diff --git a/matcha/utils/rich_utils.py b/matcha/utils/rich_utils.py
index f602f6e..1f1d6fe 100644
--- a/matcha/utils/rich_utils.py
+++ b/matcha/utils/rich_utils.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def print_config_tree(
 
     # save config tree to file
     if save_to_file:
-        with open(Path(cfg.paths.output_dir, "config_tree.log"), "w") as file:
+        with open(Path(cfg.paths.output_dir, "config_tree.log"), "w", encoding="utf-8") as file:
             rich.print(tree, file=file)
 
 
@@ -97,5 +97,5 @@ def enforce_tags(cfg: DictConfig, save_to_file: bool = False) -> None:
         log.info(f"Tags: {cfg.tags}")
 
     if save_to_file:
-        with open(Path(cfg.paths.output_dir, "tags.log"), "w") as file:
+        with open(Path(cfg.paths.output_dir, "tags.log"), "w", encoding="utf-8") as file:
             rich.print(cfg.tags, file=file)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index a49c2cc..f9fd37e 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -16,9 +16,14 @@ with open("README.md", encoding="utf-8") as readme_file:
     README = readme_file.read()
 
 cwd = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-with open(os.path.join(cwd, "matcha", "VERSION")) as fin:
+with open(os.path.join(cwd, "matcha", "VERSION"), encoding="utf-8") as fin:
     version = fin.read().strip()
 
+def get_requires():
+    requirements = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "requirements.txt")
+    with open(requirements, encoding="utf-8") as reqfile:
+        return [str(r).strip() for r in reqfile]        
+
 setup(
     name="matcha-tts",
     version=version,
@@ -28,7 +33,7 @@ setup(
     author="Shivam Mehta",
     author_email="shivam.mehta25@gmail.com",
     url="https://shivammehta25.github.io/Matcha-TTS",
-    install_requires=[str(r) for r in open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "requirements.txt"))],
+    install_requires=get_requires(),
     include_dirs=[numpy.get_include()],
     include_package_data=True,
     packages=find_packages(exclude=["tests", "tests/*", "examples", "examples/*"]),