Kate Sweetsur has nearly 30 years experience working in music publishing, having started her career at indie publisher Notting Hill Music in 1995. After five years there, she joined the A&R team at a new publishing company within Edel Records before being hired by Alison Donald at Chrysalis Music as their creative manager/songplugger. 

While at Chrysalis, Sweetsur signed songwriters and producers including Nina Woodford (James Morrison, Leona Lewis, Sugababes, SophieEllis-Bextor), Paddy Byrne (Paloma Faith, Olly Murs, Will Young, Snakehips) Sam Dixon (Sia, Paloma Faith, Christina Aguilera, Jack Savoretti, Adele) and Fraser T Smith with whom she celebrated four UK No.1 singles with Taio Cruz’s Break Your Heart and Adele’s Set Fire To The Rain.  

Following BMG’s acquisition of Chrysalis, Sweetsur continued to work for BMG Chrysalis, rising to co-head of A&R with Hugo Turquet. She ran the writer side of the department, hiring and managing a team that included Lisa Cullington, Ciara Newell, Georgina Upton and Alastair Kinross, and her signings included Steve Mac, Wayne Hector, Steve Robson, Labrinth, Karen Poole, Shaznay Lewis, Jimmy Hogarth and Joy Crookes. Sweetsur also oversaw and negotiated the deals for TMS, Levi Lennox, MIA and Camille Purcell.

In 2016, Sweetsur left BMG to manage songwriters and producers including Ed Harcourt, and to consult for two companies: US-based indie Big Deal Music and leading producer management company 365 Artists.

Sweetsur then joined Downtown as head of A&R in 2020, eventually rising to EVP of world-wide A&R. There, she signed more songwriters including Kingdoms and Jack Leonard, as well as artists including Wunderhorse, Alison Goldfrapp, Fred Roberts, Beren Olivia, Gently Tender and Lauran Hibberd.

This year, Sweetsur joined OTM Music as UK head of A&R, overseeing the UK and Europe-based roster which includes Sub Focus, Slinger, Joe Mount/Metronomy, Flyte, Jasmine Jethwa, Honne, while also working closely with US based writers and artists such as Gianluca Buccellati, Sudan Archives, Hemlocke Springs, Alessandro Buccellati, Dot Da Genius and Still Woozy.

Sweetsur has been a volunteer mentor at The Cat’s Mother since 2020, taking meetings with young women interested in a career in music publishing and helping them with job applications, interview technique and anything A&R related. She also took on the role of administrator at The Cat's Mother last year, and she continues to help organise the organisation’s events each year, including this year’s Cat's Mother Of The Year Awards.

How do you feel about joining the Music Week Women In Music Roll Of Honour?

“I am so thrilled to have been recognised. To join the ranks of so many brilliant women who have been inducted in previous years and to be selected this year alongside all the other nominees is a real honour.”

How do you look back on your early years getting into the industry?

“It took me a while to break into the industry. I left university with a degree in modern languages, not really knowing what I wanted to do. I was passionate about music but had no idea I could make a living from it as I didn’t know anyone in the business. I worked at the V&A and then had a job with a sponsorship agency which led me to working on all sorts of exciting projects such as a partnership with the ICA, a Phil Collins tour and a trip to Tokyo with the Manchester City Football team. I started applying for jobs at record labels but didn’t get anywhere as I had no secretarial skills; I was getting pretty disheartened. I was then lucky to meet a girl whose husband had a publishing company, Notting Hill Music, and they took a chance on me.”

Did you have a mentor at that stage?

“My first boss was Peter Chalcraft, at Notting Hill Music. I knew nothing about music publishing and Pete was patient and very generous with his knowledge and experience. He had had a mentor when he started in the business and was keen to do for me what they had done for him and I am eternally grateful to him, as well as to Andy McQueen and Dave Loader for giving me my first break. I was then lucky to work for Alison Donald at Chrysalis, who taught me so much about A&R and showed me how to navigate the business as a woman, and to meet Annette Barrett at Reservoir who is the consummate music publisher.”

