Universal Music Publishing China, a division of Universal Music Publishing Group, has signed China’s Cheerful Music to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal, excluding mainland China.
Cheerful Music’s catalog features hits including YI XIAO JIANG HU (KE MU SAN), which amassed more than 50 billion views on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), XIAO CHENG XIA TIAN, TA SHAN HE, and BAN SHENG XUE, each claiming the top spots on China’s biggest streaming services.
Founded in 2019 with its roots in Shenzhen, Cheerful Music’s roster of Chinese songwriters and artists includes Snow. J, Silk Ye, Cindy Dong, KeyKey, Huang Junze C-Jay, He Zhu, Yu Tang, and Reddi.
The company says that its recently opened London office is central to its international strategy. Through this office, it has collaborated with international talent like Erik Frank, Grand Nights, Shell Tenedero, Chloe Rose, J.O.Y, and Milan D’Agostini.
UMPG says that the success of YI XIAO JIANG HU (KE MU SAN) “serves as a testament to Cheerful Music’s hitmaking capabilities, inspiring 15 million user-generated clips on Douyin and sparking a global fascination with Chinese pop culture”.
YI XIAO JIANG HU (KE MU SAN) also performed well on the YouTube Short Video charts in South Korea, demonstrating what UMPG says is “Cheerful Music’s effective international strategy and the broad, cross-cultural appeal of its musical offerings”.
Additionally, TA SHAN HE, a standout hit from 2020, was listed among the top 10 songs of the year at the third TMEA Tencent Music Entertainment Awards after achieving over 10 billion views on Douyin.
“From the outset, our vision has been to create music that resonates worldwide.”
Snow J, Cheerful Music
Snow J, Founder and CEO of Cheerful Music, added: “From the outset, our vision has been to create music that resonates worldwide.
“The launch of our London office in 2023 has been pivotal; it positions us to collaborate directly with international artists and songwriters, and to connect with a diverse global audience.
“International expansion is intrinsic to our ethos, and I am profoundly confident that our partnership with UMP China – with their expansive network and proven success – will propel our journey of internationalization even further.”
“It’s exciting to engage with a company that not only brings creative vitality but also has the capacity to shape cultural landscapes.”
Grace Gao, UMP China
Grace Gao, Vice President, Finance and Operations of UMP China, added: “Cheerful Music has an adept ability to produce music that resonates with the current trends, crafting hits that enjoy widespread popularity around the globe.
“It’s exciting to engage with a company that not only brings creative vitality but also has the capacity to shape cultural landscapes.
“We anticipate that by working together, we can further enhance the international allure of their music and continue to create successful outcomes in the global market.”Music Business Worldwide
