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Reservoir<\/a> Media, in conjunction with PopArabia, has made two new acquisitions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).<\/p>\n The companies revealed on Monday (October 27) that they have acquired all compositions and masters owned by Iraqi music production house HFM Production<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In addition, Reservoir and PopArabia have acquired the publishing and recorded music rights for the catalog of Kuwaiti artist Essa Almarzoug<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Founded in 2011 by Iraqi composer Humam Hassan<\/strong>, Reservoir noted that HFM Production<\/strong> built a reputation specializing in media production, spanning from music videos to TV commercials.<\/p>\n HFM has since established its own record label and frontline release team, producing over 500<\/strong> recordings and YouTube<\/a> videos by artists from Iraq and the broader Arabic world.<\/p>\n Some of the company\u2019s top artists include Ahmed Al Maslawi, Zaid Al Rashed, Ahmed Fadel, and Salma Rachid<\/strong>. The HFM YouTube channel has accumulated over 3.1 million<\/strong> subscribers and nearly 1.4 billion<\/strong> views. The deal with Reservoir<\/strong> and PopArabia<\/strong> includes several forthcoming new releases by HFM, scheduled for release over the next year.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Reservoir noted that singer-songwriter Essa Almarzoug<\/strong> is \u201cknown for blending traditional Khaleeji melodies with modern Arabic pop\u201d and has \u201cemerged as one of the most popular Kuwaiti stars, with a fandom stretching across the Gulf and MENA\u201d.<\/p>\n He first rose to fame in 2013 with an appearance on Star Academy 9, a popular musical reality TV franchise in MENA.<\/p>\n Since then, he has featured in several films and theatrical productions, while also focusing on his career as a solo artist. Almarzoug\u2019s music has garnered over 619 million<\/strong> views on YouTube to date, including his breakout hits, such as Qanabel<\/em>, Thamen Ageba<\/em>, and Akher Hebah<\/em>.<\/p>\n According to Reservoir, the two deals demonstrate it and PopArabia\u2019s \u201ccontinuous commitment to investing in the MENA region and building a regional platform for Arabic music\u201d.<\/p>\n Reservoir Founder and CEO\u00a0Golnar Khosrowshahi<\/a>\u00a0has previously declared her intention to make the music rights company \u201cthe largest holder of Arabic music copyrights<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith the network and expertise of Reservoir and PopArabia, I am excited to see how they can further the reach and impact of HFM\u2019s catalog on a global scale.\u201d<\/p>\n Humam Hassan, HFM Production<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n HFM Production Founder and General Manager Humam Hassan, said: \u201cWith the network and expertise of Reservoir and PopArabia, I am excited to see how they can further the reach and impact of HFM\u2019s catalog on a global scale. We look forward to highlighting our talent and amplifying their voices to even wider audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI look forward to bringing Khaleeji pop music to the world with the support of a team who shares my passion and vision.\u201d<\/p>\n Essa Almarzoug<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n On the deal, Almarzoug added: \u201cI am excited to partner with PopArabia and Reservoir in this next chapter of my career. I look forward to bringing Khaleeji pop music to the world with the support of a team who shares my passion and vision.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPopArabia and Reservoir continue to deepen our roots across MENA with key acquisitions of influential Arabic music.\u201d<\/p>\n Wissam Khodur, PopArabia\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Vice President of A&R and Acquisitions at PopArabia Wissam Khodur, said:\u00a0 \u201cPopArabia and Reservoir continue to deepen our roots across MENA with key acquisitions of influential Arabic music, such as the Iraqi HFM Production catalog and Kuwait\u2019s Essa Almarzoug\u2019s catalog.<\/p>\n \u201cHFM and Essa have demonstrated an ability to create quality music that resonates with fans not only from their home countries, but also across the region. Our team is excited to grow our portfolio with these diverse catalogs, while providing support to expand their reach to more of the Gulf and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n In March, Reservoir and PopArabia acquired<\/a> the catalog of Egyptian star Omar Kamal.<\/p>\n In May 2022, Reservoir and PopArabia\u00a0acquired<\/a>\u00a0Egyptian label 100COPIES and formed a joint venture with the company to sign and develop Egyptian talent.<\/p>\n And, in June 2023, Reservoir and Poparabia\u00a0acquired<\/a>\u00a0the catalog of, and struck a JV with, Saudi Arabia-based hip-hop label Mashrex.<\/p>\n\n
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