Jeff Levin ’10: From The Stood to Atlantic Records EVP
Levin brought Drake to Culture Shock and recently discovered breakout star, Bella Kay.
Laser-Focused on A&R
Jeff Levin ’10 (Arts Management) started as a consultant in A&R (Artists and Repertoire) at Atlantic Records while still attending Purchase, then joined full-time after graduation.
In 2022, he was named Executive Vice President and Co-Head of A&R, Pop & Rock. Three years later, he also became co-head of Atlantic Outpost, a new imprint for country and Americana music.
Along the way, he signed Logic and represented artists such as Melanie Martinez, Charlie Puth, and Bebe Rexha. He recently discovered the breakout pop singer Bella Kay while scrolling through TikTok.
But his first big get happened as a freshman at Purchase.
A Talent for Discovering Talent
As a high school student in New Jersey, Levin searched MySpace for new bands, built a management roster, and interned with Pete Ganbarg, who was then an A&R consultant responsible for finding songs for American Idol albums.
As a first-year student in the Arts Management program, he set his sights on booking concerts. He made a legendary move—booking Drake for Culture Shock just before his breakout.
In a recent interview with hitsdailydouble.com, he recalls how it happened.
“I decided I was going to book the concerts there, which you’re not supposed to do as a freshman. I had $7,000 for a headliner. One day, my roommate played me a new mixtape from the kid from Degrassi High. At the time, Drake didn’t have an agent, but I got to his manager. He says, ‘We’re going to come to New York. Just cover our flights and expenses.’
“‘Best I Ever Had’ becomes the number one song in the country five days before the show, and all the labels came to Purchase because he was unsigned. Pete [Ganbarg] called the day after and said, ‘I’m going to go run A&R at Atlantic. You need to meet Craig Kallman [Chairman and CEO of Atlantic].’ I started as a consultant, and when I graduated in 2010, I went to work for them full-time.”
Levin epitomizes the possibilities at Purchase for those with big ideas and gumption.
And it’s where lasting connections are made. In 2018, he collaborated with Michael Keenan ’10 (Studio Production), who produced and engineered the top-ten hit “Me, Myself and I” by rapper G-Eazy and singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha, whom Levin represented. It became Levin’s first #1 hit.
“It was a full-circle moment working with my best friend from college and finally having my first #1 with Bebe.”