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Universal Music Publishing China has signed Tia Ray to a global publishing deal. Ray is a superstar in her home country and made history in 2018 with her song “Be Apart,” which sold enough worldwide to earn the No. 7 spot of IFPI’s Top 10 Global Singles Chart that year. She was the only Chinese artist to crack the top ten that year.
Reservoir has acquired the rights to rock talent Greg Kilhn. This includes publishing, recording, and distribution rights to Kihn’s Beserkley Records-era catalog. Songs from this time period include “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em),” both of which charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the early 1980s.
Cutting Edge Media Music has acquired a majority interest in White Stork, a publishing company founded by film/tv composer Tom Howe (Ted Lasso, Daisy Jones and The Six, The Great British Bakeoff). As part of the deal, CEMM has invested in growing the publisher as a joint venture. Tamsin Dove, Chief Commercial Officer, has been selected to expand the business and drive global sync strategy.
Raedio has signed three new acts: Patrick Paige II, Ego Ella May, and Flwr Chyld. Each act will work with Raedio’s record label, music supervision and podcast ecosystem as part of their new agreements with the Issa Rae-founded firm.
Position Music has signed artist and songwriter KANNER to a worldwide publishing deal. Though she has earned credits on songs released by Katy Perry, Royal & the Serpent, Krewella, Siiickbrain, Rebecca Black and more, KANNER is also an artist in her own right. Her next single “MEGAPHONE MOUTH” will be released Friday, July 21.
Concord Music Publishing signs country artist and songwriter Tyler Halverson to his first-ever publishing deal. The worldwide agreement includes all of his future works.
Daytripper Music Publishing, the creative division of CCS Rights Management, has signed Ron Gallo to a worldwide co-publishing deal. On the label side, the Philadelphia-based singer songwriter is signed to Kill Rock Stars.
MNRK Music Group has partnered with Steel Sessions and its producers Francis “Buda Da Future” Ubiera, Dan “Grandz Muzik” Garcia, and Michael “Mike Kuz” Kuzoian. As part of the new partnership, the producers — along with the rising talent from Steel Sessions — will develop artists in the studio, sign them to MNRK, and provide production services for MNRK Urban’s releases.
After two decades as a band, Taiwanese indie group Sodagreen has grown and evolved, emerging triumphant and standing on the stage together once more.
For young people, turning 20 can be a defining moment, marking the end of their rebellious teenage years and the start of adulthood. But for a band, reaching the milestone of 20 years is an incredible achievement. What keeps a band together is the relationships between its members.
Everyone has a rebellious period in their life, but it doesn’t always come at the same time. Shin-Yi’s came during his teenage years, while Jia-Kai’s happened in his 40s. For Sodagreen as a group, the rebellious period was during their hiatus. They each explored different paths, living a second life, until 2023 when they reunited under the name Sodagreen and started anew. This is what the band members call “Sodagreen Round 2.”
Regarding Sodagreen’s 20th anniversary, Jia-Kai explains it this way: “When I look back on my life journey, I really don’t have many friends who have been with me for over 20 years. I can count them on my 10 fingers. Friends who have been together for over 20 years won’t fall out and will definitely stay until the end. We are really rare. There is nothing like Sodagreen that has been going on for 20 years in a row.” Faced with Jia-Kai’s emotional perspective, Tsing-Fong jokingly responds in a very Sodagreen-like manner: “I hope you will be a good person in the future, Jia-Kai!”
It’s been 26 years since Tsing-Fong and Shin-Yi first met. Reflecting on their friendship, Shin-Yi couldn’t help but express her amazement: “It’s so scary!” But when they find something they both enjoy, time seems to fly by.
Yu-Chi says Madonna has been their idol for over 20 years. For the past two decades, Madonna has been a beacon of fashion, continuously adapting to the changing times and setting new trends. But it’s not just the iconic singer who has been inspiring fans for so long; Sodagreen has also been a source of innovation and transformation for that amount of time, encouraging fans to explore different paths in life.
On May 30, Sodagreen returned to the same place they said goodbye six years ago: the outdoor stage of the Taipei City Art Square. It was a special day for the band, as it marked the day they released their first single. Shin-Yi said it was a great opportunity to reconnect with their fans in the most direct way possible. It was also a promise that Sodagreen made to their fans — to come back and celebrate together.
Individual Growth & Exploration
Sodagreen’s hiatus was a time of individual growth and exploration for each of the band members. During their break, Jyun-Wei became an investment expert, Jing-Yang a cross-disciplinary curator, Yu-Chi combined classical and pop music, Shin-Yi a concert director, Jia-Kai a film score composer, and Tsing-Fong a Golden Melody king. This time away from the band gave them the opportunity to explore different possibilities and pursue their own personal goals. Sodagreen’s hiatus was a period of growth and development that has allowed them to come back stronger than ever.
Jyun-Wei shared that the most essential part of their growth during the hiatus was not just in music, but in their personal lives. They were able to take the time to get married, become parents, start businesses, and explore new interests that they hadn’t had the opportunity to do before. With the newfound freedom, they were able to do all the things they wanted to do and come back without any regrets. Now, they have the strength and motivation to make music again.
Jyun-Wei found that being decisive was a key lesson he learned during his years away from music. “Investment requires finding the right people to work with, as well as ensuring the product is of a high quality. Rather than just making money, investing provided me with the opportunity to learn about different industries and ecosystems, making it a much more meaningful experience.”
Jing-Yang is a passionate advocate for environmental sustainability and has worked hard to transform Giant Park into a paradise for both adults and children. He has also taken on the role of mentor and curator to young musicians, offering them the opportunity to learn and grow.
In his own words, Jing-Yang said, “I’m just trying to reach out to different audiences in a different way. Everything I do is rooted in the foundation of the band. Sodagreen is embarking on a new journey, and I’m hoping for the best.”
Yu-Chi has taken his musical journey to the next level by blending classical and pop music. His solo album KUNG’s vol.1 earned him a nomination for best album in the instrumental music category at Taiwan’s Golden Melody Awards. He has also performed on stages around the world, showcasing his unique sound. During his time away from the band, Yu-Chi went through a period of self-discovery that has resulted in a new musical energy for Sodagreen.
