Builds on 19 years of partnership to achieve even greater global success

Follows worldwide release of “CHIN UP!,” Eason Chan’s first studio album in five years

World premiere of “Don’t Mind Me“ music video features surprise appearance by international film icon Tony Leung

BEIJING and MACAU, November 3, 2023 – Universal Music Greater China (UMGC), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment has announced the renewal of its contract with Chinese pop megastar, Eason Chan. The announcement followed the release of Eason’s latest studio album, “CHIN UP!” on October 27, his first in five years. This extended partnership between UMGC and Eason, signifies the continuation of more than 19-years of extraordinary musical collaboration between the artist and label.

The announcement took place at a special press conference in Macau, with Timothy Xu, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Greater China, alongside Eason’s manager Lisa Kan in attendance. In front of nearly one thousand guests, including media and fans, they commemorated the artist’s illustrious 19-year partnership with UMG, reminiscing on the multitude of hits and memorable performances over the years. Senior management from key Asian markets of UMG, Calvin Wong (CEO of Universal Music Southeast Asia), Alice Phyliss Kent (General Manager of Universal Music Singapore), Kim Lim (Managing Director, Universal Music Malaysia) , William Hsieh (Managing Director of Universal Music Taiwan and SVP of Universal Music Greater China), and Claire Kim (Director, International Pop Marketing, Universal Music Korea) were also present for the occasion, offering their congratulations and support to Eason.

Eason’s newly released album, “CHIN UP!“, features eight new tracks, all composed by Terence Lam, arranged by award-winning producer Ronghao Li and Terence Lam. With this album, Eason says he wishes to invigorate those going through life’s ups and downs, offering encouragement and resilience to face the future with optimism. One of the lead singles from the album, “Homo Sapiens”, was awarded the prestigious “Song of the Year” award at the inaugural Wave Music Awards hosted by Tencent Music Group, and was also recognized at the 34th Golden Melody Awards for Best Lyrics.

During the press conference, attendees were treated to the global premiere of the movie version for the music video of “Don’t Mind Me”. The video boasts a surprise appearance by international film legend Tony Leung, a Venice Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

Since first signing with Universal Music Hong Kong’s CinePoly label in 2005, Eason Chan released his album “U87” in June of the same year. The album was recognized by IFPI as the top-selling Cantonese album of the year in Hong Kong and was hailed by TIME Magazine as one of the “Five Asian Albums Worth Buying” for the year. This marked just the beginning of Eason’s fruitful journey with UMG. Since “U87”, Eason Chan has released 22 albums and Eps, boasting a staggering of 154 chart-topping singles. He has set records at Hong Kong’s “Big Four” music award ceremonies, securing the Gold Award for Best Male Singer at the Commercial Radio Music Awards for ten times. Furthermore, from 2005-2017, he consecutively clinched the “Best Pop Male Singer” award at the Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award for thirteen years. Eason has also been nominated for Taiwan’s Golden Melody Award for “Best Mandarin Male Singer” nine times, winning three times, holding the record for both nominations and wins. Since joining UMG, Eason Chan has amassed over 75 billion streams across various platforms.

In November 2021, Eason’s single “Warrior of the Darkness” skyrocketed to become a phenomenon in the Mandarin music market. With less than two years since its release, the song has garnered over 8.4 billion streams, making it the biggest digital song in UMG China’s history. Moreover, this October, it was honored as one of the 10 “Decade’s Exceptional Original Songs” by the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association.

In announcing the new album launch and the renewal with Universal Music, Eason Chan said, “Four years in the making, this album truly reflects the journey of my mind in the past isolated few years. My deepest appreciation and admiration to this album’s co-producers Terence Lam and Ronghao Li, who also made spectacular arrangements for these lovely tunes. And to my dear friend, a true legend, Mr. Tony Leung, for taking part in the latest music video of “Don’t mind me”. Reflecting upon the cherished moments over the past 19 years with Universal Music Group, emotions well up. It has been an unforgettable voyage, and I am profoundly grateful for every step we have taken together. As we move forward, I am pretty excited for more remarkable memories yet to be created. We shall continue to push boundaries and like always, keep the CHIN UP!”.

Timothy Xu, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Greater China, said, “The longstanding relationship between UMG and Eason epitomizes the deep-rooted trust and mutual success that we value immensely in this industry. It is a testament to our shared commitment to artistry and enduring partnership. I am deeply honored to have stepped into my role at such a pivotal moment, witnessing this renewal. I look forward to championing Eason’s future endeavors and, together, setting new benchmarks for excellence in the Chinese music scene and beyond.”

Adam Granite, Executive Vice President, Market Development, Universal Music Group said, “I’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Eason for choosing UMG once again. It’s a decision that further cements our cherished partnership. As we look to the future, we are brimming with enthusiasm to further Eason’s international reach, ensuring his iconic music resonates with audiences far and wide.”

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 on Universal Music Group visit www.universalmusic.com.

Photo: L-R Timothy Xu, Eason Chan, Lisa Kan

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