Believe strikes strategic partnership with top independent label Global Records, aims at building a global leader in dance music

Believe strikes strategic partnership with top independent label Global Records, aims at building a global leader in dance music

Paris, July 8, 2024 – Believe, one of the world's leading digital music companies, announces today the signing of a strategic partnership with Global Records, Central and Eastern Europe’s top independent dance music company. As part of the deal, Believe has acquired a 25% stake in Global Records.

This strategic partnership falls in line with Believe’s blueprint strategy to focus on music genres where artist development and music consumption are digital. It also expands Believe and Global Records’ existing relationship, which has led to Global Records’ territorial expansion and catalogue development since 2016. This alliance is set to further accelerate Global Records’ growth and allow it to become a global leader, by bringing together Believe’s successful track record of developing digital friendly music genres across multiple geographies and unrivaled capacity to scale and grow local businesses, and Global Records’ powerful full-service model and A&R capacities in dance music.

Dance music is one of the fastest-growing and few global digital music genres today. It constitutes a massive market with high potential and worldwide audiences, now valued at $11.8 billion1. Since 2023, Believe has launched two global dance/electronic music labels, b.electronic and All Night Long. The Group also struck a partnership between TuneCore and Beatport, the global leader in music for DJs, producers and their fans.

With offices and activity in Romania, Germany and the US, Global Records is a music first company that has built a solid reputation as hitmaker in dance music and an impressive track record of top charting and certified songs in multiple markets. In 2023 only, it cumulated over 6 billion streams across all platforms and over 20 billion streams for its global catalogue to date, serving top artists such as INNA, Minelli, Carla's Dreams, Antonia, Holy Molly, DJ Project, Irina Rimes, The Motans, Alina Eremia, Olivia Addams, and many others, and being the biggest independent music company in CEE.

Denis Ladegaillerie, Founder & CEO, Believe, said: “Believe and Global Records share a common independent mindset, entrepreneurial culture and commitment to developing local artists in the digital space, with expertise, respect, fairness, and transparency. I am thrilled that our long-term successful collaboration has led to this strengthened strategic partnership and I am convinced that together we will build a global leader in dance music, one of the few truly digital and international music genres today.”

Viktoria Siniavskaia, Believe’s President META, East & Southern Europe, Americas, continued: “Strengthening our partnership with Global Records made a great deal of sense, as it brings together our very complementary set of expertise. Together, we have already accomplished tremendous successes and I am very confident that this strategic partnership will allow Global Records to continue its expansion and meet its ambition to become a global leader in dance music.”

Liubov Kevkhaian, Believe’s Managing Director, Central & Eastern Europe, added: “It’s been honor to work with Ștefan Lucian and Global Records’ team in the past seven years, first locally in Romania, then in Germany and beyond. I very much look forward to this new chapter in our successful partnership and common history, one that will undoubtedly see the rise of countless talented dance artists to the global stage thanks to our complementary expertise and vision.”

Ștefan Lucian, CEO, Global Records, concluded: “This partnership signifies a bold step towards our vision for the future of music and entertainment, and by leveraging our combined resources we will offer to our artists and talents the same level of services and performance as any top record label be it major or independent. For us it was a straight forward decision to choose Believe as our partner because we both believe in the future of independent music and we share the same passion and love for the artists and the content they create.”

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About BelieveBelieve is one of the world’s leading digital music companies. Believe’s mission is to develop independent artists and labels in the digital era by providing them the solutions they need in their creative journeys and to grow their audience at each stage of their career and development. Believe’s passionate team of creative and digital music experts around the world leverages the Group’s global technology platform to support artists and labels. Its 1,919 employees in more than 50 countries aim to partner with artists and music entrepreneurs with expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including Believe, TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naïve, Groove Attack, AllPoints, Ishtar and Byond. Believe is listed on compartment B of the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Ticker: BLV, ISIN: FR0014003FE9). www.believe.com

Press contacts:Manon JESSUA – manon.jessua@believe.com Maria DA SILVA – maria.da-silva@agenceproches.com | +33 7 60 70 23 16

Investor Relations contact:Emilie MEGEL – emilie.megel@believe.com | +33 6 07 09 98 60

About Global RecordsGlobal Records is the home of the largest group of artists, songwriters, music producers and content creators in CEE, with imprints in Bucharest, Berlin and Los Angeles. Central to the essence of Global Records is the 360 degrees model it operates that includes record label and label services, publishing house, Booking & Events agency and Online advertising & Endorsement agency. Global Records is also a stakeholder of VIVA LA VIDRA Production, the most preeminent and successful movies production company in Romania in the last years. All divisions seamlessly collaborate, creating an integrated entertainment ecosystem and striving to offer only the best services for the talents and the exploitation of its catalogue.

1 Source: IMS Business Report 2024.

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