Tag: Lucian Grainge

  • Ty-Ty Smith and Shabz Naqvi launch DESI TRILL MUSIC with Universal Music Group

    Ty-Ty Smith and Shabz Naqvi launch DESI TRILL MUSIC with Universal Music Group

    Mumbai: Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, has announced the launch of DESI TRILL MUSIC, a new label venture led by Ty-Ty Smith and Shabz Naqvi. The label will be dedicated to DESI TRILL, a new genre of music that combines the musical style of South Asian artists with modern genres, representing a new global sound.

    As music enthusiasts eagerly embrace fresh sounds, industry veterans Shabz Naqvi and Ty-Ty Smith have introduced their music venture, DESI TRILL. Amid the ever-evolving South Asian music scene, which caters to diverse musical tastes with a range of genres and sounds, there’s no better moment to join the industry. It’s worth noting that Lucian Grainge, chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Music Group (UMG), personally extended his blessings and welcomed the DESI TRILL team into the UMG family.  

    What sets DESI TRILL apart from other labels is its endeavour to create a new music genre, one that hasn’t been explored by anyone in the past. The innovative blend of Hip Hop, R&B, and the dynamic essence of South Asian (Desi) music will give the listeners a genre that’s not only captivating but also transformative. Distributed globally by Universal Music Group, DESI TRILL is being launched at a time when Desi Music’s popularity is at its zenith with millions of die-hard fans spanning across the globe are grooving to its sounds and beats.  

    Another crucial factor that works for DESI TRILL as it readies itself for launch is the abundance of experience that its team has under their belt. Ty-Ty Smith, in his career spanning over 20 years, is co-founder of Roc Nation, the global entertainment company that has cultivated many of today’s biggest acts such as DJ Khaled, JAY-Z, J Balvin, J. Cole, Rihanna and Shakira among others. Shabz Naqvi on the other hand began his journey at just 16 in the heart of South London and since then he has acquired chart topping acclaim and 11 major music awards along the way.  

    DESI TRILL’S debut artist is DJ Lyan, a trailblazer who adds a unique dimension to the label. His collaborations with South Asian artists will undoubtedly be something to watch out for.

    In making this announcement UMG chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge said, “As the home for artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship in music, we’re so pleased that Ty-Ty and Shabz have chosen UMG as the global partner for DESI TRILL. Having worked with Ty-Ty for many years, I know we share a passion for discovery and artist development, and I am excited to watch how he and Shabz influence culture around the world with this exciting new sound.”

    Commenting on their label, DESI TRILL, Naqvi and Smith say, “The whole idea and inspiration behind DESI TRILL is to break boundaries. It’s about giving South Asians a voice and what could be a better way to do so than through music. It’s also a lot to do with expanding Hip Hop even further across the world and creating a new first-of-its-kind genre of music. South Asian culture, its food and its music among other things is rapidly spreading throughout the world and DESI TRILL aims at giving music lovers the best of both worlds by creating music that blends two extremely popular genres together. We are really excited to begin this journey and we hope to have the support of music lovers across the world with us.”  

    UMG India & South Asia chairman & CEO & senior vice president – strategy of AMEA Devraj Sanyal said, “At Universal Music India & South Asia, we’ve been pushing the envelope for South Asian artists and our brand of music into the mainstream globally, and to that end I’m so pleased to welcome the legendary Ty-Ty Smith and Shabz Naqvi’s DESI TRILL as part of our larger UMG family, which will showcase South Asian Art and Culture with its history and incorporate a new genre which is a fusion of Hip Hop/R&B/Pop and Dance while keeping cultural Indian heritage in the sound. The whole world is celebrating culture and DESI TRILL will be a part of that!”

    DESI TRILL MUSIC’s first music offering will be available in October.

  • Universal Music inks deal with Vessel to premiere music videos online

    Universal Music inks deal with Vessel to premiere music videos online

    MUMBAI: Universal Music Group (UMG) and Vessel, an online video service, have inked an agreement to premiere select UMG videos through Vessel for an exclusive time period before making the content available on free, ad-supported services.

     

    Universal Music Group chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge said, “Vessel represents the latest business model innovation for premium short-form content and we’re pleased to extend our industry-leading track record of empowering entrepreneurs who are growing the playing field for new content services. Jason and his team recognize the substantial value of the music videos created by our world class roster of artists and have built a platform that promises fans a first-rate experience while providing artists and labels new ways to increase the monetization of their creative work.”

     

    Vessel CEO and co-founder Jason Kilar added, “We are excited to work with Lucian and everyone at Universal. Their team has a real gift for finding talented new voices and helping them reach a wider audience through new platforms like Vessel. It’s no secret that consumers love music videos. We look forward to giving Universal artists an amazing new home on Vessel.”

     

    The specific artist videos from UMG’s labels that will be featured on Vessel’s paid tier will be revealed in the coming weeks. 

     

    Vessel subscribers receive at least 72 hours of exclusive access to short-form, professionally produced content on mobile devices and the Web for the price of $2.99 a month. During the early access period, videos on Vessel can earn a multiple of 20-times more per-view compared with free, ad-supported online video services.

     

    After the exclusive time period, videos posted on Vessel become available on general ad-supported online services, including Vessel’s free, ad-supported offering.

  • Lucian Grainge, Jason Kilar elected to DreamWorks Animation board of directors

    Lucian Grainge, Jason Kilar elected to DreamWorks Animation board of directors

    MUMBAI: DreamWorks Animation announced that at its upcoming annual meeting of stockholders, scheduled to be held on 29 May, 2013, current directors Nathan Myhrvold and Richard Sherman will retire from the company‘s board of directors.
     
    Universal Music Group chairman CEO Lucian Grainge and Hulu former CEO Jason Kilar will be nominated for election as new directors.
     
    Myhrvold is Intellectual Ventures CEO and has served on the DreamWorks Animation board of directors since the company went public in October of 2004. Sherman is The David Geffen Company CEO and has served as a DreamWorks Animation board member since November 2008.

    Dreamworks Animation founder and CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said, "Nathan has served on our board for nearly ten years during which time his unique perspective and wise counsel has been invaluable – he will truly be missed. Likewise, Richard has played a pivotal role in maximizing the potential of our business and I am incredibly grateful for his contributions over the years.
     
    "Looking ahead, I am beyond excited at the prospect of welcoming Lucian and Jason to our Board. They are true superstars in their respective fields – Jason revolutionized how we consume content and Lucian is one of the most innovative forces in the music industry. The addition of their expertise to our already incredibly strong board will help take the company to new heights as we continue to grow our brand."