OVO Sound, the label founded by Drake, Noah “40” Shebib, and Oliver El-Khatib, has promoted Lauren “Shug” Ritzer to general manager. In her elevated position, Ritzer will oversee the daily operations of the label home to Drake, PartyNextDoor, Majid Jordan, Roy Woods and Naomi Sharon.
“There’s a lot of momentum at OVO Sound right now,” Ritzer tells Variety. “Over the past five years, the most significant lesson I’ve learned is the importance of innovation. In an industry that evolves constantly, it’s vital that we, as a label, continue to innovate to stay ahead… OVO Sound has embodied this spirit by consistently releasing music and introducing groundbreaking artists to the world for more than a decade.”
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In the last week, OVO Sound scored a big win with the release of Drake and PartyNextDoor’s “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U” LP opening at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with the biggest streaming debut for an album this year. This marks PartyNextDoor’s first and Drake’s 14th No. 1 record.
“OVO Sound remains committed to pushing the limits and defying boundaries with the work we do,” adds Mr. Morgan, president of OVO Sound. “Shug has been a key part of our team for years, and her leadership as general manager will only strengthen what we’ve built so far.”
For the majority of her time at OVO Sound, Ritzer has been a project manager, bringing with her an expertise in operations, marketing, branding and artist development.
“A win for one artist is a win for all at OVO Sound,” says Ritzer. “Our label is a brand and a platform, and each artist contributes to its success. When attention is on the brand, it elevates everything we do! That’s why maintaining our integrity is key. We move with purpose, using momentum from ‘$$$4U’ to further focus on highlighting the rest of our talented roster.”
