MIDEM 2019 NEWS by MIDEM

NEWS

4-7 JUNE 2019 • CANNES, FRANCE • MIDEM.COM 031_CEE_N_DEM

TALENT

IDEAS

FEMI KUTI The Afrobeat icon shares his vision on the future of African music

SYLVIA RHONE Epic Records’ CEO on the protection of artists and creativity

TROY CARTER Atom Factory’s founder keynotes on the future of music ADVERTISEMENT

Creative Europe

is the European Union’s programme supporting culture and creativity Support for music comes within the actions of the Culture sub-programme and includes: • cooperation between cultural and creative organisations from different countries • networks helping the cultural and creative sector to operate competitively and transnationally • platforms to promote emerging artists and stimulate European programming Creative Europe also supports emerging artists with the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards, the EU prize for popular and contemporary music. These awards celebrate new and border-breaking artists and aim at recognising their success in countries other than their own. In addition, with support from Creative Europe, several initiatives have been launched since 2014 to strengthen further the promotion of Europe's musical diversity. To learn more about the EU's activities relating to the music sector, visit the Music Moves Europe pavilion on the 4th floor (Palais 4) or consult the European Commission's website https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creativeeurope/actions/music-moves-europe_en

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WELCOME

“Music and talents are the centre of our global industry” Midem director Alexandre Deniot spoke to the Midem News about what delegates can expect from the global music gathering this year

What are the key topics at Midem this year? “More than ever before, artists and creativity will be at Midem’s core. Music and talents are the centre of our global industry. That’s why we developed many new initiatives to reinforce Midem as the place where the industry can create music as well as business opportunities.” Are there any specific regions in the world that Midem considers as music hot spots? “For the second year in a row, we are running our High Potential Markets programme. I recently returned from our annual Midem African Tour that took place in Cameroon, Senegal and Nigeria. It is very important for us to go there, meet people and bring them together to connect. Our goal is to create bridges between local creative gems and the rest of the international music community. We were also in Rio de Janeiro last November to launch the first Midem Latin American Forum. This part of the world is the global music market’s fastest growing region and, as a matter of fact, several Latin artists are currently behind the boards of many hits. We are connecting our community globally.” A growing number of artists are taking control of their careers

and their public voice. What are the Midem initiatives regarding this trend? “This year we are launching the Artist Hub, a brand-new area dedicated to artists and talent development with a dedicated programme. This will be the perfect spot for artists and entrepreneurs to share ideas, find inspiration and talk to their peers. We will host inspirational sessions to guide, support and inform artists, including masterclasses from Blur’s David Rowntree and Lady Gaga producer DJ White Shadow. There will also be talks from Israeli psytrance electronic duo Infected Mushroom and French ‘baby rockers’ BB Brunes.”

gae legends Ken Boothe, Cedric Myton, Winston McAnuff and Kiddus I. Midem delegates will also be treated to a live show by the Inna De Yard artists, when they light up the Midem Beach, opening their European concert tour, preceded by the the world premiere screening of their music documentary Inna De Yard. How is the growing influence of streaming services reflected at Midem? “Streaming has helped our industry grow and it is an amazing way to reach diverse audiences. This year the Midem Streaming Summit gives speakers the opportunity to discuss key related topics such as how music — considered local a few years ago — is now becoming truly international. That specific subject will be part of our hip-hop focus sessions, presented in collaboration with A3C Festival & Conference.”

What can delegates expect on the Midem live stages? “The Midem line-up is probably the most diverse and dynamic in the world. The perfect opportunity to discover and experience the new sounds. This year, artists are coming from Puerto Rico, Japan, South Africa, Denmark, the UK and many other parts of the world. Our primary goal is to provide emerging artists an efficient platform to showcase their creativity and their talent to the industry’s top executives. We also have the honour and privilege to welcome the Jamaican artists’ collective Inna De Yard, celebrating the work of regMIDEM NEWS

How does the conference programme reflect the key trends in the industry? There will be more than 350 inspirational speakers at Midem this year. The overall level of our keynotes is always amazing. We’re also very sensitive to gender diversity and we are dedicated to providing a platform that respects and pro 3

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motes equality and diversity. We are proud to welcome five Powerhouse Women to keynote at Midem this year: Sylvia Rhone, chairman & CEO, Epic Records, USA; Dina LaPolt, president, LaPolt Law, USA; Dia Simms, president of Combs Enterprises, USA; Rebecca Leon, CEO & co-founder, Lionfish Entertainment and manager of J Balvin, Juanes and Rosalia, USA; and Marsha Vlasic, president, Artist Group International (USA) What else is happening that will make Midem 2019 memorable? Because this year will focus on artists, we will install a fully functional recording studio right in front of the Palais, as part of the Midem Studio Sessions by Dynaudio. Everyone in Cannes will have the opportunity to watch international artists recording tracks live. This unique experience will transport delegates deep into the heart of the creative and recording process. This year also marks the fifth anniversary of our Midem Artist Accelerator and the second edition of the Midem Songwriting Camp. Every night an amazing artist line-up offers back-to-back concerts on the magnificent Midem Beach.” n

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CONTENTS WHERE BUSINESS HAPPENS

WHERE TALENT SHINES

CROSS-BORDER MUSIC

FEMI KUTI

‘Music is as important as law or medicine’

Breaking down the musical barriers

HIGH POTENTIAL MARKETS

SYLVIA RHONE; CHINA’S STARNEST NIGHT

WORLDWIDE HIP-HOP

Hip-hop is finding new fans all around the world

MIDEM ARTIST ACCELERATOR

MIDEM LIVE SUMMIT

Back in Cannes for a 12th year

Leading names discuss the future of live performance

MIDEM ARTIST HUB

JOEL KATZ; MUSIC & BRANDS

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Where artists get sound advice from the experts

Lawyer Joel Katz honoured; What music can do for brands

CONTENT CREATION IN CANNES

MUSIC MOVES EUROPE

The Midem Songwriting Camp; The Dynaudio pop-up studio

The European Commission outlines plans for music industry

WORLD MUSIC

SPOTLIGHT ON GERMANY

Taiwan Beats, live; Inna De Yard brings reggae to Cannes

Hip-hop and indies boost German music industry

ANNIVERSARIES

Epic Records’ Rhone gives a Midem Keynote; Chinese talent on stage

Celebrating the music of Africa and Latin America

China celebrates 10 years; Budde Music France celebrates 30 years

WHERE IDEAS GROW

MIDEM KEYNOTES

WHERE INNOVATION INSPIRES

STREAMING

Twitter’s Kevin O’Donnell; Atom Factory’s Troy Carter

BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING Women speak on issues facing women in the music industry

Midem focuses on the future of streaming

MUSIC AND ESPORTS 33

MIDEMLAB A GREAT TIME FOR INNOVATION

Opportunities for startups at Midem

Trade bodies join forces to allow independent voices to be heard

‘An opportunity for tech trailblazers to wow the industry’

Will esports heroes become the rock stars of the future?

GLOBAL INDIE VOICES

Summits debate copyright and law

THE OFFICIAL MIDEM NEWS • June 2019 DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Zilk MARKETING DIRECTOR Mathieu Regnault EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT EDITOR IN CHIEF Julian Newby DEPUTY EDITOR Debbie Lincoln HEAD OF GRAPHIC STUDIO Herve Traisnel GRAPHIC STUDIO MANAGER Frederic Beauseigneur GRAPHIC DESIGNER Carole Peres CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Stuart Dredge, Juliana Koranteng, Gary Smith EDITORIAL MANAGEMENT Boutique Editions Ltd. PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Martin Screpel PUBLISHING MANAGER Amrane Lamiri PRINTER Riccobono Imprimeurs, Le Muy (France) Reed MIDEM, a joint stock company (SAS), with a capital of €310.000, 662 003 557 R.C.S. NANTERRE, having offices located at 27-33 Quai Alphonse Le Gallo - 92100 BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT (FRANCE), VAT number FR91 662 003 557. Contents © 2019, Reed MIDEM Market Publications. Publication registered 2nd quarter 2019. ISSN 1147-6877. Printed on PEFC Certified Paper.

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Breaking down musical barriers

Ottawa Music Industry Coalition’s Nik Ives-Allison Iron Mountain Entertainment Services’ Heidi Shakespeare

Sound Diplomacy and Unison Rights’ Jordi Puy

Jordi Puy: “Music is a part of everyone’s lives and a key asset for every city”

IDEM’s role as a driver of international cross-border music trade, as well as being a hub of creative excellence, has never been more important to the industry’s future growth than in 2019. There is change in the air for the long-standing British presence as

Danish artist Lydmor, taking part in this year’s Midem Artist Accelerator programme

they take over the Midem Cafe and transform it into the Midem British Cafe. They will also host conference Never Mind The ‘B’ Word: UK’s Place In Global Market – A Story With A Happy Ending, in the Music Lab Room, plus two sessions of speed-meetings in the Networking Hub, where Vistex MIDEM NEWS

Music Norway’s Kathrine Synnes Finnskoo

and Horus Music will be among the companies present. Further specialised and in-depth focus sessions include Spotlight On Asia in the Worldwide Village; a plethora of national pavilions representing music from across the world; a Music Cities Spotlight in association with Sound 7

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Diplomacy; and the members of Scandinavian export bureau NOMEX holding a board meeting in Cannes during Midem. Commenting on the tangible benefits of considering music when planning and renovating cities, Jordi Puy, chief strategy officer, Sound Diplomacy and CEO,

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“MEET THE DUTCH IN ASSOCIATION WITH BUMA” You are invited to discuss all ins & outs of the Dutch Music Industry with the Dutch Music Industry delegates

Wednesday 5 th of June - 17.00 to 18.00 The networking Hub inside the Palais

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Unison Rights, said that music is a genuine asset to urban planners: ”Music is a part of everyone’s lives and a key asset for every city. When cities are planned for music, they develop a richer music ecosystem with more music and more artists. The cultural dynamism this brings not only gives residents the chance to experience more live music and live in a more vibrant city, but also results in economic growth for the city, as a thriving music city attracts companies, investors, tourists, talents and increased business opportunities for its citizens.” Addressing the presence of so many music cities at Midem, Nik Ives-Allison, executive director of the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition, expects to learn a lot. “I’m hoping that one of the things that we’ll be able to understand better by bringing so many different music cities together, is how to create sustainable success and ensure that we’re inclusive of the city as a whole. If our ultimate goal is to use music industry development and economic development more broadly to create vibrant, exciting cities that work for all residents, we need to make sure that we’re thinking about sustainability in everything we do.” Puy agreed: “This will be our first event in France and we’re hoping to be able to highlight how close co-operation and enhanced dialogue between our cities and the music industry can create benefits for both sides.” But it’s crucial that people don’t get forgotten when success comes. “We can’t lose sight of how important it is to ensure that the folks we’re serving — the artists, small venues, other grassroots spaces, emerging producers,