Yu-Chi was deeply impacted by the death of his beloved pet and found himself reflecting on the meaning of separation and death, channeling these honest feelings into his creative work. “I believed that music was a way to learn and grow, and that each member of the band could bring new ideas and sparks to our performances by sharing our life experiences. Together, we could create something truly special.”
Shin-Yi became a successful concert director during the hiatus and welcomed a second child into her life. Shin-Yi’s journey from the stage to the director’s chair was nothing short of remarkable. “It’s all about serendipity. I took on the role of concert director with a relaxed attitude and mainly wanted to make new friends and explore the world of concert directing. I was lucky enough to found myself in the company of world-class producers, learning new ways of working and creating.”
Jia-Kai’s latest project, the film Marry My Dead Body, set a box office record this year. As the sole composer of the soundtrack, Jia-Kai faced a unique challenge. “I was involved in the early stages of production and was able to apply the skills I learned at Berkeley to the composition and writing of the scores. When I finished, I felt a real sense of accomplishment.”
Jia-Kai also had the opportunity to work with the iconic Jolin Tsai on the theme song “Untitled.” He learned a lot from her, including the way she structured the melody and the clever way she depicted the relationship between two cultures in the lyrics. The most impressive moment for Jia-Kai was when he visited the set and saw actor Greg Hsu’s amazing performance of “Dancing Diva.”
Tsing-Fong, nominated for best male Mandarin singer with “Mallarme’s Tuesdays,” isn’t expecting to win, but is more interested in having fun with his bandmates. When asked if there’s pressure for his bandmates to perform alongside him, he had a humorous response: “It’s already stressful for them to perform with me! Jia-Kai and Jing-Yang have always been under a lot of pressure when performing with me, but I’m looking forward to the day when they can perform without any stress,” he laughs.
New Journey
If we were to compare Sodagreen to a big fashion brand, then Oaeen – the unique side product line – would be the perfect analogy. The debut album of Oaeen, The Pond, received a variety of reactions from the public. While some praised the music, others thought it was “too weird.” In response to the different opinions, the six members who are part of both Sodagreen and Oaeen said, “We like it, and that’s what matters most.”
Jyun-Wei said, “When The Pond was first released, it was met with some surprise. Despite this, we were confident in our own standards and felt that the album was ready for release. We don’t think Oaeen’s songs are particularly mysterious; we are simply being true to ourselves and not making the music too out of the ordinary. The album was created through a collaborative process, with everyone adding their own musical influences from different genres, resulting in a unique and complete piece.”
Oaeen’s re-recording of Sodagreen’s old album series is an exciting journey of rediscovery. From Different Albums to Little Universe, from Incomparable Beauty to Sing With Me, each album brings a new emotion to the songs we know and love because of their new arrangements, orchestrations and presentations.
Jyun-Wei describes the remaking process as starting from Ground Zero: “With some songs, it was difficult to reproduce the original feeling due to the special instruments and sounds used. To overcome this, we decided to re-record all the instruments in a new and exciting way. This process allowed us to experience the joy of remaking and reproducing the songs all over again.”
For Yu-Chi, Oaeen’s re-recording of their new album has surpassed the original version of Sodagreen’s records and become a unique version of its own. It’s a reflection of the life experiences of everyone involved, and you can hear the different mind-sets in the music. As Shin-Yi grows older, she believes that the process of re-recording the new version is a way to reconnect with her life journey. “When we were young, we thought this way, and it was so simple!”
Even though the interpretations of Sodagreen’s songs may vary, the emotions behind them remain the same. A devoted fan recently shared their thoughts on the new version with Jyun-Wei: “My love and support for Sodagreen isn’t just about the music; it’s about the attitude. I admire Sodagreen’s attitude, so no matter what version they release, those who love Sodagreen will accept it all.”
The sincere response from fans moved Sodagreen deeply, inspiring them to be more cautious and careful in creating new works. Yu-Chi says: “We are using our current abilities to create something new, unlocking new possibilities.” Tsing-Fong adds: “We strive to perfect the small details, while the grandeur is up to the listeners to interpret.”
Do you remember Sodagreen’s comeback single “Tomorrow Will be Fine” in 2020? The music video featured a nostalgic concept of a group chat on a mobile phone, with conversations during the band’s hiatus, making die-hard fans tear up. Four members of the band have become “Sodagreen second generation” parents, and after performances, their schedule is no longer about celebrating with drinks but rushing home to take care of their kids and playing them lullabies. Despite the twists and turns, Sodagreen has stayed strong and united throughout these past 20 years.
–Written by Jifan Wang for Billboard China
Sodagreen
Minshi Jiang
Chinese pop star G.E.M. is looking to grow her Latin American fan base — and break the mold for Chinese artists — by putting out a full-length Spanish version of her latest album, Revelation. And the idea to do it didn’t come from an executive or carefully plotted strategy by her new label, Warner Music China, which released the original Mandarin version in September.
“It wasn’t necessarily something we sat down with her and sort of guided her towards,” Simon Robson, Warner Music Group’s president, international, for recorded music, tells Billboard. “It was more that she wanted to do this, and we wanted to support her.”
Robson says G.E.M.’s Revelación, which Warner Music plans to release on July 10, will be the first Spanish-language album by a major Chinese music artist at any label (as far as WMG is aware). The experiment, the executive says, is “quite indicative of what’s happening with music at the moment and just how impactful Spanish music is becoming.”
Like her Chinese original, the Spanish album — which G.E.M. says she wrote on her own, after essentially teaching herself the language — will feature 14 songs. After debuting in 2008 with her self-titled EP G.E.M, the Shanghai born, Hong Kong-raised singer, whose real name is Gloria Tang Sze-wing (G.E.M. stands for Get Everybody Moving), became one of the top-selling female artists in Asia. Often dubbed China’s Taylor Swift, she holds the record for most-viewed music video on YouTube among all Chinese artists with “Light Years Away” (267 million views), the Chinese theme song for the sci-fi movie “Passengers.”
