Big Hit, Universal Music Group to create new boy band through auditions
Clockwise from top left are Big Hit Entertainment CEO/Chairman Bang Si-hyuk; Universal Music Group CEO/Chairman Lucian Grainge; Interscope Geffen A&M Records CEO John Janick; and Big Hit Entertainment Global CEO Lenzo Yoon, during Thursday's online press conference. Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment, Universal Music Group
By Dong Sun-hwa
By Dong Sun-hwa
Big Hit Entertainment, home to K-pop juggernaut BTS, will join forces with Universal Music Group (UMG) to create a new boy band through an audition program.
The announcement was made during the two companies' online press conference held Thursday morning (KST). The event was attended by Big Hit CEO/Chairman Bang Si-hyuk; Big Hit Global CEO Lenzo Yoon; UMG CEO/Chairman Lucian Grainge and Interscope Geffen A&M Records CEO John Janick.
Geffen Records is UMG's label which was behind the success of big-name artists including Elton John and Nirvana.
Big Hit and Geffen Records will set up a joint venture based in Los Angeles to launch the new boy band. They are also slated to team up with a media partner in the U.S. to produce an audition program through which the members will be selected. The show is expected to go to air in 2022.
The new act will debut in the U.S., but follow the K-pop system in terms of music, performance and fashion, among others, Big Hit said in a statement issued later Thursday.
K-pop fans are divided over the news.
“Portfolio diversification is important for any company,” a fan wrote on internet community. “I am thrilled to see the new faces.”
Another commented: “I hope Big Hit takes better care of the existing groups instead of churning out new bands one after another.”
Big Hit debuted boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT) in 2019. Only a year later, Belift, a joint venture established by Big Hit and entertainment giant CJ ENM, launched another boy band ― ENHYPEN. Big Hit and its affiliated labels are planning to showcase more acts this year and in 2022.
During Thursday's event, UMG also said that more of their stars like YungBlud will join Big Hit's fan community platform Weverse ― where they can actively interact with followers ― as part of the two companies' strategic partnership. Some artists including Gracie Abrams and New Hope Club are already using Weverse.
“I strongly believe that UMG and Big Hit, two companies that endlessly pursue innovation, will create a synergy that will rewrite global music history,” Bang said during the press conference.
"With their innovative approach to developing artists and embracing new technology, Big Hit has become one of the most dynamic companies in music entertainment," Grainge said. "We're thrilled to be working together as we launch a new joint venture between our companies that will further accelerate K-pop as a global cultural phenomenon."
Last week, UMG and YG Entertainment ― which houses K-pop girl band BLACKPINK ― announced they would invest in VenewLive, a digital live streaming platform launched by KBYK Live. KBYK Live is a company founded last May by Big Hit and the U.S. streaming service startup Kiswe.