Madeline Nelson
LEADER, ENTREPRENEUR, & CREATIVE
Madeline Nelson is an Emmy-nominated producer and Grammy Award winning Artist Manager, who currently serves as the U.S. Head of Independent Label Relations at Amazon Music. Nelson is also the founder of Heads Music, a boutique music management company, and co-founder with Wyclef Jean, of SodoMoodLab, a scoring and jingle company.
Heads Music is led and staffed entirely by women, a reflection of Nelson’s dedication to making sure that women have a voice within the music industry. Her dedication to her work and fighting for her beliefs has been forged through Nelson’s illustrious career in the music industry, which can be seen in her work as a mentor in the Next Gen Femme mentorship program within the Femme It Forward umbrella, and her recent invitation to participate in the American Association of Independent Music’s annual Indie Week event as their Keynote Speaker.
Madeline has been instrumental in the shaping of entertainment and music culture behind the scenes in her roles as producer, executive, artist manager, and trusted advisor for over three decades.
Her repertoire ranges from her work as manager of Grammy Award winning R&B supergroup Blackstreet in the 1990s, to her A&R work with Michael Jackson, followed by her role as SVP of Artist and Label Relations at Sony Music, and now, her current role at Amazon Music as well as management of Wyclef Jean.
In addition to her work at Amazon Music, Madeline recently signed on as the consultant to the “Wyclef and TIAA: Music for a New Legacy” campaign, which aims to raise awareness among America’s youth, in particular the large percent of African American youth, on the importance of investing into a financially secure future. This campaign saw the release of the Wyclef track “Paper Right” featuring Pusha T, Lola Brooke, Capella Grey, and Flau’jae, with streaming proceeds being donated directly to the non-profit organization First Generation Investors. Most recently, Madeline was appointed as the newest Entertainment Lions Music President at the prestigious 2024 Cannes Lions award. Additionally, in July 2024 Madeline was honored at the Black Hamptons Honors: Icons Rise event for her remarkable career in the music industry.