“It has been an incredible journey working on this project as I do not speak Spanish, but I was determined to fulfill a prophecy that was made to me 10 years ago that one day I would sing in the language,” G.E.M. says in a press release announcing Revelación. “After receiving support from South America for my Chinese album Revelation, I taught myself Spanish and wrote the entire album by myself.”
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A devout Christian, the singer rose to fame in 2014 after appearing on the TV competition show, “I Am A Singer 2.” Her second-place finish boosted her popularity in mainland China. She also received a nomination for an MTV Europe Music Award for Best Mainland China & Hong Kong Act and in 2016 Forbes named her to its 30 Under 30, the only Asian artist featured on the list. She composes songs in Cantonese and Mandarin, and also speaks English.
G.E.M. signed with Warner Music China last July, after a sticky separation from her Hong Kong-based label, Hummingbird Music, which sued her in 2019 to enforce their 2014 contract, which the label said was valid until 2022. Hummingbird was seeking HK $120 million ($15.3 million) in damages, according to Chinese media reports. G.E.M. filed a countersuit for unspecified damages, claiming Hummingbird had failed to fulfill its contractual duties. Both parties were seeking exclusive rights to her copyrighted works, including her stage name. (It is unclear if the suits have been resolved. A WMG spokesperson says he does not have any information about the situation.)
Revelation, G.E.M.’s seventh studio album, is named after the New Testaments’s Book of Revelation. In the wake of the pandemic last summer, the artist found herself prone to melancholy and other negative emotions, and developed the habit of praying, she told Billboard China. Her album was a “direct dialogue between me and heaven,” she said. “I write letters to heaven, and they write back. This is what gradually gave shape to the concept behind Revelation.”
Warner Music released two songs from the album every week — accompanied by videos — for seven weeks leading up to Sept. 22. G.E.M. began noticing that user-generated content and remakes of the song in local languages by Spanish-speaking content creators were appearing on social media platforms, particularly in South America. “Whether it was due to the album’s themes or its vibes, it was evident that it was connecting strongly with Spanish speakers globally,” a WMG spokesperson says. So, she decided to learn Spanish and convert the songs into Spanish “to better share her message and music with this fanbase.”
While the plan is still in its preliminary stages, G.E.M. is planning to perform the Spanish version of the song throughout the next year, with live performances in Latin America, the spokesperson tells Billboard.
Robson says WMG currently has no plans to release any other Chinese artists’ albums in Spanish. “But I think that obviously there is an element of seeing how successful this album is,” he says. “It’s something I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more of just because Spanish music, in the broadest terms, is becoming increasingly influential around the world.”
The Warner Music executive acknowledged that there is an element of risk for G.E.M. and the label with the Spanish project but declined to define what success would look like for the artist. “It’s more about building her fan base in Latin America,” he says. “It’s step by step, really.”
WMG continues to lean into Latin music, at a time when the genre is exploding globally. Between 2020 and 2022, Latin music grew 55.29% in album consumption in the U.S., according to Luminate, more than double the overall industry’s 21.61%.
Robson points to recent tracks like Peso Pluma’s remix of Yng Lvcas’ “La Bebe,” which is holding at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, and the upcoming album or EP from Mexican rapper Natanael Cano, which is scheduled to drop at the end of June, as signs of Warner Music’s efforts on the Latin front. (Yng Lvcas performed last week at a songwriting camp in Madrid organized by Warner Music Spain and Warner Chappell Music Spain, part of an effort by the company, Robson says, to host more joint writing camps for both publishing and recorded music.)
Two years ago, the label named former Universal Music Group executive Alejandro Duque as president of Warner Music Latin America. Duque helped oversee the release of Anitta’s Versions of Me, whose signature single, “Envolver,” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200. But now the Brazilian pop star is gone, after separating with the label in April and signing with UMG’s Republic Records, a definite blow to WMG.
“We’re already starting to build up our roster [in Brazil],” Robson says, noting the recent signing of Brazilian urban funk artist Kayblack.
More broadly, “when you look back two years prior, although we were sort of active, [it is] nothing like to the degree we are now, and are not having the success we have,” Robson says. “Alejandro is an incredibly strong executive and we’re trying to support him as much as possible.”
A former executive at ByteDance, the Chinese company which owns the popular short-video app TikTok, says in a legal filing that some members of the ruling Communist Party used data held by the company to identify and locate protesters in Hong Kong.
Yintao Yu, formerly head of engineering for ByteDance in the U.S., says those same people had access to U.S. user data, an accusation that the company denies.
Yu, who worked for the company in 2018, made the allegations in a recent filing for a wrongful dismissal case filed in May in the San Francisco Superior Court. In the documents submitted to the court he said ByteDance had a “superuser” credential — also known as a god credential — that enabled a special committee of Chinese Communist Party members stationed at the company to view all data collected by ByteDance including those of U.S. users.
The credential acted as a “backdoor to any barrier ByteDance had supposedly installed to protect data from the C.C.P’s surveillance,” the filing says.
ByteDance said in a statement that Yu’s accusations were “baseless.”
“It’s curious that Mr. Yu has never raised these allegations in the five years since his employment for Flipagram was terminated in July 2018,” the company said, referring to an app that ByteDance later shut down for business reasons. “His actions are clearly intended to garner media attention.
“We plan to vigorously oppose what we believe are baseless claims and allegations in this complaint,” ByteDance said.
Charles Jung, Yu’s lawyer and a partner at the law firm Nassiri & Jung, said Yu chose to raise the allegations because he was “disturbed to hear the recent Congressional testimony of TikTok’s CEO” when Shou Zi Chew, a Singaporean, vehemently denied Chinese authorities had access to user data.
“Telling the truth openly in court is risky, but social change requires the courage to tell the truth,” Jung said. “It’s important to him that public policy be based on accurate information, so he’s determined to tell his story.”
TikTok is under intense scrutiny in the U.S. and worldwide over how it handles data and whether it poses a national security risk. Some American lawmakers have expressed concern that TikTok’s ties to ByteDance means the data it holds is subject to Chinese law.
They also contend that the app, which has over 150 million monthly active users in the U.S. and more than a billion users worldwide, could be used to expand China’s influence.
