Inaugural SA Music Week goes virtual this month

The free event is courtesy of a partnership between South Africa and Canada, and was inspired by the world-renowned Canadian Music Week (CMW) in Toronto. It will explore potential ways to maximise the convergence of music, technology and business, and aims to forge a new successful path for musicians. Both countries are seeking to develop a mutually beneficial collaborative investment paradigm.

The event will run under the theme, Music in the 4IR, and comprise online panel discussions exploring topics such as The Future of Music Business: Surviving COVID-19, Digital World: Music Streaming, Sync & Gaming, Turning Artists Into Brands, and Music and Copyright Law, among others.

Local and international speakers billed for the event include the head of A&R at David Gresham Records, Andrew Mitchley (South Africa), Canadian Live Music Association CEO Erin Benjamin (Canada), The Management Trust CEO Jake Gold (South Africa), Composers, Authors and Publishers Association CEO Jotam Matariro (South Africa), Sony/ATV A&R manager for Africa Munyaradzi Chanetsa (South Africa), Canadian Music Week president Neill Dixon (Canada), Slikour on Life CEO Siya Metane (South Africa), Sheer Publishing creative manager Mpumi Phillips (South Africa), music journalist and digital specialist Erin Ashley Lowers (Canada) and Content Connect Africa CEO Antos Stella (South Africa).

Showcasing artists will include Afronaut, Anada Trap Story, Andyboi, Automatic, Bongani ‘Mahlathini’ Zanazo and Jay Popular.

The programme will offer a virtual expo, B2B networking and an industry Hall of Honours event. Additionally, SAMW will launch a COVID-19 collaborative song titled ‘Corona’ in acknowledgement of the pandemic.

“We are excited 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,” South African Music Week founder and CEO Michael Moeti said.

“Thanks to the phenomenal inspiring success of Master KG’s ‘Jerusalema’, South African talent is being recognised globally. SAMW is therefore the ideal platform from which to entrench this interest and build a robust cross-border music industry based on collaboration and making the most of music in the 4IR [Fourth Industrial Revolution].”

In May 2019, Moeti undertook a working visit to CMW, which was followed by a fact-finding mission led by Gauteng sports, arts, culture and recreation MEC Mbali Hlophe.

Ontario’s minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries, Lisa MacLeod, said: “I’m pleased that we all are coming together to support South African Music Week, in the great province of Ontario. I’m pleased that we continue, as the ‘world in one province', to embrace the world over into our music scene and vibrant culture and arts scene. We are there to support you and we cannot wait to see what you deliver next.”

View the full South African Music Week programme here.