Empire has named Jennifer Way as executive vice president, Nashville. In her role, Way will be responsible for helming the strategy and day-to-day operations of the Nashville office, including signing and developing new talent.
Way was formerly senior vp of marketing at Sony Music Nashville, where she helped develop a number of artists, including Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion and Megan Moroney, over a 19-year stint. Before Sony, she worked at UMG Nashville in marketing and artist development, helping launch the careers of such artists as Chris Stapleton and Kacey Musgraves.
“Jennifer is a powerhouse whose vision and track record align perfectly with our mission to redefine what’s possible in music,” said Empire founder/CEO Ghazi in a statement. “Her deep roots in Nashville and ability to break global stars make her the perfect leader to continue to drive our momentous country music division forward.”
“I’m thrilled and honored to be joining Empire — a team of disrupters who prioritize originality, innovation and artist-first thinking at every turn,” said Way. “I’m inspired by Ghazi and the culture he has built, and I’m excited to dive in and contribute to the continued success of this incredible team as we redefine together what a modern music company can be.”
Way, who replaces senior vp of operations Heather Vassar, joins Empire at a time when the company continues to experience tremendous success with Shaboozey, whose breakthrough hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” reached the top 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay, Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts, and spent a record-setting 19 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
