Under the digital service provider (DSP) licensing agreement, Ethiopian consumers will gain access to a wide range of music from UMG’s subsidiaries, including Def Jam, Interscope Records, Island Records, Motown Records, Republic Records, and Virgin Records.
By Emmanuel Okoro
Ethiopian rights management, record label, and streaming platform, Sewasew Multimedia, has signed a licensing agreement with global music company, Universal Music Group (UMG), in a move that will see UMG expand its presence.
Under the digital service provider (DSP) licensing agreement, Ethiopian consumers will gain access to a wide range of music from UMG’s subsidiaries, including Def Jam, Interscope Records, Island Records, Motown Records, Republic Records, and Virgin Records. The deal will also cover music releases from UMG’s African divisions, such as Def Jam Africa, Republic Records Africa, and Motown Gospel Africa.
This move comes as part of UMG’s strategy to amplify its presence on the continent, following a licensing deal with African music service, Mdundo, in July 2022. UMG further solidified its commitment with the launch of Virgin Music Label & Artiste Services in Africa, with a recent launch of Virgin Music Group in Nigeria aiming to support independent artistes, labels, influencers, and entrepreneurs.
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Sewasew Multimedia, launched in October 2022, has quickly become a prominent player in the Ethiopian music scene, boasting a roster of over 100 artistes. The platform’s reach extends beyond Ethiopia, with global partnerships that include Australia-based B2B streaming technology company, Tuned Global.
Ulrik Cahn, UMG’s EVP of Africa, Middle East, and Asia, expressed enthusiasm about the agreement, stating, “We are excited to partner with Sewasew Multimedia to bring UMG’s music to the Ethiopian market. UMG has a long and successful presence in Africa, and given Ethiopia’s rich and vibrant music culture, we are excited to work with Sewasew Multimedia to help grow the Ethiopian music industry to its full potential.”
In addition to broadening music access for Ethiopian consumers, this agreement is poised to be a catalyst for Ethiopian artistes seeking global exposure. Sewasew Multimedia has strategic plans in motion to release exclusive albums, with the goal of promoting Ethiopia’s creative arts industry on the world stage.