You’ve worked with Alison Donald, Lisa Cullington and Kamille, among many others, and they have all been honoured at the Women In Music Awards. It is often said that creators and their teams are overlooked by the wider industry, let alone women working in this area of the business. With that in mind, how much do you think that situation has changed since you’ve been working in publishing and A&R?

“I think the Women In Music awards have gone a long way to rectify that by annually recognising women’s contributions to the business and celebrating our successes. Other award shows have also come along and celebrated the A&R community as a whole which is brilliant. And there are so many amazing women working in A&R now, some at the highest levels: Jo Charrington, Briony Turner, Kim Frankiewicz, Alison Donald, Amber Davies, amongst others. It’s great that Komali Scott-Jones has also been recognised this year – she’s a fantastic A&R and I’ve always enjoyed working with her.”

You’ve worked with the people behind some of the biggest hits of recent times – how do you think hit making has evolved over your time in the business?

“Firstly, I think it’s harder than ever to have a hit, or even define what a hit is. Having said that, it’s impossible to have a meaningful hit without a great song. So much has changed since I first joined the business, but that is a constant. Obviously the biggest change is how our hitmakers are remunerated and that will continue to be a challenge until we all collectively find a solution to the streaming pay gap affecting songwriters. Another thing that I have seen change is the speed in which songwriters and artists are expected to create and deliver their hits. I know that great songs can and do come out of one day “speed-writing” sessions but I still believe that the greatest music is created by people who have had the time to build trust, understanding and authentic relationships.”

What defines the art of A&R in 2024?

“Even in these data-driven times, I still think A&R is about signing what you love, and knowing that you can add value to what the artist or the songwriter is doing.”

You also work with The Cat’s Mother. What have you learned from mentoring and advising young women in this capacity?

“One of the reasons I am so passionate about Cat's Mother is that we provide a service which just didn’t exist when I was trying to break into industry. As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t know anything about the business and had no-one to ask. Our Cats Mother mentors share their time, experience and knowledge so generously with the beneficiaries and being part of that, and knowing that I can be a small part of a young woman’s start in the business, is incredibly fulfilling. It also reminds me how lucky I am to have built a long career doing something I love.”

What’s your biggest achievement so far? 

“Whilst I am proud to have been a part of some really significant songs and artist careers, I view my biggest achievement in a more personal manner. I have managed to raise a son while working continuously and I hope I have enabled other women to see that it is possible to work in A&R and have a family. It’s not easy, but it is possible! I am also really proud that a lot of the people I have hired over the years have gone on to do great things.”

What advice would you offer young women about enjoying a successful career in music?

“Show up on time, be willing to go the extra mile, reply to emails, be prepared for the knockbacks and don’t take them personally. Always take a meeting because you never know what someone might walk in with and finally, find your sisterhood. I’m so grateful to have a group of brilliant and supportive women around me who have always had my back – they know who they are.”

What’s the best advice you’ve ever had?

“It will all be OK in the end, and if it’s not OK, it’s not the end.”

Is there a young woman you'd like to shout out who you think is a rising star in the industry?

“I would like to shout out two young women I have had the pleasure of working with and who I think have very bright futures ahead of them: Georgina Upton at BMG and Honor Teideman at September Management.”

Similarly, is there a young woman artist whose music you're enjoying right now?

“We have just signed a 21 year old singer-songwriter called Chloe Slater to OTM Music who we are all incredibly excited about, and who recently released her debut EP You Can’t Put A Price On Fun via AWAL. She’s a great musician and her lyrics explore themes of youth, identity and the challenges her generation faces in 2024. She’s got a lot to say and we are all here for it! New music coming soon...”

Finally, what’s your biggest lesson from 2024 so far?

“Roll with the punches and keep the faith.”