Nebula17 Adds Executives and Writers as It Builds Its U.S. Team

Nebula17, the Los Angeles music company, has added a group of executives and staff and signed new writers, producers and artists, Billboard reported on 3 November 2026.

The new hires cover much of a label's day-to-day work. Daniel Hong joined as chief operating officer, after running YG USA as chief executive and working as chief operating officer at JYP USA. Martha Blair Reynolds became senior manager of marketing, coming from Ricky Reed's Nice Life Recording Company. René Mark took the role of director of digital, with earlier jobs at Interscope Geffen A&M and Life Life.

Natalie Walsh is now director of A&R. A&R, short for artists and repertoire, is the team that finds, signs and develops artists. Walsh has worked with Sabrina Claudio and Nasri. Harukaze Wakabayashi, formerly of Warner Music Japan, joined as senior manager of international, and Zac Cruz, who previously worked at Avex and Revels Group, became A&R and marketing manager. Oscar Cornejo, who has worked with Tyla and Ye according to Billboard, is the new head engineer. He has also worked with Quavo and Rich The Kid.

On the signing side, Nebula17 added three producers and songwriters to its U.S. publishing roster. Publishing is the business of looking after songwriters' compositions and collecting the money they earn. The company signed Oh Gosh Leotus, Hydra and Xansei to that roster. It also signed Hojean, a New York-based artist and producer, along with the duo XAMIYA, made up of Sansei and Kamiya, and the artist, producer and creative director Brent de la Cruz, to its label operations. Those are the arm that releases and promotes recordings.

Nebula17 also struck a global distribution partnership with The Orchard, the distribution arm of Sony Music. Distribution is how music reaches stores and streaming services around the world. The company's West Hollywood studio house is used as a base for collaborations and writing camps, where songwriters work together over several days.

The biggest project on the list is BE:FIRST, the Japanese boy band. Nebula17 is leading the artists and repertoire work for the band's U.S. launch. Its first global EP, WATCH ME, debuted at No. 130 on the Billboard 200, the chart that ranks albums in the United States by sales, streams and radio play. In July, Billboard listed The Orchard, THE·TEAM and Nebula17 as the band's U.S. partners.

The company itself is newer. Hollywood Reporter and Billboard reported its launch in July 2025, when former Avex USA chief executive Naoki Osada set it up to bring Japanese artists into the U.S. and global markets. Its management operations sit alongside its label and publishing arms, according to Music Business Worldwide.

Nebula17's work also reaches other releases. Its producer Xansei co-produced "GUM & DROP," a single by Hoshimachi Suisei, which Sabrina Claudio co-wrote.

For the people in these roles, the announcement means new desks, new meetings and a set of projects with dates attached. A marketing plan, an engineer's session and a distribution deal all need someone to carry them out, and this month's list adds people to do that work.