The Great Escape 2023 to showcase 500+ artists
The Great Escape‘s head of music Adam Ryan has previewed tomorrow’s return of the UK showcase festival and convention in an interview with IQ.
The event, which is operated by Live Nation’s MAMA, will feature over 500 artists from around the world – more than even the BBC Proms – at 35-plus venues across Brighton from 10-13 May.
Spotlight shows will be headlined by Unknown T at Concorde 2 (presented by UTA), Maisie Peters (presented by TGE) and Arlo Parks (presented by Rolling Stone UK), both at Brighton Dome, while stage hosts will include Amazon Music, TikTok, the Royal Albert Hall, Speedy Wunderground and Transgressive.
Ryan says the festival’s mission remains to “showcase the best new artists from around the globe”.
“It’s important that we are helping export offices and the showcase artists from their country,” he tells IQ. “But at its core it is music discovery so we will focus on new and emerging talent and that is always the remit.”
“I don’t think we’ll ever increase the number of artists – 500 is a lot, but it still helps us have cut through”
Leading music talent agencies will be hosting showcases throughout the festival. WME’s showcase will kick off the TGE Beach Stage on Thursday 11 May featuring Hot Wax, Maeve, Saint Harison, May and Future Utopia. ATC Live’s line-up takes over Komedia Basement the same day with Sam Akpro, Billie Marten, Willie J Healey, Blondshell, Enumclaw and Deadletter.
+44 from Amazon Music will also be showcasing an evening of Black music artists with +44 Live presents TGE Beach on the Amazon Music Stage on Saturday 13 May. The line-up will be headlined by K-Trap, who will be joined by AntsLive, Miss LaFamilia,Zakhar and Shae Universe.
“We try to showcase as many genres within the limitation of the venues that we have. The key is to align with credible partners to make sure that we’re doing those genres justice,” explains Ryan.
“I don’t think we’ll ever increase the number of artists – 500 is a lot, but it still helps us have cut through in terms of the artists not being lost. We have about 5,000 delegates from around the globe attend each year and we’d like to expand that; we’d definitely like to try and get that as diverse as possible and be a leading force in diversifying and making the music industry more of a representation of society.
“We’d like to sell more tickets, obviously, because we’re a business, But it’s trying to do it in the in the right way that’s going to enhance The Great Escape and also enhance the music industry going forward.”
“There’s nothing that will ever replicate the feeling of being in a room watching somebody perform”
Ryan also offers his thoughts on the question marks regarding the health of the UK music scene’s talent pipeline.
“I hate that phrase – talent pipeline – but I understand that it’s a business and that’s why we refer to it like that,” he says. “I just find it a bit crude to people’s art that [it’s referred to] as going into a pipeline. But I find it interesting that the speed at which artists can get local, national or global recognition before they even have a live show.
“With TikTok, you could have a 20-second clip of one song generate 30/40/50 million streams, but the live show hasn’t even been thought about and there’s barely 15 minutes, let alone half an hour, to even one live performance. So I think that will have a knock on effect in terms of what can grow through to larger festival stages, but there’s always going to be an abundance of exciting artists making original music and doing it the old fashioned way of touring and playing live, because that just can’t be beaten. There’s nothing that will ever replicate the feeling of being in a room watching somebody perform.”
Italy is the festival’s lead country partner for 2023, and will host two special Italian showcases, titled La Festa, coordinated by Italia Music Export. Anna Bassy, San Soucis, and Maria Chiara Argiro will take to the stage at Patterns Upstairs on 11 May, and The Gluts, Milanosport, BLUEM, and Eugenia Post Meridiem will perform at Three Wise Cats on 12 May.
“It has been tough, but we’ve got there and we’re really, really happy with the line-up”
This year’s TGE conference programme, meanwhile, includes three full day strands curated by CMU – Music+Education (10 May), Music+Deals (11 May) and Music + The Creator Economy (12 May).
“For us, it’s important to have three topics and spend the day drilling into those topics and then hopefully, we can have a conclusion and make a change,” says Ryan.
Keynote speakers include Ticketmaster’s EVP of global music David Marcus, who will discuss the latest trends, innovations and opportunities in the live music and ticketing sector, and Afro Nation co-founder SMADE, who will tell the story of the festival’s creation and development. BPI and Youth Music chair Yolanda Brown, and songwriter, producer and PRS Members’ Council president Michelle Escoffery will also deliver keynotes.
In closing, Ryan adds that planning this year’s festival has not been without its challenges.
