In celebration of Women’s History Month, IWD, and a decade of our community’s existence, shesaid.so is featuring a list of honorees for 2024. This list, curated by the shesaid.so team, comprises individuals who have made a significant impact on our community and the music industry at large.
The Alternative Power 100 Music List was created in 2017 as a response to Billboard’s Power 100 List with the aim to challenge conventional music industry standards. Over the years the Alt List has evolved from a symbolic stance in defiance of its original counterpart to a celebration for traditionally underrepresented communities such as women, people of color, with disabilities, people from emerging markets, LGBTQ and so on.
Alternative Power 100 Music List: Previous Editions
Nur Özdamar
Nur Özdamar is an entertainment industry executive committed to nurturing artists and creators through technology and education. Originally born in Turkey, the shesaid.so Alternative Power 100 honoree has built a global career that encompasses brand agencies, record labels, and tech companies.
Nur's active engagement with music communities reflects her dedication to fostering discussions on overcoming barriers in the music industry and providing ways to share insights and practical advice.
Currently, she’s based in London as YouTube’s Artist & Label Development Lead for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) spearheading a regional team that champions the careers of 300+ artists and supporting 150+ labels.
Nur has been the driving force behind Foundry in EMEA – YouTube Music’s global artist development program, which aids independent artists in building careers on their own terms. To date, Foundry has assisted more than 150+ artists across 15 countries including alumni like Tems, Dua Lipa, Rosalia, Omar Apollo, Gunna, andHARDY, and others.
Nur has actively participated in various shesaid.so events, notably joining founder Andreea Magdalina at the we.challenge roundtable in 2021 - a discussion that aimed to unpack the challenges faced by women in the music industry, addressing both pre-existing social and systemic barriers as well as new challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic - with artist and producer Tems, Oksi Odedina of 5k Records, Jacqueline Eyewe, Marketing Director of 0207 Def Jam, and Ali Raymond, who played a pivotal role in elevating Arlo Parks to new heights in recent years.
Phiona Okumu
Phiona Okumu, the Head of Music for the Sub-Saharan region at Spotify, has played a pivotal role in elevating emerging African artists.
DJing, curating new music, and blogging about global African pop culture way back in 2009 is what led Phiona Okumu down the path of streaming, starting first at Apple Music. As the editorial, label & artist relations lead for Africa, where the service had just launched, she went about the work of amplifying music creators from the region.
Three years later she joined Spotify, at first as the Artist and Label Partnerships manager focusing on South Africa, the sole Sub-Saharan country where Spotify had a presence at the time, and later on when the brand expanded to nearly 40 more African countries in February 2021, Okumu was promoted to head of music for the Sub-Saharan region.
In this current role, she is in charge of the strategy via which the region’s music teams engage artists, labels and other industry stakeholders, and execute editorial on platform.
The long-time shesaid.so member (Phiona joined our community in 2015 while running Afripop Mag as an editor and writing for The Guardian, among other outlets) is passionate about uplifting emerging African artists.
Okumu repetitively highlighted the explosive growth of Afrobeats, emphasizing the genre's global recognition and the significant influence of African music on pop culture - with Rema, a leading Afrobeats artist, achieving a billion streams, signaling the genre's increasing popularity among both African and international audiences.
Phiona’s passion for music discovery, culture and storytelling remain the core of her day-to-day as well as her long-term vision. She emphasizes strategy, innovation, and culture to propel African music forward and stresses the importance of authenticity and the need to understand the business side of the industry.
Jyoty
Considered at the forefront of her own movement, Jyoty has emerged as a global trailblazer in dance music. Over eight years on London's Rinse FM, she has evolved from radio to headlining festivals and hosting sold-out stages worldwide. Recognized for her skills as a DJ, musical selector, curator, and interviewer, the Alt-List 2020 Honoree has garnered a devoted following.
Her journey began with Boiler Room, where her personality managing the door led to hosting shows. A regular on Rinse FM, she showcased her ability to discover new music and connect with guests, amassing thousands of global listeners. Beyond headline shows at renowned venues and festivals like KOKO, Paradiso, and Glastonbury, Jyoty uses her platform to give back; from hosting DJ workshops for women in Calcutta to teaching courses for young British Asian women, she knows the importance of sharing knowledge.
“Make sure you count and celebrate each and every achievement, and don’t let anybody make you feel like you shouldn’t or your can’t, because you should and you can!” (Jyoty during shesaid.so x TikTok 2021 Mentor Moments)
In just a few years, Jyoty has become an industry force, with sold-out headline tours, collaborations with fashion brands like Burberry and Prada, and an unwavering commitment to representing good music without limitations. She continues to break barriers and make a lasting impact on the music scene.
Cherie Hu
Cherie Hu, an award-winning researcher, founder, and educator in music, technology, and business, has been an active member, an ALT LIST 2020 Ambassador and Alternative Power 100 Music List 2018 Honoree.
