Universal Music Group (UMG) is set to deepen its footprint in Africa with what it describes as a “first-of-its-kind” licensing agreement with Sewasew Multimedia, an Ethiopian music and entertainment company.
Launched in October 2022, Sewasew is a streaming platform that has signed over 100 artists, including prominent figures in the Ethiopian music scene.
Under the DSP agreement with UMG, Ethiopian consumers will gain access to a broader range of music from UMG’s catalog as Sewasew Multimedia will license and market UMG’s catalog of music in Ethiopia.
The deal encompasses music from Universal Music’s global labels including Def Jam, Interscope Records, Island Records, Motown Records, Republic Records, and Virgin Records.
The agreement also covers music from UMG’s African divisions, such as Def Jam Africa, Motown Gospel Africa, and Republic Records Africa.
“We are excited to partner with Sewasew Multimedia to bring UMG’s music to the Ethiopian market,” said Ulrik Cahn, UMG’s 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.”
The deal is also poised to help bring Ethiopian artists’ music to a global audience. Sewasew is set to release exclusive albums, starting this month, as part of its goal to promote Ethiopia’s creative arts industry. Aside from UMG, Sewasew counts Australia-based B2B streaming technology company Tuned Global among its global partners.
“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.”
Ulrik Cahn, Universal Music Group
“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,” said Abraham F., Managing Director, Sewasew Multimedia.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s recorded music industry experienced 34.7% revenue growth in 2022, UMG says.
According to data from Statista, the music streaming market in Ethiopia is predicted to reach USD $4.61 million in revenue in 2023. The projected market volume by 2027 is $7.11 million, representing an annual growth rate of 11.4%. Statista projects the number of music streamers in Ethiopia to reach 1.7 million by 2027.
The agreement marks UMG’s latest in the African region, after striking a licensing deal with African music service Mdundo in July 2022. Also last year, UMG launched Virgin Music Label & Artist Services in Africa to focus on supporting independent artists, labels, influencers, and entrepreneurs from the region.
In recent years, UMG’s Universal Music Africa division signed superstar French rapper Booba and his Tallac Records label, South African gospel music group MTN Joyous Celebration, and Kenyan Afro-Pop collective Sauti Sol.
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