RIO DE JANEIRO (CelebrityAccess) – Warner Music Brazil has announced a series of changes designed to turbocharge its presence across a range of the country’s diverse domestic genres. The moves are a statement of intent as the company looks to grow its presence in the world’s ninth-largest recorded music market.
Leila Oliveira, President of Warner Music Brazil, has made two strategic hires to strengthen her leadership team. Tatiana Cantinho will join as General Manager, and Mariana Frensel will be named Director of Marketing. They will start their roles immediately and be based in the company’s Rio de Janeiro headquarters.
Cantinho has more than 20 years of industry experience. She previously worked in regional roles at Sony Music before moving to the leading independent label Som Livre and then setting up her own music company, Stamina Musical, in 2022.
Frensel takes up her role after working at online dating giant Match Group for the last eight years, most recently as Director of Revenue and Growth, New Verticals. The move is a homecoming for Frensel, who was the International Label Manager for Warner Music Brazil between 2011 and 2015.
At the same time, the company is reorganizing its A&R and Marketing departments to better serve key domestic genres, focusing on sertanejo, forró, samba, funk and urban music. Marcos Kilzer, who currently serves as A&R director, will continue to lead the A&R team and work closely with Cantinho.
Thiago Abreu will report directly to Oliveira and head a new Creative Services team. The team will support the marketing and A&R teams while also working closely on special brand partnerships and live music projects.
The moves are the latest changes Oliveira has made since she became the first female label head in Brazil in 2022. Earlier this year, she worked with colleagues at Warner Chappell Music and ADA Brazil to launch the Warner Music Space, a new company headquarters in the Barra da Tijuca area of Rio de Janeiro. The space is home to various creative areas, including studios, lounges, workstations, an acoustic performance stage, and an event area.
Just last month, ADA Brazil and Warner Music Brazil announced an investment in the Sua Música group, which owns the largest Brazilian music platform and the Sua Música digital distributor. The investment partnered ADA Brazil and Warner Music Brazil with Sua Música, enabling the companies to combine their efforts in developing regional artists and songwriters. The deal typified the close working relationship between Warner Music Brazil and ADA, Warner Music Group’s independent distribution and label services arm.
Cantinho says: “Warner Music Brazil is reinventing the record company’s role in our rapidly changing industry. We need to be more nimble than ever when it comes to connecting artists with fans and building a wave of support for our talent that can be turned into a sustainable career. Music can travel further and faster than ever, and we want to help artists from different backgrounds take their place on the centre stage.”
Frensel adds: “I’m super pleased to be returning to Warner Music at this key moment in its development. Leila has a vision for how a modern music company should evolve, and the importance of artist narratives is at the heart of it. I want to bring my experience to bear as our new genre-focused teams get to work supporting Brazil’s most vibrant talent.”
Oliveira comments: “This is a key moment for Warner Music Brazil. The arrival of Tatiana and Mariana strengthens my leadership team, and together, we’ll rewrite the rules about how the industry operates here. Our new genre-specific teams mean that we’ll be able to serve artists super better than ever and help all types of Brazilian talent connect with fans here and around the world.”
Alejandro Duque, President of Warner Music Latin America, concludes: “As we elevate our regional approach to be closer to our global leadership, expanding our presence in Brazil, the world’s ninth-largest music market, is crucial to the company’s growth. We’ve always had a strong presence in the country, but we know we need to do more to support its diverse musical genres. Leila’s game-changing plan will see us laser-focused on key genres across this huge music market, and I’m excited for the next chapter in Warner Music Brazil’s development.”
Warner Music Brazil is home to a wide range of artists, including IZA, Pedro Sampaio, Ferrugem, MC Hariel, MC Ryan SP, Kayblack, MC IG, MC Don Juan, Azzy, Marvvila, Thiago Freitas, US Agroboy, João Bosco & Vinícius, and Clayton & Romario.
According to the latest IFPI figures, Brazil is the ninth-largest recorded music market in the world. It is valued at US$573.6 million and grew 13.39% last year. The market is digitally driven, with 87.1% of industry revenues coming from streaming channels.
