Mariah Carey introduced Billboard‘s Executive of the Decade Jody Gerson, the chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, on Wednesday (Jan. 28) in Los Angeles, by recalling the time she nearly sold her own publishing at the dawn of her career.
“I almost sold my publishing when I was 18 years old, for $5,000. We remember some of the songs in the catalog, right?” Carey told the audience at Billboard’s Power 100 event. “But I was just thinking: If I had someone like Jody there to protect me, it never would’ve gotten that far.”
Related
Carey, of course, held on to her rights, continuing in her speech that “none of us would be in this room today if it weren’t for the transcendent power of one thing — a song. And no one I know is a fiercer protector of or advocate for songs and songwriters than the woman that I’m here to introduce. Since she became chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group a decade ago, Jody Gerson has reigned not just as the most powerful woman in the music industry, but as one of the most influential executives in entertainment.”
Speaking after a video montage featuring UMPG artists including Chris Martin, Brandi Carlile, J Balvin and Barry Gibb, Carey noted how Gerson has “approximately tripled her company’s publishing revenue, while championing songwriters and fighting for the value of a song at every turn. In the process she’s shown the music industry how to lead a global music giant with grace, integrity, selflessness and the utmost respect for both songwriters and her staff, while always speaking her mind and using her role as what she calls ‘a platform to build strategic bridges with influential leaders beyond the music industry.”
Added the superstar: “As a UMPG artist myself, I know the power of this woman very well, and I’m grateful to work alongside someone who advocates to steadfastly for songwriters.”
Gerson then came on stage to accept the honor, calling it “truly a special moment, accepting this award from an artist and songwriter who’s spent more weeks at No. 1 than anyone in history.”
In her speech, Gerson went on to say she has “the best job in the world, working with and supporting some of the greatest artists and songwriters of all time. They have all touched my heart and enriched my soul through their music. They mean the world to me, and I care about them and their songs deeply.”
Gerson then said that everyone in the industry should view creating opportunities for women and doing work that’s important to artist as “a responsibility we should all feel, in fact we should view it as a requirement.” She then referenced her own action as the cofounder of She Is the Music and a board member of mental health advocacy group Project Healthy Minds.
“In a world so fraught with tension, turmoil and uncertainty,” Gerson said, “I am proud to be in an industry that brings music into the world, and with it hope, unity and healing.”
