John Legend is stepping into a fresh phase of his career after officially joining Roc Nation for management, bringing an end to his nearly 20-year partnership with longtime manager Ty Stiklorius and her company, Friends at Work.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the switch puts the Grammy-winning artist under the leadership of Roc Nation CEO Jay Brown, placing him alongside a powerhouse lineup that includes Rihanna, Megan Thee Stallion, A$AP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, and Clipse.
The exact timing behind the switch is still a bit unclear, but as recently as February, John Legend was still listed on the roster of Friends at Work. Earlier this year, Ty Stiklorius also spoke openly about her work with the singer during a Global Citizen panel in Beverly Hills.
Roc Nation hasn’t released an official statement regarding the signing. However, shortly after news of the move broke, the company shared a photo of Legend from his “A Night of Songs & Stories Tour.”
This shift officially closes out one of the longest-standing artist-manager relationships in the music industry. Stiklorius has worked alongside Legend since 2006, when they launched JL Ventures together and she stepped in as his full-time manager.
Over the years, their partnership evolved through several key moments, including her time at The Artists Organization, her leadership role at Atom Factory founded by Troy Carter, and eventually the creation of Friends at Work in 2015.
“Twenty years is a lifetime in this business, and I’m proud of the work John and I did together that was rooted in creativity, trust, love, and ambition,” Stiklorius shared. “I’m energized by what’s ahead for both of us as I pass the music management baton to Jay Brown at ROC Nation.”
She also made it clear their relationship isn’t ending entirely, adding that she will “continue to be John’s partner in the many for-profit and non-profit ventures we built together and John’s biggest champion.”
Their work together stretched far beyond music. Alongside building Legend’s recording career, Stiklorius collaborated with him on the production company Get Lifted Film Co., which supported projects like La La Land, Underground, Rhythm + Flow, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Citizen Ashe, and the documentary Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children.
Through it all, their company also played a major role in shaping John Legend Ventures, helping expand his brand across television, film, philanthropy, and business.
Before stepping into artist management, Stiklorius earned her MBA from the Wharton School and built experience in strategy and business development.
