In our latest roundup, we present eight rising professionals from various parts of the biz whose dedication and effort make their superiors look good. Though those superiors may not think a look on our site is such a good look.

Alaysia Sierra
Head of R&B, Spotify

Prior to their tenure at Spotify, Sierra played a role in big career moments for artists like GIVÄ’ON, Tems and Summer Walker. Today, they're helping advance the fortunes of Victoria Monét and FLO via Spotify’s R&B First Nights and presenting the former’s first headlining show and the latter’s first in North America. They're also pumped to be working on the rebranding of the flagship “Are & Be” playlist and new “R&B Rising Singles.” Sierra was a drumline kid. We’re still trying to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Ethan Curtis
Founder/CEO, PushPlay
Partner/Head of Artist Projects, Plush Mgmt
President, Plush Studios

Curtis is delighted to report that his client JVKE has amassed 1b+ streams and 20b+ plays on social media without having spent a single dollar in marketing over the last year. In addition to co-managing JVKE with Aton Ben Horin, Curtis oversees the TikTok marketing agency PushPlay, which he founded. The squad of viral-content ninjas has produced wins for Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” and Joji’s “Glimpse of Us.” In matters more personal, Curtis says, “I’m single and looking for the one. DM me.” We’re usually left on “read.”

Kaiya Sarkis
Label Management, SALXCO/Universal Arabic Music

For Sarkis, a native of Lebanon, nothing has topped seeing her client Elyanna become the first artist to perform in Arabic at Coachella. She’s thankful for the opportunity to serve as a pioneer of Arabic music crossover, led by collabs from Marshmello & Nancy Ajram, Hiba Tawaji & Luis Fonsi, Nicki Minaj, Maluma & Myriam Fares and Future, Mohamed Ramadan & Massari. A diehard Madonna fan, Sarkis is also a ballet dancer, which allows her to gracefully grand jeté away from us when necessary.

Justin Hill
Agent, UTA

Hill will be forever grateful to have assembled Lupe Fiasco’s tour marking the 15th anniversary of The Cool, an album the live-music pro played nonstop in college. More recently, he launched Derek Hough’s Symphony of Dance Tour, following the dancer-choreographer-actor-singer’s 20-week Las Vegas residency. Also in the works is an outing to feature Busta Rhymes, his first proper world tour in years. “One day I might disappear to the beach and open up a sandwich shop,” Hill confides. He just hopes he’ll never have to feed us (a messy proposition).

Natalie Ho
Director, Digital Marketing, RCA Records

Considering the impact Steve Lacy’s work has had on Ho, who says, “His music has gotten me through some hard times,” she was thrilled to help expand his audience, including identifying rising internet trends like “Ho Said She Like Steve Lacy,” which became a viral meme, and issuing a sped-up version of “Bad Habit” (51m+ streams). She’s likewise excited to see Lacy and Fousheé during their Re:SET tour and looking forward to new music by Saucy Santana, Eyedress, Kenny Mason and more. Ho’s also a DJ. We can barely do our one job.

Ethan Udell
Marketing Manager, Arista

From overseeing Tai Verdes’ debut campaign to watching the artist earn 1b+ streams in the space of a year with hits like the double-platinum “AOK” and gold “DRUGS” and “Stuck in the Middle,” Udell’s been busy. He’s now focused on BUNT.’s global tour of pop-up shows, the Grammy-nominated Måneskin’s RUSH! World Tour and Weston Estate’s sold-out Don’t Kill the Messenger headlining U.S. tour. He’s also propelling new projects by Thomas Day, Jonah Kagen, Zach Hood and Jade LeMac. Udell is a black belt. We will consider ourselves warned.

Graciela Lopez
Label Manager, Latin Music, Ingrooves

Lopez worked with DEL Records on “Ella Baila Sola,” the first musica Mexicana track to reach #1 on Spotify’s global chart. Among other career highlights, she sat with Eslabon Armado during the Spotify listening sessions for their Top 10 albums NOSTALGIA and DESVELADO and sang Yahritza y Su Esencia’s “Soy El Unico” standing next to Yahritza. She’s currently working on Steve Aoki collabs with Angela Aguilar and Danna Paola and albums by Grupo Marca Registrada and NEON16. Lopez initially planned to practice public interest law. We’re just uninteresting.

Charlie Perl
A&R Coordinator, The Revels Group & Coup D’Etat Music

Perl wrangles a roster that’s seen recent placements for Rodney Jerkins (SZA’s platinum “Shirt”), Julia Lewis (Arcángel & Bad Bunny’s “La Jumpa”), Teezio (Coi Leray’s “Players”), Tommy Parker and Ben10k (Creed III). He also helped deliver Dounia’s forthcoming self-titled ADA/Warner album. Perl was delighted to attend the 2023 Grammys and help build the Recording Academy’s first Grammy House (in partnership with TRG and Coup D’Etat Music). Perl tries to start every morning with yoga. He should see our corpse pose.