Excitingly, she is set to join Syracuse University's Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries in Fall 2024 as a Professor of Practice, focusing on teaching emerging music business models and technologies. Concurrently, she serves as an Adjunct Professor, teaching social media marketing for the music business at Bandier.
Since 2019, Cherie has been the driving force behind Water & Music, a global innovation platform for the music business. Through data-driven market research, online courses, consulting projects, and live events, she empowers industry professionals to navigate emergent music-tech trends for transformative opportunities in business and culture.
Probably the most cliché-but-true tip I have for those who want to carve out their own path in music media is to own a niche that you’re passionate about. (Cherie Hu, Member Spotlight 2021)
Cherie's extensive background in writing, editing, and reporting on the music business includes contributions to reputable publications such as Billboard, Forbes, NPR Music, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Variety, and DJ Mag. Recognized as a go-to source for music-industry trends, she has provided insights for publications like CNBC, WIRED, CoinDesk, The Ringer, and Bloomberg. Additionally, Cherie has been a featured panelist or keynote speaker at over 40 conferences worldwide.
In her free time, Cherie enjoys dancing, particularly in the realms of house and hip-hop, exploring modern art museums, relishing good food, and indulging in cratedigging. Her diverse expertise and passion for pushing creative boundaries make her a prominent figure shaping the intersection of music, technology, and business.
Skin
Skin is an acclaimed rock singer known for her groundbreaking presence since the mid-'90s with Skunk Anansie.
Born and raised in Brixton, South London, she ventured into hardcore rock, rejecting the conventional path of soul/R&B session singing. Apart from fronting Skunk Anansie, one of the UK's most successful underground bands, she is recognized as a fashion icon, actress, and activist, showcasing versatility and impact across various creative fields.
Skin's solo journey continued with various gigs around Europe, including supporting Robbie Williams' and Placebo's world tours. Driven by her love for electronic music, Skin transitioned into the DJ world thanks to her friend Damian Lazarus.
Skin has collaborated with various artists including Timo Maas, Martin Buttrich and Nicole Moudaber and has been DJing at renowned venues worldwide, including Output in New York, Sound Nightclub in LA, and Fabric in London and at events like Carl Cox's Revolution in Ibiza and Coachella. In 2020 Skin published her memoir, "It Takes Blood and Guts," co-written with Lucy O'Brien.
Skin's notable appearences with shesaid.so was during the shesaid.so presents “Investigating Intersectionality” event at IMS 2019 when she shared her experiences alongside other influential figures in the music industry, including Detroit-born and raised techno/house DJ and producer Kelli Hand, German-based DJ and producer Loco Dice, Palestinian DJ and producers DJ Dar and DJ Darbak, and Spain's Paco Osuna.
Liz Miller
Liz Miller is a longtime behind-the-scenes music industry figure with active participation in our community and a commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within the electronic music industry.
Originally from Colorado, Liz played a foundational role at Beatport in 2003, where she spent six years managing over 3000 label accounts. In 2009, she launched her own digital marketing service, working with artists like Richie Hawtin and Seth Troxler. A significant opportunity arose in 2010 when she became the General Manager for Atlantic's Big Beat Records, overseeing the relaunch and nurturing a roster that included Skrillex, Martin Solveig, and David Guetta.
In 2012, Skrillex won three Grammy Awards for his breakthrough album "Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" and acknowledged Liz Miller, then the head of his record label Big Beat, in his acceptance speech.
In 2014, Miller returned to Beatport under SFX, taking on the role of VP of Artist Relations and contributing to the development of a department focused on supporting electronic music artists through the Beatport/SFX platform. Since 2018 has been involved in Artist Partnerships at Meta, collaborating with artists across various genres to enhance their presence on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Threads, WhatsApp, and more.
Liz Miller joined our community in 2017, and her introduction stood out for its generous offer to assist fellow members. She provided her contact details and encouraged everyone to reach out for professional or informal conversations. In 2023, she further extended her support by becoming a mentor in our we.grow mentoring program at ADE.
Wendy Ong
Serving as the Global Co-President/Head of Marketing at TaP Music, Wendy Ong expertly oversees a diverse roster of artists, including Lana Del Rey, Ellie Goulding, Caroline Polachek, Noah Cyrus, Dermot Kennedy, Mabel, and more.
Her unparalleled track record of breaking artists in every corner of the globe, coupled with her personal journey from Singapore to leadership posts at the music industry's top companies, establishes her as the preeminent modern music executive.
“Living in so many different places and collaborating with such a wide variety of people allows you to be in tune with the pulse of what’s happening globally,” she says. “In my career, I’ve also had the rare opportunity to work in nearly every genre of music from hip hop to classical. I draw from all of that when working to realize my artist’s vision.”
Her first job was at BMG Singapore, specializing in Soundtracks, Jazz, and New Age. After two years she moved to Hong Kong where she took on supervising pop releases for Asia Pacific.
