Pacific Music Group, a new Hong Kong–based entertainment company founded by NE-YO, Sonu Nigam, MC Jin and music executive Jonathan Serbin, has formally launched with a mandate to develop globally competitive talent from across Asia. The company is positioning itself as a Pan-Asian artist incubator and a strategic gateway for international acts entering the region.
The venture arrives at a moment when Asia’s influence on the global music economy is accelerating. With Japan, China and Korea among the world’s largest markets and countries such as India, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines showing rapid growth, Pacific Music Group is framing itself as a label and development company designed around the region’s current scale and future potential.
Serbin, former Co-President of Warner Music Asia, says the timing reflects a structural shift. “Asia has emerged as one of the most dynamic forces in the global music industry. With half the world’s population and three of the top ten music markets, the region is primed to lead on the world stage. We believe the time is right for a music company born in Asia but built with a global perspective from day one,” he notes, adding that the founding artists bring both global exposure and long-term career experience to the table.
The company will operate multiple imprints spanning pop, R&B, hip-hop, electronic and regional genres, with a remit covering Japan, Korea, China, India and Southeast Asia. Its model combines A&R development, mentorship from its founding artists and cross-border collaboration, with the first signings expected to be announced in the coming months.
For NE-YO, the initiative carries personal significance. “Launching Pacific Music Group isn’t just a business move. It’s a personal mission,” he says. “As an individual of Chinese descent, I’m proud to help discover and elevate the next generation of Pan-Asian superstars. I’ve toured across Asia and watched the scene evolve. The culture and creativity here deserve a global platform.”
MC Jin, who will lead the company’s hip-hop imprint, sees the venture as an opportunity to amplify new narratives from the region. “Asia is full of talent with unique stories, fresh styles and authentic messages waiting to be shared with the world. Hip-hop helped me explore my identity and find my voice. I’m looking forward to working with artists on that same journey,” he says.
Sonu Nigam, one of India’s most influential performers, underscores the opportunity for artists across the region to expand beyond domestic fandom. “India alone has 1.6 billion people, but Indian artists want to connect well beyond our borders. The same is true across Asia. With Pacific Music Group, we’re not just exporting talent. We’re helping artists thrive both at home and abroad,” he says.
Along with its artist-development strategy, Pacific Music Group aims to operate as a cross-cultural hub through offices and creative bases across key Asian markets. Its approach draws on Serbin’s previous work building Warner Music’s Asia network, including its first dedicated K-pop label, and on the founders’ combined decades of global touring, recording and collaborative experience.
A label model built around a shifting global axis
The company’s name reflects a wider change in the global industry’s centre of gravity. Pacific Music Group argues that the Pacific region now represents the primary flow of creative influence, consumption and market growth. As Serbin notes, the historic US–UK axis that defined earlier eras of the recorded-music business is giving way to a more multipolar reality driven by major Asian markets and rapidly expanding emerging regions.
Pacific Music Group’s first releases are planned for fall 2025, with further operational details and artist announcements expected later this year.