Country pavilions at Midem THIS year a total of 22 pavilions are established at the Palais des Festivals. These include five from France representing collection society SACEM; the Ministry of Culture; SCPP - the society of music producers; SPPF, the independent label body; plus the French Tech pavilion organised by Cap Digital. The Chilean ministry of Arts and Culture is also present, as is the Brazilian Pavilion, the China Pavilion, the German pavilion, as well as the Culture and Sports Ministry of Greece, plus Italian collection agency SIAE, the Midem British Cafe and a Nigeria/ Afrobeats Pavilion. Further pavilions come from (Music Export) Poland, South Africa/IMEXSA, Creative Catalonia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the USA, Canada and Israel Tech. who are the core of our industry — don’t become victims of this success,” Ives-Allison said. “We know that one of the most significant by-products of a successful music or broader cultural strategy is gentrification. We become so great at generating economic investment that those who led the movement are no longer able to create or even participate in the cities they’ve developed.” It would be no exaggeration to say that the UK is one of the modern music industry’s success stories. “The UK has always had a lively music scene, but it has gone from strength to strength over the last couple of years. For example, recorded music revenue in the UK increased by £109m in 2018 — up 8.9% year-on-year — marking an annual increase of more than £100m for the second year in a row,” commercial director, media and entertainment, western Europe at Iron Mountain Entertainment Services, Heidi Shakespeare, said. “More than 142 million albums or their equivalent were either streamed, purchased or downloaded in the UK in 2018 — at an estimated retail value of £1.33bn. At Midem, we’ll be using the event as an opportunity to speak to key industry influencers MIDEM NEWS

about the importance of preserving, future-proofing and monetising their valuable catalogues. Protecting physical tapes, hard drives and digital assets from issues such as damage, loss and cyber theft have become key challenges for record labels.” NOMEX, which originated in 2008 when export offices based in the Nordic region decided to set up a pan-Nordic platform to share information and best practices, is attending Midem in strength, bringing a wave of Scandinavian know-how and talent to Cannes this year. “I’m looking to get inspired and find new opportunities for the Norwegian music industry,“ Kathrine Synnes Finnskoo, CEO of Music Norway, said. “I meet my colleagues from Nomex five to seven times a year, and this year we have organised a board meeting at Midem to discuss future export efforts where we can join forces.” For Thomas Rohde, CEO, Music Export Denmark, the trip marks a chance to promote local artists. ”I am getting lots of good feedback from the Danish industry about Midem, which is why I am here. I want to check out the Midem Artist Accelerator programme, since Danish artist Iris 9

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Gold played there a couple of years ago and it really advanced her career. This year we have Lydmor, another Danish woman, in the programme.” Jesper Thorsson, CEO of Export Music Sweden, has been attending Midem for a long time. “The Swedish Music Industry has a long history attending Midem,” he said. “For us, it is great platform for meetings with our Asian and US partners, among others.” Midem’s concentration of Asian delegates is another mark of the event’s place at the centre of a global network. “Taking J-Pop to the global audience is always a huge challenge,” said Kazuhiro Shimada, corporate executive, commercial affairs, legal & business affairs at Universal Music Japan. “But if they adopt the global sound and get it right, there might be a chance for success. Some J-Pop bands — often influenced by the sound of global hit acts such as BTS and Blackpink — are known as idol groups in Japan and are also very popular outside Japan, for example King & Prince and HKT48.” According to Ray Waddell, president, media & conferences at Oak View Group/Pollstar, breaking artists pan-nationally brings new challenges. “The digital age has made global popularity and worldwide album launches and tours an attainable reality for many artists,” he said. “Today it’s geopolitical issues, currency fluctuations, and general divisiveness that must be top-ofmind, whereas once, the primary challenge was finding the right venue and support services in terms of ticketing, production, sponsorships, and vehicles for promotion.” n

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TURKISH MUSIC INDUSTRY CONFERENCE: TURKISH MUSIC GOES GLOBAL PALAIS DES FESTIVALS AUDITORIUM 1 05 JUNE 2019 11:00 AM-12:00 PM

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Cannes celebrates the music of Africa and Latin America

OkayAfrica’s Kam Tambini

The Orchard’s Laura Tesoriero

IDEM’s High Potential Markets Programme, which aims to connect the international industry with increasingly flourishing markets in Africa and Latin America, embarks on its second edition this year. Midem is hooking up with local artists, entrepreneurs and indus-

Transnet Music’s Iredumare Ojengbede Opeyemi

Lionfish Entertainment’s Rebeca Leon

try executives in these regions. Last year it launched a Midem African Forum roadshow, visiting South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Congo-Brazzaville. This year that continued to Senegal, Cameroon and Nigeria. The findings from these visits are being explored further durMIDEM NEWS

Deezer’s Jorge Rincon

SCM’s Solange Cesarovna

ing the African Forum sessions in Cannes, which include a special on-stage talk with Maleek Berry, the British-born Nigerian musician/producer who has worked with several current African international stars. Also look out for the keynote by musician Femi Kuti, the Grammy-nominated 11

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son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. “Midem’s initiatives for Africa have been innovative,” said Nosa Dag, director of African music company 6060 Music Group and founder of Afrobeat Network, an initiative to promote contemporary African repertoire internationally. “It is obvious that the

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African music market is booming and the West is taking advantage of this. When we started partnering with Midem to establish the African Forum in 2017, there was only a 2% representation of African delegates. Today, we should have a representation of up to 10% and growing.” The major labels, which shunned the region for decades through fear of piracy, are reinvesting in Africa. Universal Music Group (UMG) recently announced an exclusive international deal with Tiwa Savage, the award-winning Nigerian singer-songwriter. Warner Music Group has sealed extensive agreements with Boomplay, Africa’s largest streaming-music platform, and formed an international partnership with Chocolate City, a high-profile Nigerian independent label that includes Kuti among its roster. “Due to the growth of internet penetration and the rise of digital social communities, progress is undeniable,” director, legal and business affairs at Boomplay’s owner Transsnet Music, Iredumare Ojengbede Opeyemi, said. “With tracks like One Dance, by Drake with Wizkid, among the featured artists, winning a Grammy nomination; Seun Kuti (Femi’s sibling) also getting a 2019 Grammy nomination; numerous collaborations between African indigenous acts with artists from the US, the UK and South America; and Boomplay securing $20m to be invested in its active African markets, it’s safe to say the continent’s profile is becoming hugely interesting.” Midem panelist Kam Tambini, music editor at pan-regional online portal OkayAfrica and head of A&R at Okaymusic, its digital-mu-

sic service, said Africa’s influence on international music continues to grow: “Major music markets in the West have their eyes on the afro-fusion or afrobeats sounds coming out of West African countries like Nigeria and Ghana, as well as the more hip-hop and house-leaning, kwaito-indebted styles from South Africa.” He added that African female acts’ impact should not be underrated. “It’s important to note the role of female artists in this new wave, from the likes of Nigerian star Tiwa Savage getting signed by UMG to more underground acts like South Africa’s Yugen Blakrok being featured on Kendrick Lamar’s Black Panther soundtrack.” Solange Cesarovna, president of the Sociedade Cabo-Verdiana de Musica (SCM), the Cabo Verdean collecting society, has observed the industry’s increasing professionalisation among labels, publishers and artists in the region. “We’ve seen the growth of royalties collections from the African societies, not only for public performance but also for broadcasting, private copying and digital, which is a boost for creators, performers and other rights owners on our continent,” she said. “Furthermore, we have seen the launch of African digital music services as well as the international platforms betting more on the region.” Trace, the international youth-focused media and entertainment company, is the African Music Forum’s official media partner. Meanwhile, this year’s inaugural Latin American Music Forum at Cannes will confirm that the region’s reach in global music is phenomenal. MIDEM NEWS

Global industry trade body IFPI reports that, for the fourth consecutive year, Latin America was the fastest growing region in the global sales of recorded music in 2018, with revenues jumping 16.8%. The foundation for that growth rate will be discussed during Cannes panels, which include a Talk with Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Jorge Meija, and a keynote from manager of Juanes, Rosalia and J Balvin, Rebeca Leon, on female empowerment in the music industry.” “The launch of Midem’s Latin American Music Forum brings to the region all the experience and expertise accumulated since 1967,” chief legal officer at Brazilian content management and distribution specialist iMusica Corp, Sandra Gama, said. “With the physical model, there was a barrier due to the distribution costs involved. Nowadays, with the digital model, this barrier does not exist anymore. Everything released is quickly available all over the world and can quickly become a worldwide hit. An example, in 2017, was the song Despacito.” Digital has boosted the Latin business significantly at Deezer, the international streaming-music service. “We have a dedicated reggaeton channel for Latin fans, as well as an emerging artist programme called Deezer Next, where we support new up-and-coming acts through playlisting, editorial, marketing and social,” Deezer’s vice-president Americas Jorge Rincon said. “As a result, we saw an increase of over 200% in streams last year for our US priority act Brytiago. A few months ago, we announced Latin singers Manuel 13

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Laura Tesoriero: “The consumption of legal Latin music is here to stay” Turizo and Cheyo Carrillo as our new US priority acts and we’ve already seen a 100% increase in streams for Carrillo since the start of the year.” Laura Tesoriero, vice-president, Latin America at pioneering music-distribution service The Orchard, said the region has come a long way from the days when piracy meant commercial ventures in recorded music were impossible. “The consumption of legal Latin music is here to stay,” she said. “The industry has learned that the creators need to get paid and it doesn’t matter who pays them. With this new paradigm, we have a safe environment for everyone.” Additionally, Midem will explore the impact of the economic and music giant Brazil, the only Portuguese-speaking country on the mostly Spanish-speaking continent. Jorge Juarez, CEO of Mexican artist-management firm Westwood Entertainment, said Brazil is too big to ignore. “Brazil is an impressive market, but it’s very hard for the rest of Latin America to succeed there,” he said. “In this era where Latin music is becoming globally known, it is important to collaborate with Brazilian artists for their music to come out to the rest of the world. And, consequently, Latin music will leak into the huge market that Brazil is.” n

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Hip-hop continues to find new fans around the world

IDEM is hosting a new dedicated focus on hiphop this year, in association with A3C Hip Hop Festival and Conference from Atlanta, US. Midem has historically embraced the now vast global hip-hop scene from its earliest days, a fact reflected in the stellar speaker line-up at this year’s specialist forums. “As hip-hop becomes more popular around the world, we are also seeing it adopting local forms,” senior vice-president of A&R at Republic Records, Amina Diop, said. “When the genre started, no one thought it would last and thrive like it has, but then you see hip-hop artists topping the Billboard charts and you know this is a big movement that has impacted the mainstream around the world.” It is also a grass-roots protest movement, according to Chaitanya Kataria of India’s Gully Gang Entertainment and manager of Divine and Naezy: “When rappers started using Hindi instead of English, things changed and we have been seeing genuine partnerships across the global Indian diaspora that has had real impact. The fact that Divine, Naezy and Ranveer Singh were joined by legendary rapper Nas for the track NY Se Mumbai, is a measure of both the global nature of the hip-hop community, and the credibility of Indian hiphop artists.” According to Reggie Ba-Pe, creative director at China’s 88Rising,

Republic Records’ Amina Diop it was a TV show that kick-started the huge growth in popularity of hip-hop in China. “A couple of years ago there was a web show called Rap of China, which turned hip-hop into a national phenomenon,” he said. “It’s basically like American Idol but with rappers. Since then, hip-hop has become more accepted and inspired a new generation of youth culture. Right now, Higher Brothers have probably been the most successful domestic and international Chinese hip-hop act in China. They can instantly sell out any show in a matter of minutes. They’ve also sold out tours across the US and Canada and have targeted the rest of the world.” Alex Taggart, head of international at Outdustry, has a slightly different take on the Chinese scene: “I think both EDM and hiphop have peaked in terms of discussion in the public sphere, but that does not mean that they are not still popular. Media in China is totally top-down and is not at all reflective of what people are actually listening to. The boom MIDEM NEWS

Outdustry’s Alex Taggart in hip-hop’s popularity did not necessarily coincide with a boom in people listening to hip-hop music, merely a boom in people watching TV shows about hiphop. Equally, an explosion in EDM festivals does not make China a nation of EDM lovers. However, these mainstream crossover moments put these genres in the spotlight — if only for a brief second — and perhaps served as the wide end of a funnel towards fandom. I believe that the real boom in popularity of these genres is still ahead of us.” Rico Brooks, CEO & talent manager at Adella Thomas Management, agrees: “Hip-hop is a truly global genre whose continued growth is reflected on the streaming charts, partly because hip-hop has a way of allowing a person to be their authentic self. Atlanta does not sound like New 15

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Adella Thomas Management’s Rico Brooks

