"We’re excited to amplify his brand and bring cultural crossover to global audiences,” says Suhel Nafar, EMPIRE'S head of West Asia and North Africa.
The executive, who made his first EMPIRE signing with G-Dragon, previously helped develop such East Asian artists as DEAN and Jackson Wang.
A pioneer for K-pop on the Billboard charts, the Seoul star says the signing "marks the beginning of a new era," with an awards show performance and tour on the way.
"People will always poke around and it never gets to me," said the CEO at the inaugural Trapital Summit in Hollywood on Thursday (Oct. 3).
The partnership will allow the Detroit star to sign and develop talent for his own label.
Linked with over 300 nonprofits and five major distributor partners, ShowUp helps artists integrate causes into their album releases, touring and more.
The accomplished A&R executive first joined the company in 2018 and will continue to oversee its A&R efforts across genres.
The executive comes in to lead revenue-driving initiatives at the Bay Area-based music company.
Also this week: Island Records appoints a head of creative strategy, EMPIRE hires a CFO and more.
The San Francisco-based company has become a power player that shapes how major competitors do business. Now, it wants to replicate its success on a global scale — without losing its identity.
