SINGAPORE; Wednesday 19 August 2020 – Legendary media powerhouse NME is delighted to announce it will launch in Asia today. With an initial focus on Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines but set to rapidly expand, NME.com/asia is an exciting new platform which celebrates homegrown talent, both established and emerging, across the region.
The new dedicated Asia site promises a fresh take on the Southeast Asian music scene, and bucks the trend of the media industry, which is contracting globally. The site, NME.com/asia, will deliver daily music and pop culture news from Asia and around the world, weekly New Music Monday features and definitive guides on new music, gaming, film and television. Every month there will be a Regional artist spotlight, which will provide a new and in depth platform for artists in Asia, looking to make the leap from their local market to regional and global audiences.
This exciting launch closely follows the UK-born brand’s expansion into Australia last year, as NME.com/Australia, which now attracts over half a million monthly unique readers Down Under.
Established in 1952, NME has been a defining voice in music and pop culture. Launched as the New Musical Express, the brand has evolved to become world-renowned for breaking what’s new and what’s next. NME’s major expansion to Southeast Asia is a vote of confidence in the strength and potential of the music market in this region, and will build on the NME’s existing international audience.
Iliyas Ong, Editorial Lead of NME Asia, says, “Southeast Asia has a proud musical heritage. Whether it’s trending pop styles, traditional music or a marriage of the two, artists in the region have pricked the ears of audiences worldwide – and we’re thrilled to be able to tell their stories.
Expect the best music writing and multimedia content, from breaking news to longform features to authoritative guides on the many vibrant scenes across Southeast Asia.”
Meng Ru Kuok, CEO of BandLab Technologies adds, “Asia is a tremendously exciting and vibrant market to be launching into. Even though live events, tours and travel are on pause globally, there is still incredible creativity coming out of this region which we want to highlight. NME has long been recognised as one of the world’s leading authorities in music and pop culture, known for a distinctive voice and point of view. As a group we have a long history in the region and as BandLab Technologies we are very pleased to be bringing a global powerhouse like NME to our doorstep, and to be opening a new channel between musicians, artists, fans and brands.”
NME Asia is headquartered in Singapore, with the regional editorial team led by Iliyas Ong, former editor of Time Out Singapore, alongside Karen Gwee, former editor of Bandwagon and writer at NPR. The core editorial team in Singapore will manage a wide network of established music and pop culture journalists across Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. The site launches with contributions from seasoned journalists such as Daniel Peters (SG), Hidzir Junaini (SG), Adrian Yap (MY), Edwin P. Sallan (PH), Aldus Santos (PH), and Chanun Poomsawai (TH).
Visit NME Asia at nme.com/asia today.
FOR ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES CONTACT: press@nme.com / lauren@bandlab.com
NOTE: FOR STORY PITCHING CONTACT: editors-asia@nme.com
Notes to Editors: FAQ
Will there be a print edition of NME Asia?
We have recently revived print in Australia, with a monthly edition. At the moment that is our only regular print edition. We have nothing to share about print in Asia yet, but watch this space for future updates.
How can artists/ publicists pitch to the editors?
Write to editors-asia@nme.com to get in touch
How often will the Asia content be syndicated to the global nme.com site?
Depends on the artist, reader interest and circumstances; global syndication is not guaranteed. Stories will be shared on nme.com/Asia’s social media channels and may be shared by NME.com’s global channels.
##
About NME:
NME is the world’s defining voice in music and pop culture, breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952. NME creates and curates content, products and experiences essential to the fans of music and popular culture today. Get the latest news at nme.com and nme.com/asia, nme.com/australia.
About BandLab Technologies:
BandLab Technologies is a collective of music brands with a vision to connect the world of music. The company integrates the physical, digital and social supply chain, to enable better experiences, opportunities, and connections for all music lovers. Established in 2016, the BandLab Technologies portfolio of brands continues to rapidly expand and diversify. The growing media division currently includes the popular titles NME, Uncut, Guitar.com and MusicTech. For more information visit https://bandlabtechnologies.com