Warner Music Group (WMG) has introduced Warner Music South Asia, a new unit handling its recorded music operations in countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Based in Dubai, Warner Music South Asia will be led by Jay Mehta, working closely with Alfonso Perez Soto, Warner Music’s President of Emerging Markets.
Earlier this year, WMG teamed up with Giraffe, a well-known Pakistani music and audio production company. Giraffe is known for leading the production of Coke Studio Pakistan, a popular cultural export with nearly 15 million YouTube subscribers.
Together, Warner Music and Giraffe have produced Season 15 of Coke Studio Pakistan, featuring 11 songs in English, Punjabi, and Urdu.
Warner Music sees Pakistan as a fast-growing music market with 250 million people, especially among the 90 million Punjabi and Urdu speakers worldwide.
Bangladesh, with over 167 million people, is an emerging music market. Nepal and Sri Lanka, with populations of around 30 million and 20 million respectively, currently lack a formal music industry.
Jay Mehta, Managing Director of Warner Music South Asia, is excited about launching Warner Music in these regions, seeing it as a chance to connect talented artists with the global music scene.
Alfonso Perez Soto, Warner Music’s President of Emerging Markets, shares the excitement, emphasizing the huge market potential and the opportunity to showcase diverse cultures worldwide.
Simon Robson, President of Recorded Music, International, at Warner Music Group, calls the launch a big step, showing the company’s commitment to countries with rich musical traditions and strong global connections. He hints at more exciting projects in Pakistan and beyond in the future.
