A nighttime shot of Chengdu, Sichuan’s capital and the ‘epicenter’ of China’s hip-hop scene. Photo Credit: Prcmise
Sony Music has made another move in China’s quick-growing music market, this time by partnering with self-described “music and art collective” IRIS Chengdu.
The major label today unveiled the deal, finalized specifically between its RCA Greater China division and IRIS Chengdu. Founded by producer and DJ Andre Grant (aka Harikiri) in November 2021, the latter company operates as a label, manages talent, and provides a variety of adjacent services to boot, per its website.
Meanwhile, at least as described by the involved parties, Chengdu (population 21.4 million) is “the epicentre of China’s evolving hip hop music scene.” Running with those points, the RCA-IRIS tie-up, contrasting the open-ended pacts between the majors and other Chinese indies, centers on five forthcoming albums.
The same number of IRIS acts – Vinida Weng, Haysen Cheng, Miles, Swag Kelly, and Harikiri himself – will release the projects via RCA Greater China within “the next 12 months,” the companies said of the agreement.
(Technically, Vinida’s “recently released” 7th Seed, a portion of which was recorded in English, marks the first album under the union. The 30-year-old, having reportedly delivered her first international concert in September 2024, also dropped a Mandarin-language single entitled “Black Eight” with Cheng yesterday.)
As things stand, it’s unclear how (or whether) the partnership – about which RCA Greater China and IRIS opted against disclosing financial details – will proceed once the well-defined 12-month window concludes.
In any event, besides seeking bolstered commercial results in China, RCA and IRIS underscored plans to break the appropriate professionals on the global stage.
“IRIS Chengdu was founded to push creative boundaries and give artists the freedom to tell their stories authentically,” IRIS Chengdu founder Harikiri noted here. “This partnership with RCA Greater China marks an exciting milestone, amplifying our ability to share those stories globally while staying true to our roots. Together, we’re bridging cultures, connecting audiences, and taking music beyond borders.”
Of course, Sony Music isn’t alone in looking to capitalize on China’s expanding music sector. Last month, Universal Music Greater China scored an “exclusive global agreement” with singer-songwriter Liu Huan, who’s billed as the “King of Chinese Pop.”
Additionally, that major-label unit closed out February by formally announcing the 1,000th concert of Jacky Cheung. Touted as China’s “God of Songs,” the 63-year-old is “the first Chinese artist ever to surpass the 1,000-concert milestone,” Universal Music relayed.
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