(l to r) Universal Music head Lucian Grainge as well as Desi Trill Music’s Shabz Naqvi and Ty-Ty Smith. Photo Credit: UMG
As music markets throughout South Asia continue to grow, Universal Music Group (UMG), Roc Nation co-founder Ty-Ty Smith, and A&R exec Shabz Naqvi have debuted a label, Desi Trill Music, that will look to develop the namesake genre within the region.
Universal Music as well as the Roc Nation vets Smith and Naqvi formally announced Desi Trill Music today. As noted above and made clear in its name, the label will zero in on artists who release Desi Trill tracks, referring specifically to what UMG describes as “a new genre of music that combines the musical style of South Asian artists with modern genres.”
Besides unveiling the label and the genre that it’ll focus on, however, the involved professionals didn’t impart much information about Desi Trill Music. Concise videos featured on the operation’s Instagram profile and YouTube account provide a bit of further context, and per higher-ups, Desi Trill’s “first music offering will be available in October.”
Elaborating upon his label’s objectives in a statement, Naqvi communicated: “We envision a future where South Asian artists gain widespread recognition on grand stages, embracing cultural heritage while pushing musical boundaries.
“DESI TRILL MUSIC puts South Asian artists at the vanguard of a global music movement for the first time and we’re honored to forge a path for this new generation of incredible artists,” finished the London native.
And in remarks of his own, Smith thanked UMG execs and emphasized his ambitious goals for South Asia’s music and culture on the global stage.
“Music knows no borders,” Smith relayed in part. “It’s an incredible time for South Asian culture and hip-hop to come together to create a new and exciting genre of music. It gives us great pleasure to bring our vision to the world with DESI TRILL MUSIC.”
Today’s news represents one of several recent major-label efforts to build out in the quick-expanding South Asia region as well as other rapidly developing markets across Asia.
Closer to 2023’s beginning, the IFPI touted “the first successful blocking action” against stream-ripping websites in India, for instance. The following month, Warner Music Group scooped up a majority stake in Divo, a leading South Indian digital media and music company.
Meanwhile, artists from the nation of about 1.4 billion are recording major streaming achievements. Elsewhere in Asia, China’s sizable music market appears to be continuing to mature. Additionally, Universal Music in July dropped a reported $46 million on a 70 percent interest in the catalog of Thailand’s RS Music, and the entity behind Vietnam’s top streaming service has filed to list on NASDAQ.