Chick in Charge

* This is really cool, so I had to post the press release- *Joelle




Singer-songwriter to run Epic Records

Amanda Ghost, co-writer of James Blunt's You're Beautiful, has been named president of the label home to Michael Jackson, George Michael and Jennifer Lopez


In a move that is either devilishly clever or ridiculously misconceived, Epic Records has named Amanda Ghost – co-writer of James Blunt's You're Beautiful – as its new president.

Ghost comes to the role with little or no management experience. The main qualification of the celebrated songwriter is that, well, she's a celebrated songwriter. Besides You're Beautiful, Ghost also co-wrote Beyoncé and Shakira's hit Beautiful Liar and has worked with Kanye West, the Prodigy and Britney Spears. Ghost is also herself a singer-songwriter.

"I'm not a conventional choice as a music business executive," Ghost admitted in a statement. "[But] I'm here to draw on my experiences as an artist, songwriter and producer to make the new and existing artists signed to Epic as brilliant and successful as possible."

The decision is a bold one, recalling Rick Rubin's troubled ascension at Sony. Then again, Ghost's talents are not merely academic – You're Beautiful helped Blunt to achieve more than 14m album sales.

Viewed more sceptically, Ghost has not demonstrated much marketing acumen with her own recording career. Her albums have not had chart success and James Blunt's insipid balladry remains the singer-songwriter's main claim to fame.

As president of Epic, Ghost will be responsible for overseeing the label's management and creative direction – as well as the careers of artists such as Franz Ferdinand, Jennifer Lopez, Editors, Sade and Ozzy Osbourne.