GMM Music and Warner Music have launched GLIIDE, an artist development platform designed to build Asian pop acts for global audiences from their first release.
GLIIDE will sit within GMM Global, the joint venture between Thailand’s GMM Music and Warner Music that was established in 2024.
The platform’s first signing is SVRN, a performance-driven artist whose music video for his debut single WHY was released on Thursday (May 14).
The companies say that GLIIDE moves away from the convention of building an artist in a single territory before attempting to export them to other markets.
Instead, GLIIDE integrates major-label infrastructure – including global distribution and data analytics – with what the companies describe as a boutique, creative-led philosophy.
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GLIIDE operates on a three-pillar framework: Lift (strategic amplification of cultural and emotional momentum), Design (holistic shaping of artist identity and visual narrative), and Glide (facilitating movement across diverse markets).
Jipattikal Panikbutr, Managing Director of GLIIDE, said: “Artists today aren’t built for one place – they move across them. GLIIDE is designed to support that movement, not control it.
“Artists today aren’t built for one place – they move across them. GLIIDE is designed to support that movement, not control it.”
Jipattikal Panikbutr, GLIIDE
“We’re building cohesive worlds around artists, ensuring that their music, visual identity, and storytelling are aligned from day one,” Panikbutr added.
Dan Rosen, President of Warner Music Australasia and SE Asia (ANZSEA), added: “We are super excited to partner with GMM Music on GLIIDE.
“Together with GMM Music, we’re building a platform that gives our region’s most ambitious and authentic artists the freedom, support, and connectivity to grow audiences and fans across regional and global markets.”
Dan Rosen, Warner Music Australasia and SE Asia
“Artists in Asia are already thinking beyond borders – creatively, culturally, and commercially.
“Together with GMM Music, we’re building a platform that gives our region’s most ambitious and authentic artists the freedom, support, and connectivity to grow audiences and fans across regional and global markets.”
The launch of GLIIDE is the latest in a series of moves by Warner Music Group to deepen its presence in Thailand, a territory where all three major music companies have been increasing their investments in recent years.
Thailand has emerged as one of the fastest-growing recorded music markets in Southeast Asia.
According to IFPI data cited in a May 2026 MBW report, Thailand ranked as the 29th-largest market globally for recorded music in 2024, generating USD $100.9 million in revenues that year, with streaming accounting for 91.9% of the total.
Warner Music Asia struck a partnership with Thai indie label What the Duck in 2022, signing Bangkok-based Thai-Italian singer-songwriter Valentina Ploy to its roster.
That was followed by the GMM Global joint venture in 2024, when GMM Grammy – GMM Music‘s parent company – approved a series of transactions ahead of its plan to list GMM Music on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
As part of that process, Warner Music Hong Kong acquired a 1.5% stake in GMM Music for $10.5 million, and GMM Global signed a Commercial Joint Venture Label Agreement with Warner Music Thailand and Warner Music Asia.
In a separate deal in June 2024, Tencent and Tencent Music Entertainment acquired a 10% stake in GMM Music for $70 million – a transaction that valued the company at $700 million, as previously reported by MBW.
Then in November 2024, Warner‘s indie distribution arm ADA inked a distribution deal with GMM Music, gaining local and global distribution rights to the company’s catalog on platforms including Apple Music and Spotify.
That same month, ADA appointed Arisa Maruekatat – who brings 18 years of experience from roles at LINE TV, TikTok, and GMM Grammy – as Head of ADA Thailand, responsible for expanding the company’s footprint and developing service offerings for independent artists in the market.
WMG‘s investments in Thailand have come as rival Universal Music Group has also moved aggressively in the territory.
At UMG‘s Capital Markets Day in September 2024, Adam Granite, EVP of Market Development, described Thailand as the “fastest-growing market in Southeast Asia“ and said Universal was “on track to become a market leader” in the territory.
UMG completed its acquisition of the RS Group recorded music catalog – the second-largest in Thailand – in September 2024, having first acquired a 70% stake in 2023.
Universal then acquired a stake in What the Duck in March 2026 – with the label’s founder becoming Managing Director of Universal Music Thailand.
Sony Music Publishing also opened its first office in Thailand in January 2025, appointing industry veteran Tatchara Longprasert – who had previously held a role at Warner Music Thailand – to lead the venture.
GMM Music, a subsidiary of GMM Grammy, says its catalog spans multiple record labels and represents artists including Bird Thongchai, Bodyslam, and Peck Palitchoke.
In June 2024, GMM Music‘s CEO Phawit Chitrakorn said the company’s strategy was to “develop collaborative partnerships with international music industry leaders, who believe in the potential of Thai Music.”
It has also pursued joint ventures with Japan‘s LDH – through a venture called G&LDH – and has a partnership with Tencent Music Entertainment via GX10 Asia.
Rosen was promoted to President of Warner Music Australasia and SE Asia in November 2025, expanding his remit to cover Warner Music‘s recorded music businesses in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
He reports to Lo Ting-Fai (known as Lofai), President of Warner Music APAC.
At the time of his appointment, Rosen said: “Our mission has always been to find dynamic ways to help our local artists go global, and for our global artists to grow passionate local fanbases.
“This move comes at an incredible time as there is a wealth of talent from this region that deserves a bigger global stage,” Rosen added.
In December 2025, Warner Music ANZSEA announced a series of senior promotions across A&R, marketing, and international strategy, including the appointment of Lisan Yee as International Artist Strategy Lead for SE Asia, based in Singapore.Music Business Worldwide
