Sony Entertainment is one of the dragons in the international music industry, and only the best of the best are privileged to get into that clan.
The Buzz discovered recently that the Vice President, Creative, at Sony ATV Music Publishing is of Guyanese Heritage.
In a recent interview, the VP, Ian Holder said that he is the proud product of two Guyanese parents. His father, he said, hails from Bartica, in Region Seven, and his mother from Georgetown.

Though he never travelled to Guyana, Holder said that some of the cultures were passed on to him from his parents, like the Curry and Roti, and the Pepperpot every Christmas Eve. He said the plan is to visit Guyana for the first time sometime in the future to learn more about his heritage.
The young man became very successful in the music industry after working his way up from an intern to a VP in publishing.
Holder said that he was clueless about this position he now holds when he first started in music industry.

“I wanted to just be an A&R [Artists and repertoire representative]. I started off as an intern working at Sony on the label side, and I think me getting into music, started like everybody else. I started as an artist- a rapper. I had goals of being the next Roc-A-Fella records, starting my own label. But I knew nothing, I had no experience, no relationships, and at some point, I knew I needed some of that,” he said.

He also said that his success is credited with hard work and persistence, since he had no connections in the music industry.
“I had no friends who had someone in the business who could give me a shot. I had to claw my way the best I could, for any opportunity. So over time, one opportunity turned into another, which led me to where I’m at now. Before here, I was at BMI which is a performing rights organisation. I was there for 10 years. Signed a lot of great people, Post Malone being one of them. ASAP Rocky and a lot of other folks along the way. I came to Sony ATV in 2017,” he shared.

When asked how would a Guyanese act get recognition in the industry, Holder said that he looks at the energy given off from the creative, their passion, and how the fans and the people in the community are responding, the response and love that they get from the work that they put out.
He said that he is driven by the passion he has for filling voids in young creatives’ lives, to take them to the place where they’re deserving to be with their talent and skill.
Referencing one of his recent mentees, Jack Harlow, he said they would talk several times a week, giving guidance, and now Jack Harlow is starting to take off, “and he’s no way near where he’s going to be,” he said.

Holder said everyone is going to get doubters along the way when paving their own path, but he had to do something that he is passionate about and work his way up. And that is exactly how a person should pattern their life.

“I know music was going to be the next step, and I took the plunge. I learned the business with the internship I did and gradually moved up the ladder to where I am now. I wanted to do something where I can have an impact,” he said.
He also has an Arts programme for high school teens, where he teaches them about the various career paths in music.