Following the acquisition of Exile Music last November, HYBE is expanding its global entertainment empire in Latin America, opening new offices in Mexico City, Miami and Los Angeles and introducing new properties to its Latin-focused operation.
The move includes the introduction of a new label, Docemil Music, and the rebranding of Exile Music to Zarpazo. Another Exile division, the Exile podcast, will be rebranded as Ajá Podcasts.
“Latin music is one of the fastest growing genres in the world market,” he says Jonghyun “JH” Kah, CEO of HYBE Latin America. “In addition, there are very nimble and smart local independent music companies that aim to change the status quo by developing new creations and really sticking with them.”
By the same token, Kah adds, the Latin market is unique in the longevity its artists enjoy, and older songs have a long shelf life. “We aim to rediscover the soul of the Latin sound and make it a global phenomenon by focusing on talent that resonates across generations and has a defining impact on the music world, not just in the Latin sphere,” he says.
The company's executive team includes; Jeremy Norkin, who co-founded Exile Music and now serves as COO of HYBE Latin America. Elsewhere, Docemil will be headquartered in Mexico City and led by GM Fernando Grediaga, who brings over 23 years of industry experience, including positions at EMI Music and Universal Music, among others. Zarpazo, formerly Exile Music, is based in Miami and will be fronted by Grediaga and Santiago Duque, who previously worked at Rimas Entertainment and Sony Music. Zarpazo's roster includes up-and-coming artists Magna and Chicocurlyhead.
HYBE Latin America also includes a boutique tour agency led by Norkin with a diverse roster that includes Quevedo, Cypress Hill, Nach, KHEA and Marc Seguí.
By expanding into Latin America, HYBE is looking to tap into a growing market without genre borders, Kah says.
“We see a lot of variety in Latin music and we're not tied to any particular genre. As K-pop can encompass many different genres of music, I think Latin music can be more diverse in many ways,” he says. “As music transcends boundaries, our goals cannot be limited to geographical borders. Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world, which is why we are based in CDMX. However, the US Hispanic market is as large or perhaps larger than Mexico. We also keep in mind that Latin artists come from all over the world, including America and Europe.”
HYBE, of course, is known for developing major K-pop stars like BTS through a sophisticated artist recognition and development infrastructure. “HYBE is always looking for the best talent, allowing them to discover their authentic voice and connecting them with their fans. K-pop's training system is competitive as we strive to train highly trained professional artists,” says Kah. “In our new endeavors, we will seek out talent and provide them with the tools they need to improve. Our goal is to ensure that our artists discover their own unique voices and build stronger relationships with their fans than ever before.”
That said, Kah adds that HYBE Latin America “will not simply replicate our practices from Korea or from the US.” Instead, he says, “our system will try to seek the best of both worlds. The Korean approach is extremely exclusive and the initial cost is extremely high. In Latin America, we want to renew our model, we want to plant seeds and see how they grow. It took K-pop over a decade to get where it is. I hope that in 10 years we can confidently say that we have made the same unique success here.”
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