88 BILLBOARD | AUGUST 10 , 2 019
H
A
IR
A
N
D
M
A
K
E
U
P
B
Y^
S
A
R
A
D
EN
M
A
N
A
T
C
E
L
ES
T
IN
E^
A
G
E
N
C
Y
Goldstein
photographed by
Michele Thomas on
J ul y 31 at Re p ub li c
Records in Santa
Monica, Calif.
QUEEN OF THE
COMEBACK
“Wendy is a true
visionary who brings
so much knowledge
and passion to
the table. We really
trust her perspective
and her track record.
She’s a force.”
—JONAS BROTHERS
Goldstein has watched Ariana Grande grow up. After
signing the now-26-year-old singer in 2011, the A&R
veteran steered her transition from Nickelodeon
star to pop-R&B provocateur. But it was Grande’s
Thank U, Next album — recorded during a cathartic,
five-week blitz in New York and released just six
months after 2018’s Sweetener — that took both
of their careers to the next level. The album scored
Grande her first two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s, “Thank
U, Next” and “7 Rings.” And when follow-up “Break
Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” hit No. 2 in
February, Grande became the first artist since The
Beatles in 1964 to occupy the chart’s top three spots
simultaneously. Now in her 10th year at Republic, the
recently promoted Goldstein — who has also had a
hand in the careers of The Weeknd, Hailee Steinfeld,
Julia Michaels and the Jonas Brothers — looks back
on the making of that record-shattering album.
After Mac [Miller] passed, Ari wanted to get into the
studio — not for the purpose of making an album,
because she had just put one out, but just to write
about her experiences. There was no pressure.
WENDY GOLDSTEIN
PRESIDENT, WEST COAST CREATIVE, REPUBLIC RECORDS
THE LEGACY
Y Three Hot 100 No. 1s for The Weeknd
with “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills”
and “Starboy” (featuring Daft Punk).
Y Two 2018 Grammy nods for Julia
Michaels, including best new artist and
song of the year (“Issues”).
YJonas Brothers’ Happiness Begins
earned 414,000 equivalent album units
in its first week, according to Nielsen
Music, the biggest debut of 2019 so far.
It was real. Not that any of the Sweetener tracks
weren’t, but the world finally got to see who she is:
a beautiful, smart, funny, complicated person. This
record was her truth.
I always thought “7 Rings” was the bigger of
the two records, but “Thank U, Next” had to come
first. After the album hit No. 1, we celebrated at
Nobu in Malibu with Ari’s real people: friends,
family, management and her longtime vocal coach,
Eric Vetro. To go through what she had gone
through and put it all back into her work — I can’t
say how much I respect her.
The double-album strategy worked for Ari in
that moment in time because it was driven by a
significant event. Everything aligned. The industry
is moving so fast, but some of the care that I put into
Ariana, I put into the Jonas Brothers’ comeback with
“Sucker” — a group that had something different to
say about love, positivity, family and coming back. It
cut through differently. This has been one of those
times in my career where I’m getting it right more
than not — I’ve learned to let things unfold naturally.
—AS TOLD TO NICK WILLIAMS