AIM reveals speakers for Future Independents conference

Now in its second edition, the free event is aimed at giving artists, labels, managers and other music entrepreneurs access to the knowledge they need to level up in music. It will seek to provide attendees with the connections they need to advance their careers in the music industry.

Speakers on the line-up include big industry players such as Spotify’s music strategy and operations lead in the UK and Ireland Lucy Blair, YouTube Music UK label relations manager James McGuinness, and Meta’s music label partnerships lead Josh Nicoll.

They will be joined by representatives of independent labels Anjunabeats, Black Acre, Cooking Vinyl and Soundway Records, founder and CEO of artist relations agency 1994 Collective Chloe Mykel, Blackstar creative manager Tiago Mathias, Positive Subversion founder Siofra McComb.

Earlier this month, AIM announced Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and music entrepreneur KAMILLE as the keynote speaker for the event.

The panel discussions will explore topics such as How to Get Involved at International Showcases, The Power of Short Form Video, Building a Brand for Long-Lasting Superfans, and Radio in 2022.

Curve general manager Richard Leach will present a workshop titled Royalties Made Easy, while RightsHUB CEO Lee Morrison will lead a session called Seize The Data: Secure The Bag. View the full programme here.

Meanwhile, AIM has released a list of industry experts participating in its networking sessions, including experts from across legal, finance and investment, distribution, artist services, and other fields. Attendees who register for the event by 2 June will have the opportunity to pre-book one-to-one slots with the specialists who could help them advance their careers.

“The biggest barrier to success for people from diverse backgrounds is access to information,” AIM’s entrepreneurship and outreach manager Ben Wynter said. “With Future Independents, AIM is not only breaking down that obstacle but is also providing top quality speakers to share their experience and advice on how to succeed in music.

“Music entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the industry. They are the risk takers and the innovators who drive the industry forward and create new trends as epitomised by our keynote speaker. I am excited to see us build on the success of the first Future Independents last year as we go even bigger in 2022, when the exclusive Associate Membership and Knowledge Base launches more widely.”

The event is courtesy of Amazon Music, Meta, Merlin, PPL, Spotify and YouTube Music. It is targeted at individuals in music looking to develop their understanding of trends, new approaches and the latest tech, including people managers wanting to up-skill their teams, as well as those just beginning their journey in the music business.

The conference will begin at 11am (CAT). Interested attendees can register here.