An ecosystem for digital music supports Chinese artists

There are more than 60,000 indie singer-songwriters registered on the six online music sites, and they have released more than 100,000 digital albums.

According to Cussion Pang, CEO of Tencent Music Entertainment Group, the domestic music scene is going through a revival, with a growing number of singer-songwriters emerging.

"The prevalence of various music social media platforms means it's now easier than ever for the indie singer-songwriters to reach listeners," Pang says.

One who has successfully done so is singer-songwriter Liu Ruiqi, who streams her live shows and interacts with her fans via one of the online music sites. Now, the 23-year-old singer-songwriter has more than 1.2 million fans online and is preparing for her first national tour.

"During the process of preparing (Tencent Indie Musicians Project), the numbers we found out were really shocking for us, which urged us to carry out the program and benefit those hard-working indie musicians," says Pang, adding that 60 percent of indie singer-songwriters in China make about 2,000 yuan ($297) a month and 80 percent of indie singer-songwriters couldn't get their songs heard.

He also adds that the company is dedicated to enforcing IP protection in the music industry, a major issue when working with indie singer-songwriters.

Despite China's huge population, it has never ranked among the top 10 music markets, largely due to the rampant piracy. However, the rise of streaming means the potential of the Chinese music market is beginning to be tapped.

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Global Music Report 2017, recorded music revenue grew 20.3 percent in China last year, driven by a 30.6 percent rise in streaming.

Major and independent labels from all over the world, are now working with local partners determined to create a legitimate business delivering quality services that reward artists and rights holders.

"It's important for us to be proactive in building a real economic ecosystem for digital music in China, and contributing to a healthy digital music landscape for independent musicians," Pang says.