*The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has announced the honorees for their annual Women Behind The Music event, taking place on Wednesday, October 26 at Nua at the Crescent Hotel in Beverly Hills.
This year’s honorees are Grammy Award-winning recording artist and songwriter Joelle James, Femme It Forward founder and CEO Heather Lowery and entertainment attorney Carron Joan Mitchell, Esq., per press release.
Previous honorees include Kandi Burruss and Kelly Rowland, Roc Nation Co-President Shari Bryant, Co-Head of A&R at Interscope Geffen Nicole Wyskoarko, hip-hop legends Salt-N-Pepa, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriters Jazmine Sullivan and Victoria Monét, legendary musician and singer Sheila E., Capitol Records Vice President of Artist Relations Brittney Davis, Grammy Award-winning production and songwriting duo Nova Wav, EVP and Head of Music Industry Partnerships at Amazon Phylicia Fant and more.
Entertainment host and influencer Robin Ayers will share photos and videos from ASCAP’s 2022 Women Behind the Music on @ASCAPUrban’s Instagram stories.
READ MORE: Beyoncé Leads Nominations for 2022 Soul Train Awards
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Here’s more about the women being honored at ASCAP’s 2022 Women Behind the Music event (via news release):
Joelle James, Grammy Award-winning artist and songwriter
An accomplished songwriter, artist and label owner, Joelle James first began writing songs in 2014, but her journey to Recording Academy prestige began when James was a child. From Showtime at the Apollo to performing for Ray Charles at age 10, James’s striking voice and passion for music eventually led her Berklee College of Music to study her craft. There she began uploading soulful Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige covers to YouTube, where she was discovered by Chris Brown and offered a deal with his CBE label and eventually Interscope Records. To this day, James credits what she learned in sessions with Brown as the core of her songwriting practice. In 2018 she won a Grammy for Best R&B Song for Ella Mai’s “Boo’d Up.” Her impressive catalog includes songs for Tamar Braxton, Justine Skye and JoJo, as well as new unreleased discoveries. In 2017, with the help of her longtime brand manager Bobby Francis, James launched her label and brand VnllaFctry. She released her solo debut “Where in the World” in 2019 and quickly followed it with the sonically nostalgic and relaxing “2020 Vision” in 2020.
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Heather Lowery, Founder and CEO, Femme It Forward
A strategist, creative visionary and alchemist, Heather Lowery, Spelman alumna (Class of 2001) and creatively known as Heather Gold, is the founder, president and CEO of Femme It Forward. A joint venture with Live Nation, the revolutionary multi-format music and entertainment company’s mission is to celebrate, educate and empower women by giving them a platform to share their voices on and off stage through live shows, panels, original music and mentorship. Lowery launched Femme It Forward’s Next Gem Femme mentorship program, executive produced their all-female compilation album Big Femme Energy Vol 1 and spearheaded hundreds of concerts, festivals, tours and events for artists like Cardi B, Ciara, Brandy, Alex Isley and Erykah Badu. Lowery’s passion for women, music and philanthropy creates limitless opportunities for artists, executives, creatives and more.
Carron Joan Mitchell, Esq., Partner at Nixon Peabody LLP
Carron Joan Mitchell is a Partner at Nixon Peabody LLP, where she practices in the entertainment group out of the firm’s Los Angeles office. Mitchell has extensive experience representing clients in entertainment and other related industries, including recording artists, music producers, songwriters, actors, models, fashion designers, athletes, content creators, entrepreneurs, startups, established companies and other entertainment industry professionals. She leverages her prior experience and insider perspective to anticipate clients’ needs and help them build their businesses by establishing a full-service legal team to support them beyond their entertainment transactional needs. Some of her clients include Ari Lennox, Brent Faiyaz, Cuco, Earl Sweatshirt, EarthGang, Fana Hues, Freddie Gibbs, Masego, Raveena, Tanna Leone and Vince Staples. Mitchell is also a voting member of the Recording Academy and has been featured as one of Billboard’s Top Music Lawyers for the past two consecutive years.
Presented by the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul department, ASCAP Women Behind The Music recognizes and encourages women in the music community by honoring songwriters, artists and female executives across the industry.
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