UMG Names Capitol Studios Vet Paula Salvatore to New National Role
Paula Salvatore moves from Capitol Studios to overseeing studio administration and sales for all of UMG's U.S. commercial studios.
Three months after Universal Music Group moved to consolidate administrative services across all its North American studios, the company has promoted former Capitol Studios vp studio administration and sales Paula Salvatore to vp client relations and studio marketing.
In the newly created role, Salvatore will oversee client relations and studio marketing across all of UMG’s U.S. commercial recording studios, including UMG’s new studio and soundstage opening later this year in Santa Monica, Calif. The respected studio veteran will “bring awareness to UMG commercial studio offerings to the industry and book third party business including music, television and film and streaming [projects],” she tells Billboard.
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Salvatore, who worked for 30 years out of Capitol Studios in Hollywood, will now be based at UMG’s Santa Monica headquarters. She will continue to work with Capitol Studios, as well as with Republic Studios in Los Angeles, and UMG’s East Iris Studios in Nashville. Formerly House of Blues Studios in Nashville, East Iris Studios opened in May 2020 and features six commercially bookable studios.
“I’ll be dealing with the clients and picking out which studio would be best for them and just making sure they have the right facility for their needs,” she says, as well as working with the individual studios to plan profile-raising events.
Salvatore reports to Patrick Kraus, UMG senior vp recording studios and archive management. “There are very few people in our industry with Paula’s breadth of relationships and deep knowledge of managing recording studios,” said Kraus in a statement. “Simply put, Paula is a legend in our field — highly respected and beloved by recording artists, engineers and producers alike. This elevated role will leverage her experience managing Capitol Studios across all of UMG’s U.S. facilities and in our global strategy.”
UMG’s move in January resulted in shutting down Capitol Studios’ mastering and tape transfer departments to convert the space for other resources. The layoffs totaled around half a dozen engineers and other staffers.
Though she has been quietly working behind the scenes since the move, Salvatore’s new role had been kept under wraps until now. As word spread of her departure as Capitol’s studio manager in January, there was an outpouring of love for Salvatore from producers, engineers, artists, session musicians and recording personnel on social media.
“I was very honored about the love and support I received…. I was overwhelmed,” she says. “I know Capitol Studios was restructuring and I quickly became aware they had a client-facing position for me that they were working on and, fortunately, everything worked out well. I get to spend more time taking care of my clients’ needs and more time inspiring and nurturing.”
Salvatore has played an integral part in recording sessions for top artists ranging from James Taylor to Tony Bennett, Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, Barbara Streisand, and Frank Sinatra. Prior to Capitol Studios, Salvatore managed the Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, Calif., the subject of Dave Grohl’s 2013 documentary.
Though her office will be in UMG headquarters, Salvatore still plans to spend plenty of time in the recording studios. “I just love being in recording studios because I think they are the most special places where creativity is nurtured and inspired,” she says. “I believe that’s UMG’s vision and it’s one that I plan to help keep alive.”