Finland-born karaoke technology company Singa has signed a licensing agreement with Merlin, adding “thousands” of original master recordings from independent labels to its platform, six months after securing a similar deal with Warner Music Group.
The partnership, announced Tuesday (December 2), gives the startup access to recordings from Merlin‘s membership of independent labels and distributors spanning more than 70 countries. Combined with its June licensing deal with WarnerMusic, Singa is assembling a catalog of original masters and “not reproductions or soundalike versions.”
Previously, karaoke companies relied on recreated versions of popular songs due to licensing restrictions with major labels.
Singa and Merlin said the partnership opens up new revenue streams for Merlin members and artists.
Merlin represents roughly 15% of the recorded music market and negotiates licensing deals on behalf of independent labels including DominoRecording, Empire, ExcelerationMusic, HopelessRecords, MushroomMusic, NinjaTune, ONErpm, Secretly, Reservoir and more. The organization operates without outside investors, funded by a 1.5% administration fee on deals.
“This partnership is about unlocking new opportunities for independent music and maximizing a space that has an immense impact on music discovery.”
Jeremy Sirota, Merlin
Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota said: “This partnership is about unlocking new opportunities for independent music and maximizing a space that has an immense impact on music discovery.”
“Merlin’s mission is to empower our members to own their digital future. By working with innovative partners like Singa, we’re creating new revenue streams for our members and ensuring their artists’ work is valued properly.”
Singa Co-Founder and CEO AtteHujanen added: “Independent artists and labels have passionate fans among karaoke singers, many of whom haven’t had the chance to perform their favorite deep cuts.”
“Merlin is helping us bring a broader and more diverse catalog to karaoke, while ensuring that more revenue goes back to the artists and songwriters who deserve it.”
Atte Hujanen, Singa
“Now, thanks to our proprietary technology and this partnership, they can sing along to high-quality, original recordings. Merlin is helping us bring a broader and more diverse catalog to karaoke, while ensuring that more revenue goes back to the artists and songwriters who deserve it.”
Founded in 2015, Singa offers karaoke ecosystem for consumers and venues like bars and entertainment venues. It now operates in 34 countries with about 2,000 hospitality venues and 2 million registered home users.
For Merlin, the Singa partnership marks its latest after previously negotiating deals with Apple, Canva, Deezer, Meta, Spotify, YouTube and more. Merlin recently renewed its partnership with Spotify after a 17-year collaboration.
Merlin recently appointed Charlie Lexton as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026. Sirota is stepping down by the end of the year, after nearly two decades at the company.
The agreement with Singa follows renewed interest in karaoke, particularly across China, Japan and Korea. Research firm Technavio estimated in January that the global karaoke market would expand by $442 million between 2025 and 2029, representing a CAGR of 4.3%.
