Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, November 16, 2023 – Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, and Sewasew Multimedia, Ethiopia’s leading music and entertainment company, today announced that they have signed a first of its kind licensing agreement for the Ethiopian market.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sewasew Multimedia will license and market UMG’s extensive catalog of music in Ethiopia. This includes music from UMG’s globally recognized labels, such as Def Jam, Interscope Records, Island Records, Motown Records, Republic Records, and Virgin Records, as well as music from their African divisions, such as Def Jam Africa, Motown Gospel Africa, and Republic Records Africa.

The DSP agreement between UMG and Sewasew Multimedia is a significant development for the Ethiopian music industry. It will provide Ethiopian consumers with access to a wider range of music than ever before, and supercharge the reach of Ethiopian artists, bringing their music to a global audience.

“We are excited to partner with Sewasew Multimedia to bring UMG’s music to the Ethiopian market,” said Ulrik Cahn EVP Africa, Middle East and Asia. “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.”

Abraham F., Managing Director, Sewasew Multimedia, said “We are thrilled to partner with UMG, the world leader in music-based entertainment to bring their extensive catalogue of music to the Ethiopian market. This partnership is a testament to Ethiopia’s growing importance in the global music industry, and we are confident that it will be a success for both companies.”

Sub-Saharan Africa was the fastest growing region in 2022 with recorded revenue growth of 34.7%. The agreement is a demonstration of UMG’s commitment to the region, and its wider strategy to increase its presence and accelerate its growth in high potential music markets around the world. 

About Universal Music Group
At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation, and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms, and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information, visit www.universalmusic.com.

About Sewasew Multimedia
Sewasew Multimedia is Ethiopia’s leading music and entertainment company. Launched in October 2022, Sewasew Multimedia streaming platform has gained popularity in Ethiopia and abroad for its exclusive content. With the mission to reinvent the creative art industry of Ethiopia, Sewasew has signed over 100 Artists including prominent ones and poised to rump-up releasing exclusive albums starting from this month. For more information, visit www.sewasewmultimedia.com.

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