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IDOL<\/a><\/strong>, the Paris-headquartered independent distributor, has appointed Evan Whikehart<\/strong> as its new General Manager \u2013 North America.<\/p>\n Whikehart<\/strong> joins from Secretly Distribution<\/a><\/strong>, where he built the company\u2019s Label & Shared Services division.<\/p>\n He will lead IDOL<\/strong>\u2018s operations across North America and LATAM, overseeing a regional network that includes labels Mexican Summer<\/strong>, Moderna Records<\/strong> and HighNote Records<\/strong>, alongside artists TOKiMONSTA<\/strong>, Erick the Architect<\/strong> (Flatbush Zombies) and The Presidents of the United States of America<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The appointment comes as IDOL<\/strong> says its global revenue surpassed $50 million<\/strong> for the first time last year, with its North American consumption growing by 25%<\/strong> over the past five years.<\/p>\n The region now accounts for nearly a third of the company\u2019s global revenue, according to IDOL<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Based in Brooklyn, Whikehart<\/strong> will also help roll out D2C services in the US \u2013 expected to launch in Q3 2026<\/strong> \u2013 bringing expertise in physical distribution to expand that side of the business.<\/p>\n Through third-party partnerships, IDOL<\/strong> will build clients\u2019 online stores and manage physical music and merchandise sales.<\/p>\n \u201cI have long admired IDOL<\/strong>\u2018s patient and fully independent approach to building meaningful relationships and supporting long-term label and artist development.\u201d<\/p>\n Evan Whikehart<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cI have long admired IDOL<\/strong>\u2018s patient and fully independent approach to building meaningful relationships and supporting long-term label and artist development,\u201d said Whikehart<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cI am incredibly excited to join the team and look forward to providing our partners with the highest standard of service across every stage of their campaigns.\u201d<\/p>\n Pascal Bittard<\/a><\/strong>, founder and President at IDOL<\/strong>, added: \u201cEvan brings a rare dual perspective from both the label and distribution sides that will help IDOL<\/strong> expand our operations across North America and LATAM.<\/p>\n \u201cBut beyond his impressive track record, he understands our values as a truly independent organization.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvan brings a rare dual perspective from both the label and distribution sides that will help IDOL<\/strong> expand our operations across North America and LATAM.\u201d<\/p>\n Pascal Bittard<\/strong>, IDOL<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Whikehart<\/strong> brings two decades of experience in independent music.<\/p>\n At Secretly Distribution<\/strong>, he built the Label & Shared Services division from the ground up, directing campaigns from 2020<\/strong> onwards for artists including Hayley Williams<\/strong>, Sufjan Stevens<\/strong>, Santigold<\/strong>, The War on Drugs<\/strong>, Beirut<\/strong> and Crumb<\/strong>, while also developing B2B partnerships including A24 Music<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Prior to that role, he was appointed as Project Manager at Secretly Group<\/a><\/strong> in 2015<\/strong>, where he managed Grammy-nominated campaigns for artists on the Dead Oceans<\/strong>, Jagjaguwar<\/strong> and Secretly Canadian<\/strong> rosters, including Bon Iver<\/strong>, Phoebe Bridgers<\/strong> and Mitski<\/strong>.<\/p>\n IDOL<\/strong>\u2018s appointment of Whikehart<\/strong> is the latest step in a sustained push into the US market.<\/p>\n In March 2024<\/strong>, the company named Mandy Freebairn as US Label Manager<\/a> and signed distribution deals with Le Plan Recordings and Old Soul Music.<\/p>\n Later that year, IDOL<\/strong> inked a global distribution and marketing deal with Berlin-based City Slang<\/a>.<\/p>\n The company says it has pursued its growth without major label backing or outside investment, relying instead on organic, self-funded expansion.<\/p>\n IDOL<\/strong> founder Bittard<\/strong> wrote in an MBW op-ed in February<\/a> about the risks of excessive venture capital and private equity investment in the music business, arguing that true independence allows companies to take a long-term, sustainable approach in the interests of artists and labels.<\/p>\n\n
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