Rico Brooks: “Hip-hop is a truly global genre whose continued growth is reflected on the streaming charts” York. And the best part is that New York does not sound like LA, LA does not sound like Toronto and Toronto does not sound like Kingston, Jamaica.” n

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Live industry is booming but there’s more growth to be had, experts say

IEBA’s Pam Matthews

C3 Presents’ Joe Howard

Artist Group International’s Marsha Vlasic

Charmenko’s Nick Hobbs

Harvey Goldsmith Productions’ Harvey Goldsmith

Artist Mykki Blanco

HIS year’s Midem Live Summit is a celebration of the power of the live experience. The event features a range of experts from the sector’s leading companies, plus a keynote by Marsha Vlasic, president of Artist Group International. Vlasic, whose company looks after the careers of Elvis Costello, Cyndi Lauper, Moby and Neil Young, will be touching on key issues including equality of opportunity and the future of the touring industry. “The number of big-name touring acts is not being renewed and it’s a concern for all of us that 10 years from now there won’t be all that many headliners left, because for sure there are not many new ones coming through,” Vlasic said. “Another objective is to let it be known that success can be achieved regardless of gender — and that determination and hard work really does go a long way.” While the artists are the life-

blood of the scene, brands and sponsorship are a huge part of the live experience, enabling artists to flex their creative muscles. “With sponsorship it always comes down to execution,” Pam Matthews, executive director at IEBA (International Entertainment Buyers Association), said. “There are so many great ideas in a lot of the proposals. But often, these great ideas fall away as we approach the event date, often because of issues with committing manpower and money.“ The live scene is certainly booming, but Joe Howard, talent buyer and production co-ordinator at C3 Presents, believes there’s still potential for growth. “For example, there’s a vast difference between North and South America in terms of the large live events,” he said. “We run three Lollapaloozas in the region, in Chile, Brazil and Argentina, and apart from that there’s Stereo Picnic organised

by Paramo, the legendary Rock in Rio, plus traditional festivals. So there are opportunities, especially if you find a good local partner and bring a mix of fresh new live acts, local artists and headliners. There’s a real hunger for these events, and it’s growing.” The live scene may well be thriving financially, but Harvey Goldsmith, founder of Harvey Goldsmith Productions, agreed with Vlasic: “We are heading towards a worldwide shortage of headline acts, so we need to bring on artists who are not producer-dependent and who are entertainers, like the heritage acts.” There are also areas of Europe that display real growth potential, including Eastern Europe, but there are challenges to overcome. “The consolidation of European touring into three companies — AEG, LN and Eventim Live — means that opportunities to participate in stadium and large

arena tours are diminishing and presumably will continue to diminish,” said Nick Hobbs, founder of Charmenko, based in the Czech Republic. “Ideally I’d like to see the emergence of at least one or two more such groupings; preferably groupings not based on being taken over by the main company in the group, and not tied to one ticketing company.” On the Midem Live Summit panel is artist Mykki Blanco, on his first visit to Midem. "I look forward to sharing my perspective as a queer artist and a person of colour in the Live Summit, where we will address the issues of diversity and inclusivity," Blanco said. "As the only active touring artist on this panel, I am grateful for the opportunity and very pleased to be able to participate in sharing my experiences and thoughts to ensure that the voice of the artist is represented in a meaningful way in this discussion."n

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Katz: digital and streaming have done ‘great things’ for industry A MATCHLESS track record and client list comprising the Who’s Who of the international music business makes Joel Katz, founding chairman, global entertainment and media practice at US legal firm Greenberg Traurig, recipient of the Midem 2019 Top Lawyer’s Lunch Award. Now in its second year, the accolade is celebrated at an exclusive invitation-only VIP gathering on June 6 in Cannes, where leading music-industry legal hot shots have the opportunity to honour Katz’s achievements. Katz said Midem has played an important role in his dec-

ades-long career, which includes navigating celebrity, corporate and independent clients across a creative sector littered with complex copyright issues, complicated contracts and costly lawsuits. “I am really honoured by this tribute from Midem — where I have been going every year for more than 40 years — to see old friends and make new ones. I’ve seen it all here,” he said. He has also handled deals for them all, from the Godfather of Soul James Brown to the King of Pop Michael Jackson, as well as a host of contemporary hitmakers in-

cluding Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj. Of the industry’s future, he said: “Digital and streaming music have done great things. They have created a great deal of cash flow for reinvesting in new talent, renegotiating with old talent and putting money in the pockets of everyone involved in making music.” Katz will receive his award from the Top Lawyer’s Lunch Award‘s inaugural recipient Dina LaPolt, a champion of the groundbreaking 2018 Music Modernization Act legislation in the US. n

Joel Katz: “really honoured” by Midem tribute

Exploring what music can do for brands

Pex’s Amadea Choplin

Interscope’s Steve Berman

MUSIC’s contribution to brand communication is addressed at Midem during the Music & Brands track on June 4, and brand association during live-sports events is the focus of the session Hail Mary: The Intersection Of Sports & Song. Interscope Records has capitalised on the mutual benefits of music and sports via a partnership with ESPN, the Disney-owned sports-TV network, and its coverage of American college football. Live gigs and soundtracks by Interscope acts, including rock band Imagine Dragons and rapper/ producer Kendrick Lamar, during ESPN’s coverage, have created a

SME’s Lars Duysen

means by which artists can reach new engaged fans. “The passion around college sports is second to none,” David Neiman, head of sports and gaming at Interscope, said. “I’ve found college fans to be more engaged and aware of music trends. Our goal is to move culture and with this campaign we’ve found ways for fans to discover music through college football.” Steve Berman, Interscope’s vice-chairman added: “One of the most challenging hurdles to overcome as a marketer is how to build new audiences for artists. Sports teams and their devoted following can supply MIDEM NEWS

Blueprint’s Cortez Bryant

that audience to fuel an artist’s growth. That’s why we’ve taken our alliance with ESPN and others seriously.” Midem’s Music & Brands track will also feature Music & UGC – Developing An Authentic Brand Connection, which examines how brands can exploit the viral nature of user-generated content. Another session, Sony Music/ Brands/Live/Licensing GSA x Lions Head, explores the role of branded entertainment in the industry during a chat with singer-songwriter Ignacio Uriarte — also known as Lions Head. And during Charge It To The Game: A Talk With Cortez Bryant 17

JUNE 2019

MTW Agency’s Matt Ferrigno

& Matt Ferrigno, Bryant, co-CEO/ partner at US music-and-entertainment company The Blueprint Group, has a fireside chat with Ferrigno, partner of marketing firm MTW Agency, about the art of creating commercial but authentic alliances between hit acts and global brands. Other speakers include Amadea Choplin, COO of LA-based search engine Pex; and Lars Duysen, vice-president brand partnerships and music licensing GSA at Sony Music Entertainment (SME). Brands and live events are also discussed in a session during the Midem Live Summit on Thursday, June 6. n

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The Dynaudio Unheard touring studio lands in Cannes Legendary Danish loudspeaker specialist Dynaudio is bringing its incredible touring studio to Midem for 2019. And with it, some exciting new pro studio products. The company is showcasing breakthrough artists throughout the show. They’ll be recording live in front of the Palais des Festivals in the incredible, fully equipped glass-fronted studio, which is also equipped with a front-of-house system – so everyone can see deep into the heart of the creative recording process.

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Dynaudio, in association with Midem, will also host exclusive seminars, midnight performances and more. Not to be missed! Dynaudio is world-famous for its high-quality professional studio, home hi-fi, custom-install and in-car speakers and systems. To find out more about the Unheard touring recording studio and how it’s helping to launch incredible new artists – plus get full information on the company’s products, projects and more – visit www.dynaudio.com.

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BUSINESS

EC outlines plans to grow the music business across Europe

HE EUROPEAN Commission’s continuing commitment to boosting European music’s status on the world stage is the subject of the Music Moves Europe presence at this year’s Midem. Scheduled for June 6, Tibor Navracsics, the EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, and his team will outline the latest developments on Music Moves Europe, the Europe-wide initiative that started in 2015, within the Copyright Summit, along with Tamas Szucs, Director for Culture and Creativity, European Commission, DG EAC. Navracsics gave Midem News an overview of the EU support for the

music industry, from the funding schemes to its Music Moves Europe Talant Award, from the on-going structured exchange of ideas with the sector to the impact of the new copyright directive.

industry segments across Europe. What began in late 2015 as a bottom-up initiative is today made up of four components: a European policy approach to music; European funding for music; a European regulatory framework affecting music; and European dialogue on music. “The targeted sectorial funding scheme we are planning under the new Creative Europe Programme starting in 2021 is particularly exciting, as it aims to help the European music industry to grow and become more competitive. To prepare for this, we are testing ideas through a number of projects and studies and we are listening carefully to the sector to get a good understanding of where the EU can offer the best added value.”

What is the state of play today regarding Music Moves Europe? “We launched the Music Moves Europe initiative to address key challenges faced by the music industry, such as the lack of international visibility for the diverse European music repertoire, obstacles to cross-border circulation, fair remuneration, market fragmentation and a lack of reliable and comparable data on music

How has the European music industry benefitted from the initiative? “Through the Creative Europe programme, a substantial number of music projects, networks and platforms, reaching all segments of the music sector, have benefitted from the funding. We have recently granted additional funds to some promising and exciting music-sector innovations in the field of music distribution, ranging from original business models and platforms to newly patented technologies. We have also co-funded promising training projects to help improve professionalisation in the sector. “Moreover, this year we launched

EU Commissioner Tibor Navracsics MIDEM NEWS

JUNE 2019

the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards, replacing the former European Border Breakers Awards, which celebrates emerging European music talents and helps them develop their international careers through a monetary prize to contribute to publicity and touring costs. In addition to financial support, we believe it is very important to exchange ideas with the sector. This is why we have started a structured dialogue with the music sector at EU level. We just met at the end of May and had very interesting discussions on access to funding, the impact of the new EU copyright framework, new media and consumption patterns and the challenges for live music.” Now the European Parliament and the Council have approved the new European Copyright Directive, what is the next stage and how can the music industry expect to benefit? “The Directive has been adopted and published in the EU’s Official Journal. Member states now have 24 months to transpose the new rules into national legislation. “The music industry stands to benefit from the new licensing rules introduced by the Directive for the use of protected content like music on large user-uploaded internet platforms. These new rules will, in fact, allow industry players to negotiate better deals with these platforms and get a fairer share of the value generated by the online use of music.” n

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BUSINESS

Hip-hop and indies are key to a musical upturn in Germany

DMV’s Heinz Stroh

VUT‘s Desiree J Vach

Spanish-German singer Alvaro Soler

IDEM 2019 features a Spotlight On Germany, the world’s fourth-largest music market, in the Worldwide Village in Cannes. This year will also see another strong turnout by Germany’s key label executives, publishers and promoters at the German Pavilion. This year also marks the retirement of Heinz Stroh, CEO of DMV, and the person behind the success of the German Pavilion at

Airforce1 Records’ Joe Chialo

The Orchard Enterprises Entertainment’s Manlio Celotti

Midem for the last 30 years. Stroh, who started at DMV in 1983 as legal consultant, looks both backwards and forwards as he prepares for his last Midem: “Looking back, the invention of the CD was the most powerful milestone for the music business in economic terms, but it concerns me that there is still much work to be done concerning the fair remuneration of musicians,” he said. Looking ahead, he has advice for MIDEM NEWS

Universal Music Germany’s Tom Bohne

young people keen to enter the business: “They should be courageous, believe in themselves and have real goals. Emotions are very important and above all real passion for music is essential.” Desiree J Vach, chair of VUT, The German Association of Independent Music Companies and manager, GSA, for the InGroove Music Group, points to the challenges of the digital world: “For smaller and medium-sized labels 21

