From the quiet town of Louisville, Kentucky, to the heart of New York City’s bustling music scene, the rise of celebrity publicist Jonathan Hay paints a quintessential success story. After bursting onto the scene with his marketing and promotional prowess for Rihanna’s debut single, “Pon de Replay”, back in 2005, Hay has worked with entertainment elites from Ariel Winter, Drake, and the Kardashians to Suge Knight, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston (through John Houston Entertainment). It is his relentless drive, combined with a penchant for approaching each project as a unique challenge, that sets him apart in the crowded industry.
Born and raised, ironically, in Muhammad Ali’s hometown, Hay’s journey into the music industry was almost serendipitous. A local music manager discovered him while he was attending Jefferson Community College in Louisville. However, it was his hometown friends Travis Meeks and Nicole Scherzinger’s multi-platinum group, Days of the New, that offered him a leap into industry stardom. Their single “Touch, Peel and Stand” subsequently garnered the title of “All-Time Greatest Mainstream Rock Song” by Billboard Magazine.
Collaborations came pouring in for Hay, transforming his career from a publicist to a producer. Partnering with Mike Smith, a notable businessman and producer, Hay delved into an entrepreneurial venture, founding SMH Records. The company, backed by a $30 Million investment, produced six different chart-topping albums across Jazz, Hip Hop, and Christian genres. SMH Records proved its mettle by landing a distribution deal with Caroline, a division of Capitol Records, and even offering Jay Z a whopping $15 Million for a prospective album.
Even after parting ways with SMH Records, Hay’s entrepreneurial spirit shone as bright as ever. He delved into sync-licensing deals, breaking into the Billboard jazz charts with “Follow the Leader (Reimagined as Jazz)”. This album not only ended Michael Bublé’s 38-week reign on the charts, but also marked a new beginning for Hay as an independent producer.
Jonathan Hay’s ability to identify the pulse of the market and cater to it brought him success in diverse spaces. Despite not charting, his ambitious but controversial LGBTQIA+ project, “Nirvana Reimagined as House and Techno”, generated substantial press coverage. Moreover, there’s a burgeoning demand for the 12” Vinyl LP of Hay’s grunge-to-dance recordings.
Hay’s collaborative work with Love & Hip Hop star Solo Lucci on the contemporary nü jazz album, “Wish You Were Brooklyn”, gives listeners a taste of New York’s vibrant borough. Hay has also talked about his intention to address the rumor-mills spinning tales about his relationship with Adele in the true crime docuseries “House Invasion” endorsing the intrigue around his personal life. Hay’s true-crime documentary is executive produced by Tiger King star Joe Exotic and his manager JT Barnett.
Jonathan Hay holds distribution deals with Fat Beats Records, William Moseley’s Kingmaker Music, and Ingrooves Virgin Music Group, the independent-music division of Universal Music Group. His portfolio spans across music genres and entertainment verticals, highlighting his versatility and keen business acumen.
Jonathan Hay’s journey from a small-town boy to a large-scale entertainment entrepreneur goes to show that “where there is chaos, there is also opportunity”; a quote he cites as his inspiration from the books, ‘The Art of War’ and ’48 Laws of Power’. Hay’s story persuades us that rising from the ordinary to achieve extraordinary wealth isn’t a fleeting dream, but a possibility achievable through dedication, resilience, and above all, a love for what one does. Indeed, this Brooklyn-based entrepreneur, with his roots firmly grounded in Louisville, Kentucky, is a testament to the power of dreams, the importance of roots, and the impact of relentless hustle.