During the combative March House hearing, lawmakers from both parties grilled Chew over his company’s alleged ties to Beijing, data security and harmful content on the app. Chew repeatedly denied TikTok shares user data or has any ties with Chinese authorities.
To allay such concerns, TikTok has said that it would work with Oracle to store all U.S. data within the country.
In an earlier court filing, Yu accused ByteDance of serving as a “propaganda tool” for the Chinese Communist Party by promoting nationalistic content and demoting content that does not serve the party’s aims. He also said that ByteDance was responsive to the Communist Party’s requests to share information.
Yu also accused ByteDance of scraping content from competitors and users to repost on its sites to exaggerate key engagement metrics. He says he was fired for sharing his concerns about “wrongful conduct” he saw with others in the company.
In mainland China, ByteDance operates Douyin, which is targeted at the domestic market. TikTok is its global app that is available in most other countries. It was also available in Hong Kong until TikTok pulled out of the market in 2020 following the imposition of a sweeping national security law.
Anyone who tries to open TikTok from within Hong Kong will see a message that reads “We regret to inform you that we have discontinued operating TikTok in Hong Kong.”
At the end of last year, singer/actress Fiona Sit was in the midst of filming the TV show Memories Beyond Horizon when tragedy struck. Her father became ill and was admitted to the ICU. Despite the difficulties, Fiona was determined to express her longing for her family and hometown through music.
On the day of the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21), she released a new song called “Hong Kong’s Night.” This heartfelt work was a simple, honest story of her own. “We all have beautiful and gentle nights in our hometowns, and if you’re missing home, this song can become ‘Beijing’s Night’ or ‘Chengdu’s Night,’ with the same melody and expression,” Fiona tells Billboard China for a new cover story. “Music is a blessing to us all.”
For two decades, music has been a constant companion to Fiona, providing her with a platform to express emotions, from love to healing. After all these years, her heartfelt love for music still shines.
‘I’m also surprised that I’ve been singing for 20 years’
Fiona was starting from scratch when she first stepped into the recording studio. She had no experience or knowledge of the music industry and was intimidated by the producer and backup singers. With no idea how to express her ideas, she was left feeling overwhelmed and helpless. She often asked questions like, “What color should this sentence be? How shy should the boy in the song be? Are there other people in the room when we’re together? How many?”
Fiona’s journey to becoming a musician was an extraordinary one. She began as an installation artist, where she could express her feelings through her brush and materials. But when it came to music, she realized she needed to collaborate with lyricists, composers and other behind-the-scenes creatives to make something special. She chose to communicate through art, honing her skills in a professional way, until she could use her own voice to express her emotions. Fiona’s voice is like a unique blend of lemon, honey and mint — a perfect harmony to accurately portray the vibrant emotions of a girl’s heart.
Fiona’s art is a vivid expression of her emotions. From the golden trophies she has earned since her debut, to the self-doubt and confusion she experiences in difficult times, to the pink romantic mood of love and the thoughts of her hometown at night, Fiona’s art captures it all. When she’s stuck for inspiration, Fiona turns to painting. As she puts it, “Drawing a song is like listening to it over and over again and painting a picture. The picture is the song.”
Becoming a star without much thought
Fiona had big dreams of becoming an artist when she was in school. She studied Creative Media and Installation Art in college, but people around her often asked her if she wanted to be a model because of her natural beauty. Despite being only 5-foot-6, she decided to give it a go and soon found out that modeling isn’t just about strutting down a catwalk — it also involves photo shoots and videos. And that’s how Fiona’s modeling career began. She’s since starred in TV commercials for big brands like HSBC and Coca-Cola.
“At age 20, I shot commercials for 6-8 hours and earned HKD 3,000-4,000 [around $350-$500 USD] per session. I’d keep 800 [$100 USD] for myself and gave the rest to my parents, and I haven’t asked them for money since. Little did I know back then that modeling would become my future career. I just felt I was a precocious child who was already supporting my family.”
Fiona had always been passionate about singing, but it wasn’t until people started asking her if she wanted to pursue it professionally that she began to seriously consider it. She knew her uncle worked at a record company and had been responsible for the work of many singers, so she decided to seek his advice. When Fiona told her uncle about her singing aspirations, he was surprised. “You like singing? Do you have perfect pitch?” he asked. Her uncle then arranged for her to meet with a Warner Music agent and have an informal audition at a KTV (a karaoke business). Fiona remembers the whole process as being quite magical. She can’t remember much about that day, but she was sure that she sang a lot of Leslie Cheung’s songs. Fiona loves to cover songs by male singers, as it gives her the opportunity to tell a story from a different perspective.
Fiona’s star-studded career began in the same year she released her debut album and starred in her first movie. Director Derek Yee was looking for the perfect female lead for his upcoming movie 2 Young, and Fiona was the one he chose for the 2005 project. Years later, when they became close friends, Derek joked about Fiona’s audition, “Out of all the girls who auditioned, you put in the least effort. You showed up wearing flip-flops and a baggy T-shirt!” Despite her laid-back approach, Fiona’s ease and authenticity won over the producers and directors.
Roaring through the music world for a decade
Fiona’s 2004 debut album F Debut was a huge success. The song “A Letter From Keanu Reeves” topped the music charts in Hong Kong and won the “Top 10 Gold Songs” award at the Radio Television Hong Kong’s Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award, along with Jay Chou’s “Common Jasmine Orange,” Leo Ku’s “Love and Fidelity” and Miriam Yeung’s “Storm in a Teacup.”
When Fiona went onstage to accept the award, she smiled happily and simply said “thank you.” After she stepped off the stage, the staff was amazed by her composure. They asked her how she could remain so calm in the face of such an accomplishment. “My calmness is also happiness, pure joy. I just didn’t think too much at that time,” she replied.
Fiona’s life was a whirlwind of activities after achieving fame. She was constantly on the move, juggling interviews and photo shoots, and pushing herself to the brink of exhaustion. But amid her hectic lifestyle, Fiona still found time to reflect on her journey and the future ahead. In her 2013 song “Dear Me in Ten Years,” she expresses the fears of a young girl growing up in a world full of uncertainty: Have I done things that make me proud without regret? Have my beliefs stayed strong? Will I keep my sense of style as I mature? Should I be smart instead of impulsive? Am I happy?
