‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ Mashups, Saudi Power Shift and Wellness Music Fuel All That Matters Debate

An influential group of executives from the sports, gaming, music, marketing, and tech sectors convened at Singapore's All That Matters conference to dissect the future of entertainment. The panel, led by Branded's CEO Jasper Donat, included perspectives from PCP Capital Partners' Amanda Staveley, Nodwin Gaming's Akshat Rathee, Heineken's Gita de Beer, Lamina1's Rebecca Barkin, and Calvin Wong of Universal Music Group.

Amanda Staveley, whose investment firm PCP Capital Partners has major stakes in global sports and media, revealed plans for a new fund dedicated to these industries. She described sports content as remaining exceptionally valuable but noted that younger audiences demand cutting-edge, interactive delivery. Staveley also highlighted a significant industry shift toward direct-to-consumer models, estimating that implementing such a framework for a property like England's Premier League—a competition with a massive global following and multi-billion dollar broadcast deals—would require a capital investment of six to seven billion pounds (approximately $8-9.4 billion).

The conversation turned to gaming's rapid evolution with Akshat Rathee, who noted a crucial demographic tipping point: the global gaming audience is now younger on average, with the median player age dropping by roughly seven months annually. He also identified a geopolitical shift, stating that "power in gaming is moving from China to Saudi Arabia," alongside the industry's broader pivot from PC to mobile-first development. Looking ahead, Rathee predicted that smart glasses from tech giants like Meta, Google, and Amazon will eventually make smartphones redundant for gaming. He foresees the next generation of hit games originating from fan communities, much like mods such as "Counter-Strike" and "Dota" evolved into standalone, long-running franchises. As one industry analyst noted, "The distinction between player and creator is dissolving, transforming consumers into active architects of the entertainment they consume."

For global brands seeking relevance, Gita de Beer outlined three critical success factors: speed, deep localization, and the intense battle for consumer attention. She argued that while brands must think globally, they must operate with a "very hard local soul." De Beer also warned that the window to capture a consumer's focus has shrunk to less than a single second. Rebecca Barkin of Lamina1—a web3 platform co-founded by Neal Stephenson, the sci-fi author who originally coined the term "metaverse" in his seminal 1992 novel *Snow Crash*—stressed the importance of decentralized systems. She explained that creators have historically had to surrender intellectual property rights to gain distribution. In response, Lamina1 is constructing blockchain-based ecosystems to overhaul content economics, enabling IP owners to forge direct fan connections, participate in collaborative world-building, and secure a more substantial and fair share of both ownership and profits.

Universal Music Group's Calvin Wong concluded by reiterating that copyright protection and long-term artist development are central to the company's strategy. He cautioned that without a supportive environment, "music will become a lot more boring," pointing to the meticulously planned, multi-year career ascent of global star Sabrina Carpenter as an exemplary model. Wong also highlighted the growing international appeal of Asian artists, referencing live performer Abangsapau, a Malay-Sikh rapper signed to DEF Jam Southeast Asia, as well as Indian rapper Hanumankind and Thai acts now achieving sold-out shows in Japan. Furthermore, he detailed UMG's expansion into "music for wellness," a new venture that involves licensing pop music for use in focus, relaxation, and sleep apps—a initiative pursued only with the explicit permission of the artists involved. This year's event celebrates the 20th anniversary of All That Matters, which has expanded from its origins as a music conference into a major summit covering sports, gaming, web3, marketing, and digital content.