HEY NOW Records Expands Leadership with New A&R and Artist Development Heads

On 10 August 2026, HEY NOW Records announced a strategic boost to its talent‑scouting engine: Los Angeles‑based Dilan “Hef” Ames will join the label as Vice President of Artist & Repertoire, while Nashville‑based Alyssa Ramsey takes on the role of Director of Artist Development. The move signals the label’s intent to sharpen its early‑stage focus and deepen the support it offers emerging talent.

Ames, who previously held senior positions at Alamo Records, 10K Projects and Elektra Music Group, will concentrate on spotting artists before they hit mainstream and on measuring audience response to new releases. “He’s less worried about the genre label than how people are responding to the songs,” said HEY NOW president and co‑founder Kris Lamb. Lamb added that Ames “searches the internet, talks to tastemakers and music lovers to find artists long before they break out” and that early involvement can accelerate the creative process.

Ramsey, a University of Texas graduate with a Master of Arts in Music Business from Berklee College of Music, has built her résumé at Red 11 Music, Rodeo Austin, Anthem Entertainment and Play It Again Music Group. Lamb described her as a “ninja” who understands release strategies, artist branding and growth tracking. Based in Nashville, she is expected to bring a fast‑response perspective to the label’s development work.

The new hires augment a leadership core that already includes co‑founders Clint Higham, John Esposito and Lamb. HEY NOW’s first release—Kenny Chesney’s “Silver Sands Marina”—is slated for 25 September 2026, and Chesney, who signed in March, remains the label’s flagship artist.

To support the expanded roster, HEY NOW will deploy two consultants who will work alongside Ames and Ramsey. The consultants are intended to increase the number of signings without compromising the depth of artist development. Lamb explained that the consultants “give us more eyes on the prize, creating the strongest possible roster.”

The label’s strategy, outlined in a recent announcement, is to build a diverse catalog that spans country, pop and other genres. Existing roster members include Chesney and a growing list of emerging artists identified by the new A&R and artist‑development teams.

Ames’ decade‑long experience in discovering, signing and marketing emerging talent—particularly at Elektra Music Group and 10K Projects—provides a blend of major‑label resources and independent‑label agility. Ramsey’s Nashville background and Berklee education position her to navigate the fast‑moving landscape of artist branding and release strategy.

The addition of the consultants reflects HEY NOW’s intent to “take a meaningful look at as many deserving artists as possible” and to “put our absolute, total efforts behind every single artist.” The consultants will help the label maintain a high level of support for signed artists while expanding its reach.

HEY NOW’s expansion comes amid a broader industry trend of independent labels building dedicated talent‑development teams to compete with major‑label resources. The label’s focus on early discovery and audience‑centric development aligns with current best practices in artist scouting and brand building.

In summary, HEY NOW Records has added Dilan “Hef” Ames and Alyssa Ramsey to its executive team, brought on two consultants to broaden its signing capacity, and continues to develop a diverse catalog with Kenny Chesney as its flagship artist. The label’s approach to early discovery, audience engagement and comprehensive artist development is designed to sustain growth and support emerging talent.