Every time Fiona mentioned “Dear Me in Ten Years” when promoting her songs, she would cry because she was really facing the “question marks” in the song, confronted with the unknown, feeling scared and uncertain about the future. However, after enough crying and thinking, she began to discuss with her company that, in addition to singing and acting, she wanted to step out of her comfort zone and explore new possibilities.
To commemorate her decadelong journey in the music industry since her debut, Fiona released the conceptual album Tenacious in 2013. She took on many roles for the first time, from producer to costume designer, cover designer and art director for the music video sets and lighting. Fiona chose the album title for a reason: It reflects her relentless pursuit of music and unwavering commitment to her craft.
For this album, Fiona took a brave step forward by writing her own lyrics and composing her own music for the first time. The song “Recovery” is a touching reminder of the bond between Fiona and her cat. Fiona’s story is one of pain and regret. After her cat was diagnosed with a painful heart condition, Fiona had to make the difficult decision to let it go. The next day, she found solace in her music, and the song “Recovery” was born.
Fiona hopes to comfort those who have experienced sadness from parting with this song and learn to face the impermanence of life, becoming wise in adversity. “We should not forget all the hardships we have experienced. If you forget them, you will not be able to learn and gain from them. Don’t forget, don’t resent, don’t get angry. Slowly it will turn from a bad thing into a good thing.”
Ten years ago, Fiona was a confused girl, unsure of what the future held. But 10 years later, she had a different outlook. She had learned that growing up doesn’t have to be something to be feared, but something to be embraced. Fiona expressed this newfound understanding in her song “Me After Ten Years.” Through her music, she was able to convey the message that the price of growing up is not something to be dreaded, but a journey that can bring joy and appreciation for life.
Redefining herself & showcasing her true self on multiple stages
Fiona was filled with uncertainty before joining season 3 of the TV series Sisters Who Make Waves last year. Would people be let down after seeing her on the show? She recalled her dance teacher’s initial impression of her as being cold, only to discover her humorous side after getting to know her. After much contemplation, Fiona accepted that while she may have a cold side, she is much more than that. The songs she performs on the show will be her true self, and through them, everyone can get to know the real Fiona.
Fiona used to be content with singing the same familiar pieces. But when she joined Sisters Who Make Waves 3, she had to embrace a new approach. She was now in a “you choose, I learn” state of mind. Through this experience, Fiona discovered that her voice can express a much wider range of emotions. She is now open to learning and collaborating with different styles and genres, as long as it sounds good.
Fiona is taking a break from releasing new music to focus on discovering her true artistic identity. She wants to use her singing to tell stories that are honest and meaningful, instead of pretending to be someone she isn’t. “I want to tell stories that are real and true to who I am,” Fiona says. “I’m determined to find my own voice and express it through my music and its accompanying arrangements. By the end of the year, I’m hoping to have achieved this goal and be able to share my stories with the world.”
If one day Fiona’s career in the arts comes to an end, she plans to become a director. Years ago, two dreams had come to her in the night, connected in a way she couldn’t explain. From these dreams, she had crafted an outline for a script, a story she wanted to bring to life on the big screen. Someday, she hoped, her dreams would become a great movie.
Fiona has had a lifelong curiosity and a passion for the unknown. For the past 20 years, she has been on a journey of exploration, driven by her youthful spirit and accompanied by music and art. Despite the passing of time, her love and dedication remain unwavering. Even after two decades in entertainment, Fiona remains true to herself.
Fiona Sit on the cover of Billboard China.
Courtesy of Billboard China
Since their debut two years ago, multi-national Chinese boy band INTO1 have released four albums and made impressive progress in music, thanks to their unique charms.
Meeting in early spring 2021 and disbanding in late spring 2023, the group’s 11 members from all over the world have made an indelible impression on their fans with their devotion to music.
INTO1 released their final album, Grown Up, in March. Whether it’s a gentle croon or an impassioned, rocking melody, every song captures INTO1’s growth from young men to adults.
Here are five questions and answers from their recent Billboard China cover story, translated to English, about their two-year group career and new album Grown Up.
From the first album to the latest one, you have tried many music styles, such as Chinese operas, hip-hop, electronic dance and so on, and you are becoming more and more mature in your musical performance. How did you grow musically while recording Grown Up?
Liu Yu: My biggest growth in music is learning how to listen to the story behind the voice and hear how the singer handles fine details, timbre control and creativity through the voice.
SANTA: When recording the album, I felt like I was watching a movie about the two years of INTO1, so my biggest gain was to be reminded of these precious memories.
RIKIMARU: When I first listened to the demo, I was worried about whether I could sing the high notes well. But when practicing before recording, I found that I could give it a try.
Mika: For me, my biggest growth was that all the songs on the album contain our shared emotions, and it is a perfect graduation gift of INTO1.
Nine: We can show our growth in two years through these songs.
Lin Mo: We try new styles on every album. I can also find a different self.
Bo Yuan: I learned how to release my emotions and began to understand that volume and pitch are not the only things that determine emotional performance.
Zhang Jiayuan: I think I made great progress in aesthetics and new style, like a cappella and indie rock. And I experienced different emotions through music.
Patrick: In our new song, “Grown Up,” there are many harmonic elements. I learned a lot about harmony during the recording and understood the layers of music better.
Daniel Zhou: I’ve learned a lot of different things from recording each album over the past two years, because album recording involves different aspects of music. For example, we can convey the emotions of the music through our dance, our voice, our performance and so on. I think I can find different possibilities in different styles of songs every time I record.
AK: My biggest gain is that I wrote a whole song for INTO1 and our team for the first time: the harmony, lyrics, music and some ideas on the arrangement. In this process, I think I made some progress in comprehensive aesthetics and music production.
You started out in a closed environment on the talent show, and after you became a group, you started living together. After getting to know each other for a while now, who is the most different from your first impression of him? How is he different from who you though he was?
Liu Yu: I think it’s AK. The first impression he gave me was that he looked like someone not to be messed with. After getting to know him, I think he is a simple boy with a playful side and can write some very delicate songs.