“Brighton is a fantastic place with lots of venues and all in walkable distance,” he says. “But with the current economic crisis and standards of living, and rents and rates going up, a lot of the venues have changed hands or changed names more so than previous years, or closed altogether. And it’s difficult to plan the footprint of the festival in November if a venue’s in limbo.
“Production costs have gone up, artists fees have gone up and it’s difficult for us because we’re not a greenfield site so it’s not just a matter of us selling a couple more thousand tickets – we’re limited to the venues that are in Brighton. So it has been tough, but we’ve got there and we’re really, really happy with the line-up and how we’re engaging with Brighton and representing new music in the city.”
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Q&A with BIME director Ruben Irisarri
BIME director Ruben Irisarri tells IQ that Colombia is “such an inspiring country for the music business” as the long-running Bilbao conference and showcase prepares for the second edition of its Bogota spin-off.
BIME Bogota, which debuted in 2022, will take place at the San Felipe Creative District from 3-7 May. Attendees will include professionals from organisations including Amazon, Billboard, Bizarro Live, Ditto, IFPI, Loud and Live, Netflix, Ocesa, Rolling Stone, Spotify, TBA Agency, TikTok, Vydia, Warner, WiZink Center and YouTube.
Hot topics on the programme will include Web 3.0 and artificial intelligence, ticket sales challenges and initiatives around the development of music cities.
“For us, it was always important to build some sort of bridge between Europe and America”
“For us, it was always important to build some sort of bridge between Europe and America,” explains Irisarri. “Making Bogota the second venue for BIME is a direct response to one of our main objectives since we began our journey with this international music meeting point. In the music industry, like in other cultural industries, language is a common element that facilitates relations between countries, cultures and scenes.
“During the last 10 years, we have been working on developing the network for the Spanish-speaking music industry and nowadays, after years of BIME Bilbao, the challenge has been to host the event in one of the most relevant Spanish-speaking music hubs.
“Bogotá has demonstrated that its richness in talent and creativity is now spreading around the world, beating charts and creating an incredible ecosystem for artists. So it became clear that Colombia would be the perfect place to host BIME thanks to its great cultural infrastructure and its location geographically as it represents the mid point for both South America and North America, allowing us to welcome a big number of international guests.”
“Changing the format to what we are doing now with the showcases across the city has been very successful”
The gathering will also include an extensive BIME Live programme, including live music, a vinyl market and the Open San Felipe x BIME festival. The concerts, which will feature 50 artists from 10 countries, will take place across five stages: three of them located in the Creative District and two night stages in The Ghetto Project venue.
“BIME originally had a bigger live section,” adds Irisarri. “This used to work like a traditional music festival with really big performances. However, changing the format to what we are doing now with the showcases across the city has been very successful. This is the way we want to define ourselves as a music meeting point, giving priority to the city where we are hosting the event and giving back to the music industry players today and tomorrow.”
Acts will include Ácido Pantera (CO), Amaia (ES), Briela Ojeda (CO), Cero39 (CO), Conjunto Media Luna (CO/AU), Delfina Dib (AR), Felipe Orjuela and the New Electronic Estudiantina (CO), Lika Nova (CO), Lucía Romero (UY), Lucio Feuillet (CO), L’Xuasma (CO), Los Bulldozer (CO/FR), Los Cotopla Boyz (US/AR), Motherflowers (VE), Mr. Bleat (CO), Nicolás y Los Fumadores (CO), Paula Pera and the End of Times (CO), Sobre Ondas (PY), Soul Bit (CO) and Susana Cala (CO).
‘We want BIME Bogota to be a bridge between continents but we also want it to be a useful resource for the music industry at all levels”
Here, in the following Q&A, Irisarri maps out his goals for the event, reveals the inspiration behind its Colombian expansion and discusses the country’s vibrant live music scene…
What are your main objectives for BIME Bogota?
“As I mentioned before, we want BIME Bogota to be a bridge between continents but we also want it to be a useful resource for the music industry at all levels, whether you are a senior industry professional or a student. BIME is the place where you can meet new agents of the sector and strengthen the relationships between professionals, find spaces for networking, but it’s also a space where you can be trained by watching panels, attending workshops and masterclasses, and enjoy live shows from some of the hottest up and coming artists.
“Elsewhere, innovation and trends in the industry are the main focus, but the feedback that we get from the attendees is the most valuable information for planning the next edition’s content curation. For senior professionals and entrepreneurs, panels and workshops are always useful and networking key for growing this ecosystem. This second edition of BIME Bogotá will be the next step to consolidate the event in Colombia and we are very happier working with such talented and creative people.”
