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Black Cat White Cat Music expands global presence
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The music agency announce the opening of a new office in Austin, Texas, alongside a new partnership with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity as an Audio Partner.
Tokyo-founded music agency Black Cat White Cat Music has announced the opening of a new office in Austin, Texas, alongside a new partnership with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity as an Audio Partner.
Both moves mark rare milestones for an independent Japanese music agency, signalling a new phase of international growth for the company.
Founded in 2018 by Seiya Matsumiya and composer Aska Matsumiya, with Erik Reiff joining as partner in 2021, Black Cat White Cat Music has built a reputation across advertising, film, branded entertainment and experiential projects, working between Japan, Europe and North America.
In recent years, the company has increasingly become part of the wider global creative conversation through international projects, festival jury participation and creative industry collaborations across Asia, Europe and the US. In 2025, CEO Matsumiya became the first Japanese jury president of the Cannes Lions Entertainment Lions for Music category, further cementing the company’s growing presence within the international creative community.
The newly launched Austin office reflects the company’s continued investment in international collaboration. Long regarded as one of the world’s key music cities, Austin has also emerged as a major hub for advertising, technology and brand creativity, making it a natural fit for Black Cat White Cat Music’s cross-disciplinary approach.
Meanwhile, the Cannes Lions partnership will see the company curate music across multiple festival venues throughout the event, helping shape the sonic identity and atmosphere of the festival experience itself. Previous audio partners have included major global companies such as Spotify, making the appointment particularly notable for a relatively small independent agency from Japan.
“For us, global expansion has never simply meant opening more offices,” says Matsumiya. “It’s about connecting with the culture of a place, building relationships with people we trust, and creating new work together from there.
“The Austin office grew naturally out of long-standing friendships and creative relationships, and in many ways the Cannes Lions partnership feels similar. It’s the result of gradually building trust within the global creative community over time.
“As a music company from Japan, we want to continue bringing new perspectives into global creativity while staying connected to the culture and sensibilities of each place we work in.” Black Cat White Cat Music currently operates across Tokyo, Tallinn and Austin, continuing to expand its international network across music, film, advertising and culture.
