Katie Fagan has joined Mom+Pop Music as President of its Nashville office. She comes to the independent label after a 14-year stint at Prescription Songs, where she served as the Head of A&R in Nashville for the last eight years.

In her new role, Fagan will oversee the continuing development of the company’s roster, and expand M+P’s global footprint, searching for talent worldwide while overseeing the strategic vision for M+P in Nashville. She has first-hand experience creating a footprint in Nashville, having opened Prescription’s first office outside of Los Angeles.

“Katie has proven herself an important voice and advocate for creatives in the Americana, folk and alt-country spaces. No one is better suited to reinforce and grow Mom+Pop’s presence in Nashville and globally as we broaden our industry aesthetic,” says Michael Goldstone, Founder of M+P.

“I am thrilled to join Goldie and Thad at Mom+Pop Music and expand their well-known reputation for artistic integrity and artist development in Nashville,” Fagan shares. “Their vision for Mom+Pop aligns perfectly with my thinking, and it is an honor to learn even more from them as we develop a presence here.”

As Prescription’s Head of A&R, Fagan worked closely with artists such as Anderson East, Maggie Rose, Nick Bailey, Soaky Siren, JT Daly, Sarah Hudson and Cirkut and Frenship, among others. She also worked with numerous top 10 multi-Platinum hits from songwriters on Prescription, landing placements throughout the years for artists such as Lana Del Rey, Chris Stapleton, Noah Kahan and Ethel Cain. Fagan signed Joy Oladokun, who turned heads with her critically-acclaimed album Proof of Life, as well as Malibu Babie, who co-produced Nicki Minaj’s hit “Super Freaky Girl” and Megan Thee Stallion’s single “Her.”

An Indiana native, Fagan’s musical passion led her to Los Angeles, landing an internship in A&R at Warner Chappell Music Publishing. In 2011, she joined Prescription as an assistant to Dr. Luke, which led to her ultimately ascending to Head of A&R at the company.

Fagan currently serves as a co-founder of The Other Nashville Society (TONS), which supports musicians and industry professionals in building community outside of commercial country music in Nashville, and now boasts over 1,500 members. She is also a She Is The Music Songwriting and Publishing Committee member, which helps open top-level opportunities for female creators, and has served as a Chapter Governor of The Recording Academy Board/Nashville since 2023.

Formed in 2008, Mom+Pop has released music from artists like MGMT, Magdalena Bay, Courtney Barnett, Beach Bunny, Flume, Orion Sun, Caamp and others. Mom+Pop was awarded 2023 A2IM’s Libera Award for Label of the Year and has been recognized on Billboard’s Independent Label Power List multiple times. Independent and globally self-distributed, M+P has a team of 25 people with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London and now Nashville.

To close out Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2025, five breakout artists etched their names into the storied legacy of the New Faces of Country Music showcase.

The annual event spotlights five emerging artists who have achieved significant country radio success during the qualification period—from Nov. 1, 2023 to Oct. 31, 2024. Since its inception in 1970, the showcase has been a pivotal launching pad for country hitmakers. On Friday (Feb. 21), Drew Baldridge (Lyric Ridge/BMG/Stoney Creek), Ashley Cooke (Big Loud/Back Blocks), Dasha (Warner Records), Zach Top (Leo33), and Warren Zeiders (Warner Records) proudly added their names to that legacy.

Dasha was the first to grace the stage in the grand ballroom at the Omni Nashville Hotel, where radio professionals, label personnel and other industry figures gathered. Following a sizzle reel highlighting her accomplishments, she captivated the audience with her crystal-clear vocals and star-quality presence.

She delivered her pop-country offerings, including “Didn’t I,” “Heartbreaker From Tennessee” and “Even Cowboys Cry,” each enriched with fiddle and banjo. Then, she introduced her upcoming album cycle with the energetic “Not This Party,” which immediately got the room moving.

