Appointments promoted for Matt Riley, Vic Needs, and Sam Potts, confirms AWAL
In a significant move, Victoria Needs and Sam Potts have been promoted to co-managing directors of AWAL's UK team. Their appointments come alongside Matt Riley's elevation to President, marking a new chapter for the music company.
Under their leadership, AWAL's UK team has achieved remarkable successes. James Marriott, a new addition to the label, topped the Official Albums Chart with his second album "Don’t Tell the Dog." Long-time artist Little Simz saw her album "Lotus" debut with her best ever week one sales and chart position at #3. Irish singer-songwriter CMAT, another AWAL artist, performed a career-defining main stage set at Glastonbury 2025 with widespread critical acclaim. Her upcoming album "EURO-COUNTRY" is set to release with the hit single "Take a Sexy Picture of Me," which has already garnered over 18 million streams.
Moreover, Grammy-winning Icelandic-Chinese artist Laufey had three songs simultaneously in the UK Top 40 singles chart during Christmas 2024. These achievements highlight AWAL's growth and cultural impact in the UK music scene.
Victoria Needs, who joined AWAL in 2020 after working at EMI, Warner, and Sony, and Sam Potts, who joined in 2019 and leads a team covering creator relationships and global commercial and digital partnerships, have helped build a diverse artist roster including Jungle, Little Simz, CMAT, and others.
AWAL's CEO, Lonny Olinick, recognised the hard work of the UK leadership team, stating, "The promotions within our UK team reflect the incredible work they have done in driving the success of our artists and the growth of our company."
Matt Riley, who has been part of AWAL's team for a decade and has served in various A&R roles, was also recognised for his contributions, being promoted from Managing Director to President.
The successes of AWAL are not limited to the UK. The label has also had recent successes with artists like Laufey and Jungle. The company's entrepreneurial spirit, as found beneficial by Sam Potts for navigating the dynamic music ecosystem, has been instrumental in these achievements.
Vic Needs finds AWAL's approach to empowering artists, artist development, and industry change inspiring. She and Sam Potts are poised to lead AWAL's UK team towards even greater heights, with the team never being in better shape.
In the latest issue of Music Week, a full CMAT cover story is published, further highlighting the label's success and the promising future under the leadership of Victoria Needs, Sam Potts, and Matt Riley.
Entertainment and music have been integral parts of AWAL's UK team's success, with Victoria Needs and Sam Potts, in their new roles as co-managing directors, working to empower artists and drive growth. For instance, James Marriott and CMAT, both AWAL artists, have seen significant achievements in the music charts, while Laufey, a Grammy-winning artist, had multiple songs in the UK Top 40.
