UNIFIED Management Adds Duo Behind Viral Track 'Freaked Out' to Its Roster
Fat Papi and producer prodshushy have signed with UNIFIED Artist Management, becoming the first acts added since the company launched its New Zealand office. Their song "Freaked Out" has amassed billions of views across TikTok and YouTube Shorts, and gave Fat Papi his first Billboard Hot 100 appearance. The Auckland-based Kurdish artist has been releasing music independently since 2023.
Fat Papi, born Baban Hussain, has built his catalog independently since 2023, releasing music without major label backing before the viral breakthrough. His collaborator prodshushy operates from Perth, Australia, making the duo a trans-Tasman partnership that bridges two regional music scenes. The track "Freaked Out" gained traction through summer haircut-themed content, accumulating roughly 7 billion TikTok views and 9 billion YouTube Shorts views, while pushing Fat Papi toward 10 million monthly Spotify listeners. The single reached No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 55 on the Billboard Global 200, with a current No. 2 placement on YouTube's US Top Songs on Shorts. The management signing follows a recent worldwide publishing agreement with Warner Chappell Music, and both deals arrive as UNIFIED expands its footprint in New Zealand under senior artist manager Matt Harvey.
This signing may signal how viral social media success is reshaping traditional artist management pathways, particularly for creators from smaller music markets like New Zealand. Independent artists who achieve breakout moments online could now access institutional support that was previously harder to reach, potentially diversifying the global pop landscape. The arrangement may also encourage other management firms to scout talent through short-form video platforms rather than conventional industry channels, which could shift how emerging artists are discovered and developed.