Expressing heartfelt gratitude to the radio professionals who had transformed her career, Dasha then performed her Platinum-certified mega-hit “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’),” keeping everyone on their feet.

Next up was Baldridge. He began his set with a video featuring fans sharing how his music and personal journey—rising from setbacks during the pandemic after being dropped by his label and agency, to self-financing his tour through fans’ backyards—had impacted them. Baldridge’s story was especially compelling this year as he achieved his first No. 1 single, “Somebody’s Daughter,” as an independent artist by building his own team and financing the project himself.

He introduced a new song, “Rebel,” followed by his new single, “Tough People,” now being worked alongside BMG/Stoney Creek. In a memorable moment, he brought St. Jude survivors onstage to underscore their strength and resilience.

With raw emotion and gratitude, Baldridge then revisited the breakthrough track “Somebody’s Daughter,” soaking in the audience’s rapt response.

Zeiders followed, stepping onstage after a sizzle reel that showcased his achievements, his deep connection with fans on the road and his recognition as one of People’s Sexiest Men Alive. Zeiders opened his set with “Relapse,” flashing his signature smile during “You For A Reason.”

He then delivered his 2024 No. 1 hit “Pretty Little Poison”—the second most-played song on country radio that year—expressing his thanks to radio programmers, before wrapping up with “Ride the Lightning,” the very song that first put him on the map.

Cooke brought a touch of humor with a playful intro video—a CRS New Faces tradition. Alongside Big Loud’s radio promotion head Stacy Blythe, Cooke starred in a skit about her comically struggling with the animal noises required for her radio liners, a challenge that improved with some friendly industry advice. The skit was charming and lighthearted.

Taking the stage with undeniable confidence, Cooke shone on tracks like “Your Place,” her first No. 1 at country radio, and “I Almost Do.” She then mesmerized the audience with a new song titled “The F Word.” By her final performance, a substantial crowd had gathered near the stage, eager for her closing number—a special duet, “All I Forgot,” featuring surprise guest pop star Joe Jonas.

Top was the final act of the evening. With the crowd continuing to swell, Top made a grand entrance—without any video introduction—and received a rapturous reception. Keeping his set refreshingly simple yet impactful, he opened with his debut country radio single “Sounds Like The Radio,” followed by “Bad Luck,” and what he described as possibly “the countriest song you’ve heard in 20 years,” titled “Use Me.”

He then delivered his newly minted top 10 single “I Never Lie,” before concluding his set with the fan favorite “Cold Beer & Country Music.”

Big Machine Label Group has appointed Jodi Dawes as Vice President of Publicity & Communications.

Dawes will oversee the label group’s PR department and lead media strategy across the imprints of Big Machine Records, The Valory Music Company and Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment. She is on the job now, reporting directly to BMLG Chairman and CEO Scott Borchetta.

“What Scott and his team at Big Machine Label Group have built across the last two decades is remarkable, and their enthusiasm for the future of the company is contagious,” shares Dawes. “I am thrilled to join them and work with this roster of talented artists, encompassing burgeoning new voices, road-tested hitmakers, and bonafide stars. It’s an honor to lead publicity efforts at BMLG at such an exciting time for this label, and for country music as a whole.”

Dawes joins BMLG from Universal Music Group Nashville, where she spent more than three years spearheading label publicity campaigns for artists including Brothers Osborne, Parker McCollum, Maddie & Tae, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Anne Wilson, Tucker Wetmore, Josh Ross and more. Prior to her time at UMGN, Dawes gained experience at several boutique PR firms in Nashville, including four years at Sweet Talk Publicity where she handled day-to-day publicity needs for Ernest, Chris Lane, Breland and RaeLynn, among others.

“Jodi is joining us at a very important time in the evolution of the Big Machine Label Group,” says Borchetta. “Her laser-sharp acumen in the media world will not only enhance, but add a multiple to supercharging all things Big Machine. I am thrilled to have her on the team.”

Dawes can be reached at jodi.dawes@bmlg.net.