2020

RAINMAKERS MICHELLE JUBELIRER THE HEART OF CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP

80 Michelle Jubelirer, Sir Lucian Grainge, Sam Smith and Steve Barnett

n Grammy night Feb. 8, 2015 at L.A.’s Staples Center, Capitol Music Group truly arrived. The behemoth built by Steve Barnett and a team headed by COO Michelle Jubelirer swept the Big Four categories: Best New Artist, Record and Song of the Year (for rookie breakout Sam Smith) and Album of the Year (for veteran Beck). It was a night of exhilaration for the Tower Team and a vindication of the vision they’d toiled assiduously to realize in the preceding years. For Jubelirer, it was a landmark experience, as the focused, intense process she’d joined two years earlier became a fusillade of champagne corks and confetti. Jubelirer, who was tapped in late 2020 to co- head the company (as President/COO) in tandem with Jeff Vaughn as successors to Barnett, is in many ways a quintessential new-school lead- er—artist-friendly, forthright, politically progres- sive—but with a style all her own. She has long described herself as a “rock- er chick,” and her wardrobe runs the gamut of black—with a trademark leather jacket in place of the typical power blazer. This is the outward manifestation of her down-to-earth, creatively unconventional approach.

80 81 Top, with Jody Gerson; bottom, with Michele Anthony; right, with Aaron Bay-Schuck and Eric Greenspan “Michelle Jubelirer is truly one of the smartest, most respected and honest executives in our business,” says UMPG boss Jody Gerson. “She is also one of my very best friends and my chosen family.” As Barnett’s first pick for his Tower games and wrestling matches, pep miles south from Altoona to Chapel Hill, team and a key steward of his vision, rallies and bonfires, where 11th grade N.C., where she earned a B.A. in Political she has been a strong booster of Capitol prom dates become post-graduation Science and Economics from the University acts—including Sam Smith, Halsey, husbands, with a possible detour to of North Carolina in 1995. While pursuing Lewis Capaldi and Beck—and CMG’s Penn State or one of the nearby colleg- her law degree from Fordham University, productive affiliates, notably Ethiopia es. Your hometown is where you were she was hired in the mergers and acqui- Habtemariam’s , Coach K born and raised, and where you will sitions department of white-shoe firm and P’s Quality Control, Jacqueline raise your own family. For Jubelirer, Simpson, Thacher and Bartlett in NYC, Saturn’s Caroline, Elliot Grainge’s 10K watching her mother navigate her own two years prior to her 1999 graduation. Projects and Toby Andrews and Jeremy career—after being widowed when Despite describing her law degree Vuernick’s . Michelle was three—instilled in her as “the ultimate shield [against gender “Michelle Jubelirer is truly one of a drive to succeed. Her mom became discrimination],” Michelle recounted the smartest, most respected and honest a head of special education and ulti- some unsettling details from her ten- executives in our business,” says UMPG mately an elementary school principal. ure at the firm to MBW: “Early on in boss Jody Gerson. “She is also one of my Jubelirer reminisced to HITS in 2015 my career there, I had my first annual very best friends and my chosen family.” about high school years spent “listen- review. And I, someone who only ever She worked in the label system early ing incessantly to Nirvana’s Nevermind wears black, oddly had a white shirt on. in her professional life and then exited and Pearl Jam’s Ten, dreaming of one This rainmaker partner, who was giving to become an artist attorney—making day leaving Altoona and having a me my review, took a bottle of water a name for herself as both an inventive, career in the music business.” and emptied it down my shirt. Then outside-the-box dealmaker and a fear- “I was studious, very social and out- he looked at me and said, ‘Now we’re some negotiator. The skills she honed spoken,” she recalled of her youth to ready to start your review.’ I crossed my during that chapter of her career ulti- Music Business Worldwide. “Those arms across my chest and I just said, mately led to a new—and much bigger— characteristics have not gone away. I ‘Let’s go.’ Shocking, right? It’s power, label opportunity at Barnett’s Tower. knew from a relatively young age that I pure and simple. He’s showing me that It’s been a bit of a winding path for wanted to stand out and be heard. My he has power over me. It taught me, Jubelirer—one that began, of all places, sole motivation for graduating at the very quickly, that in order to succeed as in Altoona. top of my high school class was so that I a woman, I was going to have to work could speak at the graduation ceremony: harder and smarter than anyone else.” or much of the populace in I wanted to tell everyone that they In 2003, she at last made her first small-town Pennsylvania, high should not be constrained by growing move back into the music biz, as counsel school is life’s peak experi- up in our small town.” for Sony Music Entertainment in New F ence—a whirlwind of football For college, Michelle ventured 450 York. As she told HITS in 2013, “I came

