About

Ron Shapiro

Widely regarded as one of the music industry’s most innovative and accomplished executives, Ron Shapiro has forged his own path from record label publicity departments to the presidency of Atlantic Records to spearheading his own Ron Shapiro Management & Consulting in 2004. Over the course of his Atlantic Records tenure, Shapiro played a key role in the careers of Jewel, Tori Amos, Rob Thomas & Matchbox Twenty, Kid Rock, Brandy, POD, Duncan Sheik, Sugar Ray, The Corrs, Hootie & The Blowfish, Stone Temple Pilots, and Aaliyah, all whilst working with legendary superstars such as Phil Collins and Led Zeppelin. He has also served in the past as a consultant to AOL Music, Clear Channel Entertainment, and many independent record labels and artists.

Shapiro’s enduring belief that long-term artist development lays the foundation for a steady road to success has seen him pilot the careers of such extraordinary artists as Multiplatinum alternative-pop phenom Melanie Martinez. Martinez and Shapiro set forth together on what has proven a remarkable creative journey with 2015’s Atlantic Records debut album, CRY BABY, instantly affirming the multi-talented NYC-based artist as a visionary pop icon. An unforgettable collection of provocative alt-pop framed as a modern fairy tale, the album made its Billboard 200 debut at #6 upon its initial release while also entering the “Top Alternative Albums” chart at #1. In addition to its own 2x RIAA Platinum certification, all of CRY BABY’s 13 original tracks – as well as three further songs featured on the CRY BABY (DELUXE EDITION) – have now been certified Gold or Platinum by the RIAA. CRY BABY took on a stunning second life in 2020 when the longtime fan-favorite “Play Date” exploded into a true alt-pop phenomenon with millions of user-generated videos across TikTok. Now boasting over 1B worldwide streams along with 2x RIAA Platinum certification, “Play Date” propelled CRY BABY back onto the upper half of the Billboard 200 more than five years after its initial release.

Martinez continued her sensational rise with 2019’s 2B-streaming, RIAA Gold-certified second album, K-12, which entered the Billboard 200 at #3 with further debuts at #1 on both the “Top Alternative Albums” and “Top Soundtrack Albums” charts. Applauded by Forbes as “a perfect conceptual album in the streaming age,” K-12 also serves as a companion to an eerily enchanting musical film, written, directed, and starring Martinez, now with over 117M views to date via YouTube alone. K-12 was the 6^th highest grossing film in the US on the day of its September 3, 2019 theatrical release, with one-night-only screenings in over 425 cinemas in 32 countries.

Martinez’s third full-length release, PORTALS – which includes the hit singles, “VOID” and “DEATH,” both of which made history as Martinez’s first original songs to debut onthe Billboard “Hot 100” – entered the Billboard 200 at #2 upon its March 2023 release, her third consecutive Billboard 200 Top 10 album debut and highest charting debut thus far. The album further made history as Martinez’s first #1 album debut in Australia, while also landing at #1 in New Zealand, #2 in the UK, #3 in Canada and Ireland, and among the top 10 in Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain.  

Hailed by Rolling Stone as “an artist unafraid to start from scratch and tackle complex, difficult ideas,” Martinez is equally acclaimed for her remarkable companion videos – directed, conceived, and costume designed by Martinez herself – featured on her hugely popular YouTube channel currently boasting close to 16M subscribers and nearly 4.8B views to date. Martinez has also shown herself to be an unforgettable live performer via international festival appearances (spanning Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, and more) and sold-out world headline runs including 2024’s The Trilogy Tour. Her most ambitious concert tour to date, The Trilogy Tour sees evolution of Martinez’s alter ego “Cry Baby” performed live, featuring hits from all three of her groundbreaking Top 10 albums.

In addition to her myriad musical and visual efforts, Martinez has also brought her distinctive vision to an array of diverse enterprises, including 2016’s wildly successful debut fragrance, Cry Baby Perfume Milk, which quickly sold out and can now be found only on reseller platforms for up to $2,000 a bottle, 2022’s instantly sold-out collaboration with footwear brand Koi, and 2023’s Portals Parfums, a direct-to-consumer four-fragrance collection which completely sold out in less than 48 hours after its presale announcement.

Along with Melanie Martinez, Ron Shapiro Management & Consulting has steered a diverse range of top stars across myriad genres, kicking off in its first year of operations with acclaimed country songstress Julie Roberts, whose self-titled 2004 Mercury Nashville debut album earned RIAA Gold thanks in part to the top 20 hit single, “Break Down Here.”

Shapiro also guided the career of critically acclaimed NYC singer-songwriter-pianist Regina Spektor for close to a decade, with highlights including her Sire Records debut album, 2006’s Begin To Hope (currently boasting sales exceeding 1M worldwide along with Gold certification in the US, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand) and 2012’s What We Saw From The Cheap Seats, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s “Top Alternative Albums” chart and marked her second consecutive #3 debut on the overall Billboard 200.