What made you choose Colombia to host the conference?
“Colombia is such an inspiring country for the music business, music is everywhere, and there are incredibly talented and creative people and new music executives that are changing the game and scaling the business to the US as we have never seen before for Spanish-speaking music.”
“The previous edition in Bogota last May gathered 2,800 music industry professionals, with similar figures expected for the 2023 Bogota edition”
How did the first edition go last May?
“It was incredible, we can say that it was better than expected beating expectations we had. Both professional meetings and the live showcases had much higher attendance than the initial forecast. It was very rewarding to have the total support from local organisations like the Colombian Ministry of Culture and other local important institutions.
Mixing music live shows and professional content has been an absolute success and highlighted the vision that we have and the way we want to show our identity. The previous edition in Bogota last May gathered 2,800 music industry professionals, with similar figures expected for the 2023 Bogota edition.”
What synergies will there be between your Bilbao and Bogota events?
“The two meetings are connected in different ways, but we love the way that conversations take place on the two sides of the Atlantic. For artists, we open options to reach as many professionals and audiences as possible both in Spain and Colombia. It happens the same with other partners in the industry – institutions, brands, indie labels, booking agents, etc – where through participating in BIME, they can open up new audiences in territories where they would normally don’t operate.
“We design global strategies including both events to achieve common objectives. The BIME team is a big family with a team in each city, we work together throughout the year to make a unique strategy and some valuable content that is online on our website, available 24/7 across the year. The digital tools allow us to reach a broader community of professionals wherever they are and having in mind that some extra value of the community that we are building is keeping them linked throughout the year.”
“Colombia is right now the country with more artists in the charts after the US and with a very strong female talent scene”
What are your expectations for BIME’s live music showcases?
“We will have more than 40 performances of which approximately 25% are Colombian artists. BIME has an international perspective so it highlights the variety of artists coming from different places. For this edition, we will have artists from 11 different countries: Chile, Argentina, Brasil, Cuba, Uruguay, Canada, France, Spain, México, and Puerto Rico. These live shows in Bogotá will take place in the creative district of San Felipe, one of the locations will be the mythical venue The Ghetto – an incredible place that perfectly suits the identity of BIME.”
How healthy is the Colombian live music scene?
“I would say Colombia is right now the country with more artists in the charts after the US and with a very strong female talent scene. Probably reggaeton is the most recognisable genre for Colombian artists but the talent goes far beyond this genre, to pop, rock, indie, electronic, psychedelia, jazz, etc, making Colombia a very rich country in terms of music and culture.”
BIME Bilbao, which was launched 11 years ago, returns from 25-28 October.
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IFF announces 2023 edition with new venue
The ninth edition of the International Festival Forum (IFF) will take place at a new campus location this year in a move that allows an expanded programme and increased delegate numbers.
IFF, presented in association with TicketSwap, will take place in South London music venue Omeara from 26-28 September. The venue and surrounding spaces will form the IFF Campus and host booking agency and export office showcases, pop up offices, speed meetings, conference debates, parties and more.
Since launching in 2015, IFF has become the leading annual gathering for festivals and booking agents, bringing the industry’s principal buyers and sellers together each autumn, when conversations about the following year’s festival line-ups are well underway.
Booking agency partners on this year’s IFF include CAA, WME, Wasserman, UTA, X-ray Touring, Primary Talent, ATC Live, Earth Agency, Solo and many others. The 2023 edition is also backed by leading festival associations including the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), YOUROPE and international festivals federation DeConcert!
In addition, Music Venue Trust will host a National Lottery-funded ‘Revive Live’ show on the final night.
“We can’t wait to welcome the music festival community to London in a few short months”
“With around 1,000 delegates expected in 2023, representing tens of thousands of artists and over 750 festivals from around the globe, this year’s IFF is definitely moving up a gear,” says International Live Music Conference (ILMC) head Greg Parmley. “We can’t wait to welcome the music festival community to London in a few short months for this entirely in-person edition.”
Previous editions of IFF have included early performances from Lewis Capaldi, Tom Grennan, Yonaka, Bob Vylan, Sam Ryder, Slaves, Raye, Black Midi, Loyle Carner, Dermot Kennedy and Shame, among others.
