Music media company NME launches in Asia

British-born music media company NME launched in Asia on August 19, with its headquarters in Singapore.

NME.com/asia will initially focus on the music scenes in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, but is set to expand across the region, covering music and pop culture in Asia and around the world.

The dedicated Asia site will have its weekly New Music Monday features, as well as guides on new music, games, film, and TV. It will also spotlight a regional artist every month, giving local artists the opportunity to reach a regional and global audience.

NME Asia’s editorial team is led by former Time Out Singapore editor Iliyas Ong, alongside former Bandwagon editor and NPR writer Karen Gwee. They will be managing a network of music and pop culture journalists across Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, including Daniel Peters, Hidzir Junaini, Adrian Yap, Edwin Sallan, Aldus Santos, and Chanun Poomsawai.

“Southeast Asia has a proud musical heritage,” said Ong. “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.”

NME, or New Musical Express, was established in 1952 in the United Kingdom. Their launch in Asia follows their expansion to Australia in 2019. – Rappler.com