Yvette Noel-Schure is a publicist who has made a name for herself. She is the creative force behind some of the most powerful names in global music and entertainment, including Mariah Carey, Prince, John Legend, and Beyoncé.
Her path to becoming a well-known publicist began when she emigrated to the United States from Grenada at the age of 14 to help her mother. Having a penchant for writing, Yvette landed a job as a music journalist at Black Beat Magazine in 1985, eventually becoming an editor.
“I was covering everybody— Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, New Edition, New Kids On The Block, Babyface,” she told Shondaland. “It was a good time for music.”
While at Black Beat, she met several artists and later worked for some of them as their publicist, including Will Smith. “I remember the first time I went into a meeting with him, he said, ‘Hey, wait. You’re from Black Beat!’” She noted.
Her high-profile interview with Mariah Carey in 1993 would propel her further into her great career. She was tenacious in pursuing further interviews after the interview. Her dedication quickly drew the notice of Columbia Records’ then-Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Larry Jenkins, who was so impressed with her productivity.
Jenkins was so impressed with her work that he gave her a position in the company’s media department. She was initially dubious about working as a publicist, but she eventually accepted the position with the goal of leaving an indelible impact on the industry.