JUNE 2019

Musikwoche’s Knut Schlinger

who built their business model on physical products, the lack of human and financial resources can be a challenge in the process of adapting their income streams. Alongside supporting our members in this sector, VUT is facing problems caused by the biggest digital players. Therefore the political decision-makers need to have a further — and even deeper — understanding of our member´s needs,” she said. “At Midem

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our goal is to keep on reminding all participants about the importance of the independent scene, which is the driving force for diversity and economic growth in the marketplace.” Christian Baierle, managing director at Roba Music Publishing, also sees Midem as a forum for global opportunities: “As per every year, Midem is a time to see our worldwide friends and partners, but we have a strict 80:20 rule here, meaning we are seeing mainly our existing partners. Of course, being one of the largest music publishers in Germany we offer tools and services for our international clients, we are always ready to listen to new talents and we remain open to the idea of international partnerships. Roba is proud to have signed some of the best-known international publishers, local authors and labels and also represents TV networks like the RTL II television group.” In line with GEMA’s 2018 market figures, managing director of The Orchard Enterprises Entertainment, Manlio Celotti, is optimistic about the future of this huge market: “The music scene in Germany is in a better state than it has been for ages. There are many that are still struggling

Manlio Celotti: “The music scene in Germany is in a better state than it has been for ages”

THE GERMAN music market remains healthy with a total turnover in 2018 that almost reached the level of the previous year, generating total revenues of €1.582bn from music sales via streaming, CDs, downloads and vinyl. Audio streaming shot up 33.5% and now accounts for a market share of 46.4%, on the other hand, the CD is still the second-strongest revenue driver with a market share of 36.4%. The industry’s business continued to shift significantly into the digital realm in 2018 with 56.7% of sales generated by audio and video streams as well as downloads. On the music collection side, GEMA could for the second year in its history make a turnover of more than €1bn, thanks to the increase from internet and streaming services, which rose by €35.5m year-on-year to €105.5m. to accept that physical is shrinking further, but the truth is that streaming has revived the business. Talking in broad strokes, it’s almost like Germany skipped digital downloads and is transitioning straight from physical to streaming,” he said. “There are also more startups and artists doing their own thing than ever before, which is encouraging to see. The threshold of financial risk when releasing tracks is lower and this has increased the volume of songs being released. The downside is that the quality, in many cases, has also diminished — but I don’t believe this is just a German phenomenon.” Joe Chialo, managing director of Airforce1 Records and senior vice-president, A&R, at Universal Music, also believes that the country has skipped the download phase: “Germany was certainly not a leader in digital adoption and the fact that the physical market is still relatively strong bears that out,” he said. “So the main issue is how to calm the fears of the traditional artists as CDs disappear, and whose

fans are often in rural areas where download speeds are not great. It’s a generational conflict as well as an urban-versus-rural one, because even though a traditional artist such as Santiano can sell 500,000 CDs, it’s the kids who love hip-hop that are driving the market. But I believe this will be resolved and I see a great future for Germany’s music market thanks to the vibrancy of the dance and hip-hop scenes and acts like Alvaro Soler.” Tom Bohne, president, music domestic, Universal Music Germany is similarly upbeat. “The German music scene has developed very well for many years, and this year is no exception. As of the middle of May 2019, an impressive 77% of the Top 100 German album sales charts for the year were by domestic artists. As the market leader in Germany, a huge part of this success is a direct result of our efforts to develop domestic German talent. We have multi-million sellers such as Helene Fischer and Herbert Gronemeyer, alongside a broad basis of established acts and fantastic up-and-coming

MIDEM NEWS 23 JUNE 2019

talent,” he said, adding: “This year, we have seen huge success with our domestic hip-hop artists dominating streaming charts — Capital Bra is now the most streamed artist in German history, and at 25 years old is now tied with the Beatles for most number-ones in German chart history and most recently another rapper Juju, broke the weekly streaming record for female artists.” Bohne said that this market development has had a positive effect on the overall quality and diversity of German music and is attracting more and more fans. “Here in Germany, we have been on a steady upward spiral and we look forward to a domestic music market that will continue to grow and become ever more exciting.” Reflecting the fact that Midem’s German-focused panels are likely to be both lively and highly informative, renowned journalist Knut Schlinger, of Musikwoche, sees things rather differently: “On the business side, the German music market went through a difficult year in 2018. After four years of small upticks, the market was nearly flat for the second year in a row according to the latest report from the BVMI (Bundesverband Musikindustrie), our local IFPI organisation. According to IFPI in the UK, the German music market was down and that was mainly because of a decrease in performing-rights collections. But on the positive side, the scene seems to be even more inspired and creative than before. German rap ruled the charts and will keep on doing so in 2019. German heritage artists like Herbert Gronemeyer were able to score hits as well — and Rammstein will do so in 2019.” n

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BUSINESS

Celebration marks 10 years of the China Pavilion in Cannes EVERY year companies choose Midem as the place to celebrate major anniversaries and career milestones. This year there will be a meet-and-greet at the Chinese Pavilion to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this dynamic space. The event, on Wednesday 5, is also being held to recognise five Chinese music industry leaders for their non-stop participation at Midem for more than 10 years. The executives being honoured include Yanbin Zang, vice-president, China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association (CADPA) and co-founder of The Silk Road Music Alliance; Jean Hsiao Wernheim, head of The Silk Road Music Platform; Ju Wang, vice-president and secretary general of CADPA; Chuanjing Zhang, assistant sec-

retary-general at CADPA; and Yuan Qi, CEO of Sound-Genie Cultural Development. The awards are being presented by Reed MIDEM CEO Paul Zilk and head of Reed MIDEM’s entertainment division Jerome Delhaye. “Over the years of its participation at Midem, the Chinese music industry has benefited from numerous music business contacts that have facilitated music content moving in and out of China, and many international artists have been invited to perform in China too,” Ju Wang said. “Added to that there have been a lot of Chinese artists appearing at international festivals. For example, the Silk Origin Music Platform has formed alliances with 22 countries through its interactions during Midem and since 2016, several music forums and music

The China Pavilion at Midem festivals featuring international artists from various countries have been held. Also this year, Silk Origin will showcase Chinese artists to international audiences.” Wang added: “CADPA is committed to promoting the co-operation and development of audio and video organisations at home

and abroad. While at Midem, CADPA will continue its core mission, which is to actively improve legal protection of copyrights, promote the import and export of music, improve market communication and support the promotion of the overall development of China’s audiovisual industry.” n

Budde Music France turns 30

The team at Budde Music France celebrates 30 years of business: Ronan Masson (left), Aline Revillion, Sarah Capet, Jessica Ibgui, Thomas Bonifas, Juan Tamayo and Cécile Bernier

BUDDE Music France, a French subsidiary of Budde Music Germany —the largest independent publisher in Germany and a powerhouse of the independent publishing scene — is celebrating its 30th birthday this year. The company moved into the French market in the late 1980s with the acquisition of Claude Pascal editions and Budde Music France is today recognised for the quality of its service in terms of administration and placement of titles, and also for its artistic dynamism. Budde Music France’s roster includes Thylacine, Telepopmusik, Nicole Croisille, MNNQNS, Clarika, Irene Dresel and Seth XVI. n

MIDEM NEWS 25 JUNE 2019

Budde Music CEO Benjamin Budde, son of the company’s founder Rolf Budde

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IDEAS

Experts debate how artists can cut through the social noise KEVIN O’Donnell, head of music partnerships at Twitter (USA) takes to the Midem stage for a conversation with Lisa Kasha, vice-president, digital marketing and social media at Epic Records (USA); and Tarek Al-Hamdouni, director, digital marketing, at RCA Records (USA). The title of the session, Cutting Through The Noise: How To Market And Break Artists On Twitter, speaks for itself. The most-followed people on Twitter are musicians, with the likes of Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift regularly appearing in the platform’s topfive most followed people.

But these are established names. With the many social media platforms that exist today, how do you cut through the social noise to break a new artist? This and other questions, will be debated by this high-powered trio during the session. O’Donnell heads music partnerships at Twitter, where he works with artists to best market their brands and tell their stories on the platform. Prior to joining the company in 2017, he was a music journalist for over 13 years, on titles including Entertainment Weekly, People, Spin and Rolling Stone. n

Twitter’s Kevin O’Donnell

Sharing visions of music’s past and future ATOM Factory CEO Troy Carter and outgoing Recording Academy president and CEO Neil Portnow will be looking to the past and the future in their respective sessions. “The global state of streaming is an interesting topic. Spotify has a lock on the UK, Apple has the most premium subscribers in North America, Saavn just crossed 100 million monthly actives and Amazon now has an ad-supported tier,” Carter said. “What will this all mean in the coming years?” Carter is also training his eye on some of the new social apps that are capable of sending new songs viral, as a means to grow their popularity on the major streaming services.

Recording Academy’s Neil Portnow

Atom Factory’s Troy Carter

“TikTok and Triller are the most interesting platforms for emerging talent in 2019. We think of these platforms as the precursor to streaming,” he said.

“Songs will first develop on these apps by way of virality and then break at streaming. The cultural moments created in these apps are providing context that play-

MIDEM NEWS 27 JUNE 2019

lists are not yet able to give,” Carter added. Portnow will be speaking in the Spotlight On North America track on Friday at Midem, meanwhile, drawing on his 17 years leading the Recording Academy. “From critically-important music advocacy initiatives and financial assistance for our music community, to the music education and preservation programmes of the Grammy Museum, we at the Academy have worked tirelessly to ensure that music and the recording arts remain a thriving part of our cultural heritage,” he said. “I look forward to discussing some of the current issues facing our creative community in this ever-changing music landscape.” n

IDEAS

Have we broken the glass ceiling? Ahead of Midem2019, which includes a matchmaking session offering the opportunity to meet with women from the music business, the Midem News asks influential female industry executives about the progress they’ve observed with regard to the equality/diversity debate in recent years and the initiatives they believe will sustain the advances that have been made AMINA DIOP, senior vice president, A&R Republic Records and founder/CEO of The Diop Agency — visiting Midem for the first time ‘‘I have seen a lot of progress in the US music industry in terms of equality in the workplace. There have been several promotions of women in our field, especially at the executive level, as well as an increase in the number of new female engineers and producers. A good way to start expanding opportunities for women in the entertainment industry is to include women in the process of initiating these opportunities.’’

ANASTASIA BROWN, music supervisor/entertainment consultant, Format Entertainment — visiting Midem for the first time

‘‘The 1990s were so challenging, but I’ve noticed great strides in recent years. I am impressed by executives who pro-actively seek out female producers, songwriters and directors; that never used to happen. To ensure equal opportunities for women executives in the business, how about a femalementorship programme within corporations — and we should be acutely aware how many men versus women are under serious consideration.’’

DEBORAH MANNIS-GARDNER, owner/ president DMG Clearances — visiting Midem for the first time

Deborah MannisGardener: “So where do we start? Perhaps, by educating the younger generation about equality”

‘‘We used to refer to breaking the glass ceiling. Somehow it feels like a concrete ceiling and things are even worse. It’s exciting to see the achievements of Epic Records’ Sylvia Rhone, Universal Music Publishing’s Jody Gerson and Rani Hancock at Sire Records, but it’s still a man’s business. Women are paid less then men. So where do we start? Perhaps, by educating the younger generation about equality or making laws demanding equal pay.’’

MIDEM NEWS 28 JUNE 2019

IDEAS GLORIA ADERETI, brand partnerships, Boiler Room, and a member of the Midem Artist Accelerator committee

JESSICA CHANG, Asia-Pacific regional creative manager/ writer services, Warner/Chappell Music

LEILA COBO, vice-president, Latin industry lead at Billboard and a member of the Midem Artist Accelerator committee

MARIE-ANNE ROBERT, global head of artist development, Believe Digital

NICOLE BILZERIAN, senior vice-president, head of urban marketing, Interscope Records — visiting Midem for the first time

TRACY GARDNER, senior vice-president, digital strategy and global business development, Warner Music Group

‘‘We create live events and produce the videos to push underground music and, as a company, we believe diversity is key to what we do. There are so many talented women working in the underground culture and we make sure that the line-up at our events includes those featuring more women than men, too. This year, Boiler Room would like to offer mentorships to women between the ages of 18 and 21 to help them develop their creativity.’’

