Claire Walters, A&R Creative Manager UMPG UK, has been inducted into the 2023 Music Week Women In Music Roll Of Honour, in association with TikTok.
The 10th Women in Music awards, staged in association with AIM and UK Music, was held on Friday 10th November at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London.
Music Week's Women In Music Roll Of Honour was established nine years ago and now has over 100 members. It aims to highlight the breadth, depth and variety of women who are ‘game changers’ in the music industry.
Claire Walters started her career in the music industry aged 19, working at MCA Music as their receptionist, where she ended up joining various different departments, learning the ropes of music publishing in the film & TV, business affairs and A&R departments.
Throughout her career, she has worked closely with songwriters including Karen Poole, Eg White, Jin Jin, Max Wolfgang, Karen Harding, Steve Booker, Wayne Hector and Jon Green.
Her current role as A&R/creative manager at UMPG sees Walters involved in various processes, from signing and setting up sessions and camps to pitching for both artists and writers across the UMPG roster, with a focus to ensure they are always championing young, female writers.
In early 2021, she signed Sam Ryder who, at the time, was a burgeoning TikTok star but not yet a songwriting sensation. Walters set up one of his first sessions with Max Wolfgang and Amy Wadge which resulted in Space Man – the highest scoring UK entry in Eurovision history. She was also heavily involved in overseeing the creative and writing process of Ryder’s No.1 album, There’s Nothing But Space, Man!
This year, Claire Walters worked on a deal with Simon Cowell’s publishing company, Syco, with songwriters like Lucy Spraggan.
Speaking to Music Week about the honour, Claire said: “I feel incredibly proud and very grateful. Each year, I attend the awards and come away feeling totally inspired. Hearing the stories of amazing women - how their journeys into the industry began, and how it has shaped their lives and careers - always reminds me of how lucky I am to be part of such a great industry.”
Talking about women breaking into A&R roles, Claire said: “I think young women who are just getting into the industry see A&R as a role which is mainly male dominated, but this is not fully the case. Many of the senior executives are women and have worked their way up from A&R roles.
Passion for music is the essential starting point, but everyone has different skills… and brings them into the way they work with or support artists and writers, so making this area more accessible to women – and improving diversity in general - can only benefit the world of A&R.”
Her advice for women looking to break into the industry is, “to trust your gut instincts. If there is an artist or writer you really believe in, do everything in your power to sign them… even if it means being very persistent! Take every opportunity, nurture the relationships you have made in the industry, work hard, and be resilient.”
Read the full Music Week interview here.