blackx and ASOBISYSTEM Forge Strategic Partnership to Lead Global Expansion of J-Pop

SINGAPORE & TOKYO, 4 March, 2025 – blackx, a leader in music-focused investments across Asia, has teamed up with ASOBISYSTEM, one of Japan’s most renowned talent management and production companies, to accelerate the global expansion of Japanese pop culture (J-Pop). This strategic partnership will fuel intellectual property (IP) development, unlock exciting new opportunities for artists and enhance fan engagement worldwide.

Japan’s music scene is known for its unique artistry, vibrant performances and cultural influence, with a dedicated fanbase at home. Today, with the growing demand for diverse music and entertainment across digital platforms, J-Pop is poised to extend its reach and captivate a broader audience.

ASOBISYSTEM is a powerhouse in the Japanese entertainment industry, representing over 100 artists, models, actors and creators. It excels in talent management, IP development, and brand partnerships, with a roster featuring some of Japan’s most iconic and rising stars including:

  • Kyary Pamyu Pamyu – Debuted in 2011 and released her first full-length album the following year, which reached No. 1 on electronic charts worldwide. She has held five successful world tours. Her performances at cultural heritage sites, in collaboration with the traditional performing art of kabuki, have generated significant attraction in Japan. A true Japanese pop icon, she constantly explores new creations and has a unique presence.
  • Atarashii Gakko! – Made their global debut in 2021 through 88rising, gaining strong support both domestically and internationally with genre-defying music and energetic performances. Last year, they performed solo at one of the world’s largest music festivals Coachella, embarked on a world tour across 26 cities and held a homecoming tour in seven cities across Japan, attracting approximately 110,000 attendees in total. Their total social media following has surpassed 15 million.
  • Fruits Zipper – A seven-member group formed in 2022 under ASOBISYSTEM’s idol label “KAWAII LAB.” with the concept of “Spreading Harajuku to the World”. Gaining popularity among young audiences with their catchy songs, their first album, “NEW KAWAII”, made a strong impact on Japan’s idol scene, reaching No.2 on the domestic charts.
  • Yasutaka Nakata – Known as a key artist in the domestic electronic music scene, he is the sole producer and songwriter for J-Pop icons Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Perfume and is behind Ado’s global No.1 hit song “New Genesis” for the ONE PIECE FILM RED.

“We are currently witnessing an unprecedented global momentum for J-Pop, leading a new generation of Japanese music to a global audience,” said Hiroki Shirasuka, Head of Japan for blackx. “We are excited to partner with ASOBISYSTEM, a company at the forefront of J-Pop’s innovation, with an unmatched history of creativity and cultural influence, and that shares our vision for global impact. With our extensive resource and experience, blackx aims to support ASOBISYSTEM in continuing to break new boundaries and amplify Japanese pop culture on a global scale.”

Yusuke Nakagawa, CEO of ASOBISYSTEM said, “We are dedicated to nurturing the diverse talents of artists and maximizing their reach to a global audience. Through this partnership, we are thrilled to collaborate with blackx, leveraging their expertise and support to further expand opportunities for artists.”

Expanding J-Pop’s Global Influence Through IP Development

From record-breaking concerts to exclusive merchandise and immersive experiences, Japan is distinguished by its approach to unparalleled fan engagement. According to IFPI’s 2024 Music Report, the country remains the world’s second largest music market, with continued growth driven by a thriving domestic market and growing consumption across international streaming services. This strong foundation provides the perfect backdrop for blackx and ASOBISYSTEM to build on.

At the core of this strategic partnership is a shared commitment to providing artists with the resources to thrive in a dynamic global market and connect with fans more meaningfully. blackx and ASOBISYSTEM will expand artist portfolios, venturing beyond traditional music to explore innovative IP such as cross-industry collaborations, introducing J-Pop to new global audiences and reinforcing Japan’s leadership in the entertainment sector.

“This partnership with ASOBISYSTEM further underpins our vision to elevate the understanding and appreciation of Asian culture globally. By creating opportunities where culture and creativity coalesce, we aim to foster deep emotional bonds between artists and fans across borders,” said Tan Chee Meng, CEO of blackx. “Collaborating with ASOBISYSTEM to expand the influence of Japan’s top talents globally will bring us one step closer to realizing this vision.”

“Our combined strengths in entertainment, technology and creativity will allow us to explore untapped territories for J-Pop,” added Yusuke Nakagawa, CEO of ASOBISYSTEM. “Together, we will set new benchmarks on how music, culture and creativity intersect across industries and markets.”