‘‘The fact that the upcoming head of the Recording Academy is a woman (Deborah Dugan), the editorial director of Billboard is a woman (Hannah Karp) and the president of Billboard is a woman (Deanna Brown) speaks to organisations looking at capable, smart women to take leadership roles. I think a light needed to be shone on how few women there were in major leadership positions and the fact that they were often simply overlooked. There is still a big lack of women in certain jobs, speciﬁcally songwriting, production and engineering.’’

‘‘Over the years, I’ve learned that timing, opportunity and so many other variables play a role in who becomes successful. However, while the seats at the table have become more inclusive, a seat just isn’t enough. My ﬁrst boss, 15 years ago, was a female executive and learning from her was an invaluable experience. Today, I consider myself fortunate to be surrounded by strong businesswomen at Interscope and within my extended peer group.’’

‘‘In Asia, the debate is moving slowly, but I’m seeing things change. In recent years, a lot of women and people from LGBTQIA backgrounds have undertaken highlevel management roles with great success in Taiwan. To ensure equal opportunities for women executives, let us just start with ourselves. For Warner/Chappell Music Asia-Pacific, there are four female country managers out of five. I’m working in an environment that makes me confident about my career development.’’

‘‘I am aware that the road is still long, but I see a lot of amazing initiatives from women to organise ourselves as well as better support and promote each other, such as Women in Music, SheSaid. So and, recently, FEMM in France. At Believe, which counts about 1,000 employees now, I am very glad to see that gender equality has been placed as priority in 2019 by our CEO Denis Ladegaillerie.’’

‘‘The debate about equality and diversity has moved centre-stage and that’s where it should be. Music companies have woken up to the fact that we need to be as diverse as the artists with whom we work and the fans we’re trying to reach. Transparency is key. Disclosing the gender pay gap in the UK music industry forced every company to take a hard look at itself. It helped expose an area that desperately needed change.’’

MIDEM NEWS 29 JUNE 2019

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IDEAS

Will esports heroes become the rock stars of the future?

HE INTERNATIONAL music business is joining forces with the fast-growing esports entertainment sector at Midem for the first time, during a series of Music & Esports sessions, on June 6. Jointly produced with Midem sister organisation Esports BAR, the track will centre on how esports — as competitive video-gaming is known— at both the professional and casual levels, has been adopted by Millennials and Gen-Z fans at a feverish pace. Also highly coveted by the music industry, these young digital natives are among the hundreds of millions paying to watch gamers compete on streaming platforms like Twitch and on the live stage at arenas and stadiums worldwide. With fans of the global music industry constantly tuning into YouTube and Spotify and attending live concerts, it shows why Midem attendees and the esports world are hooking up. “You can see that it’s a perfect fit,” said Kristina Mueller, head of Strategic Partnerships at esports organisation ESL Gaming, which recently formed jointly owned label Enter Records with Universal Music Group (UMG). “With a fully digitised distribution, a rapidly growing young audience and a huge reach across geographical borders, esports caters to an extremely attractive target demographic.”

She added: “It offers great potential for music integration and promotion: tournaments staged in front of huge live audiences, broadcasts with highlight segments not unlike those of traditional sports, content streamers looking for background music, personal playlists and, of course, the games’ soundtracks themselves — the list goes on.” Among Enter Records’ first signings is German musician/producer TheFatRat — real name Christian Buettner. A Midem panelist and a passionate gamer himself, TheFatRat says he will explain how the traditional music industry can reach esports fans and will offer tips on how not to alienate them. “If you’re doing it wrong, an esports collaboration can hurt you

more than it helps,” he said. “The crowd is very different. They’re waiting for the games to begin and they are not standing but sitting, which makes a huge difference. So the first step is to approach it like a half-time show at a sports event rather than a typical concert.” Another panelist is Pieter van Rijn, CEO of digital-music distribution specialist Fuga. The company is offering music expertise to a number of esports clients including Riot Games, the video-games developer/publisher famous for the hit title League Of Legends (LoL) and a major esports-tournaments organiser. “Fuga partnered with Riot Games as its digital music distributor, launching and marketing its song Pop/Stars by the Korean K-pop

group K/DA, to the mainstream audience via music platforms such as Spotify and Apple,” van Rijn said. So considering the massive popularity of esports players like Tyler Ninja Blevin — who has 14 million followers on Twitch, 22 million on YouTube and 4.3 million on Twitter — could esports celebrities become the rock stars of the future? For ESL’s Mueller: “Huge crowds in arenas and stadiums chanting their names, cheering in unison. Massive productions and stages fitted with LED shows, pyrotechnics and state-of-the-art broadcast equipment. A truly global reach and influence, with millions of dedicated fans and multi-million brand endorsements, merchandise, world tours, signing sessions, meet-and-greets. We think they already are.”

Fuga’s Pieter Van Rijn

ESL Gaming’s Kristina Mueller

TheFatRat (Christian Buettner)

MIDEM NEWS 33 JUNE 2019

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IDEAS

Trade bodies join forces to allow independent voices to be heard

WIN’s Charlie Phillips

IMPF’s Pierre Mossiat

Raw Music’s Anca Lupes

IMPALA’s Kees van Weijen

Wagram’s Stephan Bourdoiseau

Africori’s Yoel Kenan

markets, such as Southeast Asia, Japan and Latin America,” he said “I think streaming platforms have done a lot to enable the independents and provide equal opportunity in an ever-changing digital landscape,” Spotify’s head of independent label support, Jennifer Masset, said. Yoel Kenan, CEO of Africori, the digital-music company specialising in African repertoire, said he is pleased to be participating in a session that positions African music as part of the international market. “We’re no longer just part of the Africa debate, we’re also included in discussions about other global events,” he said. “Our business grew last year by 70%, and 50% of our revenue was from outside Africa, with 25% of the total from the US.”

Romania-based music-education organisation Raw Music president Anca Lupes observed how digital media is boosting opportunities for Eastern and Central European acts. “Due to the opportunities that the internet has brought to promote and sell music globally, more artists from the region are building successful careers internationally,” Lupes said. That progress will be enhanced by this year’s launch of RUNDA, the first official labels’ trade association for the Balkans, with IMPALA’s support. “We have made significant progress in bringing the associations together to help the sector support itself in today’s globalised music market,” WIN’s chief operating officer Charlie Phillips, said. Pierre Mossiat, IMPF’s president,

added: “Meeting together at Midem brings new ideas from our members and the dynamic of the forum is such that we can work on solutions together effectively and rapidly.” Such new ideas, for example, as the Wagram Stories unit, from innovative French independent Wagram — a 360-degree multiple-media venture that extends opportunities for its artists, including projects in film productions and book publishing. “We want to propose something unique to artists, something that really adds value compared to what they can do by themselves,” president and founder of Wagram Stories, Stephan Bourdoiseau, said. “Being independent means we’ve the agility to decide effectively and act promptly once the decision is made.” n

HE INTERNATIONAL independent sector will be heard louder than ever during Midem’s Global Indie Voices sessions. Trade organisations IMPALA (Independent Music Companies Association), WIN (Worldwide Independent Network), Merlin and IMPF (Independent Music Publishers Forum) have jointly created a series of discussions on new business models, emerging markets, up-and-coming publishers, plus the digital economy’s extensive impact. “Some 90% of new releases are by independent labels; 85% of the workforce in music are at indie companies, but independents have 38% of the copyright market share worldwide,” IMPALA president, Kees van Weijen, said. It is this type of incongruity that triggered the launch of the independent sector’s digital rights agency Merlin, which collects members’ royalties from the growing number of streaming services. Merlin CEO Charles Caldas said the independents’ global growth is seen from the $500m revenues collected in royalties last year. “This year, it has gone up substantially again, thanks to countries where we never were in the physical and digital downloads

Spotify’s Jennifer Masset

MIDEM NEWS 35 JUNE 2019

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Paris @ Olympia, June 15th + european tour

inna de yard : The soul of jamaica a ďŹ lm by Peter Webber IN THEATERS THIS SUMMER Germany : June 19th France : July 10th United Kingdom : August 30th ...

New album available A project by

Label : Romain Germa - romain@chaptertworecords.com International : Cecile Trystram - cecile.trystram@wagram-music.com Booking : Simon Nodet - simon.nodet@wspectacle.com

IDEAS

Summits debate copyright and law

EBATES about fair use and copyright exceptions as well as transparency in business agreements dominate this year’s Legal Summit at Midem, while the future of global rights management and copyright law are the focus of the Copyright Summit. US and European lawmakers have been examining Fair Use, which allows parts of a composition to be used without the composer’s permission. “The evolving nature of the Fair Use doctrine in the US continues to be an important issue,” principal at US law firm Liebenson Law and president of the IAEL (International Association of Entertainment Lawyers), Jeff Liebenson, said. “In Europe, Article 17 of the recently amended European Copyright Directive should provide great relief to the industry as user-generated content platforms must, in effect, obtain licenses for the music they offer. Yet, copyright exceptions are permitted. It will be interesting to see how they will be implemented technologically and legally.” Transparency in agreements with digital service providers (DSPs) are more important than ever, according to Jessie Winkler, entertainment attorney at LaPolt Law. “The age of streaming is actually part of the reason why these issues are now at the forefront,” Winkler said. “Knowledge is power and people who may have been left in the dark previously now want transparency at every level from their service providers and representatives.” The resources needed to improve content’s copyright protection on digital platforms will be addressed at this year’s Copyright Summit. As Helen Smith, executive chair of the Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA), said relating to the EU directive’s Article 17: “Member states now have two years to implement the new

rules into national law.” But the DSPs, the tech platforms creating the Value Gap by generating revenue from music without compensating rights owners proportionally, are putting up a fight, she said. “Anti-copyright lobbying was fierce during the campaign around the copyright directive and fake news spread profusely. At the same time, we also saw that most decision makers and citizens believe creators should be properly remunerated. That is progress.” Vladimir Philippov, CEO and founder of Heaven 11, an online copyright-management platform, argued that educating music fans is also critical. “Listeners don’t fully realise that every musical creation is a message, and it is invaluable as an experience that influences their lives as human beings, makes them feel or motivates them to act. So, each musical creation is a very valuable asset, a real treasure.” Teri Nelson Carpenter, president and CEO of Reel Muzik Werks and national chair and LA chapter president of AIMP, said the new EU directive and the US’ 2018 Music Modernization Act have made rights owners more aware of what they are due. “When you realise, as an intellectual-property rights owner that you are not being paid fairly, you seem to awaken to the issue very quickly,” he said. Midem delegates also need to learn about the role technology — for example blockchain — can play in narrowing the Value Gap, according to Richard Skidmore, head of business development at Dot Blockchain Media. “The core copyright or ownership of a song is central to our system,” he said. “Blockchain technology can help. Allowing music creators and owners to add their rights to an audio recording and have visibility and accountabili-

ty is a huge bonus not currently available.” Fernando Marcos, regional manager at royalties-distribution service provider BackOffice Music Services, is optimistic: “Thanks to the effort that the authors’ societies and publishers have been making during recent years, I understand that the Value Gap message is starting to get through to music users. But it still needs to be reflected in the royalty share paid by the DSPs to music writers and composers.” n

LaPolt Law’s Jessie Winkler

IAEL president Jeff Liebenson

BackOffice Music Services’ Fernando Marcos

Dot Blockchain’s Richard Skidmore

IMPALA executive chair Helen Smith

Reel Muzik Werks’ and AIMP’s Teri Nelson Carpenter

Heaven 11’s Vladimir Philippov

MIDEM NEWS 37 JUNE 2019

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FIRST TIMERS’ PROGRAMME Open to all registered delegates

DON’T FORGET TO VISIT YOUR “FIRST TIMERS’ HQ” AT MIDEM Located in the Midem British Café, Palais 3, from Tuesday 4 June to Friday 7 June morning Meet Naïma & Urielle (+33 6 18 55 11 78 / +33 7 77 69 35 21)

FIRST TIMERS’ MIDEM PRESENTATION, DISCOVERY TOUR AND WELCOME BREAKFAST Tuesday 4 June in The Artist Hub, Palais 1 9.30:

Welcome breakfast

9.45:

Welcome speech & presentation

10.00: Tour on demand

FIRST TIMERS’ SECOND DISCOVERY TOUR Missed the Tuesday Tour? To attend a discovery tour, sign up at the “First Timers’ HQ” in the Midem British Café, Palais 3, for a second Tour on demand on Wednesday 5 June at 10.30 (meeting point at Midem British Café).

