DAMIAN CHRISTIAN Atlantic
Your promotions team won at the Music Week Awards again this year. How do you keep the department on its toes?
“We’ve won the award 17 times over the last 20 years, and I put all of this success down to two things: my incredible team and great tunes! I like to think that I lead from the front, but they’re truly the best of the best and are highly self-motivated. We ended the year with the very sad news about our Melly Mel – I’m so glad we got to dedicate the award to her. We have lost a special girl.”
Now the dust has settled, how do you reflect on organising the 2025 BRITs?
“Being the chairman has been one of the biggest honours of my life, and I loved every minute of my three years in charge. I think this year was, for sure, the most challenging, but it was also the most critically acclaimed, so that just goes to show you!”
What would you say was your favourite track and album of 2025?
“Alex Warren’s Ordinary. It was great to break another artist on Atlantic, and even greater that he went on to secure the biggest song of the year, and the most-played song on radio. [For album] I Barely Know Her by Sombr – a really great record.”
AILEEN DE LA CRUZ Songwriter/ESEA Music
What do you hope the rest of the industry can take from the work of ESEA Music this year? “I hope the industry learns to truly see and value us, not for our skin colour or heritage, but for our craft, skill and passion. Music is often described as a universal language and I’m hopeful that we can come together to take honest, meaningful steps toward a more inclusive mainstream industry.”
Can you tell us your own personal highlight of 2025? “ESEA Music being honoured with the Music Week Women In Music Awards DE&I award was a defining highlight. It was the first time in my career that my work and dedication was recognised on a mainstream level, and it reaffirmed how meaningful it is. I’ve grown so much through the process, especially thanks to the lessons I’ve learned from our mentees. I’m also thrilled to be working with our ESEA team and the BRIT School, which understands that progress in DE&I begins with education.”
What was your favourite track and album of 2025? “Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters: seeing K-Pop ESEA artists being embraced by mainstream audiences feels like a huge win. My favourite album is Olivia Dean’s, I really appreciate her soulful, laid-back vocals.”
CHARLEY SNOOK EGA Distro
How did EGA Distro grow this year? “We’re hoping to make some noise with our newly- launched company, EGA France, and we also started EGA Publishing. Both are very exciting for us!”
And how did you personally grow as an executive? “By finding my spark in management again. Managing one of the biggest rappers in the UK, Digga D, has been a complete highlight for me.”
What was your favourite track and album of 2025? “Family Matters by Skye Newman has been mine and my daughter’s tune to sing our hearts out to, but then Digga D made the comeback we were all waiting for so I had to switch it back to DPMO! [For album] Olivia Dean – The Art Of Loving.”
48 | Music Week PETER Special tribute:
Damian Christian and Mel Rudder, who passed away in November, at the Music Week Awards in May
LEATHEM PPL
PPL has a new chair, Dr Richard James Burgess MBE.
What areas will you be focusing on together? “This year was a landmark year for PPL, with our revenues reaching a record £301 million in 2024, the highest in our 90-year history. So, it’s an exciting time to welcome a new chair. He has had a very diverse career in music, having been a recording artist, producer, booking agent, label executive and most recently CEO of A2IM, the indie trade body in the US. As such, he brings immense experience and wise counsel. He’ll support us to realise our ambition to be the first choice globally for neighbouring rights royalty collections through driving UK and international growth and providing world-class customer service, while investing in our people and technology.”
Amid the ongoing challenges for retail, is there evidence that music can help the high street? “Our 2024 financial results reported that public performance licensing rose by 9% to £121.4 million. This growth demonstrates that businesses continue to see the value of music in enhancing customer experience, increasing dwell time, and encouraging spending. Music is a vital part of the high street’s vibrancy and resilience, helping support economic activity. Imagine walking into a shop without any recorded commercial music – would you want to spend time there? Retailers know music plays a significant part in the shopping experience. A good track encourages people to browse for longer, with the added benefit of improving employee wellbeing and productivity.”
What were your track and album of 2025? “Catch These Fists by Wet Leg (above, left). It was great to see them again at Glastonbury. For my album, it has to be Sam Fender’s People Watching.”
AHMED
HUSSAIN BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network relocated to Birmingham
this year. What impact has that had so far? “It’s been a really positive move. We’ve gone from working with just one independent supplier a few years ago to now partnering with seven, which shows how much opportunity has opened up. We’ve helped create jobs and training pathways, including production schemes that have led to people freelancing or becoming staff members with suppliers. It’s also great having everyone in one place. The energy is different, and the collaborations with partners across the West Midlands are just beginning. We brought our flagship live event, Asian Network Certified, back to Birmingham this year as a nod to the move, and it felt right. Being in the same space has brought our presenters and production teams closer, and that’s showing in the work.”
Is the UK industry doing enough to embrace the new talent you platform on the station? “There’s always room for more. Asian Network is a brilliant launchpad, but it shouldn’t be the final stop. Some of the responsibility sits with the talent, but a lot of it is on the industry. Our talent, like our audience, wears many badges – British, Asian, creative, entrepreneurial – and they should be able to celebrate all aspects of that. The industry needs to recognise that and lean in. There’s so much distinctive storytelling and sound coming from our space, and it deserves more backing.”
What was your track and album of 2025? “Joy Crookes – Perfect Crime. My album is between Karan Aujla and Ed Sheeran – Ed’s Asian collaborations were next level. It was a moment where sounds and artists from our genres were being taken seriously and elevated.”
musicweek.com
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