With the increasing prominence of digital platforms and global streaming services, Japanese artists now have unprecedented access to global markets. The partnership between blackx and ASOBISYSTEM promises to deliver exciting developments for artists and J-Pop enthusiasts around the world.

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Hudson WONG, CFA, CAIA, ERP, FDP, SCR

Head of Business Operations

With over 20 years of international banking, financial markets, treasury and risk management experience across Asia Pacific and the Middle East, Hudson was most recently Head of Corporate and E-Solution Sales for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. Hudson has operating expertise in foreign exchange and derivatives sales and electronic foreign exchange trading, serving corporate and investment banking, project and structured financing, as well as private equity and credit fund clients.

Catherine CHOW

Chief Financial Officer, Greater China
Catherine brings extensive experience in Finance, acquisitions, distribution and IP, having served as Finance Director of Twentieth Century Fox (Taiwan) where she managed distribution, acquisitions and collaborations for 22 years. She was also a compliance officer and business partner in TCF’s Taiwan management team, and represented the company in the Motion Picture Association as well as Taiwan’s anti-piracy / IP associations.

Hiroki SHIRASUKA

Head of Japan

With extensive expertise in Japan as well as the UK, Hiroki has established himself as one of the most respected artist managers as Co-Founder of Giant Artist Management, ESEA Music, and EarthPercent. Widely recognised for consistently developing and delivering critically acclaimed, innovative, and globally successful artists in the last 15 years, the veteran music executive has worked with some of Japan’s biggest artists such as Fujii Kaze and Daiki Tsuneta. Hiroki has been actively connecting Asian artists and the world and strives to improve Asian representation in the global music industry.

Tanya Chua

Producer / Singer-songwriter

Renowned as Asia’s award-winning music icon, Tanya Chua is the only artist ever to be awarded Taiwan’s Golden Melody Award a record-breaking 4 times, and her multiple wins at the 2022 GMAs for “Album Of The Year” and “Best Mandarin Album” for her “DEPART” album also mark a first in the Awards’ history.

Frances Wang, Zhong Yan

Songwriter

An influential figure in the Chinese music industry, Taiwan-based Frances is highly sought after for her signature blend of poetic prose that showcases complex emotions.

Chiou Chiou

Head of Acquisition, Greater China
Chiou is an industry veteran in Greater China with an unparalleled network of deep relationships, who brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles as Head of Greater China at ADA and VP of Content Development at KKBOX. At KKBOX, she has led on projects with renowned artists such as Eason Chan, MayDay, and ?te (pronounced Why-te) amongst many others. At blackx, both executives will work closely with Garand Wu, President of Greater China.

Garand Wu

President, Greater China

Garand is a renowned veteran musician and former Managing Director of Universal Music (China), the world’s largest record company where he was responsible for whole-of-China business. During his tenure, he significantly expanded the company’s presence throughout China and led major initiatives, including Universal Music (China) being the first international major music company to launch multi-label operations in China.

With over 25 years of experience in senior industry roles that span live entertainment, media and music across Asia, Garand has extensive and vast knowledge of strategic music marketing and label management in Asia, particularly in the Greater China region. A senior A&R executive producer who has built connections between the East and West as well as brought domestic artists into the global arena, Garand has personally signed artists such as Ouyang Nana, Guo Ding, and Tanya Chua.

Garand is also an experienced IP creator, with expertise in copyright development and digitisation. He has led the development of innovative revenue channels that have reshaped the industry landscape and accelerated the trend of artists’ monetising content through direct engagement with fans. Today, he is widely recognised for his contributions to the digitisation and copyright development of the music industry in mainland China.

Originally from Taiwan, he was part of the founding team with UFO Records and has held senior positions in international companies such as EMI and MTV. 

Chee Meng Tan

Founder and CEO

Chee Meng has over 25 years of experience in senior roles across media, technology as well as both independent and major labels. Possessing unique insights and deep understanding of the music industry from all perspectives, Chee Meng brings expert knowledge of Asian cultural nuances and business practices. Chee Meng also led Spotify’s launch of the global streaming service in all the markets in Asia. 

With a proven track record in shaping the digital music landscape in Asia and driving explosive industry growth across the region in recent years, Chee Meng is the first and only Singaporean in history to appear twice on Billboard Magazine’s International Power Players List.

A sought-after industry thought leader, Chee Meng has spoken widely at events such as MIDEM (Cannes), Music Matters (Singapore), Golden Melody Awards Conference (Taiwan), Mu:Con (Korea). Today, he also advises several music and tech start-ups, both in Asia and internationally.