Ethiopia Habtemariam (, , ) is the former Chair/CEO of
Motown Records. She is
Ethiopian-American
Ethiopian Americans are Americans of Ethiopian descent, as well as individuals of American and Ethiopian ancestry.
History
In 1919, an official Ethiopian goodwill mission was sent to the United States to congratulate the Allied powers on their ...
.
She was born on 24 September 1979 in Berkeley, California. In 1994, at the age of 14, Habtemariam began interning at
LaFace Records, a label created by former Chairman and CEO of
Epic Records,
L.A. Reid. This internship lasted 4 years. Shortly after, Ethiopia began working with
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
. In 2011, Habtemariam was named the Senior Vice President of
Motown Records, working with artists
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, sou ...
,
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu (), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by R&B, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the late 1990s when her debut al ...
,
Ne-Yo,
Kem,
BJ the Chicago Kid,
Stacey Barthe, and more. Billboard named Habtemariam to both their 30 Under 30 and 40 Under 40 lists. In 2013, The Hollywood Reporter's “Women in Music” issue and
Variety Magazine named her to their "Women's Impact List." In 2014, Habtemariam was promoted to President of Motown Records and currently serves as the President of Motown Records and President of Urban Music/Co-Head of Creative at Universal Publishing Music Group in the United States.
At the age of 16, Habtemariam wrote a letter to
Sylvia Rhone, in awe of the fact that a black woman was the chair of a major record label. Once Habtemariam herself became a record executive and President of Motown Records, she received a similar fan letter. Her fan, a 16-year-old student enrolled in a Bonus Tracks music program, wrote about how the image of black woman in a position of power was influencing young students of color.
During her internship at LaFace, Habtemariam was exposed to numerous examples of women of color in the industry. She cites her strong examples of female leadership as her motivation to help young girls come up into positions of power.
In an interview with
Billboard, Habtemariam discussed how, as a black woman, she had to prove herself to those who doubted her: “I heard people say, ‘Oh, she got the job just because she's a black woman and they're just trying to cover their asses,’” she says. “OK, cool. Even if that was the case, it's on me. What am I going to do to make an impact and assure that other people get these kinds of opportunities in the future? Plus, I love proving people wrong.” Habtemariam has said that with the support of family and communities, women of color can shift their focus to become significant parts of the music industry.
Habtemariam announced her departure from Motown Records on November 29, 2022.
[https://www.billboard.com/pro/motown-records-chief-ethiopia-habtemariam-leaving-label/ Motown Records Chief Ethiopia Habtemariam Is Stepping Down]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Habtemariam, Ethiopia
21st-century American businesspeople
American people of Ethiopian descent
1979 births
Living people