82 from the middle of nowhere, didn’t stayed in touch.” took this job the extent to which know anyone and had tremendous She would go on to become a part- we’re almost moving a mountain,” school loans. I’d done my research and ner at the firm, building a client roster she reflected to HITS that same year. knew that people from Sony Music’s that included Kesha, Pharrell, Odd “But one thing I did know was we legal department, such as Clive Davis, Future, Frank Ocean, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, had to try to change things, because had gone on to run companies.” Slipknot, Tori Amos, Marilyn Manson the way things are going in the record While she recalled having “zero and Grimes, among other artists who re- industry just isn’t working. So this contact” with future boss Barnett (then defined what was considered mainstream. new model is a well-thought-out plan a top exec at Epic) during her Sony ten- In 2012, Barnett first approached to do things differently.” ure, she did form one key alliance at this Jubelirer about leaving King Holmes Of Barnett’s leadership, she point that would prove long-lasting. for a high-ranking post at Capitol added, “Not trying to blow smoke, Music Group. “We had contact but I’ve never been more inspired t was two months into my when I negotiated some fairly aggres- than since I started working for him. job when I got a phone call: sive deals as an artist lawyer with It’s exhausting but inspiring. He’s a ‘Michele Anthony would like Columbia,” she remembered to HITS. kind of visionary ‘coach,’ with the you to come to her office to “Particularly Odd Future, which was goal of moving our team toward ‘‘meet.’ I went around to the other lawyers a ‘different’ deal, to say the least; on a shared dream and vision. He’s and asked, ‘Is this normal? Is this what that, I think Steve said, ‘I wanna meet extremely inclusive; it’s all about she does?’ Everyone said no. Nobody had this lawyer who did the Odd Future teamwork. As trite as this may ever met her. I went and met with her. She deal.’ When I was in New York, we sound, I feel like I’m at the Wharton told me, ‘I heard that I would really like had a lengthy meeting. Then I dealt School of the music industry now.” you, and you’ve reminded a few people with him on The Neighbourhood, and As Barnett told HITS, “Michelle of a younger version of me. I wanted to we stayed in touch. When he called brings an innovative approach to make sure that we knew each other, and about this gig, it was completely out of Capitol Music Group that reflects I’m here if you ever need anything.’” the blue. I was shocked.” her intense passion for music and her Jubelirer says she reached out to Her propensity for approaching experiences as a forward-thinking Anthony when, in 2005, she decided to artist deals from a fresh perspective representative for cutting-edge art- make the move back to a law firm— clearly factored into Barnett’s master ists. She is well known and highly King, Holmes, Paterno and Berliner— plan. After four months of spending regarded for conceiving trend-setting where Anthony had served. “I also time with him and getting to under- deals that align perfectly with her art- didn’t want to be a lawyer at a record stand his vision for the company, she ists’ distinct creative visions.” company anymore. It was boring,” she joined as EVP in 2013. As an advocate for artists, she says. “There were too many rules. We “I don’t think I realized when I recognized that the friction that had historically existed between labels “We’re living in a rarefied world at CMG, where 50% of and artists was no longer viable in our senior staff are women. That’s a testament to all a climate where breaking artists is of us for taking steps to ensure that level of diversity. secondary to breaking songs. As EVP, her responsibilities included That’s not the reality at most places.” overseeing Astralwerks, Blue Note, Caroline and Harvest, as well as business and legal affairs, A&R admin and release planning. “I’m very proud of having joined Steve Barnett here at the beginning, when the company was moribund and with only one or two artists who were keeping the lights on,” she noted. “We worked our way out of the cellar to become one of the most successful label groups in the entire industry. I’m sometimes in awe of how far we’ve come, but we make no secret of the fact that we want to be the #1 label group in the business and won’t rest until we are.” Jacqueline Saturn, Sylvia Rhone, Jubelirer and Ethiopia Habtemariam Of the many artists Michelle has

