Simon Fuller, founder of XIX Entertainment and the creator of the ‘Idol’ franchise is teaming up with ByteDance-owned TikTok to find, what a press release describes as “the world’s next music supergroup”.
Fuller, who has managed everyone from The Spice Girls to Annie Lennox, Amy Winehouse, Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood during his career, will be looking for artists to earn a spot in the group via an in-app audition process on TikTok.
In the press release announcing the partnership, TikTok is described as “the go-to staging ground that has helped previously little known or undiscovered artists like Lil Nas X, Curtis Waters, Ambjaay, Breland, Mxmtoon, Y2K, and bbno$ find mainstream fame and dominate the charts”.
It adds: “Combining TikTok’s enhanced social virality for musicians on the app with Fuller’s unique ability to spot and develop talent, this partnership has all the right makings of creating the world’s next chart-topping pop group”.
In 2018, Fuller launched Now United, ‘a new pop concept’ comprising 14 singers and dancers from 14 different countries (Japan, Korea, Philippines, Russia, UK, Senegal, Germany, Canada, Brazil, USA, Mexico, China, India and Finland), Now United is slated as ‘the first group to offer open access to their music and lives in real time’.
“TikTok has empowered self-expression and creativity and captured the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of passionate users.”
Simon Fuller
“TikTok has empowered self-expression and creativity and captured the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of passionate users.
“The next generation of Pop Stars have eagerly embraced the platform,” said Fuller.
“With the help of the TikTok audience, I will bring together a line-up of incredible artists to shape the next level of Pop Fandom. This will be the most connected Pop Group ever, thriving on every platform and sharing their talent and positive energy with the world.”
“Together with Simon Fuller, we have the opportunity to find the next stars, many of whom are on TikTok today, and empower them to become a cultural phenomenon.”
Kevin Mayer, TikTok
Kevin Mayer, TikTok CEO added: “It’s been nothing short of awe-inspiring to see the extraordinary musical talent – from up-and-coming artists to superstars like Lizzo, JLo and Justin Bieber – that shows up on TikTok every day and inspires even more creativity around the world.
“Together with Simon Fuller, we have the opportunity to find the next stars, many of whom are on TikTok today, and empower them to become a cultural phenomenon.”
“TikTok is shaping culture, supercharging music discovery, and fast-tracking artists onto the charts.”
Ole Obermann, TikTok’s Global Head of Music, said: “TikTok is shaping culture, supercharging music discovery, and fast-tracking artists onto the charts.”
“We’re delighted to partner with Simon Fuller as we continue to support emerging talent and build TikTok as the premiere artist development and discovery platform.
“Simon’s unrivalled track record of identifying and nurturing musical talent is a perfect fit with our mission at TikTok.”
Fuller’s deal with TikTok comes at a rather challenging time for the video-sharing app in the United States.
Following several months of scrutiny in the market over data security concerns, on Thursday (August 6), US President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning the country’s citizens and businesses from undertaking any “transaction” with TikTok, which will come into effect 45 days after publication.
A letter from Trump’s administration accompanying the order, sent to the President Of The US Senate and Speaker Of The House last week, claims: “TikTok, a video-sharing mobile application owned by the Chinese company ByteDance Ltd., automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users”.
TikTok denies that it is sharing its user data with the Chinese Government and, according to NPR, is planning to launch a legal challenge against the Trump administration over the executive order.
Microsoft confirmed on Sunday August 2 that it is in talks with ByteDance to buy TikTok’s operations in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
US President Donald Trump has suggested that a “very substantial” cut of the proceeds generated by the potential sale should be paid to the US Treasury.Music Business Worldwide
