Ezekiel Lewis Outlines Creative Vision as Epic Records CEO Following Sylvia Rhone’s Historic Tenure

Ezekiel “Zeke” Lewis has formally outlined his creative philosophy after taking the reins as CEO and chairman of Epic Records. Speaking in his first interview since stepping into the post on the video series Billboard On the Record, Lewis detailed how his roots as a Grammy-winning songwriter and producer in Atlanta guide his executive leadership at the Sony Music label.

Lewis ascended to the top executive role following the departure of legendary music executive Sylvia Rhone in 2025, with his appointment officially confirmed in March, according to Billboard. Rhone had previously brought Lewis into Epic from Motown Records, where he served as senior vice president of A&R until 2018. Lewis credited Rhone with preparing him for the executive suite, noting that she taught him to remain diligent, never give up, and never take no for an answer.

Before entering corporate boardrooms, Lewis established his foundation co-penning hits such as Justin Bieber's “One Less Lonely Girl” and Timbaland's “The Way I Are,” frequently collaborating with his songwriting collective The Clutch. He also launched Bar Music Group, his own publishing house, before moving inside major label offices. Lewis told Billboard that achieving success as a songwriter felt like a miracle, which fueled his desire to get inside label buildings to help other creators navigate the business successfully.

Throughout his tenure at Epic, Lewis has contributed directly to the development of major acts including Future, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, GIVĒON, and South African breakout star Tyla. Recalling his signing of Tyla over Zoom during the pandemic, Lewis emphasized the importance of recognizing raw talent and orchestrating opportunities where organic magic can flourish, citing her live performance in Rwanda as the spark that helped turn her single “Water” into an international success.

Addressing the contemporary landscape of A&R, Lewis rejected the notion that the discipline has shifted entirely toward automated research and algorithms. While acknowledging that research plays a functional role in the business, Lewis asserted that authentic A&R continues to center on creative collaboration, taste, and guiding projects in direct partnership with artists. He maintained that label involvement must always depend on what each creator requires, operating on mutual invitation and distinct value.

Lewis also cautioned against recent industry tendencies toward front-loading inflated contracts for viral sensations, expressing regret that sudden bidding wars during the pandemic bypassed necessary developmental stages and harmed long-term artist careers. Instead of signing large volumes of acts simply to see what succeeds, Lewis stressed that Epic will maintain a curated approach focused on sustainable artistic partnerships across all genres.