It seems that Peter Edge’s tweaks at RCA have gotten the machinery humming. The label, having pivoted from its panoply of pop divas to break four young artists—Doja Cat, SZA, Tate McRae and trophy magnet H.E.R.—is heating up nicely; among Edge’s several canny personnel moves, the upping of Mark Pitts to President is notable for being both culturally astute and aligned with the musical currents that drive the market, while the elevation of John Fleckenstein to COO is yielding big dividends in myriad ways.

In addition to his impeccable resume in breaking divas like Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus, P!nk, Sia, Kelly Clarkson and Christina Aguilera (among others), it’s worth pointing out that Edge’s career has been steeped in Black music since his earliest days; in the ’80s, he ran the Cooltempo label for Chrysalis and cultivated hip-hop innovators like EPMD, Eric B & Rakim and Monie Love.