic and commercial success. And at the centre of our mission to sign, develop, and break artists is our industry-leading A&R team. They are tastemakers and genre experts who scout, sign, and cultivate talent, bringing deep international connections, musicality, skills, and insights to a range of musical projects.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Amanda and Shawn lead A&R efforts out of Canada as we continue to support, elevate, and invest in artistic voices.”
UMC’s domestically signed acts include Josh Ross, Sofia Camara, Mae Martin, Owen Riegling and producer Thiarajxtt.
Recent signings include AP Dhillon (in partnership with Republic Records), Lindsay Ell, James Barker Band, Sebastian Gaskin (in partnership with Ishkodé Records) and TyriqueorDie.
Since joining UMC in 2021, the company said Amanda Kingsland has “rebuilt UMC’s award-winning country music roster, and reinvigorated A&R across multiple projects”.
Shawn Marino, a 30-year industry veteran, continues to oversee 80A Studios, The Academy (UMC’s performance and event space), A&R operations and technology. He leads A&R for artists creatively approaching ways to revitalise their catalogues, from The Tragically Hip to Anne Murray.
PHOTO: Universal Music Canada’s A&R team: (L–R): Phil Hotz, Lisa Lorenz, Ivan Evidente, Don Kitchen, Morgan “MJ” James, Shawn Marino, Amanda Kingsland, Widney Bonfils, Shirley Ichkhanian, Kwaku Agyemang, Natassha Cuachon-Cruz; seated: UMC President & CEO, Julie Adam, Shannen Serrano
Photo by Katherine Holland
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