Universal Music Group is launching Virgin Music Label & Artist Services in Africa with 15k titles in its catalog, more than 50 label partners from 25 countries and a commitment to supporting the next wave of independent artists, labels, influencers and entrepreneurs from the region.

Virgin Music arrives in Africa under the leadership of Universal Music Africa’s Director of International Development, Guylaine Clery, and Head of A&R Félix Pea, who will also serve as co-directors of the new division, reporting to Franck Kacou, Managing Director, Universal Music Africa (pictured).

“Our vision for Virgin Music in Africa is based on an observation that African cultural heritage has not yet fully found its place in the digital world and on DSPs globally,” Kacou said. “Our ambition is to make African music a showcase of all that Africa and its diaspora can offer the world. We intend to give new life to forgotten songs. Our investigation will go as far as digitizing them to make them accessible to as many people as possible everywhere in the world. The creation of label services will make it possible to preserve, distribute, structure and promote the African musical heritage of yesterday, today and tomorrow while providing global distribution services to Africa’s most exciting artists, labels and entrepreneurs.”

Label partners include France's Kesi Publishing, Benin’s Blue Diamond, Cameroon's Hope Music Group and Senegal’s Hiquest. Among the artists primed for greater exposure are Senegal's Youssou Ndour and Touré Kunda, Benin's Fanicko and the Congo's Lokua Kanza.