Meanwhile, as a venue, Omeara boasts two live stages, and has hosted early London shows by the likes of Maggie Rogers, Julia Jacklin, Sam Fender and Idles. The venue opened its doors in Southwark in late 2016, bucking the trend for widespread venue closure across London at the time.
IFF is an invitation-only event organised by the ILMC. Full details, including how to apply to attend are at www.iff.rocks. A 90-second video summary about the event can be viewed below.
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Focus Wales unveils 2023 keynote speaker
Wales’ biggest music industry event Focus Wales has announced artist and producer Gerald Simpson, aka A Guy Called Gerald, as keynote speaker for its 2023 edition.
The festival will see over 400 music industry professionals, and 250+ acts descend upon Wrexham for three days of panels, keynote talks, and industry advice from 4-6 May.
Simpson will appear in conversation with BBC Radio Wales’ Aleighcia Scott to discuss his career in music, from growing up in Manchester, being a founding member of electronic group 808 State, and producing records for over 25 years.
Other conference panels include The Future of the European Festival Market, chaired by AAA, Equality and Class Parity in Music, The Use of Music on Screen, hosted by PRS for Music, and Creator to Fan: How are artists reaching audiences with their recorded music in 2023 and how has this changed?, presented by PPL. Power Up Wales will also be hosting a Black music action group roundtable, while additional presenter partners include MMF UK, British Council, Noise Unit PR and Gwyl Cymru.
Focus Wales is supported by Arts Council of Wales, PRS Foundation, and Welsh Government
Speakers and delegates participating include Cindy Castillo (Mad Cool Festival, Spain), Jean-Louis Brossard (Trans Musicales, France), Dev Sherlock (SXSW), Andrea von Foerster (Firestarter Music, USA), Emma Zillmann (Live Nation), Cecilia Soojeong Yi (DMZ Peace Train Festival, South Korea), Joy Warmann (Secretly Group), John Kennedy (Radio X), Ralf Niemczyk (Rolling Stone, Germany), Weining Hung (LUCfest, Taiwan), Chris Barrett (AAA) and Lauren Down (End of The Road Festival).
International showcases will be hosted by BreakOut West (Canada), M for Montreal (Canada), WHY Portugal, Ear Up Music Hong Kong, Catalan Arts, Fira B! (Spain), Music Nova Scotia, Liechtenstein Music Export and The Spanish Wave.
Artists playing Focus Wales 2023 include Billy Nomates, Squid, The Coral, Dream Wife, The Joy Formidable, Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage, Adwaith, Alaskalaska | Neue Grafik Ensemble, Opus Kink and A Guy Called Gerald, among many others.
Focus Wales is supported by Arts Council of Wales, PRS Foundation, and Welsh Government. Full three-day wristbands for admission to all Focus Wales events are available now.
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ESNS detail long-awaited in-person return
The final touches are being added to this year’s Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS), which will be the first in-person edition since 2019.
The showcase festival and conference returns to Groningen, the Netherlands, from 18 to 21 January, with a line-up of 290 emerging European artists.
“After staring at cold glassed screens for the last two editions of ESNS it is like a dream come true to finally organise an irl edition and to welcome delegates from all over the world to beautiful Groningen to celebrate our return with great European music and fantastic networking,” says Ruud Berends, head of conference & ESNS Exchange.
“I am looking forward to many essential panel discussions and keynotes about the complex issues we and our world are facing.”
The ILMC and IQ teams will be present at ESNS and lead several of the conference’s main sessions.
ILMC head Greg Parmley will moderate the ever-popular Festival Panel on Thursday (19 January), during which Thomas Sonderby Jepsen (Roskilde, DK), Fruzsina Szép (Superbloom, DE), Kem Lalot (Eurockéennes) and Pavla Slivova (Colours of Ostrava) will outline just what makes their festival so unique and how they weathered the last few years.
The following day, Parmley will steer The Agents Panel, featuring Adele Slater (Wasserman Music), Jess Kinn (One Finiix Live), Summer Marshall (CAA) and Andy Duggan (WME).
“I am looking forward to many essential panel discussions and keynotes about the complex issues we are facing”
The assembled agents will discuss how they have survived Covid-19, what strategies they’re putting in place for their artists in 2023 and beyond, and how they’re continuing to grow their client’s live careers.
Elsewhere, IQ Magazine editor Gordon Masson will conduct a keynote interview with Robert Grima, president of Live Nation Spain, on Thursday.
The conversation will delve into Grima’s 30 years’ worth of experience in the industry, discovering what still drives his passion for live music; his unfaltering determination to care for his artists; and his unique vision that has helped Live Nation Madrid become a powerhouse promoter in the global business.
