blackx and Japanese Music Icon Haruomi Hosono Begin a New Chapter in Sound and Legacy

Singapore & Tokyo, 10 July, 2025 – blackx, a leader in music-focused investments across Asia, has entered a landmark partnership with Japanese music icon Haruomi Hosono, one of the most influential figures in modern music. Across more than five decades, Hosono has shaped the sound of Japan and inspired generations of artists worldwide from defining Japanese folk rock with Happy End, to pioneering electronic music with Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) and building a genre-defying solo career including ambient, exotica and sound collage.

“Hosono-san’s legacy is unmatched, he is a true pioneer and a legend in Japan,” said Hiroki Shirasuka, Head of Japan for blackx. “We are honoured to support his next chapter to expand and cement his musical legacy for new generations of audiences worldwide.”

Through this partnership, blackx will work closely with Hosono to bring his legacy to new audiences around the world. The collaboration marks his return to Europe with a live show in London and a Dover Street Market (DSM) Pop-Up partnership in Paris in July 2025 (see appendix) and will expand into a broader slate of creative projects including merchandise, reissues, exhibitions, and a digital museum experience that captures Hosono’s influence.

A limited-edition Hosono capsule collection, designed by icon Kiko Mizuhara and designer Hijiri, will also be released. Featuring apparel and accessories, the debut line will launch exclusively at DSM in Paris.

“blackx suddenly appeared before me like an angel and decided to support my future activities overseas. What incredible luck! All the best!” Haruomi Hosono said.

A Legacy of Firsts

Born in Tokyo in 1947, Haruomi Hosono began his musical journey with the psychedelic rock band Apryl Fool. He went on to co-found Happy End with Takashi Matsumoto, Eiichi Ohtaki, and Shigeru Suzuki, a band that broke from convention by singing folk rock in Japanese. Their track “Kaze wo Atsumete” from album Kazemachi Roman (1971) gained global recognition after its inclusion in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation.

In 1978, Hosono formed the legendary YMO with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi. Their use of synthesizers, sequences, drum machines and 8-bit samples helped lay the foundation for video game music, synth-pop and techno. In May this year, YMO was honoured as a “Symbol of Music” at the inaugural Music Awards Japan as a tribute to their lasting cultural impact.

Hosono’s solo work is a lifelong study in exploration and reinvention. Hosono House (1973) fused Japanese folk with American country, Paraiso (1978) delved into exotica and Cochin Moon (1978) broke open psychedelic electronic music. Across the  decades, he has influenced and collaborated with artists across genres and generations.

From Japan to the World

blackx’s partnership with Haruomi Hosono is the second collaboration in Japan this year, following the March announcement to lead the global expansion of J-pop with ASOBISYSTEM. These partnerships signal deepening trust and creative alignment within one of the world’s most influential music ecosystems, as well as a joint belief in the global resonance of Japan’s music culture.

“It’s truly a privilege to partner with one of the most important artists of all time. Hosono-san’s music transcends time and borders, and he sits among the few in the pantheon of music legends,” said blackx’s CEO Tan Chee Meng. “blackx is proud to play a part in the stewardship of his legacy, introducing his lifeworks to new generations of fans around the world and creating further value by supporting his upcoming creative endeavours as he continues to break new ground.”

Hosono’s journey has been one of curiosity, creativity and experimentation. His legacy is not just a catalog of music but a blueprint for how sound can evolve, inspire and endure. This reflects blackx’s broader ambition to partner and invest in Asian artists and cultural works that transcends borders, genres and generations.

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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.