Previous clients also include Australian singer-songwriter-actress-visual artist Lenka, whose songs including “The Show” and “Everything At Once,” have been featured in a wide array of film, TV, and advertising campaigns around the world. Shapiro oversaw the hugely successful reunion of 3x GRAMMY® Award-winning gospel superstars BeBe & CeCe Winans (2010-2012), followed by stewardship of BeBe Winans’ solo career and the 2013 launch of the sibling supergroup, 3 Winans Brothers, the latter of which was honored with the prestigious 2015 NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding New Artist.”

In addition, Shapiro provided representation for RCA Nashville recording artist Chris Young, iconic Irish superstar Imelda May, and Epic Records Nashville recording artist Jace Everett (whose award-winning hit single, “Bad Things,” was the iconic theme song to HBO’s True Blood), as well as career direction for actor Matthew James Thomas (known for his acclaimed performances in the title roles of Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark and the Tony Award-winning 2013 revival of Pippin).

Joe Hegleman

Joe Hegleman has earned an esteemed industry reputation as an intrepid self-starter, helping to pioneer Digital and Strategic Marketing in positions he himself created while at Island Def Jam Music Group, playing an indispensable role in the multiplatinum successes of Jay Z, The Killers, Ludacris, Ashanti, and others. As an entertainment consultant to brands, Hegleman has handled music marketing for The Gap, Turner, Mattel, Maxim Magazine, as well as Studio 54, where he helped start the iconic brand’s record label. In 2004, Hegleman joined forces with Ron Shapiro Management & Consulting (working alongside Shapiro on such artists Regina Spektor and Lenka), while also launching his own artist management and consulting company, Stonyledge Management, that same year.

Hegleman and Stonyledge Management helped steer careers for a wide-ranging roster that included internationally renowned DJ and producer, DJ Cassidy. Known for his performances before an illustrious clientele list including President Barack Obama (making history as the first DJ to perform at the White House), Jay Z, Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé, Anna Wintour, and more, Cassidy also achieved success as a top writer/producer with hit singles on Columbia Records, Atlantic Records, and RCA Records, including the top 5 UK hit single, “Calling All Hearts” (featuring Robin Thicke and Jessie J), “Future Is Mine” (featuring Chromeo), and “Kill the Lights” (with Alex Newell and Jess Glynne, featuring Nile Rodgers), the latter of which was prominently showcased in the final two episodes of HBO’s Vinyl.

Stonyledge further showcased acclaimed singer-songwriter Matt White, whose 2007 debut album, Best Days (Geffen Records) peaked at #4 on Billboard’s Heatseekers album chart, prompting Rolling Stone to name him one of their “10 Artists to Watch” and spawning a number of tracks featured in a variety of TV and film projects.

Previous Stonyledge clients also include Australian indie duo An Horse, who earned international applause for such albums as 2009’s Rearrange Beds and 2011’s Walls, both released to widespread applause via NYC’s Mom + Pop Music. The duo made a high profile network TV appearance on CBS’ The Late Show with David Letterman and toured extensively across North America alongside Manchester Orchestra, Kevin Devine, Nada Surf, and Alkaline Trio, with performances at such festivals as Lollapalooza, Bamboozle, Austin City Limits, Osheaga, and more.

Current Roster

UPSAHL

Hailed by SPIN as “one of the most exciting new voices in music right now,” alternative pop singer-songwriter UPSAHL proved a teenage sensation in her native Arizona and quickly rose to national attention in 2019 as the first signing to the relaunched Arista Records label. Her enigmatic and endearing style – showcased on her 2021 debut album, Lady Jesus, and her RIAA Gold-certified, top trending TikTok favorites, “DRUGS” and “People I Don’t Like”  – has earned her more than 700M worldwide streams to date, tens of millions of multiplatform views, and critical applause from such high profile outlets as NYLON, V Magazine, PAPER, Billboard, Consequence of Sound, Alternative Press, PEOPLE, and more. What’s more, UPSAHL’s gift for brazenly irresistible songcraft led to a major publishing bidding war, resulting in a deal with Universal Music Publishing that has seen her writing or co-writing pop hits for such stars as Dua Lipa (featured on 2020’s RIAA Platinum-certified, GRAMMY® Award-winning album, Future Nostalgia), Demi Lovato, Madison Beer, Mike Shinoda, GAYLE, Dove Cameron, Charlotte Cardin, and Reneé Rapp. In addition, her songs have seen prominent placement in a wide variety of TV projects spanning HBO’s Gossip Girl, Apple TV’s Dickinson, CBS’s Love Island, Netflix’s Young Royals, Showtime’s The L Word, and many others.  Known as a gifted live performer, UPSAHL has headlined sold-out shows around the world, lit up international festivals such as Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, France’s Rock en Seine, and the UK’s legendary Reading/Leeds, made high profile TV appearances on CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with James Corden, and shared stages with Melanie Martinez, Tove Lo, Madison Beer, Olivia O’Brien, Yungblud, FLETCHER, and more. 2023 saw UPSAHL continuing to innovate with UPSAHL PRESENTS: THE PHX TAPES, a groundbreaking series of A/B-sided mixtapes released throughout the year.