Masson has also been enlisted for a keynote conversation with global superstar Dua Lipa and her manager and father, Dugi on Saturday 21 January. The pair will discuss their philanthropic efforts with Sunny Hill festival in their native Kosovo, as well as Dua’s style, culture, and society editorial platform, Service95, and accompanying podcast Dua Lipa: At Your Service.
Meanwhile, IQ‘s deputy news editor Lisa Henderson will chair Grassroots touring is fucked, what are you going to do about it? on Thursday with Mark Davyd (Music Venue Trust), Rev. Moose, Marauder (NIVA), Audrey Guerre (LiveDMA) and Max van Bossé (Melkweg).
Henderson will also moderate Future Fit Festival, presented by Yourope/3F, on Friday. This panel will see Christof Huber (Gadget abc Entertainment Group AG, Yourope), Pavla Slivova (Colours of Ostrava), Stephan Thanscheidt (FKP Scorpio) and Maiju Talvisto (Flow Festival) discuss what makes European festivals resilient to meet the challenges of the future.
For more information on ESNS 2023 or to buy tickets, click here.
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US conference organisers toast sell-out debut
A new US live music production conference is set to become an annual event following its sold-out debut.
Around 600 business professionals attended the inaugural Conference Live At Lititz, which took place on the Rock Lititz campus in Lititz, Pennsylvania from 7-9 December.
Organised by industry veterans Charlie Hernandez, Jake Berry, Marty Hom and Stuart Ross, in partnership with the Rock Lititz Community, the gathering was geared at people of all stages of their career and offered panels, one-to-one conversations, product demonstrations, tours and networking opportunities.
Topics covered included mental health, training, health and safety, logistical challenges, diversity and sustainability, as well as case studies on Newport Festival and Bring Me The Horizon’s Post Human Tour.
“We are very proud of the inaugural conference, and have been excited to hear really positive feedback from everyone who attended,” organisers tell IQ. “That being said, we plan to blow this one out of the water next year. Our team worked really hard to make sure that everyone who came here, from speakers to sponsors to guests, was treated with respect and welcome.”
“The conference itself is representative of what we hope to achieve – a united industry who care about the next generation”
Speakers included the likes of Live Nation’s Alison Larkin, Tres Thomas, Johnel Evans and Steve Lawler, A Greener Festival’s (AGF) Claire O’Neill and Jamal Chalabi, Imagine Dragons tour manager JT Taylor and Pink and Stevie Nicks tour manager Malcolm Weldon.
“It would be hard to pick a favourite moment, but we realised the first night that we were on to something special,” add organisers. “We had people thanking our staff and congratulating us on a great event before we even started content. Everyone was so happy to be together, and the mood was so positive and upbeat.
“We also felt like our speakers delivered in a way that was real and impactful. No one shied away from hard topics or challenging conversations, and we think that is necessary to move the industry forward.
“There were so many people who worked together, across companies and sections of the industry, to make this conference happen. We think the conference itself is representative of what we hope to achieve – a united industry who care about the next generation.”
“We’ve made some amazing connections who can effect significant change, shared what we have learned, and are positive about what lies ahead”
AGF presented a case study on best practices and lessons learned from Bring Me The Horizon’s Post Human Tour to show how touring can become more sustainable.
“I broke my no flying rule to attend this conference,” says AGF CEO O’Neill. “The excellent team at The Conference Live At Lititz gave the opportunity to help some of the worlds leading touring production companies to change business as usual and reduce emissions.
“It cost 2 tonnes of carbon to get there and back, and so we must prevent at very least 10 times that with the touring industry this year ahead as a result. We’ve made some amazing connections who can effect significant change, shared what we have learned, and are positive about what lies ahead.”
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Event Production Forum East sets return date
The Event Production Forum East (EPFE) is returning for its sixth year to the Budapest Arena in Hungary on 4 November.
Organised by Carl A H Martin and Máté Horvath, the gathering attracts event professionals, technicians, bookers and entrepreneurs from production, venue management, promotion, hospitality, and suppliers.
Delegates will enjoy a day of networking, centred around four panels, presented in association with Platinum partner EPS and Gold partners Visual Europe Group and Continest KFT.
“People from outside could learn a lot, so we encourage everyone across Europe to join us”
“In the ever-changing landscape of events it feels particularly important to bring together event professionals to discuss the range of challenges and opportunities they face collectively,” says Martin. “We have always looked to create a relaxed, interactive forum, where delegates can listen, learn, talk and share ideas.
