(Left: Josh Maddell, Head of Artist & Label Strategy; Right: Shelly Westerhausen, Head of US Sales, Physical)
Secretly Distribution Hires Other Music Co-founder Josh Madell as Head of Artist & Label Strategy,
Promotes Shelly Westerhausen to US Head of Physical, and Expands Distribution Team
Secretly Distribution, global distributor for Asthmatic Kitty, Captured Tracks, Dead Oceans, Ghostly International, Jagjaguwar, Sacred Bones, Secretly Canadian, Temporary Residence, and many more, has expanded in the last several months.
Secretly has hired Josh Madell as Head of Artist & Label Strategy. Josh is based in New York, and will report to Chris Welz, Managing Director, as they explore new business opportunities and evaluate current services and relationships with existing partners. The co-founder of legendary New York retailer Other Music and label Other Music Recording Company, Madell and Other Music helped introduce a diverse range of underground music to American audiences, helping launch careers of many now iconic artists including Neutral Milk Hotel, Vampire Weekend and William Basinski, and helping re-introduce many seminal artists to younger audiences, like French icon Serge Gainsbourg, Brazilian Tropicalia heroes Os Mutantes, and German Krautrock legends NEU! As a live promoter Madell programmed early US appearances from artists like The xx, Charles Bradley, Autechre and James Blake. And he conceived and continues to curate the annual Come Together Label Fair and Music Festival at MoMA PS1.
From Josh Madell, Head of Artist & Label Strategy:
“It’s truly a thrill to have this opportunity to work with everyone at Secretly, and all of the great labels and artists on the distribution roster. I have a deep respect for the culture and community that Secretly and all of their partners have built together, and I’m so excited to be a part of their next phase of growth, helping inspirational artists reach the ears of amazing fans around the world.”
From Chris Welz, Managing Director:
“Josh is engrained in our music community and his contributions are well-known to independent artists and labels over the last twenty years. His innovative mindset will blend perfectly with our mission to enhance services and offerings for our growing label group. I look forward to working with Josh to bring long-lasting partnerships to Secretly.”
Shelly Westerhausen is also taking on a new position. Shelly signed on as an assistant to the Secretly sales and warehouse teams in 2010; in 2013, she took over Retail Sales, covering the breadth of Secretly’s US physical retail accounts. Across her 5 years in sales Shelly co-lead development of Secretly’s retail b2b and crafted campaigns for independent artists including Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Mac Demarco, Angel Olsen, Tycho, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and more. Now, as Head of US Physical Sales, Shelly will also report to Chris Welz and oversee Secretly’s physical sales and marketing team.
From Shelly Westerhausen, Head of US Physical Sales:
“I am thrilled to be leading the US Physical and Marketing team at Secretly Distribution. I have had the great privilege to grow with this company over the past 7 years and am excited to drive a new chapter for our US Physical team.”
From Chris Welz, Managing Director:
“Shelly has been an innovator at every stop on her path with Secretly and her leadership of this team will put her immensely creative vision on full display. I can’t wait to see what Shelly’s team accomplishes with our label group.”
In addition, Abby Goldsmith joins Secretly Distribution as the new US Physical Marketing and Sales rep; Abby’s previous stop with Light In the Attic (Seattle, WA) saw her overseeing direct retail accounts and executing marketing strategies. Ellie Decker, former buyer at Toledo, OH’s Culture Clash Records, also joins Secretly as US Physical Sales Coordinator. Both are headquartered at Secretly’s Bloomington, IN. campus.