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).