EMPIRE strengthens its impact in Asia as the independent powerhouse announces the appointment of an executive with a track record of developing crossover talent.
Known to be instrumental in the development of several Asian acts, Jeffrey Yu has been appointed senior vice president of EMPIRE East Asia, the company announced on Thursday (October 31). The seasoned executive will oversee artist signings and development across Asia and the diaspora in his new role. The first high-profile addition under Yoo's new tenure is K-pop icon G-Dragon, who released “POWER,” his first single in seven years, in collaboration with EMPIRE on Thursday.
Earlier in his career, Yoo discovered and managed South Korea's enigmatic vocal wunderkind DEAN (who helped connect Korean R&B with overseas audiences thanks to collaborations with Anderson .Paak and SYD) and consulted with 88Rising to develop and to help break Chinese pop star Jackson Wang (whose most recent album, Magic Manhit No. 15 on the Billboard 200 in 2022 with 88rising). Last year, he teamed up with Tricky, Mark and Judy Stewart to RZ3 Recordings through a joint venture deal with Epic Records. previously he also started Quantum Mirror Publishing.
“I am excited to join the team at EMPIRE and feel that my years in the music industry have led me to this opportunity,” Yoo said in a statement. “Ghazi has done an amazing job of creating a company and culture of authentic diversity. I highly appreciate his understanding and commitment to invest not only in Asian artists but also in Asian talent.”
CEO/Founder of EMPIRE Gas added, “The goal at EMPIRE has always been to bring music and culture to a global audience, so further establishing our footprint in the Asian market reinforces our commitment to this. Jeffrey's knowledge and respect for the music industry is unmatched and he is the perfect fit to lead our efforts across the Asia region.”
With teams already in the US, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, EMPIRE's expansion into Asia aligns with its mission to develop the next wave of international superstars across the label, distribution and publishing.
