Taiwanese Mandopop singer-songwriter Jay Chou and his record label JVR Music have entered into a strategic partnership with Universal Music Greater China. Under the agreement, announced Wednesday in Beijing, UMG will market and distribute Chou’s back catalog and future projects, while also absorbing a JVR artist roster that includes Patrick Brasca and Young (Cao Yang).
Earlier this year, Chou became the first Taiwanese artist to feature in the upper reaches (No. 9) of IFPI’s rankings of top global recording artists, and he straight-up topped the trade group’s Global Albums Sales chart for 2022’s Greatest Works of Art, one of 15 studio albums he’s released since making his debut in 2000.
JVR Music, which also has an artist management arm, was founded in 2007 by Chou, Vincent Fang and JR Yang. Since 2013, Chou and JVR’s entire catalog has been managed by Universal Music Publishing Group. Chou, regarded as the “King of Mandopop,” writes and produces all of his music. As an actor, he co-starred alongside Seth Rogen in the 2011 superhero film The Green Hornet and in the 2016 heist movie Now You See Me 2, among others.
“It is with immense pride and excitement that we welcome Jay Chou, an icon of our times, into the Universal Music family,” said Timothy Xu, UMGC’s chairman and CEO. “This partnership is more than a milestone for us; it’s a celebration of Jay’s extraordinary artistry and global appeal. We are deeply honored to be entrusted with his musical legacy and are eager to help showcase his remarkable talent to a broader global audience.”
JVR Music co-founder and CEO JR Yang said the partnership puts them well on course to raising Mandopop’s profile globally. “Leveraging UMG’s extensive global network enables us to amplify Jay’s artistic impact and the diversity of our artist roster on a global scale,” he said. “We are excited about harnessing this alliance to transcend cultural boundaries and cement the international presence of our unique musical heritage.”
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