Warner Music Asia has today announced the launch of the first Pan-Asian dance label, Whet Records. The brainchild of Jonathan Serbin, the CEO of Warner Music Greater China, the label will work with both emerging talent and established DJs and producers, providing a powerful distribution platform and an array of marketing and management services to help its artists grow their fan base throughout the region.
Whet Records’ China division will be led by Zoe Yang, who has worked across the largest EDM events in the region, including Ultra Music China and EDC China.
She will report into Jonathan Serbin, who has over 20 years of experience in the dance music business. He was formerly the CEO of Mixmag Asia, and has executive produced a series of successful electronic albums, featuring collaborations between major Asian and Western artists.
The label’s first signing is Lizzy Wang, who has been twice ranked the number one DJ in China by DJane Mag (2020, 2021). Lizzy was the first female Chinese DJ to perform at Ultra, and has appeared at marquee festivals and large-scale events, including EDC, Jungle Festival and Singapore F1 Grand Prix.
She is also an accomplished producer, having written and recorded a number of tracks that have landed on the Chinese charts. She has released a collaboration with trance legend Ferry Corsten, as well as remixes of tracks by Top-100 DJMag rated HenriPFR and Valentino Khan.
Her first single on Whet Records is ‘Flexy’, an anthem of female empowerment, which features Warner Music Norway’s Julie Bergan on vocals. The track will be available from today worldwide.
Lizzy Wang says: “I’m so excited to join the team at Whet Records and Warner Music. The region has been in need of a dedicated Pan-Asian dance label, and Whet is the ideal platform. I look forward to working with the team, and sharing my music with the fans.”
Jonathan Serbin adds: “We are proud to announce the signing of Lizzy Wang to Whet Records. We believe her energy and enthusiasm on stage, as well as he skills as a producer, make her a great fit for our new label. She’s already proven herself as a major draw in China and Whet Records will help Lizzy expand her following to the rest of Asia and beyond.
Simon Robson, President of International Recorded Music, concludes: “Whet will blend the power of Warner Music’s network and expertise with the DNA of a true electronic music label. Jonathan has worked quickly to get this off the ground and we’re excited to show the world the talent brewing throughout Asia.”
Over the past ten years, the Asian dance music community has grown rapidly. Electronic music festivals have multiplied, providing increasing opportunities for Asian artists and fans. At the same time, the vibrant club culture throughout Asia has provided thousands of stages for DJs to hone their craft.
Prior to the pandemic, leading international festival brands like ISY Music Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), Ultra Music Festival and Creamfields, as well as dozens of locally created electronic music events, sprouted across the continent. While taking a pause for most of the last year due to Covid-19, these events are positioned to return as the pandemic eases.
