Univision expands Uforia Music Platform and launches U-Lab

As part of Univision Communications Inc.’s (UCI) expanding integrated music strategy, Uforia Music has partnered with Casa Limon to launch U-LAB, a Music Innovation Center. U-LAB will incubate the next generation of artists and foster music journalism of the future. Leveraging UCI’s portfolio and the ongoing collaborations with MIT’s Media Lab, U-LAB will propel storytelling and innovation through the lens of social impact across various initiatives including documentaries and academia as well as through new technologies. Expanding further on music, a major passion point for Hispanics, Uforia Music is also enhancing the user experience with distributed content, new franchises and new video formats such as 360-video.

As part of U-LAB, emerging musicians will be given the opportunity to participate in a fellowship, which will provide artistic instruction and direction, leverage UCI’s digital footprint to provide creative output and distribution and will count on Latin GRAMMY® award-winning artists, Alejandro Sanz and Jorge Drexler, as creative associates. In addition to emerging artists, U-LAB will house a contingent of reporters and digital media production teams who will work closely with participants to consistently deliver marketable digital content.

“With Uforia Music, we want to innovate how music is created and distributed to audiences across different vantage points,” said Jorge “Pepo” Ferradas, president of Univision’s Music Division. “Music is a major passion point for Hispanics – more than 24 million are streaming audio weekly. From the launch of U-Lab to the editorial investments we are making, Univision is taking steps to transform the music industry across platforms and languages.”

“Music is the thread and starting point for U-LAB. We will look to cover topics connected to innovation, social issues, immigration, and of course, cultivate a platform that will enable young talent from Hispanic America to develop to their highest potential. This project was born out of the idea of making Univision a global reference of quality music, and where art, innovation and commitment to social good are solid pillars for future generations to build their future on,” said Javier Limón, creative director of U-LAB.

“This initiative was created to foster young talent, support social good and innovation – something much needed in Miami and in the music industry overall in order to revamp,” shared Alejandro Sanz, creative associate of U-LAB.

Jorge Drexler, creative associate of U-LAB, added: “U-Lab emerges from the need to create music content that conforms with the change paradigm that Hispanic America is encountering today. A new kind of Hispanic culture is sprouting, one that is distinctly diverse, albeit it still has its roots and leans proudly on its cultural legacy while looking at the future; a culture that is increasingly the center of attention in a dynamic and changing world, in which its versatile and multicultural identity fits perfectly.”

U-LAB aims to produce albums for each artist, launch special projects such as documentaries, festivals featuring the initiative’s emerging artists and collaborate with Berklee College for other music-related projects. Participants will also be required to incorporate social impact goals in their projects.