Universal Music Greater China (UMGC), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), has announced the extension of its partnership with Chinese pop megastar Eason Chan. The announcement comes after the release of Eason’s latest studio album, “CHIN UP!” on 27 October, marking his first album in five years. This renewed partnership between UMGC and Eason Chan continues a remarkable 19-year collaboration between the artist and the label.
The announcement was made at a special press conference in Macau, attended by Timothy Xu, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Greater China, and Eason’s manager Lisa Kan. They celebrated Eason’s illustrious 19-year partnership with UMG, reflecting on their many successful collaborations over the years. Senior management from key Asian markets of UMG, including Calvin Wong, Alice Phyliss Kent, Kim Lim, William Hsieh, and Claire Kim, were also present to congratulate Eason.
“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.”
Adam Granite, Executive Vice President, Market Development
Eason’s latest album, “CHIN UP!” includes eight new tracks, all composed by Terence Lam and arranged by award-winning producer Ronghao Li and Terence Lam. Eason aims to inspire and uplift those facing life’s challenges, offering encouragement and resilience to face the future optimistically. The lead single “Homo Sapiens” received critical acclaim and won the “Song of the Year” award at the inaugural Wave Music Awards and the 34th Golden Melody Awards for Best Lyrics.
During the event, the global premiere of the movie version of the music video for “Don’t Mind Me” was showcased, featuring a surprise appearance by international film icon Tony Leung, who received the Venice Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award.
Eason Chan’s journey with UMG began in 2005 when he signed with Universal Music Hong Kong’s CinePoly label and released the album “U87.” This album was recognized as the top-selling Cantonese album of the year by IFPI and received praise from TIME Magazine. Since then, Eason has released 22 albums and EPs, with 154 chart-topping singles. He has won numerous awards and set records at music award ceremonies in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Eason Chan has also achieved over 75 billion streams across various platforms since joining UMG.
In November 2021, Eason’s single “Warrior of the Darkness” became a phenomenon in the Mandarin music market, accumulating over 8.4 billion streams and being recognized as one of the “Decade’s Exceptional Original Songs” by the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association.
Eason Chan expressed his appreciation for the 19-year partnership with UMG, and his excitement for the future, saying, “We shall continue to push boundaries and, like always, keep the CHIN UP!”. While he is primarily famous in the Chinese-speaking world, Eason Chan’s music has also resonated with international audiences, particularly in regions with a significant Chinese-speaking population.
