This Week’s Disruptors 11/16/2023
This weeks DISRUPTORS are in! Get to know them all!
- Zak Kuhn (Founder, Nashville Briefing)
Elisa Vazzana
Music Agent, UTA
Bio: Elisa Vazzana is an agent in the music department at United Talent Agency where she unites ideas, opportunities, and talent. Vazzana works in UTA’s Nashville office and represents many of the world’s leading musicians, including Megan Moroney, Chayce Beckham, Logan Crosby and Adam Doleac, among others. Vazzana is on the Board of Directors at International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA). She is also a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), Country Music Association (CMA) and Academy of Country Music (ACM). Vazzana is a member of Justice Now, an internal task force within UTA’s Music department, which aims to address systemic racism in the industry through four pillars of education, mentorship, empowerment, and fearless imagination, as well as La Femme Majeure, a UTA event series that connects and empowers music’s next generation of women leaders.
Proudest moment: Such a tough question, but at the top of the list are watching Megan Moroney go from playing inside the Music City Center on an acoustic stage at CMA fest in 2022 to playing Nissan Stadium this year and seeing both of her headline tours sell out at the on-sale this year. I can’t forget getting her on the Kenny Chesney stadium tour in 2024.
Lucy Bartozzi
VP, Marketing, Big Loud
Bio: Lucy Bartozzi is a dynamic marketing executive who has led campaigns across a diverse range of genres for artists such as Beartooth, The Aces, Major Lazer, Flume, Black Pistol Fire, Lettuce, Heart Attack Man and more. Bartozzi started her career in the music industry as a teenager on the Vans Warped Tour Working as an Assistant Tour Manager. She then moved to Los Angeles where she worked at Press Here Publicity, Red Bull Records and mTheory. Bartozzi moved to Nashville in 2021 to oversee all frontline marketing initiatives at Round Hill Records. Since then, she has joined the team at Big Loud as VP, Marketing and oversees marketing for HARDY, Hailey Whitters, Lauren Watkins, Lily Rose and more. Lucy is a graduate of the Bandier Program at Syracuse University. When she isn't grinding, you can find Lucy reading, enjoying the great outdoors or hanging with her sweet pup Alice.
Proudest moment: Proudest Moment: There are a lot of little moments that have shaped my career like watching The Aces sell out the Troubadour in minutes on their first headline tour or getting a Spotify billboard in Times Square for Major Lazer's single "Que Calor" or Blues Traveler receiving a GRAMMY nomination for their album 'Traveler's Blues' or joining the team at Big Loud...it really does feel like my best and proudest moments are yet to come...stay tuned
Edgel Groves Jr
President | Co-Founder, HOOCHE
Bio: Edgel Groves Jr. currently serves as the President & Co-Founder of HOOCHE Media Inc. in Nashville, TN. Hooche is a multimedia network with a focus on country music culture that creates and distributes podcasts, music, shows and a widely syndicated radio station called Hooche Country on iHeart & Dash. Previously, Edgel has held executive positions at SoundCloud, Single Music, EscapeX, Sony Music (Century Media) and managed the careers of artists such as Poutyface, Kira Kosarin, Emblem3, Mads Langer and many more. Groves is responsible for architecting and launching SoundCloud's first ever A&R department and label roster which led to successful partnerships with the likes of T-Pain, Linda Perry, Riptide Publishing, 108 Mgmt and others.
Proudest Moment: I have many that come to mind… But in terms of highly memorable moments, being invited to Shangri-La Studios to spend the day with Rick Rubin and his team while the Red Hot Chili Peppers were recording would be up there for me.
Breon Robinson
SVP of Branding, NLess Entertainment
Bio: Breon Robinson has dedicated her expertise as a brand strategist to support both emerging artists and major record labels. As a brand strategist, Robinson has a front-row seat to some of the most prominent figures in today's hip-hop industry. Having previously worked for esteemed companies such as Alamo Records and Republic Records, Robinson took the initiative to establish her own PR firm, BluePrintIncc, in early 2019. Since its inception, BluePrintIncc has successfully executed numerous campaigns within the hip-hop community, collaborating with notable artists such as Baby Tate, Guapdad 4000, esteemed producers like Jetsonmade and TB Hits, and esteemed labels such as Dreamville and Since the 80s. Robinson's expertise has also extended to working closely with respected music executives, including Brooklyn Johnny and Birdman Zoe, among others. Continuing on her path of accomplishments, Robinson recently assumed the role of Senior Vice President of branding at Memphis independent record label, N-Less Entertainment. In just one year with the company, she has made significant strides in elevating the profiles of their artists, as well as the label executives, including highly regarded figures MoneyBagg Yo, Zach Randolph, Marcus Howell, Big 30, and Big Homiie G. She recently moved to Nashville.
Proudest moment: I would have to say, being a part of the “Revenge of the Dreamers III” project and witnessing 10+ people receiving their first Grammy nomination in 2020
Eric Parker
Founder, Extended Play Music Group
Bio: Eric Parker attended NYU School of Law to specialize in contract and copyright law. After becoming a licensed attorney and working at a corporate law firm, he took a leap of faith and started his own artist management firm. In 2021, Parker discovered Matt Schuster on TikTok and was blown away by his incredible vocal and songwriting abilities. In 2022, Matt and Eric relocated to Nashville with the goal of building a team that shares their passion and knows how to strategically amplify Matt's talents. Those partners now include Warner Nashville, UMPG Nashville, and WME, who he says have been “invaluable collaborators on this journey”.
Proudest moment: Proudest moment: Watching Matt Schuster play to thousands of fans in Australia and seeing them sing back lyrics of songs he wrote at the beginning of his already incredible career. Also seeing my artist Myles Smith become one of the fastest growing artists in the UK and globally. He’s currently charting in dozens of countries across the world, and as an independent act which is not easy for an artist to do!
Brittany Rashkin
FlyteVu, Head of Publicity
Bio: Brittany Rashkin oversees the Publicity department at Nashville-based entertainment marketing agency FlyteVu. Rashkin started her PR career in New York as an assistant account executive at leading PR firm Ruder Finn. There, she worked across consumer and corporate accounts including American Express, Avery Dennison, Citibank, General Electric, MetLife, Subway restaurants, and more. She then relocated to Nashville to work in PR across various hospitality and retail accounts including the grand openings of new restaurant and hotel concepts. During her 4+ years at FlyteVu, Brittany has worked with the agency to help brands connect to consumers via the power of pop culture and purpose. FlyteVu's current and previous client roster includes American Red Cross, Barefoot Wine, Bumble, Carter's, Moët Hennessy, Cracker Barrel, Drybar, Enterprise, Journeys, Jack Daniel’s, Norwegian Cruise Line, Spotify, Tennessee Tourism, Tractor Supply Company, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and many more.
Proudest Moment: Proudest moment: I am most proud of a program I worked on in 2022 with CLEAN Cause, a beverage brand on a mission to support individuals in recovery, and GRAMMY-winning artist Macklemore who has long been an advocate for the power of recovery and candid about his struggles with substance abuse. The partnership announcement earned over 2.5 Billion Earned Media Impressions with features in Forbes, PEOPLE, an essay in TODAY and more. Addiction impacts everyone in different ways, and I had the opportunity to work on this timely partnership when the COVID pandemic had directly impacted the drug overdose and substance abuse epidemic.