FIRST TIMERS’ DEMO OF MIDEM ONLINE DATABASE Want to maximise all features from Midem online database? Please join us for exclusive demos. Tuesday 4 June, 15.00: online database demo in the Midem British Café, Palais 3 Wednesday 5 June, 15.00: online database demo in the Midem British Café, Palais 3

FIRST TIMERS’ DAILY ACTIVITIES TO NOT MISS Looking to develop your network? Meet with professionals from different countries – including this year the UK, Switzerland, China, Poland, Latin America, Catalonia and the Netherlands - & music industry sectors - publishers, lawyers, managers, music supervisors… - in several series of five-minute speed meetings. All speed meetings sessions are taking place on Midem Networking Hub, Palais 4, from Tuesday 4 to Friday 7 June. Don’t miss out: places are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Check out Midem daily conference programme for inspiration & learning and meet the speakers from sessions where they are available for speed meetings. And enjoy the Midem Beach, your chill and cool spot to enjoy exciting music, inspiring content and meeting nice people. The area includes hospitality (food, drinks and meeting spots), cabanas (beach customer stands) and three stages (to host panels and showcases) with concerts starting between 18.30 and 20.00.

first_timer_news.indd 1

27/05/2019 11:15

TALENT

‘Music is as important as law or medicine’ A

MONG the long list of extraordinary achievements of Afrobeat icon Femi Kuti is his appearance in the Guinness Book of World Records for a single held note on a saxophone: 51 minutes and 35 seconds. Remarkable, difficult to imagine and quite amusing — and an achievement that somewhat belies the seriousness of the man who has enjoyed so much success despite growing up in the shadow of his superstar father, Fela Kuti. Femi started his career playing in his father’s band, Egypt 80. Towards the end of the 1980s he set out on his own with his group Positive Force, playing a similar style of Afrobeat as his father, also following in his father’s footsteps as an activist on human rights. After the death of Fela Kuti in

1997 Femi went solo, signing with MCA and winning crticial acclaim around the world. For him, finding success in his own right was a challenge, however the support of those close to him played a key role. “It took dedication, hard work, commitment and love from my immediate family,” he said. And the need to work hard is something he will always stress to aspiring young musicians. “The most important advice is to study music properly. Pick up a musical instrument. Music is a serious profession that is as important as law or medicine,” he said. While African music is clearly on the rise internationally, Kuti believes there are still challenges to overcome. In his father’s native Nigeria, for example, “it is difficult to sell CDs as most downloads are for free”, he said. “It is hard to

Femi Kuti: “Nigerian music stands out because it is loved by a huge population that is patriotic to its art” make enough money to survive unless you have a massive global hit by people streaming one’s music.” And he believes that governments can do more to help local musicians: “Nigerian music stands out because it is loved by a huge population that is patriotic to its art,” he said. “Life is a struggle and I wouldn’t blame foreign investors for getting things wrong sometimes. But our own governments are not putting enough in place to promote the seriousness of the profession.” But that point of view doesn’t stop him from working tirelessly

MIDEM NEWS 39 JUNE 2019

himself to promote African music. Kuti has been named Midem 2019 Artist Ambassador after welcoming the Midem Africa Forum to his venue The New Afrika Shrine in Lagos, regarded as the heart and soul of Nigeria’s music scene. As one of the most influential African artists today, in an exclusive keynote session he shares with Midem delegates his vision of empowering a new generation of Nigerian artists and music executives, and outlines his own initiatives to structure and professionalise the local music industry n

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KUDOS. SYLVIA RHONE 2019 Hall of Fame Award

TALENT

Sylvia Rhone: ‘We need to ensure our artists are ahead of the curve’ AFTER her recent promotion to chairman and CEO of Epic Records, veteran executive Sylvia Rhone shares the lessons from her career and her thoughts on the industry’s future, in her first ever keynote. In conversation with Dina LaPolt, president of LaPolt Law, Rhone is discussing how artists and labels can navigate the current music landscape, and particularly the opportunities presented by streaming’s global marketplace. “It will be great to speak to the music community gathered at Midem about the ongoing challenges and opportunities we all address together in this industry,”

Rhone said. “There are so many breakthroughs revolutionising how we do business; we need to ensure our artists are always ahead of the curve.” Rhone is also receiving the Midem 2019 Hall of Fame Award in association with Billboard, during an event on Thursday, June 6, in Cannes. She’s only the second industry figure to be presented with the award, alongside 2018 recipient Scooter Braun. LaPolt said that Rhone’s status as an African-American woman who is chair and CEO of a global record company will make this a significant keynote in Midem’s history. “Not only does Sylvia have over

Sylvia Rhone (left) and Dina LaPolt three decades of multi-level experience breaking huge artists, her creativity and ability to see the big picture make her the perfect leader for a label dedicated to helping bring an artist’s ideas to fruition,” LaPolt

said. “Sylvia does this all while understanding the role she plays in global culture and promoting equality inside and outside of the workplace.” n

Presenting the ‘present and future’ of China THE STARNEST Night at Midem promises to be a spectacular showcase of the very best new Chinese pop and rock. The event, sponsored by China Youth Talent Utopia, Star Nest Program and The Silk Road International Music Showcase, features Qing Mu, Panda Glasses and Neon Garden. According to concert co-ordinator Sunny Chou, Midem is an important window for Chinese original music: “Music belongs to all mankind,” she said. “Learning, communication and co-operation are the future of the music industry and through StarNest Night 2019, we can all learn and seek opportunities for co-operation in the world, enhance our international vision and improve musical literacy. These young artists and musicians are the present and future of Chinese and world musicians.” Singer-songwriter Qing Mu was among the first artists pro-

duced in the Youth Talent Utopia-Star Nest Program, funded by leading venture capitalists — and won the Most Promising New Artist award from the Silk Road Independent Music Competition. Qing Mu represents the new generation of original music in China after 1995. His work integrates Chinese cultural elements with world music. Panda Glasses was formed in 2016, in Chengdu, Sichuan. The band incorporates funk and blues and their work has a strong sense of rhythm. Its inspiration is based on “the experience of life”, expressing the feelings of contemporary young people, and encouraging them to pursue their dreams. Neon Garden is from Chongqing. The band’s music is full of vivid colours and has a romantic feel. The well-known Asian singer-songwriter Jam Hsiao has praised the Neon Garden as “representing true Chinese rock & roll”. n MIDEM NEWS

Neon Garden

Panda Glasses 41

JUNE 2019

Qing Mu

MIDEM AFRICAN FORUM

HIGH-POTENTIAL MARKETS PROGRAMME

APRIL 9 DAKAR SENEGAL APRIL 12 DOUALA CAMEROON APRIL 15 LAGOS NIGERIA JUNE 4-7 CANNES FRANCE

JUNE 5 - Worldwide Village - 14:30-17:00

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MIDEM LATIN AMERICAN FORUM

HIGH-POTENTIAL MARKETS PROGRAMME

NOV. 29-30 RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL JUNE 4-7 CANNES FRANCE

JUNE 4 - Worldwide Village - 14:30-17:00

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

TALENT

‘Develop your sound, play live and build your social media following’ Sound advice for artists participating in this, the fifth Midem Artist Accelerator

ACIDO PANTERA EDM COLOMBIA

ALEXANDER OSCAR POP DENMARK

ANYA POP DENMARK

BLANCHE POP BELGIUM

BO NINGEN ROCK/ALTERNATIVE JAPAN/UK

DALEX R’N’B/HIP HOP/URBAN PUERTO RICO

This year’s Midem Artist Accelerator finalists

KYAN R’N’B/HIP HOP/URBAN UK

MOONCHILD SANELLY POP SOUTH AFRICA

HE MIDEM Artist Accelerator is back for its fifth year, with 11 artists from across the world coming to Cannes for a programme of mentorship, networking and performances on Midem’s beach stages. “It looks like a rich programme and I’m really looking forward to meeting the other artists, the artistic committee as well as presenting my project and performing on the beautiful beach of Cannes,” said Rasha Nahas, an independent musician from the Palestinian Territories. Another finalist, South African artist Moonchild Sanelly, is also relishing the industry opportunities that await her in Cannes. “I’m an independent artist with no label backing so this recognition from an establishment like Midem shows they are selecting artists on merit — props!,” she said. “My team is lining up time with industry insiders. It can be tough

MULLALLY POP UK

with no big agency, we are all independent and it’ll be great for us all to see the belly of the beast. We’re all really excited to get stuck-in to the mechanics of reaching my audience without a major institution behind us and it’s great that Midem is helping us do that.” This year’s Artist Accelerator is being presented, for the first time, by label and music-distribution platform Amuse. The company’s CEO, Diego Farias, also sees independence as a key theme. “It’s finally possible to break through the noise even if you are an emerging independent artist. We see it happen over and over again and I want artists to know that,” Farias said. “The industry is so good at telling artists what they can’t do without their help, it’s time that we change that narrative. And giving talent access to programmes such as this really complements

RASHA NAHAS ROCK/ALTERNATIVE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

our ambition to create tools for every independent artist, giving them and their teams the possibility to reach their full potential.” This year’s finalists were chosen by the Midem Artistic Committee, a panel of global industry players who all have useful advice for emerging artists, including the 11 finalists. “No one is an island, reach out to people and learn from each other. That’s why we are here to support you,” said Jessica Chang, Asia Pacific creative manager for Warner/Chappell Music, who sees urban pop as a key strand to this year’s selection. Authenticity is the key for another Artistic Committee member, Playground Music Scandinavia A&R Patrik Larsson. “Now, more than ever with the amount of music released daily, you need to really work on your craft and continue to develop, stay relevant and just keep re-

MIDEM NEWS 43 JUNE 2019

SAUTI SOL WORLD KENYA

leasing music and establish a dialogue with consumers out there and build step-by-step,” he said. Larsson sees the diverse nature of this year’s finalists as part of a wider industry trend. “There are no borders anymore. I love it that artists from unexpected places can actually compete with others from, say, the UK, US or Scandinavia.” Fellow committee member Leila Cobo, vice-president, Latin industry lead at Billboard, also has some clear advice for the finalists. “Develop your own sound; perform live as much as possible; and develop your following on social media,” she said. “They truly have to have a distinctive personality or persona, whatever you want to call it. There is so much music nowadays, that you need a stamp, a brand to stand out.” Those in this year’s selection look well-placed to do exactly that. n

