South Africa, home to some of the continent’s leading artists, will be hosting for the very first time the South African Music Week (SAMW) in partnership with Canada where the concept has been borrowed to uplift the South African and African music business.
The event will run for three days between 26 and 28 January 2020 as an online based concept and in line with the new normal.
Aptly themed ‘Music in the 4IR”, attendees will, among other planned activities, go through panels sessions, online expo, music performances and B2B networking. It is the theme of 4IR that should most excite many as they stand to take home nuggets on how to better their game in an industry that is becoming more competitive by the day.
A number of top grade local and international speakers have been lined up alongside most local musicians who will spice up the proceedings.
SAMW comes at a time when the music industry has been hard hit by the pandemic as Covid 19 means that musicians cannot host live shows that are “super spreaders” of the virus. However, the selected musicians who will perform during the three day event will no doubt welcome the opportunity to showcase their talents at a time when the majority of their peers are not contemplating gatherings of a small nature as is with other economic sectors.
With the entertainment sector among some of those not allowed to organize any form of gathering, the chance to perform for such an international platform should be welcome to all the musicians listed on the three day event.
As is the norm with music weeks worldwide, some of the best talents in the industry are roped in. The event boasts a long list of names from South Africa and abroad that should make it appealing to all who want to know the ins and outs of the music industry.
Names of the speakers include internationally well-known and movers and shakers in the music business who will share the stage with some of those who are also equally known within the borders of South Africa and the African region.
Some of the personalities in the long list of panelists are Amara Nwogu (COO at 8 Til Faint of Canada); Antos Stella (CEO, Content Connect Africa, SA); Billy Domingo (COO, Cape Town International Jazz Festival); Black Coffee (artist, SA); Cory Litwin (EVP, Hallywood Media, CA); D. O. Gibson (artist, CA); Erin Benjamin (President and CEO; Canada Live Music Association); Andrew Mitchley (A & R Head-David Gresham Records , SA); Jake Gold (President and CEO – The Management Trust Ltd, CA); Jotam Matariro (CEO – CAPASO, SA); Lerato Kganyago (DJ, MC, Motivational spaker, SA); Munyaradzi Chanetsa (A & R – Sony ATV Music Publishing SA) and many more.
Music performances will include Afronaut, Anada Trap Story, Andyboi, Automatic, Bongani ‘Mahlathini’ Zanazo and Jay Popular.
The event presents participants to find best on how to maximize opportunities in the music business and how music, technology and business were being integrated across the world in a new normal as well as beyond it. The virtual space has become much a part of the daily musical experience, all for the best outcomes for music creatives and those running companies and organizations that are involved in the business of entertaining audiences and making money through music.
Founded by South African native Michael Moeti, this is the first time that the country is hosting the music week which is noble, looking at the way the industry continues to suffer from the pandemic and also that there is need to exchange knowledge with international experts to grow the country’s music sector, as well as broaden the potential of the creative economies.
“We want to write a new chapter for the South African music industry by bringing the world to our doorstep, using the digital age to unearth emerging talent and plugging it into a global audience,” Moeti told a local media outlet. Indeed when the three days are over, it is hoped that artists and stakeholders present would have harvested the right knowledge required to advance the South African music industry to the next level while also helping to unlock African entertainment in the new year, new normal and beyond.
