Downtown Music-owned B2B music distributor FUGA has signed a strategic partnership with ASINTADA, a Manila-based management and production company, marking its expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.
The deal brings Filipino rap icon Gloc-9 and other prominent OPM (Original Pilipino Music) talent under FUGA’s distribution network.
ASINTADA, founded in 2012, represents some of the Philippines’ biggest hip-hop artists, including Gloc-9, who has amassed half a billion Spotify streams and 60 award wins throughout his career. The company also manages rising stars Shanti Dope, Flow G, and Skusta Clee.
“Being at the forefront of the Filipino music industry, particularly the hip-hop scene, we want to work with the best,” said Thea Gomez-Pollisco, CEO and Head Talent Specialist for Asintada Mgmt and Prod Inc.
“ASINTADA not only carries the name of headliners such as Gloc-9, Flow G, and Skusta Clee; we are also in the business of helping rising hip-hop artists by guiding them towards the ideal path to reach their goals. We are hopeful our new partnership with FUGA will bring us to greater heights as we face the challenge of whatever is next for us.”
“ASINTADA not only carries the name of headliners such as Gloc-9, Flow G, and Skusta Clee; we are also in the business of helping rising hip-hop artists by guiding them towards the ideal path to reach their goals.”
Thea Gomez-Pollisco, Asintada Mgmt and Prod Inc.
The partnership grants ASINTADA access to FUGA’s global distribution network, marketing services, and analytics platform. The collaboration is part of FUGA’s broader expansion in the Philippines, which now includes partnerships with Jesuit Communications Foundation, Crown Studios Inc, 314 Studios, and Morobeats.
To strengthen its regional presence in APAC, FUGA has made two strategic hires: Noorcahyo Istyabudi will lead business development in Indonesia, bringing experience from ByteDance/Resso, MOLA Records and the the AMI Awards (Anugerah Musik Indonesia), while Jaya Singh joins as Regional Representative for South Asia, overseeing operations in India and the SAARC region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).
Both executives will report to Anita Zagar, FUGA’s General Manager, Korea & Business Development Asia-Pacific
“With such remarkable growth of local talent across the region, FUGA is proud to be working with some of the most groundbreaking labels and artists that APAC has to offer,” said Zagar.
“We look forward to continuing our expansion in the territory and working closely with our new partners to provide our best-in-class services and helping them reach new global audiences.”
“With such remarkable growth of local talent across the region, FUGA is proud to be working with some of the most groundbreaking labels and artists that APAC has to offer.”
Anita Zagar, FUGA
Under Istyabudi’s leadership, FUGA has already secured partnerships with several Indonesian music companies, including FAX Music Group, Sintesa Pro, La Munai Records, VtmnD by VinDes, Dentum, and DD.
Part of Downtown Music, FUGA serves over 1,600 music rights holders globally and delivers “over a quarter of the world’s new releases,” the company says.
The company’s client roster includes independent labels such as Beggars, Better Noise, Curb, Mom + Pop, Epitaph, and Ninja Tune.
FUGA now operates across 17 countries. In June, the company inked a global distribution and marketing deal with Record Makers, a Paris-based label founded in 2000. FUGA also signed similar deals with UK-based One House, drum and bass label Critical Music, and Berry’s Room, the imprint of British-Nigerian afrobeats star Maleek Berry.
In January 2023, FUGA signed a global distribution deal with UK-based Marathon Music Group, the parent company of Marathon Artists and other independent record labels like Moves Recordings, Mahogany Recordings, and DMY Recordings.
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