June
11
HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY 2 OF CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK
  Starting off day 2 of Canadian Music Week was “Spotlight on Japan” where we learned ways in which we can bridge the gap between the music industries in Canada and Japan. This session was brought to us by CAAMA, FACTOR, Global Affairs Canada, and Ontario Creates. One of the day’s highlights was the featured keynote with Hipgnosis Songs Founder & CEO, Merck Mercuriadis. Merck took us all on a voyage of when he began his career in the music industry by working in promotions for Quality Records as a teen and discovering his passion for advocating for the artists and songwriters.  For the first time ever, The Nile Rogers Global Creators Award was given to two individuals. Singer, Songwriter and Record Producer, James Fauntleroyand Hip Hop and R&B Record Producer, Dion “No ID” Wilson. The award was followed by a Q&A with Merck Mercuriadis where we got into the minds of two of the most culturally important writers to hear how they found their love of music and songwriting.  Hip Hop Legend Chuck D was onsite at CMW to accept the first annual Social Justice Honours Award and was interviewed by Merck Mercuriadis.“As artists, we have to understand the difference between spectacle and spectacular. Spectacle is what brings you to the place, spectacular is what keeps you. Matter of fact spectacular brings you back to the place on and on and over and over again. Spectacle gets you in there once, you better be spectacular after that”. – Chuck DThis session was brought to use by Ontario Creates and AcceleratiON.  If you are thinking of becoming a music supervisor or wanted to know what the job entailed, this was the session you did not want to miss. Music Supervisor’s Georgette Bivins, Jonathan McHugh, MikailaSimmons and Tracy McKnight spoke about how they got their foot in the door, gave tips on not only getting hired but staying hired.COMING UP   Bringing ‘Em Back ‘Live:’ The Music City PanelIf anyone doubted the real value of live music to an urban economy, its absence during the pandemic made it plain. There was a loss of street excitement, venues closing, artists falling behind financially, depleted tax revenue and commercial activity. So, how do we get that creative economic engine humming again? A panel of “Music City” proponents will run through proposed initiatives to “bridge the gap” as the live music sector finds its way back to us, the audience. These include province-wide community initiatives, support for venues, expanding music offices and advancing support programs for music and musicians. If we “bring ‘em back live,” everyone benefits. Opening Remarks – Mayor John ToryModerator – Miranda Mulholland  Managers Panel: Working with Talent, Weathering the StormThis panel focuses on the experiences of managers as they’ve guided their artists through the two years when the music all but died. From the financial triage of maximizing and selling rights to pay bills, to the virtual concert “tour” game, and finally to the tentative return to the live stage, they’ve guided clients from challenge to challenge. Now that they’re managing a recovery, they’ll talk about their approaches to safe touring, growth strategies, reconnection with fans and even engagement with global and community issues. Moderator – Amie Therrien Brought To You By: Music Managers Forum (MMF) Canada  OPENING KEYNOTE with Michael Dorf, City Winery and The Agents/Promoter Super Session: Assessing Damage and Hopeful SignsAs the world locked down for the first wave of the pandemic, the industry was hit with a daisy chain of disaster. Concert promoters went bust. The bigger ones that survived did so through massive cutbacks and layoffs. Tours were cancelled and/or re-routed and rescheduled. Tickets for cancelled shows went un-refunded. Now, with artists tentatively back on tour, and shows augmented with live-streams, enterprising agents, promoters and venue owners seek to rebuild. This panel will take a second look at what happened, and what the future could hold. Opening Keynote – Michael Dorf, City WineryModerator – Heather GibsonBrought To You By: Scotiabank Arena  Mental Health Discussion with Industry ExpertsMental Health Whiplash – Post Pandemic reality in the Music Industry. Moderator: Bif Naked, Platinum Recording Artist, Bestselling Author, and Co-Founder Her Royal Majesty’s Ent / MonaLisa Healing  I Love Afrobeats: The Rise and Rise of AfrobeatsA discussion on the successes and challenges faced by the emerging global Afrobeats industry. With a panel comprised of industry veterans and influential playmakers, the conversation will highlight the exponential growth of the genre and unique marketing techniques behind it. The conversation will conclude with a brainstorm session on solutions to the obstacles holding Afrobeats back from reaching the next level. Moderator – Chinedu Ukabam(Supafrik/Gumbo)  Spotify Masterclass Take a personal guide through Spotify’s artist tools & features. Meet the team and discover your biggest platform. Adrian Burke, Artist & Label PartnershipsNathan Wiszniak, Head of Music PartnershipsCheck out the full conference schedule for all the details!FULL CONFERENCE SCHEDULECanadian Music Week is Canada’s leading annual entertainment event dedicated to the expression and growth of the country’s music, media and entertainment industries. Combining multifaceted information-intensive conferences; a trade exposition; awards shows and the nation’s largest new music festival. All conference functions take place at the InterContinental Toronto Centre at 225 Front Street West in Toronto. SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/canadianmusicweek/https://twitter.com/CMW_Weekhttps://www.instagram.com/canadianmusicweek/#CMW2022 Media Contact for CMW: Damien Nelson, damien@wantandable.ca A WORD FROM SOME OF OUR SPONSORS  |
BKonthescene 