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TALENT

Artist Hub launches to give performers sound advice

DJ White Shadow

RTISTS will be taking a prominent position at this year’s Midem, thanks to the opening of its first Artist Hub — an area dedicated to artists and talent development, created in association with the International Artist Organisation (IAO) and presented by Songkick and CD Baby. A wide range of international speakers will share their knowledge with the numerous independent artists present. Grammy-nominated artist and entrepreneur DJ White Shadow; David Rowntree, drummer of British rock band Blur; and Israeli psytrance electronic duo Infected Mushroom are all giving masterclasses. Contributors to the Artist Hub come from all sectors of the industry: from artist management — Zekiel Nicholson, co-owner of Since the 80’s (21 Savage, Earthgang, J.I.D), to A&R —Will Saul from !K7; marketing — Karma Bertelsen (Killimanjaro Live), and digital strategies — Kevin Breuner, CD Baby’s vice-president of marketing. Breuner will discuss the release mindset and strategies needed to harness the power of the streaming platforms to their fullest po-

The IAO’s Lottaliina Pokkinen

tential. The European Commission will also be part of the discussion, focusing on direct and indirect support for artists in the context of Music Moves Europe. “While working closely with Dreamville and managing artists like J.I.D + Earthgang, Njomza and more, in a constantly expanding music ecosystem, knowledge and are crucial to better education understand today’s challenges and identify what and where the new opportunities are. Therefore I’m happy to participate to the Artist Hub initiative and programme, which aligns with artists todays’ concerns,” Nicholson said. “With an office and call centre in the UK, and an annual artist conference in Spain, connecting with the European market has become more important than ever. Our international expansion is really picking up momentum, so Midem has been a great connecting point for us both for business and finding local talent,” Breuner said. “With more and more artists releasing their own music, making endorsement deals and selling merchandising, artists have more income streams than before. At

Since the 80’s Zekiel Nicholson

the same time, the need for legal knowledge and a thorough understanding of different contract models is crucial,” said Lottaliina Pokkinen, the IAO’s head of operations and head of legal affairs at the Finnish Musicians’ Union. “Streaming-related matters, such as optional distribution models and metadata, as well as negotiation skills, are among some important current issues.” Nacho Garcia Vega, treasurer of the IAO as well as CEO of Spanish artists coalition CoArtis, believes artists will get a lot out of Midem’s new hub. “Many artists consider Midem to be mainly a business encounter: a forum for commercial exchange. The Artist Hub can enhance the interest of performers searching for answers regarding their rights and the legal framework over which to develop their careers,” he said, citing the recently-adopted European copyright directive as another hot topic for the sessions. Mark McIntyre, chief technology officer at Songkick — a subsidiary of Warner Music Group — sees the opportunity to help artists’ professional development as an ex-

MIDEM NEWS 45 JUNE 2019

tension of his company’s efforts to help artists connect to fans. “It’s so exciting to see barriers tumble and artists collaborating with each other across borders and building fan bases worldwide. At Songkick, we see that fans have a real hunger for music from various genres and artists from different backgrounds — people don’t stay in one lane any more,” McIntyre said. “Artists are able to use technology to find and connect with their fans worldwide in a way that simply wasn’t possible even a few years ago. It means they can be more confident about touring new places and playing shows in venues that may not have originally been on their radar.” More than 15 million music fans across the globe use Songkick to track their favourite artists, discover concerts and buy tickets with confidence. US-based CD Baby, which started as an online CD store in 1998, now represents over 750,000 recording artists, 170,000 songwriters and over nine million tracks. IAO is the umbrella association for national organisations representing the rights and interests of artists in the music industry.” n

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Midem Studio Sessions by

Dynaudio is bringing its unique touring professional recording studio to Midem 2019. Every day of the show, the Danish loudspeaker legends will be showcasing the best new artists in a series of exclusive live recording sessions. Get deep into the heart of the creative process – and maybe even witness the next big thing.

TUESDAY 4 JUNE

WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE

11:00 – 12:00 Session – LA CHICA

11:00 – 12:00 Session – MOONCHILD SANELLY

12:30 – 13:00 Talk – How Does the Unheard Studio Work? With Ashley Shepherd 14:00 – 15:00 Session – ANYA 16:00 – 17:00 Session – ALEXANDER OSCAR 18:00 – 19:30 Session – SAUTI SOL

13:00 – 14:00 Session – LIONS HEAD 15:30 – 16:30 Session – DALEX 17:00 – 17:30 Talk – All About Producing With DJ White Shadow. How Is It to Produce Track for Lady Gaga?

18:00 – 19:30 PRESS COCKTAIL (by invitation only)

18:30 – 19:30 Session – MALEEK BERRY

20:30 – 21:30 Session – KYAN

23:00 – 00:00 Session – RASHA NAHAS

22:30 – …

Night Session

21:00 – 22:00 Session – BO NINGEN 01:00 – …

Night Session

THURSDAY 6 JUNE

FRIDAY 7 JUNE

11:00 – 12:00 Surprise Studio Session

13:30 – 14:30 Session – BLANCHE

13:30 – 14:30 Session – MULLALLY

15:30 – 16:30 Session – BB BRUNES

15:30 – 16:30 Surprise Studio Session

17:00 – 17:30 Talk – All About Songwriting With Candice Pillay. How Is It to Write for Rihanna? 19:00 – 20:30 Session – CANDICE PILLAY 21:30 – 22:30 Session – ACIDO PANTERA 23:30 – …

Night Session

TALENT

Collaboration is key to successful songwriting, UMPG execs say THE MIDEM Songwriting Camp, run in partnership with UMPG France, is now in its second year. UMPG France CEO, Bertil David, explained how the company has been active for some time in the creation of repertoire in a number of genres. “We went from the organisation of one writing camp every two years, to almost one a week,” he said. “We have launched a production music department, which is active in advertising, cinema and documentary films. The department is also working on voice-over — that

used to be restricted to a very small circle of professionals, which we are opening to our artists.” Others assisting at the Songwriting Camp shared their thoughts on what makes or breaks a modern songwriter. “Artists often start working on a song by themselves, in their room, in their head, and that is what strengthens their individuality, and it is very important to keep that in mind,” UMPG A&R manager Jules Borie said. “But we think artists are more creative and powerful in groups. That is why we encourage them

to meet and work together, by setting up writing camps such as the one we do at Midem. It’s enriching for everyone.” And the UMPG team’s advice to aspiring songwriters is clear: “Do all you can to grow and express your uniqueness. Work with people who truly support you and never stop practicing and writing songs.” The reveal of the original tracks will be presented in an exclusive listening session on Thursday, June 6 in the Music Lab conference room.n

UMPG’s Bertil David

Dynaudio pop-up studio comes to Cannes SPEAKER manufacturer Dynaudio is giving musicians the opportunity to make music on-the-spot during Midem. The company is bringing its Dynaudio Unheard pop-up studio to Cannes and is holding daily production sessions. Director of global marketing, Christian Bennike, said that the studio is part of Dynaudio’s attempts to support emerging artists. “What we absolutely don’t do is demand anything back from the artists who record with us. It’s crucial that their music, their recordings, their photos and their videos remain their property,” he said. “Unheard is for them, not us. If we can play even a small part in their success, that’s payment enough.” Dynaudio also sees pop-ups as part of a wider trend around the accessibility of high-quality studio technology. “The days of a mic in the middle of the room and an old four-track tape recorder are behind us. Even

Dynaudio’s Unheard pop-up studio

the most basic demo can be recorded digitally, in hi-res, at a quality level that would’ve been completely impossible only a few years ago,” Bennike said. “That’s vital for artists today, es-

pecially when so much more music is self-released directly to online streaming services.” The Unheard pop-ups will also provide valuable data for Dynaudio’s core business.

MIDEM NEWS 47 JUNE 2019

“To be able to work so closely with artists — listening to what they and their producers want — means we can create better and better speakers for people to listen to at home.” n

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Taiwan Beats ‘keep coming back’ TAIWAN Beats returns to Midem on Wednesday, June 5, with three more of Taiwan’s top acts — Jia Jia, Amuyi and DJ Sonia Calico. Jacques C.C. Wu of Taiwan Beats co-organiser GCA Entertainment says, it’s all about showing how big sounds can come from an island nation. “We keep coming back because we get great responses every year. For example the group Mayday signed a contract with LiveNation after playing Midem, and soon after that, a new concert production company, a joint venture between LiveNation and Mayday, was founded in Taiwan. Jolin Tsai also signed with LiveNation after Midem and since then her international career has flourished, with multiple concert tours,” Wu said. “A-Lin was signed to Sony Music following her Midem showcase, plus she

Jia Jia works with Mayday; her songs regularly notch up over 50 million views

A young performer, Amuyi is hugely popular from her Chinese TV appearances and was recently nominated for the GMA’s Best Female Mandarin Singer

DJ and producer Sonia Calico has performed around the world, has worked with famous rappers including Dwagie, Poetek and has been honoured at the Golden Indie Music Awards (GIMA)

went on to become hugely popular in China. It’s clear that all the musicians and tech people attending Midem are creating the future, and playing shows there

has led Taiwanese artists and labels to be involved in collaborations with artists, writers, publishers, labels and distributors. Taiwan Beats and the Taiwan

delegation at Midem are supported by BAMID, Taiwan’s Bureau of Audiovisual Music Industry Development, and the Taiwan Ministry of Culture. n

Inna de Yard: reviving reggae’s heyday THIS year, Midem’s Ca$h Factory conference stream will be asking a big question about the future of musicians and their careers, namely: how important is it to make an audiovisual statement that is every bit as strong as the music and live shows in order to cut through clutter and get yourself noticed? A case in point is the Inna De Yard project from Wagram, a group of established names — including reggae legend Ken Boothe — and young musicians from Jamaica who got together in order to bring back the soul of the musical culture that has for decades brought international attention to the island of Jamaica. In 2017 the band released The

Soul Of Jamaica, regarded as one of the best reggae albums in many years. They launched a follow-up album, Inna De Yard by Inna De Yard, in April this year and start their European Tour with an exclusive concert, June 6, on the Midem Beach. As part of a new 360° Wagram Stories project, Midem delegates will also have the opportunity to enjoy the world premiere movie screening of the collective’s fascinating story. Wagram Stories CEO Stephan Bourdoiseau said that adding value to artists, through initiatives such as the Inna De Yard documentary, is essential to career building in the modern environment. “This is the third audiovisual project that we’ve funded, but of

Inna De Yard: live and on-screen at Midem course music remains at the core of our identity. The idea is to offer different forms of content that is based around a strong story for all platforms, but one that has music at its core,“ he said.

MIDEM NEWS 49 JUNE 2019

Formerly known as Wagram Music, Wagram Stories now includes Wagram Films, Wagram Livres (books), Wagram Spectacles (live), Wagram Music and Wagram Publishing. n

INNOVATION

What’s next for music streaming?

