Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
BLACKPINK has taken the next step to making further worldwide inroads, as they have been signed by Interscope Records and Universal Music Group, according to Billboard. The quartet will of course remain with YG Entertainment, but the deal one of a global partnership and they will thus be represented by the industry giant in their ventures outside of Asia.
YG, Teddy, Sir Lucian Grainge, and John Janick all released statements about the deal.
“We will work closely with the biggest music company, Universal Music Group, globally for the successful global debut and promotion of BLACKPINK,” said YG’s chairman and founder Yang Hyun Suk in a statement. “In addition, we will do our best to help other YG artists to break through the North American and European territories as well.”
“We are more than thrilled to begin a partnership with UMG and Interscope,” said Teddy Park, YG’s in-house producer, who has shaped much of BLACKPINK’s sound. “Entertainment today is more global than ever. Music and real talent transcends culture, language, and really has no boundaries. Through this partnership we feel we can truly showcase BLACKPINK’s potential on a grander scale and we look forward to what’s to come.”
“Chairman Yang has built YG Entertainment into a global music powerhouse with an impressive track record of breaking artists. I’m thrilled to expand our relationship with YG through the addition of BLACKPINK to the Interscope family,” said Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group. “We look forward to building upon BLACKPINK’s remarkable early success by putting the global resources and expertise of UMG behind them and growing their audience around the world.”
“BLACKPINK are global superstars in the making,” commented John Janick, chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M. “The music and visuals are so immediately striking and so different from anything else happening in pop music. We are beyond excited to partner with YG in pursuit of their vision for BLACKPINK world domination.”
So I assume this means BLACKPINK is preparing for actual promotions in the West, but given YGE’s track record with things like this, it’s hard not to be at least a bit skeptical. Regardless, their relevancy on the charts in the West is promising, and this definitely represents a significant step for the group, so one just has to hope that this may gave YG the kick in the ass to actually give BLACKPINK consistent comebacks now. If nothing else, it should be interesting to see how it plays out.