SANTA: I think it is Liu Yu. My first impression of him was that he was professional and serious-minded. In fact, this has not changed even now. But after getting to know him for a long time, I found that he also likes to joke around, and it is relaxing to be around him.
RIKIMARU: I think it is Bo Yuan. I never thought we could be such good friends now. We are very comfortable chatting with each other, and we think alike in many ways.
Nine: I think Daniel and Mika. My first impression of them was that they were cold and distant, but they are actually very cute and lively.
Bo Yuan: I think Mika and Daniel. They both transformed from the reserved cool guys to jokesters.
Zhang Jiayuan: I think it is Liu Yu. I used to feel that he was cold and distant, but now I think he is rather funny.
Daniel Zhou: I think it is Mika. When I first met him, he was very cold and quiet, so I thought he may not be so easy to get along with. However, after two years of getting along with each other, I found that he is the most easygoing. I think he is a combination of very cold and very cute.
AK I think it is me! [Laughs] In the past two years, I have tried many new styles in terms of music and styling and grown up a lot.
In two years, you have created four albums together, collaborated on many stage performances and participated in many variety shows. You have brought many surprises to your fans, and you have become the pride of your fans. What has been your most fulfilling moment as a member of INTO1?
Lin Mo: When we were rigged on wires [for a performance] for the first time. It was so cool.
Daniel Zhou: We went to the Super Novae Games, and each of us participated in a different event. Even though we represented ourselves as an individual, the rewards we won belong to the team. During the process, we felt a strong sense of collective honor and we were proud to be part of the team.
AK: The most fulfilling moment may be when I wrote the song “Grown Up.” I wrote about regrets and sadness, and also wrote about positive wishes for the future. I hope that all 11 of us will have a bright future. That is what the song is about.
INTO1 was born in the stage performance competition, and in two years, you have also created many stage performances. What has been the group’s most impressive stage performance so far?
Daniel Zhou: What impressed me the most was when we performed “Shanhe Tu” at a big party in 2021. During the performance, we were rigged on wires and hung in the air about 20 meters [66 feet] off the ground. Eleven of us hung in different corners in midair and then convened on a stage covered with water. I have never been on such a well-equipped stage before, and I was filled with uncertainty and excitement, so I think it was the most impressive performance for me.
AK: It was when we sang “We Are the Youth” onstage for the first time. At that time, our group had just been formed and did not have enough time to try to bond with each other and rehearse, so the final stage performance was not so good. I always remembered this stage performance, reminding myself that I must do my best to prepare for every stage in the future.
You have been working as an idol group for two years. Which field of work would you like to continue to pursue in the future?
Liu Yu: I will continue on the road of music. Of course, I would like to try out other fields.
SANTA: I would like to continue to work in dance, music, variety shows and new opportunities in China and explore more possibilities in myself.
RIKIMARU: Find my own unique music style.
Mika: I hope I can improve my stage performance, dance and singing to be a better performer.
Nine: I will not give up the stage, and I will try harder in acting.
Lin Mo: I will try everything if there’s an opportunity. I won’t set any limits for myself.
Bo Yuan: I would like to continue singing. Besides singing, I also like live broadcast. Both performing live onstage and chatting on a live broadcast in real time is challenging.
Zhang Jiayuan: I will work harder on music, variety, film and TV, art and so on.
Patrick: I played a role in a movie before, and I like the feeling of learning about a character and then embodying it, so I hope I can make more film and TV works in the future. At the same time, I also hope to make my own album and sing on programs or in concerts for everyone.
Daniel Zhou: There are many things that I have not tried yet, so I hope to have more opportunities to try different things.
AK: I will definitely stick to music. As a next step, I am particularly interested in enriching my life experience, improving my emotional perception and expression, and recording what I see. Currently, I am also planning my concert tour, music festival and EP.
Billboard China
After two years of training, the team members of INTO1 have all grown up. For them, farewell is also a new beginning, and each of them will also embark on a new stage of their career. Mika, Lin Mo and Daniel Zhou have all released new projects; Bo Yuan and AK will also start their own tours. There is reason to believe that whether they are members of INTO1 or developing independently, they will all shine brightly.
Tencent Music Entertainment Group, the leading online music and audio entertainment platform in China, announced that its QQ Music has launched the global original music competition THE ONE, and global music media brand Billboard China will be the exclusive media partner for this competition.
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The competition has invited talented singers, songwriters and musicians around the world including TIA RAY, Lenka and Greyson Chance to act as THE ONE ambassadors for the competition, together auditioning new original celebrities. THE ONE aims to continue to help talented Chinese musicians and high-quality original songs to go abroad and convey the voice of China to the world.
Based on this cooperation, TME will integrate its leading technology, profound industrial and user insights, comprehensive service systems in the Chinese music industry with global resources, influence and international high standards to provide talented musicians with a full range of services from the first demo recordings to the release of songs, as well as global promotion and customized performances, which will support Chinese stars on the world stage in all aspects.
THE ONE competition will be segmented into three major competition units — “Musical Work,” “Fresh Face” and “Label,” for songwriters, emerging musicians and quality labels, respectively — to provide a fair stage for competition and communication among different types of players with different audition mechanisms. Among them, the “Musical Work” unit will gather works from all over the world through TME’s Qimingxing Music Assistant, while at the same time invite famous Chinese original musicians such as Bird Zhang, L.T. and Ma SiWei, Mikey Jiao and Chen Zhuoxuan to participate. The “Fresh Face” unit will be strategically combined with Tencent Musician Platform’s New Forces project to identify excellent artists in the new generation, while the “Label” unit will collect original music works from high-quality labels globally, introducing independent labels valuing the quality of music creation and the diversity of music styles into the world’s spotlight, and bringing more “Chinese treasures” to global music fans.
The competition will eventually select and produce a conceptual music collection of THE ONE. The collection will be distributed globally through TME Music Cloud, including but not limited to overseas channels such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others. The collection will also receive massive promotional traffic support and core resources from TME’s various platforms including QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music and Tencent Musician Platform, as well as being featured on the Billboard China master song list Golden Ears. In addition, honorees will also have the opportunity to participate in a special collaborative performance with Billboard Live in Shanghai, representing China’s high-quality original force on the global stage to bring exciting performances to music fans around the world.
