The award-winning trio of Coco Jones, Amanda Jones and Autumn Rowe are this year’s honorees for ASCAP Rhythm & Soul’s Women Behind the Music. The 16th annual celebration will take place Nov. 12 in Los Angeles.
Nicole George Middleton, ASCAP senior vp of membership and ASCAP Foundation executive director, will present the awards in salute to trailblazing women in music. “This event is so special to us,” said George-Middleton in a statement. “Over the past 16 years, ASCAP Women Behind the Music has given us a platform to celebrate exemplary women and their incredible achievements as leaders in the music industry. We are so proud to recognize the women who have made such a profound impact through their leadership and art, and we hope to empower the next generation to do the same.”
Coco Jones, nominated for five Grammy Awards last year including best new artist, won her first gramophone for best R&B performance earlier this year on behalf of her breakthrough hit “ICU.” The now platinum-certified track was the lead single from Jones’ 2022 EP What I Didn’t Tell You, released through High Standardz/Def Jam Recordings. With a new album in the works, the singer-songwriter-actress (Peacock’s Bel-Air; Netflix’s Vampires vs. the Bronx) recently released her latest single, “Most Beautiful Design” featuring London On Da Track & Future.
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Songwriter-producer-advocate Rowe is also a fellow Grammy honoree, winning the album of the year award in 2022 for her contributions to Jon Batiste’s We Are. Her songwriting credits include Alexis Jordan’s “Happiness,” the official song of the FIFA World Cup, plus collaborations with Dua Lipa and Diana Ross, among other artists. A staunch advocate for songwriter’s rights and women in music, Rowe recently launched her joint venture publishing company with Spirit Music Group and a mentorship program with BMG and SONA, “Ask the Insider.”
The first African-American woman to be nominated in the Primetime Emmy score category, composer Amanda Jones received that nod for outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score) for Apple TV+’s documentary series Home Season 1 (the “Maine” episode). Jones won her first Daytime Emmy in 2023 for outstanding music composition and direction for her original music on two episodes of Apple TV+’s Home Season. Upcoming projects include Apple TV+’s #1 On the Call Sheet starring Halle Berry and Angela Bassett.
DJ-producer Niyah will provide musical entertainment for ASCAP Rhythm & Soul’s Women Behind the Music event. Prior honorees include artists Kelly Rowland, Victoria Monét, Salt-N-Pepa, Summer Walker and Jazmine Sullivan, songwriting-production duo Nova Wav and industry executives Phylicia Fant of Amazon Music and Interscope Geffen A&M’s Nicole Wyskoarko.