“Although the outside world does tend to label this region as a ‘developing market’, it is not true. I recall when Bryan Grant from Britannia Row Productions was a panel member two or three years ago and told delegates that ‘the industry is as advanced here as it is throughout the western world, it just doesn’t shout about it!’ People from outside could learn a lot, so we encourage everyone across Europe to join us.”
Panels will include The Mature And The Newcomers, moderated by Lina Ugrinovska from Macedonia’s Banana & Salt, which will see young and old talk about experience and communication, while The Weather Today Is ****! session will feature panellists including Sziget Cultural Management head of production Benis Dániel and Dax Cochran, Weather Risk Consultant from DTN , who will offer advice on mitigating the vagaries of the weather.
In Those That Know, Edmond Lenarth from the Electric Castle festival in Romania, and Neil Burke from the Archetype company in Dublin, Ireland, will discuss the various production necessities of organising events under the moderation of Martina Pogacic, from Show Production in Zagreb.
The closing Dinosaur Session, meanwhile, will bring together industry veterans to share their career experiences and pass on knowledge.
“The pandemic has reinforced the value of people getting together to collaborate and conduct business”
Special guest will be Martin Goebbels, head of music and touring from Miller Insurance Services, who will talk with Martin to give guidance and advising about insurance to delegates.
This year marks the return of EPFE as an in-person event after being held as a virtual conference following the onset of Covid-19.
“The pandemic has reinforced the value of people getting together to collaborate and conduct business, so we delighted to be inviting people to join us in Budapest this November,” adds Budapest-based promoter Horvath, who was recently hired by Live Nation CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) to grow the music business in the Hungarian market and other Eastern European countries.
Tickets for the event are available now, priced HUF30,000 (€70).
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Exploring the future of music in the Middle East
Exploring the future of music in the Middle East through the lens of innovation…
The world is seeing exciting change on all fronts and the music industry is no different. To mirror these developments and build on them, MDLBeast, a Saudi music entertainment company, launched the XP Music Futures conference in 2021, with a mission to become the key accelerator of music in the Middle East and, in turn, help increase the region’s GDP. Last year’s event was a huge success, attracting 4,700 attendees, 150 local, regional and international speakers, and industry experts representing 25 countries.
XP Music Futures has already managed to cement its position as one of the Middle East music industry’s most influential events. The conference returns to Saudi Arabia for a second edition this year, and is set to kickstart Riyadh’s loudest week, taking place 28-30 November ahead of the region’s biggest music festival, Soundstorm, which runs 1-3 December. Already much anticipated, XP Music Futures 2022 will showcase ongoing initiatives and lead conversations around the conditions and infrastructures needed for a thriving music ecosystem by assembling the world’s brightest minds to create an industry-leading blueprint for innovation, self-expression and commercial success for music.
At the heart of that will be focused on four key building blocks: Talent, Scene, Impact and Innovation. The pillars will be discussed in multiple session formats, including workshops, keynotes, panel discussions and fishbowl sessions. This feature looks ahead to XP Music Futures’ Innovation pillar, the newest addition to the conference’s discussion blocks and certainly one of its most exciting.
Dedicated to being an inclusive and representative platform for the region’s music industry, XP is working with a Board of Advocates and Advisors as one way to achieve such diversity. This board includes LA-based artist, musician and technologist Arabian Prince, who is obsessed with innovation, digital technology, and music production and who shared his thoughts around innovation in the Middle Eastern music scene ahead of this year’s event.
“You can create music from anywhere now and it allows the new generation of creators to be free to express themselves much quicker”
Arabian Prince, Kim Renard Nazel said: “The fact that everyone has a computer in their pocket in the form of a smartphone is amazing. You can create music from anywhere now and it allows the new generation of creators to be free to express themselves much quicker than back in the day when we needed big synths and sequencers as well as recording studios to create music.
“I will be at XP once again this year to help expand the thinking and possibilities of new ideas in music and innovation, bringing technics, workshops and creative ideas that will help the region flourish in the music industry. Music is the language of the world, the one thing we all have in common is our love for music. New technology can help with the learning curve and knowledge. I can’t wait to see what this journey will bring, I am excited.”
Nada Alhelabi is strategy director of MDLBeast and the programme director for XP Music Futures. She shared her excitement about bringing the subject of innovation to the fore at this year’s conference edition.