With this partnership, TME will continue to strengthen its in-depth collaboration with more music industry partners, bringing more quality original works and exciting performances to music lovers around the world. TME will continue the exploration of value patterns for the construction of Chinese music’s global influence, supporting and accompanying the birth and bloom of high-quality original Chinese music.
As the U.S. government considers banning social media app TikTok, the U.S. music industry faces a few scenarios regarding the platform that’s become a lifeline for discovering and breaking artists — and most aren’t good.
The grilling of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday (March 23) had all the political theater expected from a Congressional hearing. It also had one important characteristic unusual for the United States in 2023: bi-partisan agreement. Despite Chew’s insistence that U.S. TikTok users’ data cannot be accessed from China, home of parent company Bytedance, neither Democrats nor Republicans seem intent on allowing TikTok to operate within their borders.
The showdown seemed inevitable given TikTok’s foreign entanglements and the app’s quick ascendence. The app accounted for 17% of total time spent on mobile apps globally in 2022, according to Data.ai — second behind WeChat’s 19.5% and well ahead of No. 3 YouTube’s 12.7%. Chew told lawmakers that TikTok has 150 million users in the U.S. That’s 50% more than the 100 million figure TikTok previously made public (and eMarketer’s latest estimate of 95.8 million at the end of 2022). Among U.S. Gen Z consumers aged 18 to 24, TikTok ranks No. 2 behind Instagram in monthly average users, according to Data.ai.
But the app’s fate in the United States “is on shakier ground than ever,” according to eMarketer principal analyst Jasmine Enberg. “TikTok’s decision to highlight how entrenched the app has become in US society was miscalculated,” Enberg said in a statement. “It actually strengthened U.S. lawmakers’ argument that TikTok poses a threat to both national security and young people.”
Brendan Carr, a commissioner with the Federal Communications Commission, agrees. The vocal TikTok critic told CBS News “the day could not have gone any worse for TikTok” and that Chew “completely failed” to gain “some level” of trust and credibility with members of Congress.
While a TikTok ban appears popular amongst politicians, not everybody is supportive. The Cato Institute’s Paul Matzo called a ban “a hamfisted mistake” born from “neo-Cold War paranoia.” It wouldn’t necessarily make America safer, he argued, and would amount to a bail-out for Meta, whose TikTok competitor, Instagram, has failed to win on a level playing field. The Brookings Institute’s Darrell M. West and Michaela Robison argue that a ban would open up U.S. companies in China — such as automaker Tesla — to similar scrutiny.
If a ban could withstand a legal challenge — former President Donald Trump’s attempt to ban TikTok and Chinese messaging app WeChat both failed — TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, would be forced to sell the company. President Joe Biden’s administration has encouraged Bytedance to sell TikTok. But it wouldn’t be a straightforward process. China would “strongly oppose” a forced sale, a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said Thursday, and TikTok is subject to Chinese law on tech exports and would require government approval.
A prompt sale of TikTok, which is reportedly valued at $60 billion, would be the best outcome for the music industry in search of new sources of streaming revenue. TikTok’s revenue rocketed from $4 billion in 2021 to $10 billion in 2022, according to reports. Research firm Omdia projects that TikTok’s ad revenue will climb to $44 billion by 2027 — presumably assuming there are no geopolitical interferences — and surpass the combined video ad revenues of Meta and YouTube. Although TikTok is not a major source of revenue for labels and publishers, rights holders expect to eventually have licensing agreements that give them a share of advertising revenue for user-generated content (like their deal with YouTube).
The current hodgepodge of bans also hurts both TikTok and the music industry. In the United States, TikTok has already been banned by some federal agencies, state and local governments and universities. Elsewhere, TikTok has been banned from the official phones of staff of the European Commission, U.K. parliament, Canadian government, Belgian government, Danish Defense Ministry and Latvian Foreign Ministry, to name a few. Fewer TikTok apps installed on fewer smartphones is twice the punishment for an app that depends on user-generated content. Lower usage means fewer people creating and viewing videos.
Perhaps the biggest question is what would happen to TikTok under new ownership. If, say, Oracle owned a stake in TikTok, as was proposed during the Trump administration, would the app continue to have the same magical recommendation algorithm that has made TikTok so irresistible and its competitors unable to keep up? New ownership would eliminate restraints on TikTok’s revenue and user growth, but if the product suffers, the music industry would be handed a less effective promotional tool and a less valuable source of revenue. The only certainty in this TikTok controversy is that such unintended consequences are guaranteed.
TikTok is ramping up a public relations campaign to fend off the possibility of a nationwide ban by the Biden administration, and it’s bringing some unconventional advocates to help: online influencers.
Dozens of TikTok creators — some with millions of followers on the video-sharing app — came to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to lobby in favor of the platform, one day before lawmakers are slated to grill the company’s chief executive about concerns over user data falling into the hands of the Chinese government.
Shou Zi Chew plans to tell Congress on Thursday that TikTok, which was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, is committed to user safety, data protection and security, and keeping the platform free from Chinese government influence. He will also answer questions from U.S. lawmakers worried about the social media platform’s effects on its young user base.
At the heart of TikTok’s trouble is a Chinese national intelligence law that would compel Chinese companies to fork over data to the government for whatever purposes it deems to involve national security. There’s also concern Beijing might try to push pro-China narratives or misinformation through the platform.
At a media event coordinated by TikTok on Wednesday, some content creators acknowledged that concerns about data security are legitimate, but pointed to precautions the company is taking, such as a $1.5 billion plan — dubbed Project Texas — to route all U.S. data to domestic servers owned and maintained by the software giant Oracle.
TikTok has been attempting to sell that proposal to the Biden administration, but skeptics have argued it doesn’t go far enough. The administration is reportedly demanding the company’s Chinese owners sell their stakes or face a nationwide ban.
“I don’t know much about politics, but I know a lot about fashion, and I know a lot about people,” Ok said. “And just to be here and share my story is what TikTok has invited me to do.”
