MD, RCA U.K.

Stacey Tang was named Managing Director at RCA U.K. in September after spending six years at fellow Sony label Columbia, most recently as Co-MD. In her previous role, she oversaw multiple #1 albums and helped launch breakout artists Rag’n’Bone Man and George Ezra, while working on successful campaigns for Calvin Harris, Lotto Boyz, B-Young, Mark Ronson and Arcade Fire. Prior to Sony, Tang worked in marketing at Atlantic, where she helped break Ed Sheeran. When announcing his new hire, RCA President David Dollimore praised Tang’s “business acumen, leadership skills and passion for artist development.” Here we chat about the recent move and get her perspective on the state of the British music market.

You recently moved over to RCA; why leave Columbia?
I spent six great years at Columbia. The company grew exponentially in that time, and I relished being part of that journey, guiding the evolution of the team and delivering for the incredible roster. David Dollimore has begun to transform RCA U.K. into his vision of a modern, future-proof label, and that felt, to me, like a great story to help write. He has signed an impressive roster of domestic acts that I am excited to introduce to the world with the rest of the team. That will definitely keep me busy for 2018 and beyond.

What are the biggest challenges in today’s music business?
The speed at which everything moves is exciting—and that pace can be addictive—but I hope it doesn’t mean we miss out on great artists because the data doesn’t read well, and the industry stops taking chances based on gut instinct and passion. Artist development takes time, a lot of conversation and storytelling on myriad platforms. Musicians are pitted against entertainment behemoths in the film and gaming worlds with considerably less budget, and they compete for time and attention with friends, family and viral videos on social platforms. Supporting and highlighting great artists is a huge responsibility; signing fewer acts and spending more to deliver them successfully is a smart approach, in my opinion.

What is key to the continued success of the British music industry in today’s global and streaming-led world?
Attracting smart, ambitious executives who have a desire to experiment and move things forward is key. That has to be a drive across all areas of the business, not just labels.

What is the most exciting thing about British music right now?
The U.K. continues to deliver artists who speak to many different people in different ways and is still producing artists that are fresh and exciting. There are fans who are discovering acts for the first time and passing their new discoveries forward instead of receiving them from elders. The energy and the culture around those discoveries feels vividly urgent and of the moment—it’s what creates lifelong music fans. Working to introduce that kind of connection between a fan and a musician is a brilliant job.