Opportunity to Penetrate International Market, Music Now Has No Language Barrier – Yusry Abd Halim
PETALING JAYA: Singer and composer, Datuk Yusry Abdul Halim sees his participation in the artist development platform Launchpad as a strategic step to expand his music market to the regional level, besides attracting a new generation of listeners.
Yusry, 53, said that although he is among the most experienced artists in the Launchpad lineup, the platform is able to bridge the gap between veteran artists and new talents.
According to him, participating together with KIIRAS from South Korea and UPRIZE from Vietnam is not merely an ordinary performance, but rather opens up opportunities to share music with a wider audience.
“Many may wonder why I, who have been in the industry for 34 years, am still participating in a platform like this.
“However, I see it from a positive angle because Launchpad has plans to expand overseas. It is a good initiative to introduce our music to the regional market,” he said when met at the Launchpad launch event here yesterday.
Commenting on the potential of the Southeast Asian music industry, Yusry is of the view that it is time for this region to be seen as one large market without being limited by language and cultural differences.
He said that the success of the Korean music industry proves that language is no longer a barrier for a work to be accepted at the international level.
“My own children do not understand Korean, but they still like the songs.
“The current generation accepts music as something universal. They do not necessarily understand every word, but instead appreciate the music itself,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yusry admitted that at the early stage, he himself wondered whether the Launchpad concept was really suitable for him.
However, after understanding the platform’s objectives, he is confident that collaboration with young talents can introduce his music to new listener groups.
“As a singer, we need to continue to grow. If we only rely on existing fans, they will age and eventually who will be the next generation of listeners?
“If I can attract even one percent of young audiences to get to know my music, that is already a good start,” he said.
Launchpad is an artist development platform designed to accelerate the growth of new talents at the regional level by connecting them directly to audiences, media, brands and industry players across Southeast Asia.
The platform, owned by Fast Track Entertainment (FTE) from Singapore, is run in collaboration with Sony Music Malaysia and is supported by original digital content production, regional media exposure and strategic collaborations with various brands to open up new commercial opportunities and strengthen long‑term artist career development.
Utusan Malaysia