Tensions around TikTok have been building on Capitol Hill, reaching a boiling point late last year when a proposal to ban the app off of government phones passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Joe Biden. House Republicans are pushing a bill that would give Biden the power to ban the app.
Other bills have also been introduced — some bipartisan — including a measure that would circumvent the challenges the administration would face in court if it moved forward with sanctions against the social media company.
The effort to target TikTok is part of a larger, tougher approach that Congress has taken in the past several months as China’s relationship with two U.S. adversaries — Russia and Iran — has come into focus. A recent incident with a spy balloon forced even some wary congressional Democrats to join Republicans in opposition, and there is now a strong bipartisan concern in Washington that Beijing would use legal and regulatory power to seize American user data or use the platform to push favorable narratives or misinformation.
TikTok’s response to the political pressure can be seen all around the nation’s Capitol, with the company putting up ads in area airports and metro stations that include promises of securing users data and privacy and creating a safe platform for its young users. Last year, the company spent more than $5.3 million on dispatching lobbyists to the Hill to make its case, according to Open Secrets, a nonprofit that tracks lobbying spending.
On Thursday, Chew will be sticking to a familiar script as he urges officials against pursuing an all-out ban on TikTok or for the company to be sold off to new owners. TikTok’s efforts to ensure the security of its users’ data go “above and beyond” what any of its rivals are doing, according to Chew’s prepared remarks released ahead of his appearance before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Chew pushed back against fears that TikTok could become a tool of China’s ruling Communist Party because its parent company, ByteDance, was founded in Beijing and also operates from there.
“Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country,” Chew said.
He distanced TikTok from its Chinese roots and denied the “inaccurate” belief that TikTok’s corporate structure makes it “beholden to the Chinese government.” ByteDance has evolved into a privately held “global enterprise,” Chew said, with 60% owned by big institutional investors, 20% owned by the Chinese entrepreneurs who founded it and the rest by employees.
It’s “emphatically untrue” that TikTok sends data on its American users to Beijing, he said.
“TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, U.S. user data with the Chinese government,” Chew said. “Nor would TikTok honor such a request if one were ever made.”
Whether those promises will alleviate concern is another matter. TikTok has come under fire in the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pacific, where a growing number of governments have banned the app from devices used for official business. India, Afghanistan and Indonesia have banned it nationwide.
Chew, a 40-year-old Singaporean who was appointed CEO in 2021, said in a TikTok video this week that the congressional hearing comes at a “pivotal moment” for the company, which now has 150 million American users.
Chew said TikTok’s data security project is the right answer, not a ban or a sale of the company.
“No other social media company, or entertainment platform like TikTok, provides this level of access and transparency,” he said.
The company started deleting the historical protected data of U.S. users from non-Oracle servers this month, Chew said. When that process is completed later this year, all U.S. data will be protected by American law and controlled by a U.S.-led security team.
“Under this structure, there is no way for the Chinese government to access it or compel access to it,” he said.
He said a TikTok ban would hurt the U.S. economy and small American businesses that use the app to sell their products, while reducing competition in an “increasingly concentrated market.” He added that a sale “would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access.”
China’s leading music streaming company Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) reported on Tuesday a 9.3% decline in the company’s annual revenues last year, as falling earnings from its social entertainment services business compounded a decline in monthly active users on its music platform.
TME’s total revenues fell to RMB 28.34 billion (USD $4.11 billion) in 2022 from RMB 31.24 billion 2021, with revenues for the fourth quarter ending Dec. 31 having fallen by 2.4% to RMB 7.43 billion ($1.08 billion) compared to the fourth quarter in 2021.
TME, which owns streaming platforms QQ Music, Kugou and Kuwo, plus karaoke app WeSing, said revenues from its social entertainment services and others fell 19.8% in 2022 to RMB 15.86 billion ($2.30 billion). The number of paying users fell 24.3% due to the macroeconomic environment, competition from other platforms and COVID-19, the company said.
Revenues from music subscriptions rose 18.6% to RMB 8.70 billion ($1.26 billion) helping TME’s online music services revenues to increase overall by 8.9% to RMB 12.48 billion ($1.81 billion) for 2022. The number of paying subscribers grew by 22.7%. However, average revenue per user was slightly lower — RMB 8.6 in 2022 compared to RMB 8.9 in 2021 — due to higher marketing costs, and the number of mobile monthly active users (MAU) of its online music division fell 7.8% to 567 million in the fourth quarter.
“During the fourth quarter, as a result of macro headwinds, increased competition from other platforms and the surge in COVID cases social entertainment services MAUs and paying users declined year over year,” said Tony Yip, TME chief strategy officer, on a call discussing the company’s earnings on Tuesday.
China’s late-year increase in COVID cases as it loosened pandemic restrictions and increased competition also led to the year-over-year decline in online music mobile MAUs, Yip said.
Declining social entertainment services revenues held one benefit for TME: lower revenue sharing fees in 2022. That contributed to a savings of more than RMB 2.27 billion, as its cost of revenues for the year fell 10.4% year-over-year to RMB 19.57 billion ($2.84 billion).
This helped TME achieve an operating profit up nearly 17% to RMB 4.44 billion ($644 million) in 2022. Operating income is the income that remains after accounting for nearly all costs of doing business.
TME expects 2023 total revenues and profitability to be up from last year, and for the share of quarterly revenues coming from online music services will exceed those coming social entertainment services at some point this year as they continue to achieve “high quality growth in both subscription and non-subscription revenue,” Yip said.
Tencent Music Entertainment Group’s 2022 Highlights:
Mobile monthly active users (MAU) for its online music division fell 7.8% to 567 million in the fourth quarter 2022 from 615 million in the fourth quarter 2021
Mobile MAU for social entertainment fell 16.6% to 146 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 from 175 million in the fourth quarter 2021
Paying users of TME’s online music platform rose 16.1% to 88.5 million in the fourth quarter 2022 from 76.2 million in the fourth quarte 2021
Paying users of TME’s social entertainment platform fells 15.6% to 7.6 million in the fourth quarter 2022 from 9 million in the fourth quarter