David Melhado
David Melhado is one of the industry's most dynamic and innovative music executives. As VP, Music + Marketing at UnitedMasters, he demonstrates unparalleled leadership and an unwavering commitment to the success of both emerging and established artists. His strategic vision and ability to navigate the intersection of music and technology make him a standout leader in the evolving landscape of the music business.
David's journey in the music industry began in Atlanta, where he quickly rose to prominence as an Artist Manager, working with Grammy-nominated songwriters and producers Verse Simmonds & Sham "Sak Pase" Joseph. His clients boasted production credits for industry giants like Jay Z, Kanye West, Chris Brown, Pusha T, Dr. Dre, and Rihanna. This early experience laid the foundation for David's unique ability to develop artists from the ground up, fostering emotional connections with their audiences.
After six successful years in talent management, David transitioned to the tech-driven world of music distribution. At StreamCut, he worked closely with artists like Gunna, Latto, and Yung Bans, showcasing his adaptability and diverse skill set. His journey continued at Roc Nation, where he spearheaded marketing efforts for an illustrious roster that included Buju Banton, Rapsody, and Casanova.
David's tenure at UnitedMasters has been marked by transformative initiatives and groundbreaking successes. Noteworthy achievements include the launch of SelectCon, UnitedMasters' conference for music creators, the introduction of Beat Exchange, a collaborative platform for producers and artists in partnership with Hit-Boy, and multiple strategic partnerships with leading artists who represent the independence movement in music.
His collaborative approach led to the strategic partnership with Brent Faiyaz, enabling him to remain independent. This partnership has already yielded many success stories, including Brent Faiyaz's 'Larger Than Life' debuting in the Top 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart and multiple chart-topping performances on major streaming platforms such as the Apple Music Live Concert Series on Apple TV.
David also played an instrumental role in the signing and development of Dallas rapper BigXThaPlug, whose debut album, "Amar”, held the #1 spot on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart for 15 weeks.
In 2023, he supported two Grammy-nominated and award-winning artists. Tobe Nwigwe was nominated for Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, and J.Ivy took home a Grammy for Spoken Word Artist.
David's visionary approach also expanded UnitedMasters into Nigeria, fostering the empowerment of the next generation of African talent. With UnitedMasters’ premium music distribution services, innovative technology, and first-of-its-kind artist marketing solutions, Nigerian artists will be able to upload and distribute their music to global media partners — such as Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, Apple Music, YouTube, Snap and TikTok — as well as critical African services, like Boomplay, Audiomack, Muska, Music in Ayoba, Anghami and Joox. This expansion followed the announcement of UnitedMasters partnering with Nigerian producer Sarz on his 1789 imprint that aims to discover, develop, and empower the next generation of African artists and producers.
Billboard has recognized David's impact in the past, where he was featured on the Indie Power Player and Hip Hop & R&B Power Player lists in 2023. Recently, he was accepted into the Harvard Business Entertainment Media and Sports program.
His journey from artist management to VP, Music + Marketing at UnitedMasters reflects his unwavering dedication, strategic brilliance, entrepreneurial spirit, and allegiance to community building.