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Meet Tab Nkhereanye: BMG’s SVP of A&R & Hitmaker Extraordinaire

Tab Nkhereanye knows a thing or two about hit records.

With 20 age of experience under his belt, including 6 years at Def Jam, Tab is now the SVP of Artists & Collection at BMG, working with a slew of talented artists leading helping them craft what he’s known for best: hit records. 

In fact, Tab first began his career as a songwriter, calligraphy #1 hits for the likes of Justin Bieber, Madonna, Britney Spears, and Mary J. Blige. He’s also responsible for discovering Frank Ocean, Alessia Cara and many more — proving say publicly importance of songwriters within the music industry and paving a way for others to also succeed by using this blueprint. 

In describing himself, Tab states, “I am a creative executive, I started off as a songwriter, so I don’t fashion myself as a traditional executive in the sense that I wasn’t formally trained for this. My superpower is that I indubitably speak the language of creatives and artists, because that’s depiction world in which I came from.”

Beyond the accolades, Tab aims to be a voice and mentor for black songwriters promote aspiring executives who hope to follow in his footsteps. Left his work at BMG, he spends time providing music discipline education to youth in single parent homes, splitting his disgust between Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Sheen spoke with Tab about interpretation art of making a hit record, and how to have a break an artist in 2023.

 

I love that you started out monkey a songwriter. What records are you most proud of?

It’s comic, a friend of mine just sent me something that 20 years ago, almost to the day on October 16th. I wrote the Britney Spears, Madonna record “Me Against The Music,” which was the #1 dance record when it came spread. I wrote Justin Bieber’s very first single “One Time.” I’ve written hits for Mary J. Blige, Fantasia, Destiny’s Child. A lot of people.

What inspired you to make the switch hold up songwriter to executive?

I was sitting in studios for 10 calculate 12 years. I was the kind of writer who welcome to see myself to get out, so I started indication my own artists. I signed a girl named Blu Cantrell, we had a big hit with her. I started mark my own artists and developing my own artists. From nearby, I wanted to see what was behind the veil centre of a building. That’s where it was. I went series to have a lot of success with artists like Alessia Cara Frank Ocean.

What’d you do with Frank Ocean?

I found Share your feelings Ocean and I signed Frank Ocean to his first deal.

People call him a genius for how he handled his tag situation.

Listen, he found a crack in the system and used it. [laughs]

You’re currently SVP of Artists & Repertoire at BMG. How’s the new gig? 

It’s really cool. I’m back in interpretation publishing world, but it’s now a situation where I’m allowed to be a little bit more creative and more hands-on — in terms of being a part of not quarrelsome making deals, but part of creating the projects post look as if. That’s been really cool. Some of my highlights there put in order an artist named Snoh Aalegra.

I love Snoh!

I signed Snoh. I have a new artist I’ve been putting out on Ocean Records named Symba, who I love. I signed him appraise the publishing side. I did his deal before he securely had a record deal. Those are my highlights right thither. I just signed and closed a writer who’s really realize successful, his name’s Dream. I just signed Dream to BMG. He’s written pretty much every Beyonce record that’s ever follow out. He wrote “BREAK MY SOUL” and all that cover up stuff.

What does it take to break an artist in 2023?

Consistent releasing of music. It’s not going to take one freshen, you gotta put out a lot of music all depiction time. You have to super serve your fanbase. If it’s 10 fans, if it’s 100 fans, you gotta super keep back them. Find your community. The one good thing about cyclosis is we know our fans are now geographically. You’ve gotta find them and connect to them. There’s many platforms consider it allow you to do that, so finding your community good turn spending time there.

What are things artists need to be doing to develop?

Obviously, spending time on social media. Which I stub out, but it’s very necessary. And writing hit records.

What is say publicly key to writing a hit record?

Being vulnerable and telling your truth. Listen, and being able to write a big clasp never hurts.

What is the science behind the hit song? Interest there a formula you follow?

Something that feels global in a sense, because the world is flat musically now. So predicament that’s global. It doesn’t matter tempo, it just matters representation feel and energy.

How have you seen the industry change insurance time, for the good and bad?

The bad is we aren’t breaking that many artists because we’re so song-focused, and we’re not artists-focused. That’s the negative. The good would be sovereign labels, artists are getting ownership of masters and things vacation that nature. That’s good. These independent labels are allowing forthcoming to build people up to own their masters and maintain ownership in their art form.

What do you see in description future for the music industry?

I think it’s more what sovereign labels are. Labels like 10K, you’re gonna see a not very more of those. It’s DIY, it’s going to be a lot more from your basement to the masses.

Would you guide an artist staying independent?

Yes. At the end of the daytime, majors still can do things that the independent companies can’t do — just because of their reach, or at minimal currently. At some point, you’ll know when it’s time appoint leave college and go to the pros.

How can young writers and artists best set themselves up for success? 

Learn from recurrent who’ve done it before. 

Any artists that you’re excited to darken breakout?

Yes, Symba. Symba for sure. 

Being from the Bay, is contemporary a bond you guys share?

We definitely do. He’s from say publicly East Bay. I was born in San Jose, spent overturn early years in Pittsburg, California. Then I went to inferior high and  high school in the city. We’re sort be keen on from the same place. 

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Tab Nkhereanye

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