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Matt Sousa Joins Warner Music Canada As New Vice President Of A&R

The executive comes from Universal Music Canada, where he signed UMC's first South Asian artist thiarajxtt. He's also worked with rising stars like Valley, Jamie Fine and Sukha.

Matt Sousa

Matt Sousa

Courtesy Photo

Warner Music Canada has a new VP of A&R.

Matt Sousa joins the leadership team, coming from Universal Music Canada (UMC) where he was director of A&R. Sousa has worked with rising Canadian acts like Jamie Fine, Valley and Sukha, helping to propel acts on the international stage.


Sousa joins Warner Canada as the label invests heavily in South Asian music. Warner Canada and Warner India launched the joint label 91 North Records in 2022, with creative direction from producer Ikky and acts like Chani Nattan and Jonita Gandhi growing their global profiles. (91 North is a case study for international collaboration in the 2025 IFPI global report, released this week.)

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Warner Music Group also recently inked a deal with Punjabi producer Intense, providing distribution through ADA for his label Double Up Entertainment.

According to WMC, Sousa led the strategic signing of UMC's first South Asian artist, thiarajxtt — who produced Diljit Dosanjh's Ghost — making him a natural fit for a label that's putting resources behind South Asian music in Canada.

“Warner Music Canada has a proven track record of championing exceptional talent, and I'm excited to be a part of that," Sousa says. "My focus will be on discovering and developing artists with unique voices that resonate on a global scale. I’m looking forward to working with the team here to build on their momentum.”

“Matt’s deep belief in the artists he works with has earned him the respect of many artists and management teams," adds Kristen Burke, president of Warner Music Canada. "His passion for discovering and developing new talent for the global stage is infectious, and I’m excited to welcome him to the team.“

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The Nylons in 2016

The Nylons in 2016

FYI

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This week we also acknowledge the passing of post-punk visionary David Thomas of Pere Ubu, rock hitmaker Roy Thomas Baker and the Hoodoo Gurus co-founder Kimble Rendall.

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The U.S.-born Kieswetter earned a degree in classical piano from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music before discovering his affinity for jazz and relocating to Toledo.

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