Yuan (Ringo) Yao

Profile

I am currently a PhD candidate at the School of Media and Communication, University of Leeds. My research explores popular music production and gender within China’s music industry. This research is informed by over five years of experience in this industry, where I specialised in music copyright and licensing. I have contributed to both the publishing and recorded music sectors, including roles at Warner Chappell and a prominent local record label.

Research interests

• Popular music and the recording industry, with a focus on labour, authorship, and autonomy
• Gender, feminism, and queer theories
• Platformisation and music platforms
• Celebrity, stardom, and persona

Qualifications

• MA, The University of Manchester