Jay Z's Tidal music service replaces its CEO two weeks after launch

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/apr/17/jay-z-tidal-music-service-ceo

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Andy Chen will no longer serve as the chief executive of Tidal, Jay Z’s music streaming service, the company announced this week.

Peter Tonstad, former CEO of Aspiro Group, has been named the new interim CEO. Aspiro was a parent company of WiMP and Tidal, which merged to create Tidal. According to Tidal’s statement, Tonstad has a “better understanding of the industry and a clear vision for how the company is looking to change the status quo”.

The announcement comes three months after Jay Z bought the streaming music service, and a little more than two weeks after he officially launched it.

As part of his new role, Tonstad has been tasked with ensuring that Tidal’s “talent is maximized to enhance the customer experience”.

Related: Will Jay Z's Tidal service be washed away by Spotify?

“We’ve eliminated a handful of positions and refocused our company-wide talent to address departments that need support and cut redundancies,” Tidal said in a statement. “Tidal’s offices globally will remain and grow: we are already hiring for several new positions now. We’re excited about our future and what’s in-store for fans who want the best listening experience.”

“We’re streamlining the company and refocusing our resources to ensure the platform continues to grow, and listeners can make a connection to their favorite artists. No one else is doing this,” Tonstad, the new CEO, said in a statement.

There is one other thing that only Tidal is offering its subscribers: personal phone calls from the artists. Besides shaking things up at Tidal, Jay Z has also been handling the customer service side of the business.

Along with Jack White and other musicians behind the new company, Jay Z has been calling up subscribers to thank them for using the site. According to Business Insider: “Musicians involved in Tidal are given their own accounts on the site, which they can use to monitor who listens to their music, and to see statistics about how their albums are performing.” They also have access to users’ contact information, and some have used it to call the subscribers to express their gratitude.

Jay Z is “very deeply involved, and the reason being is because this is a life project for him,” Vania Schlogel, Tidal’s chief investment officer, told Business Insider.