IDOL Appoints Secretly’s ex-Services Boss Evan Whikehart as General Manager - North America
Brings 20 years’ experience in independent music, having built Secretly Distribution’s Label & Shared Services division
Will help launch D2C services in US and continue to develop IDOL’s physical distribution offering
Global revenue surpassed $50m in 2025
Independent distributor IDOL, which provides world-leading artist and label services to its curated roster, has appointed Evan Whikehart as its new General Manager - North America.
Starting this week, Whikehart will lead IDOL’s growth across North America and LATAM while continuing to champion its bespoke and long-term approach to label and artist development. Based in Brooklyn, he will oversee IDOL’s regional network, including iconic labels Mexican Summer, Moderna Records and HighNote Records, alongside artists TOKiMONSTA, Erick the Architect (Flatbush Zombies) and The Presidents of the United States of America.
Alongside digital distribution and marketing, Whikehart will help roll out D2C services in the US (expected to launch in Q3 2026), bringing significant expertise in physical distribution to expand that side of the business. Through third-party partnerships, IDOL will build clients’ online stores and manage physical music and merchandise sales.
Whikehart’s appointment comes as IDOL continues to carve out its position in a hyper-competitive US market through organic, self-funded growth, without major label backing or outside investment. Over the past five years, IDOL’s North American consumption has grown by 25%, with the region now accounting for nearly a third of the company’s global revenue — which surpassed $50 million for the first time last year. This ongoing growth is expected to see IDOL’s US team expand from 5 to 15 staff over the next 3-5 years, supported by the company’s 60-strong central operation in Paris.
Whikehart brings two decades of experience in independent music, most recently at Secretly Distribution where he built its Label & Shared Services division from the ground up. From 2020 onwards, he directed campaigns for Hayley Williams, Sufjan Stevens, Santigold, The War on Drugs, Beirut, and Crumb, while also developing a number of B2B partnerships, including A24 Music. Prior to this, he was appointed as Project Manager at Secretly Group in 2015, where he managed Grammy-nominated campaigns for artists on the Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar, and Secretly Canadian rosters, including Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers, and Mitski.
Evan Whikehart commented: “I have long admired IDOL’s patient and fully independent approach to building meaningful relationships and supporting long-term label and artist development. I am incredibly excited to join the team and look forward to providing our partners with the highest standard of service across every stage of their campaigns.”
Pascal Bittard, founder and President at IDOL, added: “Evan brings a rare dual perspective from both the label and distribution sides that will help IDOL expand our operations across North America and LATAM. But beyond his impressive track record, he understands our values as a truly independent organisation.”
IDOL has been nominated for ‘Distributor of the Year’ at the A2IM Libera Awards in June 2026, whilst its label partner Mexican Summer has also earned four separate recognitions (‘Label of the Year – 6-14 employees’, ‘Best American Roots Record’, ‘Best Jazz Record’, ‘Best Latin Record’).