Shanghai Government Officials Attend Opening Ceremony, Welcome UMP China to Thriving Local Creative Community
Company Launches Chinese Version of Global Royalty Portal “UMPG Window” as First Local-Language Edition in Asia
Universal Music Publishing (UMP) China, a division of Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the leading global music publisher, announced the opening of its new office in Shanghai today. The move significantly expands UMPG’s operations in China, which it first entered two years ago, and reinforces its commitment to developing Chinese music industry and artists.
An opening event held at UMP China’s new offices at 800 Show Creative Park of Shanghai’s Jing’an District was attended by distinguished guests, including Gao Yunfei (高韵斐), Deputy Director of Publicity Department of Shanghai Municipal CPC Committee and Director of Shanghai Film Bureau, Mo LiangJin (莫亮金), Jing’an CPC Committee member and Publicity Department Director and business partners from the worlds of music, technology, gaming, culture and creative. At the event, UMPG launched the Chinese version of UMPG Window, its international royalty portal for songwriters – representing UMPG’s first local-language version in Asia.
The event featured live performances on the main stage at 800 Show by Shanghai-based UMP China songwriters, including: Chinese classical instrumental group Zide Club (上海自得琴社); R&B singer-songwriter Yingge Yang (杨英格); Jazz pianist Daniel Niu (牛天宇); and China’s most popular chamber singing group, Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers (上海彩虹室内合唱团). In addition, UMP China songwriters Chengzhi Jin (金承志), Shanghai Ju Feng Yuan Culture (上海飓风源文化), and Ziming Li (黎子明) were recognized by UMP China as outstanding talents of 2021 and awards were presented by Jing’an District Mayor Wang Hua (王华), Deputy Mayor Long Wanli (龙婉丽) and Zhang Jun (张军), respectively.
Mo LiangJin (莫亮金), Jing’an CPC Committee member and Publicity Department Director, said: “UMPG has always adhered to the commitment of placing ‘songwriters first’, by providing the best services to musicians and bringing the enjoyment of music to audiences. UMP’s new office opening is a strong support for Jing'an District to continuously promote the development of a multi-dimensional, high-level cultural and creative industry. Jing'an District is committed to creating an optimal business environment whilst providing thoughtful services to enterprises to support UMP China’s further growth.”
Jing’an District prioritizes culture and creative industry as one of the six-pillar industries in line with China’s 14th Five-Year Plan. Through enterprise incubation and investment, brand empowerment, talent and ecosystem development, Shanghai is becoming a center of culture and creative industry.
As a member company of the Music Copyright Society of China (MCSC), UMP China has collaborated closely with the industry and government to further enhance protections of songwriters’ intellectual property and support development of the broader Chinese music ecosystem. This is one of the main reasons that UMP China and Hong Kong Managing Director Joe Fang was named as a Billboard 2021 International Power Player, the only representative of the Chinese music publishing industry so honoured.
Joe Fang, Managing Director of UMP China and Hong Kong, said: “About a century ago, a group of modern music companies were born by the shore of Huang Pu River in the great city of Shanghai and made history. Today, we have established a new Shanghai office with the industry’s finest team, top-tier creative space, and ready to serve a new generation of Chinese musicians who are eager to demonstrate their cultural confidence to the world via music.”
Fang continued: “We are confident that UMP China will continue to contribute to the value add of China’s Copyright Industries, a significant part of the State Council’s ‘Outline for Building a Powerful Country with Intellectual Property Rights (2021-2035). I am very grateful for all the incredible support we received from the Shanghai Jing’an government, and incredibly honoured to be part of the new chapter of this great city’s musical history. The seeds of the next generation of Chinese music have been planted in this soil today.”
To further empower Chinese songwriters, UMP China introduced the Chinese version of UMPG Window, a royalty portal dedicated to UMPG’s songwriters. UMPG Window provides songwriters with transparent and easy-to-use royalty information, including real-time data, insight and analytics. It can be clearly profiled with multi-dimensional visualized analysis on desktop and mobile devices. An introductory video interviewing some of China’s most prominent songwriters, like Fan Chong (樊冲) and Arai Soichiro (荒井十一), was shown at the event, demonstrating how UMPG Window helps music creators keep track of their royalties’ data in an accurate, real-time and insightful manner.
Andrew Jenkins, President, UMPG Asia Pacific, welcomed guests to the event via video, saying: “Today is really a great step forward for Universal Music Publishing in China. I know the office will be a creative center of excellence not just for China but for the region and for Universal Music globally. I look forward to our staff working with the best Chinese talent to create songs that will resonate with people all around the world. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Wang Hua, for you have helped us enormously in realizing this dream and made us feel incredibly welcomed.”
Chengzhi Jin (金承志), Founder and Art Director of Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers, said: “I feel confident and proud to have my music works represented by UMP China, a team which truly understand, appreciate and respect music and musicians. I am especially impressed by UMP China’s commitment to invest in and develop Chinese music talent, as they are always ready to provide support, resources and opportunities to the local songwriter community. I cannot miss the chance today to celebrate UMP China to open in Shanghai, where I have worked and lived for years. Hope our performance here is accepted as a token of congratulation and appreciation.”
