Virgin Music Group expands into Vietnam via JV with The Metub Company

This article is adapted from Music Business Worldwide

Founded in 2014, The Metub Company is described as “Vietnam’s leading creator economy platform”. It works with over 5,000 content creators and artists across music, entertainment, gaming, live commerce, and merchandise.

The new entity, Virgin Music Group Vietnam (VMG Vietnam), will be focused on signing and servicing local talent and independent labels “to help them grow their music both domestically and internationally.,” according to a statement.

Nam Nhu Nguyen, who will be based in Ho Chi Minh City, will lead the new venture.

The expansion follows Cindy Gu’s appointment earlier this month to oversee Virgin Music Group’s operations in Southeast Asia.

As General Manager, Gu is responsible for Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

“Establishing this innovative joint venture with Metub to identify and develop local talent and leverage their vast platform to help promote artists within Vietnam and grow their fan bases globally is truly groundbreaking.”

Cindy Gu, Virgin Music Group

“We have had a relationship with Metub via our parent company Universal Music Group since 2022,” said Cindy Gu, of the JV with METUB.

“Establishing this innovative joint venture with Metub to identify and develop local talent and leverage their vast platform to help promote artists within Vietnam and grow their fan bases globally is truly groundbreaking.”

Phuong Ha, CEO of The Metub Company, said: “We are very excited to launch VMG Vietnam, in partnership with Virgin Music Group, to continue supporting Vietnamese artists and labels. We value Virgin because of its advanced technology and our shared belief in using it to give independence and transparency to our partners, enabling their creativity to flourish.

“Together, we will combine Virgin’s global expertise with Metub’s deep local insight and network to empower the next generation of artists, labels, and music entrepreneurs to create without limits.”

“By providing artists and labels with the tools, resources, and creative independence they need to succeed, this joint venture is not only supporting local talent — we’re amplifying it.”

Nam Nhu Nguyen, VMG Vietnam

Nam Nhu Nguyen, Director of VMG Vietnam, said:  “By providing artists and labels with the tools, resources, and creative independence they need to succeed, this joint venture is not only supporting local talent — we’re amplifying it.

“With Thuan Tran as VMG Vietnam Label Manager, and with the support of Metub’s ecosystem, we are building a strong foundation to connect Vietnamese talent with the world.”

Elsewhere at VMG globally, the company recently signed a global partnership with Mom+Pop Music, adding the independent label and its roster of artists, including MGMT, to its distribution network.

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, in January, IFPI unveiled The Official Southeast Asia Charts, a regional hub featuring weekly music charts from six ASEAN nations.

The move brought official weekly charts to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, with the Philippines and Vietnam receiving their first-ever industry-backed music rankings.

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