She said: “Developments in digital technologies have resulted in monumental changes in most aspects of the music industry. XP is aiming to be the forerunner in the country when it comes to innovation in music and creative industries; therefore, adding innovation as one of our main pillars this year was a no-brainer.”
“Amongst the many sessions we’ve got at this year’s XP Music Futures, we will discuss Immersive Technology, Web3, Metaverse and Digital Disruption”
Innovation has always played a huge role in building and shaping the music industry, not only in the region but also on a global scale. It has changed the way people create music & evolve in the music scene. As a fact digital distribution is now accessible for any artist without even having to be signed to any labels. Our innovation pillar was introduced so that our region can gain expert insights and advice from leading music stars, tech icons, startups, investors and industry-relevant leaders. As the world is evolving around innovations, so is XP Music Conference.
“Through the innovation pillar and technology, music creators have the opportunity to present their business ideas to professionals within their industry to get their advice, discuss potential challenges, suggestions for improvement and precise guidance on how to spark the attention of potential investors.”
Looking ahead to XP 2022, Alhelabi revealed a selection of the must-attend sessions that will lead on innovation this November.
“Amongst the many sessions we’ve got at this year’s XP Music Futures, we will discuss Immersive Technology, Web3, Metaverse and Digital Disruption,” said Alhelabi.
These will be presentations, panel discussions and AMAs. We have an Immersive Technology workshop which will be a destination offering virtual, mixed and augmented reality to showcase the transformation of the music industry as it enters a new dimension. Web3, the new iteration of blockchain technology, incorporating concepts such as cryptocurrency, DAOs and NFTs, will be addressed through panels, keynote and networking sessions. As for the Metaverse segment, activities like Fishbowl, Roundtable and Think Tank will focus on understanding the metaverse through the eyes of the pioneers in this field.
“Lastly, Digital Disruption sessions will be in the form of panel discussions, presentations and AMAs (ask me anything). They will showcase innovations that highlight the nuances of live concerts in gaming environments.”
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Details announced of first Andalusia Music Forum
The first speakers have been announced for the debut edition of the Andalusia Music Forum (AMF), a gathering for the international music industry in southern Europe.
Scheduled for 5-7 September at the Albeniz Cinema in Málaga, Spain, AMF will feature panels, workshops and master classes featuring the likes of Raye Cosbert (Metropolis Music), Rob Challice (Wasserman Music), Alexandra Ampofo (Metropolis), Jess Kinn (One Fiinix Live), Nuria Rico (Live Nation), Cindy Castillo (Mad Cool), Sergio Arbelaez (FIMPRO), Chucky Garcia (Rock al Parque) and Diana Dadonova (Ukraine Music Export).
The event’s mission is to create direct networking opportunities, as well as generating a space to unify the annual goals and objectives of the sector.
Mexico will serve as the guest country for the inaugural AMF
Mexico will serve as the guest country for the inaugural AMF and will be showcased via presentations, conversations, round tables and special performances.
Other speakers will include Fran Sandoval (Chilemusica), Amie Therrien (MMF Canada), Anna Rodriguez (International Music Managers Forum), Camilo Lara (Instituto Mexicano del Sonido) and Fabrizio Onetto (Seitrack). The full programme will be announced shortly.
AMF is part of the Andalusia Big by Mad Cool project, which also includes the new 30,000-cap Andalusia Big Festival, which will take place near Sacaba Beach from 8–10 September, with headliners Muse and Jamiroquai.
The ministry of tourism is reportedly dedicating €4m of its EU funds to the festival in order to bring tourism to the area outside the normal peak season.
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XP Music Futures conference gears up for sequel
XP Music Futures is set to return to Riyadh from 28-30 November as the most forward-thinking gathering of music leaders in the region.
One of the most exciting developments taking place in Saudi Arabia has been the emergence of a vibrant music industry. There is immense opportunity and talent present today ready to hit stages and share their sounds worldwide. Studies show that the MEA music market is expected to grow by up to 16.5% by 2027, reaching $670.03 million – and MDLBeast, a Saudi music entertainment company, is playing a significant role in supporting this growth.
At the core of this musical and cultural transformation is XP Music Futures – MDLBeast’s music conference, set to take place for its second edition from 28-30 November 2022. As the warm-up to Saudi’s seismic weekend EDM festival, Soundstorm (taking place 1-3 December), XP will once again attract many of the most exciting young, up-and-coming talent from across the region and around the world, plus a packed guestlist of globally respected artists, producers, and music makers.
