A& R Leadership at Universal Music Canada
Universal Music Canada (UMC) has appointed Amanda Kingsland and Sean Marino as A&R Co-leaders, granting them an “updated mandate on the signatures, development, and promotion of the next generation of Canadian artists on the world stage.”
Kingsland takes on the role of Vice President, A&R, collaborating with Shawn Marino, VP, A&R Operations, as part of the leadership team that includes Kvaku Agemang, Widney Bonfils, Natassa Kuachon-Croose, Ivan Ivvest, Morgan “Mj” James, Shirley Ichkhanyan, and Shannen Serrano. They are further supported by the UMC’s placement and studio team members Don Kitchen, Lisa Lorenz, and sound engineer Phil Hotz.
Focus on Artist Development
The A&R team operates out of offices in Toronto and Montreal, connected to 80A Studios, an award-winning multi-room recording facility for UMC. Marino will continue to oversee 80A, as well as the UMC event and performance space, Academy, along with A&R operations and technology.
He will also maintain leadership over A&R for Legacy UMC artists looking to revitalize their catalogs, including notable names such as The Tragically Hip and Anne Murray.
This marks the first significant changes in UMC’s upper management since Julie Adam was appointed general director in February, when Jeffrey Remedios transitioned from chairman and general director of UMC to president of strategic development for Universal Music Group and Republic Collective, which encompasses Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, Mercury Records, and Republic Records.
Kingsland and Marino report directly to Adam.
“I could not be more excited that Amanda and Sean are leading A&R from Canada as we continue to support, elevate, and invest in artistic voices.”
Julie Adam, Universal Music Canada
Since joining UMC in 2001, Kingsland has served as a director of A&R, where she “rebuilt the UMC roster of Country Music artists and revitalized A&R as part of numerous projects,” the company stated on Wednesday (March 26).
“At the heart of our mission is signing, developing, and breaking the artists that our A&R team champions within the industry,” Adam remarked.
“They are experts in taste and genre who enlighten, sign, and nurture talent, bringing extensive international connections, musical insights, and a deep understanding of diverse music projects. I could not be more thrilled for Amanda and Sean to advance A&R efforts from Canada, as we continue to support, elevate, and invest in artistic voices.”
Recent UMC signings include acclaimed songwriter Lindsay Ell, country group James Barker Band, singer-songwriter and producer Sebastian Gaskin (in partnership with an Indigenous-led label, ISHKōDé Records), and rapper-electronic artist Tirikeordi.
In partnership with Republic Records, UMC signed Indian hip-hop star Ap Dhillon, which was labeled an “innovative deal” as it marks the first time an India-born artist, who is a singer-songwriter and producer of Punjabi descent, has joined the label.
According to the IFPI Global Music Report, the recorded music market in Canada has grown 1.5% year, reaching an impressive 660.3 million US dollars in 2024, making it the eighth largest music market worldwide. The report noted that the relatively low growth rate was affiliated with a one-time payment reflected in the revenue from performance rights in 2023.
IFPI also ranked Canadian rapper Drake as the No. 2 musical artist globally, improving from No. 4 the previous year, behind Taylor Swift—despite the challenges posed by the ongoing trial involving signed artist Kendrick Lamar.
Amanda Kingsland, Shawn Marino named co-heads of A&R at Universal Music Canada
