Sony Music buys 49% stake in music unit of Vietnam media giant YeaH1; companies launch new SYE Holdings joint venture

Sony Music is making significant moves in Vietnam.

Last month, the company bought a 49% stake in 1Label JSC, the music production and artist management unit of Vietnamese media giant YeaH1 Group.

Following the deal, Sony Music and YeaH1 Group launched a joint venture called SYE Holdings, which just this week debuted a new boy group called UPRIZE.

Nikkei Asia reports that 1Label has changed its name to SYE Holdings.

In a filing to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange on December 16, 2025, YeaH1 said Sony Music Entertainment Hong Kong will hold 49% of 1Label’s voting shares via a share subscription and 1Label and 1Talents will cease to be direct subsidiaries of YeaH1.

YeaH1, however, will retain a 49.88% stake in the business, making it an associated company. 1Label owns, produces, and releases music, while 1Talents is responsible for managing artists.

The December announcement pushed YeaH1’s stock to a two-month high on December 18. As of Thursday (January 22), YeaH1’s shares fell 1.5% from the previous trading session, ending the day with a market capitalization of 2.48 trillion Vietnamese dong ($94.4 million).

Founded in 2006, YeaH1 operates as a media conglomerate in Vietnam offering content production, media and marketing services, talent management, digital music distribution and film studio complexes management.

“Instead of chasing the ‘one-hit wonder’ model, the partnership focuses on professionalizing the talent management process and helping artists build a more sustainable career pathway.”

SYE Holdings

According to the companies’ latest press release on Tuesday (January 20), UPRIZE was introduced through their new venture, SYE Holdings, which will manage talent development, music production and international distribution.

Kenny Ong, who serves as Managing Director for SME Malaysia, Singapore & Vietnam, and Head of Special Projects Southeast Asia, was named Chairman of the new venture.

The companies say they expect the SYE Holdings joint venture to establish a “direct pipeline” for V-Pop artists to break international charts and regional playlists.

“Instead of chasing the ‘one-hit wonder’ model, the partnership focuses on professionalizing the talent management process and helping artists build a more sustainable career pathway, enabling them to not only to shine on stage but also to possess long-term commercial value across the advertising, film, and entertainment sectors,” according to the latest press release.

“Sony Music is dedicated to honoring the unique cultural heritage of the markets we enter. Our strategy is to build a ‘viable model’ for our artists’ sustainable careers, where Vietnamese cultural identity is honored and built upon.”

Kenny Ong, Sony Music Entertainment

UPRIZE was formed through a survival reality show called Tan Binh Toan Nang (Show It All), similar to the K-pop methodology of developing K-pop stars. SYE’s reality competition aired on state broadcaster VTV3 from October 4, 2025 through January 17, 2026. YeaH1 said the show attracted “millions of viewers” throughout its 15-week run.

The seven-member group — Cuong Bach, Phuc Nguyen, Lam Anh, Duc Duy, Wonbi, Duy Lan, and Long Hoang — were selected from 30 finalists who underwent 100 days of intensive training. UPRIZE will release their debut album and music video in April, followed by a second album in September, according to SME and YeaH1.

SYE plans to hold a concert with a scale of over 10,000 audiences by the third or fourth quarter of 2026, an ambitious goal that will likely require sustained investment in promotion, touring, and audience development for a newly launched act.

SME rival Universal Music Group had a similar talent reality competition in partnership with BTS label HYBE in 2023, which resulted in KATSEYE. The final lineup for the global girl group was announced in November 2023, two years after the two music giants announced their joint venture in November 2021.

Like many K-pop acts, KATSEYE was formed from a broad talent search, followed by an elimination competition that – again like many K-pop acts – was filmed and turned into a reality show.

While KATSEYE performed at various festivals and events throughout 2024, they only went on their first-ever headlining concert tour in late 2025, spanning 16 shows across North America. KATSEYE is set to perform at the 68th Grammy Awards on February 1, 2026.

Meanwhile, for UPRIZE, in preparation for the boy group’s concert, SYE plans to launch a series of fan signings, showcases, and school tours at universities nationwide to increase recognition and build connections with young audiences, according to the press release.

As part of the agreement with SME, 1Label received priority rights to sign contestants from music-related TV programs produced by Yeah1 and to distribute music content generated from those shows.

Beyond UPRIZE, SYE will also manage a roster of “new-generation” independent artists including Ho Dong Quan, Thai Le Minh Hieu, Swan Nguyen, and minhtin.

Ong said: “Sony Music is dedicated to honoring the unique cultural heritage of the markets we enter. Our strategy is to build a ‘viable model’ for our artists’ sustainable careers, where Vietnamese cultural identity is honored and built upon.”

“By integrating local creativity into Sony Music’s world-class network, we are ensuring that Vietnamese talent has the sustainable career path and international visibility it deserves.”

“When these values resonate with Sony Music Entertainment’s global network, we are not only establishing new standards but also creating a sustainable infrastructure for Vietnamese talent to proudly step out into the world with their own identity.”

Ngo Thi Van Hanh, YeaH1 Group

Ngo Thi Van Hanh, CEO of YeaH1 Group and Board Member of SYE Holdings, said: “YeaH1 contributes three essential resources to SYE: a deep understanding of local audiences, international-standard production capabilities, and a multi-platform media ecosystem.”

“When these values resonate with Sony Music Entertainment’s global network, we are not only establishing new standards but also creating a sustainable infrastructure for Vietnamese talent to proudly step out into the world with their own identity.”

The deal marks SME’s latest in Vietnam after the company formed a strategic partnership with Vietnamese music label Great Entertainment in September 2024. That agreement saw SME Vietnam securing the exclusive rights to distribute and promote Great Entertainment‘s music library, including both existing and upcoming releases.

However, SME isn’t entirely a newcomer to the talent competition space. The company previously held a stake in Syco Entertainment, the global media company founded by Simon Cowell, known for TV franchises like The X Factor and America’s Got Talent.

SME exited the joint venture in 2020, but retained Syco’s music assets, including its roster of current artists and back catalog. As MBW previously reported, acts to have graduated through Got Talent and The X Factor over the years have included the likes of Fifth Harmony (and Camila Cabello), One Direction, Little Mix, Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle and many more.

Music Business Worldwide