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Alan Chikin Chow is looking for some “multifaceted artists” to join him in a new mixed-gender pop-music group — and who also will co-star with him in a scripted series about the band on his YouTube channel.
Chow, a top YouTuber who is the creator and star behind hit scripted teen comedy series “Alan’s Universe,” has inked a partnership with HYBE America, the U.S. division of Korean music and entertainment company HYBE. Together they have formed HYBE America x AU, described as a “first-of-its-kind label” that will launch a next-generation franchise spanning both scripted content and music.
“The HYBE America x AU collaboration challenges current industry conventions with a bold approach that bridges Eastern and Western entertainment traditions in an entirely new way,” the partners said in announcing the venture.
The initial project under the newly formed label will kick off with a global talent search to cast emerging artists to star alongside Chow in a co-ed band, composed of three males and three females. Following the casting of the band’s members, they will participate in a development program in Los Angeles combining “Chow’s content expertise” with HYBE’s K-pop training system. The music group will publicly debut in an original streaming series. Chow will lead as executive producer and label co-head alongside HYBE America CEO Scooter Braun and James Shin, president of film and television.
The series about the as-yet-unnamed band will “follow a group of aspiring pop idol rejects enrolled at an arts academy who decide to form their own band, fusing the worlds of drama, acting and musical performance with concurrent releases of original music and choreography,” according to the announcement.
HYBE America X AU will launch a global talent search on social media. To audition, male and female candidates between 18-28 are asked to upload a singing or dancing clip onto YouTube Shorts via the hashtag #HYBEAMERICAxAU to be considered. More info is available at hybeamericaxau.com.
“The passionate global fanbase of ‘Alan’s Universe’ partnered with the premier music prowess of HYBE America creates an unstoppable force,” Chow said in a statement provided to Variety. “Together, we stand to create a next-generation franchise with one purpose: to serve our fans with inspiring, impactful stories.”
The franchise’s video content will be available Chow’s own YouTube channel (which has more than 87 million subscribers), and will extend across music platforms, merchandise, live touring and more.
“This partnership represents entertainment’s future — where content and music enhance each other rather than simply coexist,” Shin said. “We’re building a franchise with Alan that establishes a new model for artist development in the digital age.” Braun added, “Alan’s extraordinary connection with global audiences makes him and this partnership unique. Together we are not only reimagining the star-making process but will help to create once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for exceptional storytelling and development.”
Chow, 28, is touted as the most-watched YouTube Shorts creator with more than 1 billion views per month. To date, his “Alan’s Universe” series, in which he stars and executive produces, has garnered more than 700 million views across multiple platforms, with an average of 20 million views per episode. Chow most recently opened a 10,000-square-foot production studio space in L.A. in November 2024, which currently houses all production for the series. He’s repped by CAA.
Watch the trailer for the HYBE America x AU music project audition:
