ESMAA is a subsidiary of PopArabia and a partner of twofour54, Abu Dhabi’s media and entertainment hub.
Abu Dhabi-based independent music company PopArabia has announced the launch of ESMAA, a new UAE-based music Rights Management Entity (RME) to facilitate music licensing in the Gulf region.
ESMAA, which translates as the Arabic word for “listen,” works with both global rights holders and regional businesses to provide Gulf markets with the ability to license music domestically.
The company has signed agreements to represent the rights of global collecting societies including the UK’s PRS (Performing Right Society) for Music and Canada’s SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada), representing more than 30mn musical works and more than 150,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers respectively through these deals.
In addition, ESMAA has signed agreements to license the British record label Chrysalis Music and Global Master Rights, the neighbouring rights company representing the rights of over 300 record labels and more than 2500 performers including Rihanna, Billie Eilish, Imagine Dragons, DJ Snake, Metallica, Migos, and David Guetta, among others.
ESMAA has also recently become a Client Rights Management Entity of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC). Founded in 1926, CISAC is a global not-for-profit organisation that protects the rights and promotes the interests of creators worldwide through the largest international network of collective management organisations, including 228 member societies in 120 countries/territories. ESMAA’s status as a Client of CISAC marks the first and only time an organisation from the Gulf region has been able to benefit from CISAC’s technical tools and solutions for authors’ rights administration. In light of these developments, ESMAA has already begun developing a comprehensive music repertoire database for the Gulf territories.
Commenting on the launch of ESMAA, Hussain ‘Spek’ Yoosuf, Founder and CEO of ESMAA, said: “We’re very pleased to have already begun working with rights holders to license music in the market and meet the needs of regional businesses who have been in need of a local solution. After navigating music rights challenges in this region for many years, I can say with confidence that the work we are doing at ESMAA represents a historic step forward for music licensing in the Gulf.”
ESMAA is a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi based PopArabia, the independent music publisher in the Middle East, and a partner of twofour54, Abu Dhabi’s media and entertainment hub.
Michael Garin, CEO of twofour54 Abu Dhabi, added: “Enabling content creation in Abu Dhabi and building the emirate into a leader within the creative industries is twofour54’s ultimate goal. Through our investment into PopArabia a decade ago, we have supported the local music industry and enabled home-grown artists. As the latest step in this journey, ESMAA will elevate music licensing in the region and place the emirate firmly on the global music stage.”