Last year’s breakout year in 2021, saw over 4,500 attendees, all of which had one key purpose, to grow and build the regional music infrastructure, with a focus across four central pillars: Talent, Scene, Impact and Innovation touchpoints considered vital to further establishing and building greater regional infrastructure around artists and the wider music ecosystem.
If we look at the “Impact” pillar a little closer, we can see a focus on the positive reach of music culture wider into communities and other areas such as wellbeing, equality, and sustainability. Energetic activations included fishbowl sessions and passionate panel discussions covering the means of hosting safe events in collaboration with public health institutions, several empowering stories of female musicians in emerging markets, and the building of an environmentally sustainable touring model within the Middle East music industry, and much more.
Today, we catch up with multi-media artist, actor and professor, Yassin “Narcy” Alsalman; entrepreneur Lindi Delight, founder of De Light Management; Lutz Leichsenring, co-founder of VibeLab; and Jane Slingo, director at VibeLab, to talk us through their experience at XP 2021, and the elements they believe were needed to create impact in the music industry and beyond…
“It was very inspiring to see the showcased artists and collectives perform in their own city, some for the very first time”
Talking about experiencing XP for the first time…
Lindi Delight: At certain times, it felt very emotional and humbling. I had no expectations traveling to Saudi to attend XP, however, I was truly blown away by the nationals. Their generosity and openness and welcoming nature was incredible to experience. Even better, it was amazing to see so many women at the music conference ready to begin the work needed to develop the music industry for themselves, and others, either as artists or music industry professionals. During the night program of the conference, I visited the different stages to discover the local talent performing. It was very inspiring to see the showcased artists and collectives perform in their own city, some for the very first time. I would never have thought that I would ever witness such a music scene in Saudi Arabia in my lifetime, let alone contribute to its growth and development. It was an honour and I’m excited of being part of this year’s programming team.”
The audience believed that they are the drivers of societal change…
Lutz Leichsenring: “The first thing I noticed is the participants’ appreciation and enthusiasm to learn and discuss different aspects of the Impact pillar during our fishbowl sessions.”
Lindi: “After each of the sessions I was involved in, many young women came over to speak with me about what they learned, and how exciting it was for them to see international industry professionals travel to Saudi to share their experiences and insights in efforts to advance the music scene. They were very pleased to know there was room for them in the industry as well – highlighting the importance of equality and empowering stories of female artists.”
“We need to pass down the codes to the youth now, not later”
Education and mentorship are key aspects to have the aspired Impact…
Yassin “Narcy” Alsalman: “We need to pass down the codes to the youth now, not later. This will activate the cultural space in a unique and non-conformist way. Most of the time, in the region, there seems to be a transactional relationship around gatekeeping the industry. We need to break that down and just mentor youth, empower through confidence all while building new, fresh infrastructure and representation outside of the region.”
Jane Slingo: “The developed music world is going through a process of ‘unlearning’ practices and systems that don‘t support a thriving, and sustainable music ecosystem. Impact through XP has a significant opportunity to build this new music ecosystem with diverse representation and support for the mental well-being of creators and workers at the forefront. When the industry has diverse representation and well-supported mental health, the more exciting and respected, the more profitable it is. To achieve this, the focus should be on authentic international exchange, willingness for change, and a commitment to applying the learnings from other countries’ failures to the development of the local industry.”
“XP is evolving and adapting to the topics that are relevant to today’s industry ecosystem”
On the promotion of impact in MENA…
Narcy: “I believe that it could be achieved through regional grant systems like models in parts of Europe and Canada. The youth would benefit from artistic funding, a way to sustain themselves outside of general systems of funding art projects. This would be groundbreaking for the youth in the MENA region.”
Lutz: “I believe that it needs efforts from the top-down and bottom-up to promote Impact.”
Wrapping up the talk with a sneak peek into the XP 2022…
Lindi: “We have created a forward-thinking and diverse program for the next edition of XP that we’re all excited about. This includes a wide range of topics such as sustainability, Web3, the Metaverse, immersive technology, music policies, professionalisation, music production, data collection, and analytics to name a few. XP is evolving and adapting to the topics that are relevant to today’s industry ecosystem – this is what we need for the music scene in Saudi and around the world. We will also be introducing sessions in Arabic to increase the engagement of the local community. We aim to captivate the minds of the audience with thought-provoking insights, and future-proof careers through robust knowledge transfer from regional and international industry experts to existing and aspiring music industry professionals.”
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