Upon relocating to NYC she embarked on the seminal role of International Marketing at Clive Davis’s Arista Records. Over the next decade, she went on to launch OutKast worldwide and worked extensively with artists such as P!nk, Alicia Keys and The Strokes. Following Arista, she joined the Metropolitan Opera before EMI sought her out as Head of Classical in 2011.
Following stints at Capitol Music (where she led the Marketing team to break Sam Smith) and Interscope Records, she joined Roc Nation as Head of Marketing where she drove campaigns for JAY-Z, Rihanna, Jaden Smith and more. In late 2018, she became Tap Music’s Head of Marketing and was promoted to Global Co-President of TaP Music a year later helping to drive the success of Dua Lipa globally.
Kanya King
Kanya King MBE, the CEO, founder, and visionary behind the MOBO Awards, has played a pivotal role in transforming black music from the fringes of British popular culture to a central position on the global stage. Over the organization's twenty-year journey, Kanya's exceptional leadership has made MOBO a globally respected brand, championing diversity, inclusion, and recognition for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) talent across various fields.
Born out of Kanya's determination and entrepreneurial spirit, the MOBO Awards started in 1996, defying industry trends and celebrating black music at a time when it was overshadowed by Britpop. Kanya's relentless efforts and financial commitment, including re-mortgaging her house, led to the success of the inaugural event, setting the stage for MOBO to become a driving force in British urban music.
Under Kanya's guidance, MOBO not only became a prestigious awards ceremony but evolved into an iconic brand with year-round initiatives, including the MOBO UnSung talent competition and an artist development program. Kanya's dynamic approach has been instrumental in supporting the growth of British urban music, providing a platform for artists like Stormzy, Amy Winehouse, and Skepta.
In 2009, Kanya took the bold step of moving the MOBO Awards outside London, showcasing its adaptability and resonance with diverse audiences across the UK. MOBO's impact is not limited to entertainment; it incorporates the MOBO Trust, contributing to social and cultural change through talent development programs and educational opportunities.
Kanya's commitment to positive change is evident in MOBO's partnerships and initiatives. In 2021, she collaborated with shesaid.so and TikTok to share 'mentor moments,' providing quick-fire video tips and support for aspiring women in the music industry. Kanya King's journey exemplifies not only entrepreneurial success but also a dedication to fostering diversity, inclusion, and excellence in arts, culture, and society.
Suzy Ryoo
Suzy Ryoo is the Co-Founder and President of Venice Music, an inclusive, pioneering global distribution platform and artist/label services company that offers the tools, education and community an independent music entrepreneur needs to grow and succeed in their careers.
Suzy Ryoo served as a shesaid.so ALT LIST 2021 Business and Technology Ambassador. Her role was instrumental in aligning with shesaid.so's vision and introducing special awards and ten brand new categories covering industry areas such as Artists, Community, Record Labels, and more.
In a parallel universe to music in venture capital, Suzy's an investor in software enabled, culture leading companies including Therabody, FaZe Clan, Liquid Death, Seed, OurPlace, Yumi and Blueland. Born in Seoul, raised in LA and now across Miami and beyond, Suzy was blessed by her entrepreneurial family and their immigrant hustle.
Emily Lazar
Emily Lazar, a leading mastering engineer that started her musical journey in a household immersed in music. Her early experiences as an artist and songwriter drove her pursuit of understanding the intricacies of the recording process.
With a background in engineering and classical training, Emily honed her mastering skills, working with industry giants and eventually founding her own studio, The Lodge, in downtown New York.
The walls of The Lodge studio are lined with classic platinum records and music memorabilia. As a hub that has hosted renowned artists like Dave Grohl, the B-52s and Garbage, the studio remains a finishing school for major albums in music history. Lazar set up shop in 1997 and her mastering skills soon brought in a clientele as eclectic as the genres in the industry, from Wu-Tang Clan and Linkin Park to The Shins.
Emily Lazar has garnered two Grammy nominations for her outstanding work in the final stages of preparing albums for release. Her first nomination was for the Foo Fighters' "Wasting Light" in 2011, and in 2015, she is nominated for her contribution to Sia's widely recognized pop hit, "Chandelier."
In 2019, Lazar made history as the first female mastering engineer to win a Grammy for Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical) with Beck's "Colors." In 2021, she achieved another milestone by securing three Grammy nominations for Album of the Year, earning praise from Chris Martin of Coldplay for her crucial role in enhancing their latest album's sound.
As a mastering engineer, Emily views her work as a creative process, emphasizing collaboration with artists to preserve the integrity of their mixes.
She pioneered "stem mastering," working with separate files for mix elements, to provide greater flexibility and control in achieving desired results.
Emily navigates the challenges of the loudness wars, emphasizing the importance of maintaining artistic intent while meeting distribution requirements. Beyond technical aspects, Emily prioritizes conversations about vibe, color, and storytelling in her work. For her, mastering is like midwifery, facilitating the birth of a musical creation. Emily's commitment to helping artists realize their vision is reflected in her approach, making her a sought-after figure in the industry.