Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has appointed Jamie Kinelski to the position of Senior Vice President of A&R, it was announced today by UMPG Executive Vice President and Head of U.S. A&R Jennifer Knoepfle, to whom Kinelski reports. Kinelski is based in the company’s New York offices.
In her new position, Kinelski will sign, develop and guide the evolution of emerging and established songwriters, artists and producers, while further solidifying UMPG’s standing as a frontrunner in cultivating talent. Kinelski will also work closely with Knoepfle to strengthen and expand the company’s U.S. A&R team, fostering its growth and ensuring it continues to attract and support exceptional creative talent.
In making the announcement, Knoepfle said, “We are so fortunate to welcome someone as seasoned and well respected as Jamie to UMPG. She is a tremendous asset to the dynamic and fresh executive team we are building, and her vast publishing and leadership experience will be extremely valuable to our company’s continued growth and innovation. Jamie is a fierce advocate for songwriters, and I look forward to working with her to provide an incredible experience and nurturing environment for the talented creators we work with today, and those we’ll be welcoming in the future.”
Kinelski said, “I am so fortunate to work with some of the most revered songwriters and musical creators in the world, each and every day. I am also deeply grateful for the opportunity to expand my role at UMPG, where I have the honor of working with two of the very best executives in the business: Jody Gerson and Jennifer Knoepfle. I couldn’t be more excited to begin this new chapter and take on the important goal of growing our incredible A&R team and working with them to pursue my greatest passion: discovering and mentoring new talent, who remain the lifeblood of our industry.”
Kinelski comes to UMPG from Kobalt, where she has served as that company’s Senior Vice President & Head of West Coast Creative since 2022. While there, Kinelski signed and developed an impressive roster of creative talent, including Rogét Chahayed, Cuco, Dijon, Father John Misty, Saya Gray, JULiA LEWiS, Michael Pollack, Moses Sumney, Jake Torrey, Kali Uchis and Pop Wansel. She was integral to Kobalt’s forging of key partnerships with Heavy Duty Publishing & 88Rising.
Before joining Kobalt in 2014 as Creative Director, Kinelski served as Director of Creative Services, Pop/Rock at ASCAP, where she signed such artists as Big Sean and HAIM.