Universal Music Group (UMG), one of the leading music companies worldwide, has announced a strategic partnership with Mumbai-based talent management agency REPRESENT. This collaboration is a significant milestone for UMG’s expansion into the Indian music market. The partnership aims to leverage UMG’s global resources and REPRESENT’s roster of artists to introduce Indian music culture to a global audience.
UMG India and REPRESENT will work together on various initiatives, including artist development, fan engagement, and other efforts to elevate Indian music to new heights. By combining UMG’s extensive network and support with REPRESENT’s visionary approach, the collaboration aims to empower artists and fuel their creativity.
“Our combined efforts will empower their artists and fuel their creativity, help inspire audiences worldwide, and elevate Indian music to new heights,” said Devraj Sanyal, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music India & South Asia.
REPRESENT is a talent management agency that goes beyond traditional artist representation. With a roster of artists that includes Anuv Jain, MC Stan, Zaeden, Lost Stories, and many more, REPRESENT has made a significant impact on the Indian music scene. The agency prides itself on shaping the narrative of future pop culture.
REPRESENT has not only focused on artist management but has also worked with major brands and social media platforms to bridge the gap between Indian music culture and corporate partnerships. The agency has collaborated with Coca-Cola to develop a complete music strategy in India and partnered with Snapchat to create content for their Spotlight video platform. They have also curated a virtual music festival, “Live In Your Living Room,” in association with Meta’s Instagram during the Covid lockdown.
Additionally, REPRESENT has expanded into the live music bookings business through its RE:PLAY division, handling over 1,000 shows in India and internationally.
Aayushman Sinha, Founder and CEO of REPRESENT, expressed his excitement about the partnership with UMG. Sinha mentioned that REPRESENT has previously worked with Universal Music Group on several artist releases. The alignment of their thoughts to elevate the overall music industry and provide a platform for Indian artists to go global has led to this collaboration.
“We bring some of our ace independent artists to the table as part of this deal, and UMG brings its extensive resources and expertise – together driving the future of music. So excited to start this new chapter, and I can’t wait to see where we go from here on,” said Sinha.
UMG has been operating in India since 1999 and has made significant strides in the country’s music scene in recent years. In 2018, the company launched VYRL, an artist platform designed to challenge Bollywood’s music dominance in India. This move was followed by the expansion of UMG’s Def Jam hip-hop label to India in 2022.
The music giant also signed a distribution deal with Desi Melodies, marking its entry into Punjabi music. This was followed by the launch of VYRL Punjabi in 2021. In the same year, UMGI acquired a majority stake in entertainment company TM Ventures, which manages a roster of artists that includes Arijit Singh, Osho Jain, Badshah, Nucleya to name a few.
Universal Music Group’s partnership with REPRESENT marks an important milestone in the expansion of UMG into the Indian music market. The collaboration aims to leverage UMG’s global resources and REPRESENT’s roster of artists to introduce Indian music culture to a global audience.
