 |
| Accomplished Thai singer-songwriter Valentina Ploy (Image Source: Music Press Asia) |
Warner Music Asia has officially formed a strategic alliance with Thailand’s premier independent record company What the Duck by signing Valentina Ploy, one of its most accomplished singer-songwriters. This deal will see Warner Music Asia add the established Bangkok-based star to its roster of prominent singers, and will serve to support the What the Duck label in its work to elevate Valentina’s career to new heights. Warner Music will be harnessing the support of Warner Music Thailand to strengthen her domestic fan base, and utilizing the Group’s regional network to introduce her work to music lovers throughout Asia and beyond. On the other hand, Warner Music China has officially announced one of Greater China's legendary music icons, CoCo Lee, as the newest addition to its roster of artists.
Valentina is a singer-songwriter of mixed Italian and Thai parentage who was born and raised in Italy. She first captured the public’s attention when she became a runner-up in Miss Universe Thailand 2018, and grew her fame when she released multiple singles with What the Duck starting from 2019 onwards. She has amassed nearly 40 million streams on Spotify and has charted in Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Fluent in Thai, Italian, English, French, German and Spanish, she is a truly an international talent who is positioned to grow her fan base on a global scale. Warner Music Asia Co-President Jonathan Serbin said, “We are delighted to announce the signing of Valentina to Warner Music Asia. An extremely talented musician, she represents the new generation of singer-songwriters in Asia. The styles and themes of her music, and the range of languages that she can sing in, allow her to reach an incredibly wide audience with her songs. We look forward to bringing her sound to music lovers across the globe. And it’s a great way to launch our partnership with What the Duck, a real pioneer in the Thai music scene.”
Valentina stated, “I am so happy to be working with Warner Music. Very excited and grateful to become part of the family as I feel that they support my vision of developing my artist career beyond limits. It’s always been a dream of mine to bring my music to the world and Warner Music is perfectly suited to help me reach the widest audience possible. With Warner Music and What the Duck, I’ll have an amazing set of partners that will help me achieve my vision and goal. Can’t wait to release my songs on Warner Music in the weeks and months ahead.” Warner Music Thailand Managing Director Karl Kongkham continued, “Valentina has already proven herself to be a popular and impactful star in Thailand. Together with Warner Music Asia, we will work with What the Duck to continue to grow her fan base here at home, while plugging into Warner Music’s wide network in Asia and beyond, to enable this Thailand-based artist to become a truly international star.” What the Duck Managing Director Samkwan “Moy” Tonsompong added, “We are excited to collaborate with Warner Music Asia on this project. We have worked with Valentina for a number of years, and have seen how she connects with fans. Already, her base in Southeast Asia and Taiwan is quite strong. The partnership with Warner Music will allow her to spread her music even further.”
 |
| Legendary Mandopop artist and Chinese music megastar CoCo Lee (Image Source: Music Press Asia) |
CoCo has enjoyed a stellar music career since her debut in 1994. Having released more than 15 brilliant albums and generated impressive physical sales of tens of millions, with many hit songs throughout Asia, she is among the best-selling and most influential Mandopop artists of all time. In addition to her megastar status in the Mandopop music market, CoCo’s English-language performances have also garnered international success. As the first Chinese singer to break into the American market, her English single ‘Do You Want My Love’ broke into the Billboard Top 100. She sang the hit “Before I fall in Love” for the soundtrack of Runaway Bride, and the theme song “A Love Before Time” for the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which won worldwide acclaim when she performed it at the 2001 Academy Awards as the only Chinese singer. As CoCo’s success burgeoned, Walt Disney Pictures approached her to sing the title song and to be the voice of the heroine Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of Mulan. She performed with The Black Eyed Peas at a pre-Grammy charity concert in Los Angeles, and was the first Chinese artist to perform at an NBA game. CoCo won plaudits for bringing the beauty of Eastern music and culture to the attention of global audiences. CoCo will be working together with Warner Music on a wide range of opportunities including new music, live entertainment shows, television and streaming programs as well as brand deals. Beginning today, CoCo will appear on Hunan TV’s new music program, ShengShengBuXi. New music is expected by the summer, bringing her back to the forefront of the music market.
CoCo said, “I’m so happy to join Warner Music. They have an amazing team, and I am excited to work with them on my new music and other goals. After taking a few years off, I am so happy to be back. I feel like I have so much to say in my new songs. I can’t wait to release new music into the world.” “We are delighted to welcome CoCo Lee to the Warner Music family. As one of the most influential Chinese artists of all time, we are honoured to work with her on the next phase of her career. Already a massive star across Greater China and loved by the diaspora around the globe, we are excited to help bring her music to the widest audience possible," Serbin stated. Warner Music China Managing Director Sherry Tan added, “CoCo Lee is a true artist where her beautiful voice has influenced hundreds of millions of music fans across the region. We are excited to work with her to release amazing new music, and explore a wide range of opportunities, both in China and beyond."
