IOMMA conference in Reunion to unite Indian Ocean music industries

Unique in the region, IOMMA positions itself as a hub for the music industry in the Indian Ocean - a space for meetings, exchanges and opportunities between artists and music industry professionals in the region, as well as those from Africa, Europe, Australia, America and Asia. Besides artist showcases, IOMMA offers conference panels and one-on-one networking opportunities.

Artists showcases

Following a call for artists earlier this year, IOMMA’s organisers have selected 22 bands who will showcase their talents over four consective evenings.

Representing Reunion will be Gilles Lauret, Le Complex de Zik, Sayaman, Identité, Chaff Chaff Gambler, Saodaj', Ziia & The Swing Mates, Kaang, Corvec, Tricodpo, Urbain Philéas and Tine Poppy. Showcasing from other Indian Ocean islands will be M'toro Chamou (Mayotte), Mounawar (Comores) and The Dizzy Brains (Madagascar).

From the mainland will be two Mozambican acts: the legendary Roberto Chitsondzo and new act 340million, an electronic spin-off of defunct dub favourites 340ml. South African will meanwhile be represented by The Soil, electronic producer Felix Laband and upcoming Durban rapper Raheem Kemet. From further corners of the Indian Ocean, IOMMA will welcome Australian reggae band Kingfisha and Tapatham from India.

Conferences

Numerous thought-provoking panel discussions will take place during the daytime. They kick off on Tuesday 31 May with an introduction to the work of French collecting agency SACEM, followed by discussions on digital music distribution, the economy of Reunion’s music industry, and how local artists can export their music to the world.

Discussions on Wednesday 1 June focus on the world of music festivals - measuring the impact of festivals on local economic development; an inside look at festival programming, and creating a network of music markets, featuring representatives of Babel Med in France, Visa For Music in Morocco and Atlantic Music Expo in Cape Verde, among others.

Building on this theme, the following day will see a talk focusing on the Southern African Music Festival Circuit, with representatives of Zakifo and the Bassline in South Africa, Azgo in Mozambique, Sakifo in Reunion and MTN Bushfire in Swaziland. Other talks that day look at the work of the CNV (Centre National de la Chanson des Variétés et du Jazz) in France, as well as tips for artist management and career development.

One-on-one meetings

Outside the artist showcases and conferences, IOMMA also hosts networking meetings. Where artists and music professionals have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with a wide range of actors from all background, to present their work and create new business opportunities. These sessions will take place on Wednesday and Thursday between 2:30pm and 4:30pm at Villa Delisle in St-Pierre, with participants invited to register at the same venue from Tuesday 31 May.

To register for IOMMA, do so here before 25 May. For more details visit the IOMMA website or watch the video below.