For publishers, songwriters, and rights holders, Carletta Higginson’s playlist is a reminder that music careers are built on more than dealmaking: they are shaped by the records that define memory, identity, and taste. The Warner Music EVP, Chief Digital Officer uses her Key Songs selections to map a life that runs from a music-filled New York childhood to the center of digital music strategy.
A New York childhood soundtracked by jazz, bossa nova, and family
Higginson grew up in Lower Manhattan in a home filled with music from her father, who is from Barbados, her mother, who is from the Philippines, and her two older sisters, both reggae fans. One song that captures that period for her is “The Girl from Ipanema” by Stan Getz and João Gilberto, which she says takes her back to Saturday mornings at home and the eclectic mix of jazz and bossa nova that played throughout the house.
She says the song is especially representative of her childhood because it combines Brazilian bossa nova with jazz influence, and because it was so popular. For Higginson, it is the track that comes first when she thinks about what her home was like growing up.
Reggae at home, and the sisters who made it personal
Another defining track for Higginson is Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry,” which always makes her think of her older sisters. She says they loved reggae and played the song all the time while she was growing up.
The record also connects for her with the strength and resilience of women, which she associates with her sisters. Higginson describes it as a powerful song in her life with a powerful message while she was growing up.
New York club culture and the soundtrack to the nineties
Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige’s “Can’t Knock The Hustle” also holds a major place in Higginson’s story. She says the track, from Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt debut album, reminds her of being in New York in the nineties.
Higginson was an undergrad at NYU when the song came out, and she remembers going out with girlfriends and parting in the New York club scene while studying. She recalls it as an incredible time to be young in New York, with the song blaring as she and her friends got ready to go out.
From law firm work to Google and Warner Music
After graduating from Columbia, Higginson began her music career at Pryor Cashman in New York, then moved to Jenner & Block, where she represented rights holders during the height of digital piracy. She later spent a decade at Google, building out YouTube’s licensed music offerings and helping turn the platform from an industry punchbag into a valued partner.
In 2023, Higginson joined Warner Music as EVP, Chief Digital Officer, as part of CEO Robert Kyncl’s evolving executive team. Her song choices reflect both that professional path and the personal experiences that shaped her.
What to watch next: Higginson says there were many albums and artists she had to leave out, which suggests her musical story extends well beyond the three tracks she selected.
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