Naoki Osada, former CEO of Avex USA, has announced the launch of Nebula17, a multi-faceted music company that offers label, publishing, venture capital, international strategy and management services. Like much of his work at Avex USA, the company is designed to propel forward-thinking Japanese artists, looking to launch their careers in the U.S. and other global markets.
Launched as demand for J-pop and other Japanese genres grows abroad, Nebula17 will be headquartered at a new studio house in West Hollywood, Calif., that will serve as both an office and a hub for its songwriters.
Already, Nebula17 has a record deal in place with Awich, a leading voice in Japanese hip-hop who has collaborated with Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and A$AP Ferg, and a publishing deal inked with writer-producer Marcus Munroe, whose credits include GENERATIONS and BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE. Osaka has also recruited Oscar Cornejo (Tyla, Quavo, Rich The Kid) to act as head engineer for the Nebula17 studio. According to a spokesperson for Nebula17, the company is also actively developing “multi-platform IP and preparing its first slate of international releases” for later this year.
On the venture capital side, Nebula17 has participated in the early-stage financing round for Indify, an online platform designed to connect viral indie artists to strategic investors. Nebula17 itself is backed by a group of strategic investors, all of which hail from entertainment, culture and technology-related industries. This includes Akatsuki Inc., a leading Japanese entertainment company, which led this round of funding, and other key investors like Japanese management companies BMSG, ASOBISYSTEM and And Music. Angel investors include Paul Bragiel (serial entrepreneur and an early investor in Uber and Unity), the co-founders of the crypto-centric VC Decima Fund, and executives from gaming and Web3 firm Gumi.
“There couldn’t be a more perfect time to bring this vision to life,” says Osada. “The world is finally ready to hear these voices, and Nebula17 is here to amplify them — with the right A&R strategies, global management expertise, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Our goal is to build a new bridge between Japanese culture and the global mainstream — one artist at a time, powered by top U.S. creatives and business leaders.”
Osada brings more than two decades of experience working for the Japanese entertainment company Avex, both in his homeland of Japan and in the U.S.. While at the helm of Avex USA, he made a strategic investment in S10 and launched a publishing joint venture with S10 founder Brandon Silverstein, leading to the signing of top talent like Harv, Jasper Harris and GENT!. Osada also created a publishing joint venture with Runner Music, a company co-founded by Ryan Tedder, where he signed producer Grant Boutin. Additionally, Osada used his top post to help launch the Japanese boy band ONE OR EIGHT internationally.