82 83 Women, whether pop stars or in any kind of outward-facing job, are not allowed to age.”

he 2016 presidential elec- tion inspired Michelle to join the board of Planned Parenthood, after years as a supporter. As she told TBillboard, “Aside from giving money, I’ve become more vocal,” she says. “I am using my position as a board member of Planned Parenthood to galvanize interested people behind me in the artist community.” With Evan Lamberg and Jeff Harleston When asked about the prospects for women in the music business, championed at CMG, Halsey will ultimately produce such gigantic acts as Michelle responded: “We’re living in always have her heart: “A team of us Migos and Lil Baby. Fruitful collabora- a rarefied world at CMG, where 50% signed her in the infancy of her career. tions with Saturn’s Caroline and Elliot of our senior staff are women. That’s She had one song out online. You knew, Grainge’s 10K Projects would also mark a testament to all of us for taking steps when you sat with her, you were in the ensuing years. to ensure that level of diversity. That’s the presence of an unmitigated future As with her law-firm clients, what not the reality at most places. I think superstar. To see her go on to sell mil- stands out about the artists Jubelirer it’s going to take about 10 more years lions of albums, and [in February 2019] has championed is their resistance to to have true equality at the upper host and perform on Saturday Night being pigeonholed; their artistry is given echelons of the major music business, Live has been one of the proudest an opportunity to develop under her whether it’s labels, publishing compa- moments of my life. As much as I’m watchful gaze. Singer/songwriter Maggie nies, agencies, any of those entities.” proud of my son, I’m proud of her.” Rogers, who was nominated for a “Michelle was the first to join me Grammy for Best New Artist in 2019, is at CMG and has been my partner in n 2015, Jubelirer was upped to a superb example. revitalizing the company and creating COO. Barnett had this to say “Ultimately we trusted her, because an environment where artists and our about her promotion: “Her nobody knows her better than herself,” employees could thrive,” said Barnett background as an advocate for Jubelirer told The New York Times. “It upon announcing the new leadership the artist community is essential became very clear early on that there was team. He added that she and Vaughn Ito our forward-thinking approach to a lot more to her than a viral moment— were “the perfect team to guide CMG A&R and for attracting both estab- that she was an artist with a real soul, into the future.”n lished and developing talent to the and something to say, and a modern label. Furthermore, she helps ensure pop star with a strong female point of that our agreements are artist-friendly, view.” She’s been similarly effusive about smart and fair for all. Michelle has another artist who’s flourished with her played a major role in our revitaliza- support, Troye Sivan. tion and success, and her promotion to “For better or worse,” she told HITS, COO is well deserved and reflects her “I’m emotionally invested in every artist stature in the company. We’ve always I ever work with.” been flexible in our deals. Michelle When discussing the shelf life of a Giving Back really brought that reputation to our pop star, Michelle was asked the key to company, that you could deal with us, sustaining a pop career after age 30: “It’s that we were not tied to the past in that fucking hard, but ultimately it’s all about regard. As you know, EMI had a hor- the songs and ensuring that [the artists] rific reputation in that regard for many remain authentically themselves. I think years. So that gave us an opportunity, it’s a lot more difficult for a female which was really significant for us.” pop star to sustain that level of suc- Also that year, CMG began its cess in this current environment. joint venture with Quality Control, in We live in an unforgiving world tandem with Motown, which would where everyone is on to the new.

84