Nielsen Music’s Helena Kosinski

SoundExchange’s Michael Huppe

Mdundo’s Martin Nielsen

NetEase Cloud Music’s Mathew Daniel

LOBAL recorded-music revenues grew by 9.7% to $19.1bn in 2018, according to the IFPI. It was the fourth consecutive year of growth for a music industry that’s finally bouncing back from a lengthy decline. Streaming is driving this growth, with its global revenues growing by 34% to $8.9bn in 2018: 47% of the recordings industry’s overall total. The year ended with 255 million people using paid streaming services globally. So what’s next for streaming? This year’s Streaming Summit, sponsored by SoundExchange, will focus around two key opportunities for the music industry. First, the anticipated growth of streaming in high-potential territories like China, India, Africa and Latin America. Second, the impact of new technologies and trends in more mature streaming markets. Mathew Daniel, vice-president, international at NetEase Cloud Music, the Chinese streaming service that has more than 600 million registered users, will be outlining opportunities in China during his Midem keynote. “More than 30% of all music consumed on our service is Western music, which is pretty significant considering that traditionally on other DSPs, mainly Chinese music is being consumed,” Daniel said. “There are singer-songwriters including Kim Taylor, Galen Crew, Lola Coca, Nick Lopez and MKJ

Warner Music Middle East’s Moe Hamzeh who have had huge hits on our service, even though some of them are not even known back in their home country.” Daniel warns Western labels and managers that they cannot assume that a big artist will automatically be as popular in China. “They have to start from scratch and build artist profiles and provide context in the Chinese language too,” he said. “This is the exciting part about the market — it’s an opportunity for hungry, hard-working artists with great songs to invest their time to create a footprint and relevance among the Chinese audience.” The MENA region will also be in the spotlight during Midem’s Streaming Summit. “Deezer, Huawei and Spotify have joined Apple Music and local players such as Anghami in the race to reach fans and we hope even more services will join them,” managing director of Warner Music

iMusica’s Sandra Gama Middle East, Moe Hamzeh, said. He warns global labels and streaming services alike that the MENA region is far from homogenous — “what might appeal to fans in Morocco won’t necessarily connect with people in Lebanon” — but sees a region with 380 million Arabic speakers as a potential springboard to global stardom. “We’ll undoubtedly see artists from the Middle East and North Africa reach a global audience — in the same way their peers from Latin America or South Korea have,” Hamzeh added. Expect the latter country to loom large. Nielsen Music vice-president, global, Helena Kosinski, said that the international success of K-Pop groups BTS and Blackpink will inspire other artists. “Local Asian repertoire including K-Pop and Indian-language music, for example Bollywood films and non-film Hindi- and Punjabi-language songs, have huge popular-

MIDEM NEWS 50 JUNE 2019

Warner Music Group’s Tracy Gardner ity both inside and outside of their home markets,” Kosinski said. Hamzeh’s warning against assumptions of homogeneity across the MENA region is mirrored for the rest of Africa by Martin Nielsen, CEO of Mdundo. “Generally the market is extremely segmented, it is very hard to generalise or draw broad conclusions in Africa and most market analysis on the continent therefore doesn’t show the full picture,” he said. “The customers are on very different financial levels and have very different devices and music needs. One thing that is coherent across the continent is the love for music, especially local music.” Streaming’s evolution in Latin America will also be on Midem’s agenda. “I firmly believe in the potential of Latin America. For the fourth consecutive year, Latin America had the highest rate of growth globally,” chief legal officer at Brazilian digital service iMusi-

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INNOVATION Bas Grasmayer: “What should excite people is streaming’s momentum around the world”

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ca, Sandra Gama, said. “And actually, the game has not started yet, since there’s a lot of room for growth in Latin America. There is still a majority of people who don’t have access to premium services because of connectivity, technology or even a financial gap.” Midem’s Streaming Summit will tackle trends and technologies in the mature existing markets for streaming, with plenty of optimism around the current growth and its implications. The Summit includes a Q&A with sponsor SoundExchange’s president and CEO, Mike Huppe, and Music Ally’s CEO Paul Brindley. “What should excite people is streaming’s momentum around the world. Streaming is exploding in Africa, China, and India, just to pick a few places. We’re seeing digital revenue streams from places where there was just not much of a digital market before,” director of product at Idagio, Bas Grasmayer said. “At the same time we see really high market penetration in Nordic markets for music streaming subscriptions. Imagine that on a global scale.” “Our artists’ albums and tracks are racking up huge numbers of spins, proving that fans want to keep engaging with great music,” senior vice-president of global business development and strategy at Warner Music Group (WMG), Tracy Gardner said. “WMG had over 500 billion plays across the streaming services last year. That is an amazing number of points of engagement and that number will grow a lot this year.” Gardner hopes that the Midem Summit will also tackle some of the key challenges in the current streaming market, particularMIDEM NEWS

ly around protecting the value of music. “Ad-supported service economics simply are miles away from where they should be in emerging markets. And premium-subscription pricing is just too low in many developed markets,” she said. “The time is right to be more analytical about the value that these streaming services provide and how that impacts the consumer offering.” Charlie Lexton, chief commercial officer and general counsel at independent licensing agency Merlin cites “the potential dilution of the value of music by bundling with, or competition from, other content types” as another challenge ripe for discussion at Midem. Marie-Anne Robert, global head of artist development at Believe, sees content diversity as a hot-button issue, meanwhile. “One challenge is to embark music diversity on streaming services, and not only hip-hop music, which means a challenge for streaming services to allocate more resources and marketing budgets to develop more genres and more diversity and to market their offers to wider and different audiences,” she said. Alexander Holland, chief content and strategy officer at Deezer, warns against a single “Bond villain” in streaming, over a range of challenges to be overcome. “We still need to do more to tackle piracy. We need to continue to innovate at a faster and faster pace to make sure that users love our product,” he said. “We also need to do more for artists, to make sure that our industry is fair to all of them on equal terms. This is critical to make sure that we continue to embrace the diversity of artists and genres that makes music so magical.”n 51

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INNOVATION

Midemlab: ‘an opportunity for music -tech trailblazers to wow the industry’

Deezer’s Alexander Holland

OUNDCLOUD, The Echo Nest and Kickstarter are among the startups to have raised their profile at Midem’s startup pitches. Now Midemlab returns with 20 more companies hoping to impress

ClicknClear’s Chantal Epp

Musiio’s Hazel Savage

the music industry and potential investors. The startups will pitch to panels of jurors in front of the Midem audience, as well as receiving one-to-one coaching with the Abbey Road Red incubator, to

RecoChoku’s Mikio Inari

Mi.Mu Gloves’ Imogen Heap

sharpen-up their pitches. This year’s competition is sponsored by Deezer and RecoChoku. Juror Tiago Correia, who handles global digital business development, innovation and emerging markets at Warner

Music Group, sees the contest as a sign of the music industry’s continued need to engage with new technologies. “Embracing startups is essential for the music industry to thrive. Any sector is an ecosys-

2019 Finalists MUSIC CREATION & EDUCATION

BIG EAR GAMES (FINLAND)

ENDLESSS (UK)

JAMBL (GERMANY)

MUZEEK (FRANCE)

MUSIC DISTRIBUTION & DISCOVERY

ALISSIA MUSIC (GERMANY)

BANDING (HUNGARY)

MARKETING & DATA/ANALYTICS

CLAPCHARTS (FRANCE)

LONOFI (FRANCE)

CLICKNCLEAR (UK)

SOUNDTRACKTOR (DENMARK)

MUSICLIST (SPAIN)

LEGITARY (AUSTRIA)

EXPERIENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES – AR/VR, HIGH RESOLUTION, IOT & HARDWARE

JOUÉ (FRANCE)

MUSIIO (SINGAPORE)

PAPERCHAIN (USA)

MIDEM NEWS 53 JUNE 2019

WEDAO (RUSSIA)

MIMU GLOVES (UK)

MUX (DENMARK)

ODIHO (FRANCE)

TUNEFORK (ISRAEL)

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INNOVATION

tem comprised of incumbents and startups; to work effectively these two types of players need to inspire and build off one other,” Correia said. Fellow juror Matthias Strobel, president of MusicTech Germany, agreed that the evolution of technology, regulations and consumer behaviour will only emphasise this need. “So far, all major changes to the music ecosystem have been created by startups and not from within the traditional music industry,” he said. Previous Midemlabs have led to investment in startups as well as acquisition — for example 2018 winner Asaii’s founding team was quickly snapped up by Apple. This year’s finalists are eager to impress. “This conference provides the perfect venue to update existing music industry rightsholder partners and new labels and publishers on our progress, which I’m super excited about,” said Chantal Epp, CEO of ClicknClear, which licenses music for performance sports like cheerleading and gymnastics. “The alumni of Midemlab includes the best and most innovative music companies in the world. It’s an honour just to be a finalist,” said Hazel Savage, CEO of Musiio, which is developing AI technology to help music companies tag

their catalogues and create better playlists. “It’s so fantastic that Mi.Mu Gloves is a finalist at Midemlab,” said Imogen Heap, the artist and producer who founded her startup to commercialise the musical-instrument gloves that she invented for her performances. “I’ve discovered many services and products at Midem over the years and I know already that just being in the running is going to open doors for us.” The four Midemlab pitch sessions will take place on the Wednesday of this year’s Midem, in the Music Lab room. The winner of each category will be announced on the same day. “Midemlab is a true opportunity for music-tech trailblazers to wow the industry, benefit from the feedback of an incredible panel of experts and see their ventures take flight,” a statement from RecoChoku said. Deezer’s chief content officer Alexander Holland — also a Midemlab juror — said that Midemlab will also be a chance to celebrate the role that digital innovation is playing in the music industry’s return to global revenue growth. “There’s plenty of space for further innovation in our industry and I look forward to seeing some of it at Midem,” he said. n

MIDEM NEWS 55 JUNE 2019

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INNOVATION

‘This is a great time for innovation’

HE MIDEMLAB contest isn’t the only way in which startups will be playing an important role at Midem 2019. French business incubator Cap Digital is returning for the sixth year in a row and its French Tech stand will feature several promising startups from Midem’s homeland. The stand is a partnership with IRMA and Cap Digital hopes it will be a hub for networking as well as for learning about emerging technologies from the startups. Startups confirmed for the stand include SoundBirth, with its app to help artists manage their careers; Studiomatic, a studio-reservation service; Muzeek, an AI-generated music startup; and

Abbey Road Red’s Karim Fanous

Abbey Road’s Dominika Dronska

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MIDEM NEWS 57 JUNE 2019

Stagelink’s Nikolas Schriefer

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Karim Fanous: “Fans are hungry for new experiences, from immersive content to personalised music and more”

Groover, a platform to help artists get discovered by industry influencers. Lonofi, Playzer, Deedo, Mewo, Digizik, TradeSpotting, Simbals and Cassette are among the other French startups showcasing their wares. This Midem will also see Israeli startups featured in their own Technology Innovation Pavilion. Personalised-audio startup TuneFork and AI-powered hit-spotting platform MyPart will be among the companies taking part. “Early-stage startups have the future innovation technology in the fields of music, sound and culture art for all,” said Dalit Poliva, founder of the Internet of Sound conference, who is organising the pavilion. All this is part of the wider programme of talks, networking and showcases for music/tech startups at Midem, at a time when the industry is keener to engage with these companies than ever. That’s something welcomed by Nikolas Schriefer, director of product at German startup Stagelink. He sees music/tech startups facing challenges including funding — due to anxiety among investors — and entry barriers in the form of larger companies. “In spite of that I also see a lot of interest from the more corporate or established side of the music and entertainment industry to partner with tech startups,” he said. “In my opinion these attempts should be encouraged

since such collaborations can lead to new, innovative and value-creating products and services for the whole market.” Dominika Dronska, senior digital manager at Abbey Road Studios, is at Midem to offer help to this year’s Midemlab startups contest finalists with their pitches. She thinks Midem’s close relationship with startups is valuable for artists as well as for the industry. “It’s essential we inspire and enable the artists we are working with by presenting the newest creative tools to them,” Dronska said. “From spatial audio providing composers new dimensions in which to design sounds, to AI-powered smart microphones translating vocal sounds into instruments, the industry needs to benefit from our close relationships with startups.” “While fans are hungry for new experiences, from immersive content to personalised music and more, startups are helping to usher in new technologies across the value chain which make them possibilities,” innovation manager at the Abbey Road Red accelerator, Karim Fanous, said. “This is a great time for innovation in music, against the backdrop of an increasingly digital-led way of life, and I can’t think of one point in the value chain from music conception and creation to distribution, marketing and consumption, where there aren’t exciting ideas being turned into realities.”n

MIDEM NEWS 58 JUNE 2019

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“

The most unlikely groups of people rubbed shoulders. I celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee by receiving officials from the British Embassy - while just a couple of feet away, Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols, was haunting the Polydor and Virgin stands. All that was par for the course, coming together at the same place and the same time, at Midem!

MIDEM founder Bernard Chevry, 1922 to 2019

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â&#x2122;ª The Silk Origin Music Alliance