ISABEL LAROSA

With 1B worldwide streams, 5B short-form video streams, and close to 300M video streams thus far, Isabel La Rosa is quickly ascending to the upper echelons of modern pop. Named one of Spotify’s “Pop Rising’s Artists to Watch in 2024,” the Annapolis, MD-based singer-songwriter boasts a unique ability to turn coming-of-age stories about infatuation and heartbreak into addictive hits for a new generation. LaRosa earned viral attention with a series of singles – written and produced in collaboration with her brother, Thomas – including her RIAA Gold-certified 2022 breakthrough hit, “i’m yours,” which lit up charts around the world. The following year saw the release of LaRosa’s debut EP, You Fear the God That Loves You, via a new deal with RCA Records. Chosen as one of only six artists for TikTok’s inaugural Elevate program and featured at TikTok in the Mix, a sold-out concert event streamed live on TikTok to more than 10M viewers worldwide (and later, with subsequent re-broadcasts, shattering records with nearly 34M total viewers), LaRosa – who also is deeply involved in the direction and creation of her theatrical, dark-pop visual approach – continued her ascent in 2024 with the sold-out God’s Watching tour and the bilingual hit single, “favorite,” which earned over 80K creations and over 400M views from user-generated content across social media platforms prior to its official release. Hailed by Ones To Watch as “a superstar befit for the digital age,” LaRosa has received critical applause to match her increasing popular success, including such outlets as Billboard, LADYGUNN, EARMILK, PopDust, and more.

MAX FROST

Named by both NPR and Rolling Stone as one of “10 Artists You Need To Know,” Max Frost earned acclaim with an idiosyncratic merging of soul, funk, hip-hop, pop, and electronica featured on his viral blog favorite debut single, “White Lies,” which led to his signing with Atlantic Records. Lauded in such high profile national outlets as Interview, Billboard, Idolator, and NPR Music, the Austin, TX native’s 2018 debut album, Gold Rush (Atlantic Records), was highlighted by the top 40 Alternative hit single, “Good Morning,” heard in a range of worldwide promotions, including Pepsi’s yearlong launch campaign for their bubly™ line of sparking water, Showtime’s Shameless, ESPN’s College Gameday, and ABC’s American Idol and Grey’s Anatomy, as well as promotional spots for ESPN’s Get Up, Nordstrom’s Canada, the 2018 Major League Baseball Postseason, Live! With Kelly And Ryan, and more. Frost toured extensively in support of Gold Rush, including sold-out headline shows across North America and Australia, as well as well-received runs alongside Twenty One Pilots, Panic! At The Disco, and GRAMMY® Award winning superstar Rob Thomas. Now based in Nashville, Frost followed up by attaining social media virality (including over 500K followers on TikTok alone) with his free-wheeling knack for creating charming short-form content and distinctive pop songcraft, highlighted by his mesmerizing mashups. In February 2024, he released his debut project for Nettwerk Records.

MORGXN

MORGXN has earned more than 200M cumulative global streams as an independent artist with his captivating vocals, eloquent melodies, and deeply expressive lyricism. Known to friends and family as Morgan Isaac Karr, the Nashville born-and-based artist first drew attention with features on two tracks by superstar DJ Tiësto before making his own debut with 2018’s vital (Hollywood Records). The album spawned a Top 20 Alternative smash in a re-recording of his viral hit, “home,” featuring Walk The Moon and later cited by Billie Eilish as one of the inspirations behind her own GRAMMY® Award-winning song, “bad guy.” MORGXN made his late night TV debut performing “home” on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, later returning to the show in 2021 for a performance of his 50M-streaming independent hit, “Wonder,” alongside Sara Bareilles. With the wind at his back, MORGXN – who toured alongside such like-minded artists as X Ambassadors, Phoebe Ryan, Skylar Grey, and miike snow and performed at festivals including Lollapalooza, Firefly, and Hangout Music Festival – released a series of projects as an independent artist before unveiling his eagerly awaited third studio album, 2024’s Beacon (Nettwerk Records), produced by Marshall Altman (Natasha Bedingfield, Matt Nathanson, Citizen Cope).

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Previous Have Fun Management clients include RIAA Platinum-certified pop group Parachute, South Africa-via-Nashville rock band Civil Twilight, and New York City’s acclaimed Mama Foundation For The Arts and Sing Harlem Choir (both co-founded by award-winning author, playwright, radio and TV personality Vy Higginsen).