Dubai, UAE: After the successful merge with EMI Music Arabia, Universal Music MENA is looking forward to another exciting year of achievements and innovative partnerships in the MENA region. With a team of 14 professionals, the company outlines an ambitious yet bespoke growth plan to meet the local music market expectations.
The integration sees the two companies join forces to strategically become the largest record label in the region. Encompassing the Warner Music, Disney Music and Virgin/Capitol Records catalogue under its title, the label is now the leader in the industry with 75% of the international market share in music sales.
“A major step in the region was our acquisition of EMI Arabia and its catalogue. This is one of the most valuable assets and repertoire in the region and we look forward to initiate more contributions towards the local music scene, through potential licensing deals and expectantly signing established Arab stars as well as upcoming new talents” said Patrick Boulos, Managing Director – Universal Music MENA.
The combination of these two labels has bestowed a priceless roster of Arabic artists and music such as the legendary Fairuz, Warda George Wassouf and Wadi El Safi to Universal Music MENA with the A&R department having a wealth of valuable years of experience to sign and launch both Arabic and international artists, with a solid plan to further expand the label’s local catalogue.
Already successfully partnering with Coke Studio Bel3arabi and The Voice, Universal Music MENA have been proactive in developing new business partnerships and sync deals for international artists in the Middle East and North Africa since 2011 and now seeking to carry on and develop the historical EMI Music Arabia legacy with its existing Arabic Artist catalogue and repertoire.
“It has been three incredible years for the company. We have signed and produced our first release with The Voice Winner Mourad Bouriki scoring number one ratings on selected local iTunes stores and achieved great results through strategic partnerships with local and international brands allowing us to work in a very creative and open approach with unique projects such as the Coke Studio Album release, which unites cultures via fusion songs and new remixes” added Boulos.
Now that Universal Music MENA operates with 8 iTunes online stores in the Middle East, along with other major digital partners such as Anghami and HP Connected Music, the future for existing repertoire and launching new artists will continue to strengthen and grow as this fresh music business environment matures.
About Universal Music Group:
Universal Music Group is the global music leader with strong market positions in recorded music, music publishing, and merchandising. It is the world’s leading music company with wholly owned record operations and licensees in more than 60 territories amongst which the Middle East & North Africa represented by its main office established in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2011 to further develop its repertoire through endorsing unique Arabic talents as well as well-established stars in the region. The recorded music business discovers and develops recording artists and then markets and promotes their music across a wide array of formats and platforms. UMG’s music publishing company, Universal Music Publishing Group, discovers and develops songwriters, and owns and administers copyrights to musical compositions for use in recordings, public performances, and related uses, such as films and advertisements. Bravado, UMG’s merchandising company, sells artist- and music-branded products via multiple sales point such as fashion retail, live performances, and the internet.
UMG’s strength and legacy of music flows from a diverse family of record labels which include: A&M/Octone, Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note Records, Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol Records, Capitol Records Nashville, Caroline, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, EMI Records, EMI Records Nashville, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Harvest, Interscope Records, Island Records, Machete Music, Manhattan, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Polydor Records, Republic Records, Show Dog–Universal Music, Universal Music Latino, Verve Music Group, and Virgin Records.