REPUBLIC Collective has partnered with media and entertainment company ZIZA Inc. to launch ZIZA Records, a new label focused on developing and scaling South Asian artists on a global level.
The multi-year worldwide joint venture was announced on Thursday (June 11).
ZIZA Inc. is a New York-based company founded by entrepreneur Shivam Malhotra, who also serves as CEO of Malsons.
ZIZA Records will operate at the intersection of South Asia and key international markets, with a focus on diaspora-driven talent, catalog development, and global audience growth.
“This partnership reflects the continued global expansion of South Asian music.”
Jeffrey Remedios, REPUBLIC Collective
“This partnership reflects the continued global expansion of South Asian music,” said Jeffrey Remedios, President and CEO of REPUBLIC Collective.
“Shivam and the ZIZA team have built a strong foundation in the space, and we see an opportunity to grow that internationally together.”
Malhotra enters the partnership following the growth of Malsons Ventures, claimed to be “one of the most influential independent forces in the South Asian music ecosystem,” which the company says has contributed to over 10 billion streams globally.
Malhotra and his companies have worked alongside artists including Shubh and Dhanda Nyoliwala, among others.
“REPUBLIC Collective represents the gold standard of modern music culture and global artist development,” said Malhotra.
“For us, this partnership is the beginning of a long-term movement to position South Asian music at the center of the global mainstream.
“Jeffrey, Avery, and the entire Republic team understand both the cultural value and the commercial scale of what’s coming next.
“Their belief in our vision, combined with their unmatched global infrastructure, makes Republic the ideal partner to build ZIZA Records into a defining force for this generation of artists.
“Together, we’re creating a platform that will not only break talent globally but reshape how the world experiences South Asian music.”
“Jeffrey, Avery, and the entire Republic team understand both the cultural value and the commercial scale of what’s coming next.”
Shivam Malhotra, ZIZA Inc
The joint venture will prioritize signing and developing artists from the South Asian diaspora, particularly those with traction in North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.
It will also focus on unlocking catalog opportunities through global distribution, sync, and marketing, with additional plans spanning brand partnerships, live experiences, and cross-market collaborations, according to REPUBLIC.
The deal is the latest in a wave of major label joint ventures targeting South Asian music and the South Asian diaspora.
Warner Music Group launched its 5 Junction JV with entrepreneur Anjula Acharia in April 2025, aimed at breaking US-based artists of South Asian heritage in partnership with Warner Records.
Sony Music Entertainment struck its own JV with D36 in 2024, targeting South Asian artists and diaspora audiences.
Elsewhere within Universal Music Group, the company has made a series of moves in the space, including the acquisition of UK-based South Asian music label Oriental Star Agencies in January 2024 and the launch of Desi Trill Music, a JV with Roc Nation co-founder Ty Ty Smith, in 2023.
REPUBLIC itself has also been expanding its roster of international JVs, forming a partnership with Savan Kotecha‘s Visva Records in July 2025, which also carries an India-facing component on its roster.
Remedios was appointed to the REPUBLIC Collective in February 2025 after a decade leading Universal Music Canada.Music Business Worldwide
