South Africa, Canada join forces to host virtual SA Music Week in 2021

In a reciprocal exchange, SAMW will aim to build skills and the capacity of the South African music industry as a whole, and for artists in both countries to discover new markets for their craft. At the same time, South Africa and Canada are looking to develop a mutually beneficial collaborative investment paradigm to grow the music economy, a by-product of which, could be travel and tourism opportunities between the two.

Themed ‘Music in the 4IR’, the 2021 event comprises three days of online panel discussions, a virtual expo, music performances, B2B networking and an industry hall of honours event.

Founder and CEO of South African Music Week, Michael Moeti, said:

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.

“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.”

SAMW is the result of a working visit that Moeti undertook to Canadian Music Week (CMW) in Toronto, Canada in May 2019 where SA was a spotlight at CMW and; a fact-finding mission to Canada in January 2020, which was led by Mbali Hlophe, Gauteng MEC sports, arts, culture and recreation. SAMW is a timely event that amplifies the new spirit of the world community, to work together on creative solutions that benefit the whole.

Headed by Canada’s province of Ontario in partnership with South Africa’s Gauteng province, among the big names that will participate in SA Music Week are Cory Litwin, Amara Nwogu, Erin Ashly, Trisha Carter alongside South Africa’s music heavyweights such as Black Coffee, Euphonik, Jonathan Butler and many others.

Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s minister of heritage, sport, tourism, and culture industries, 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.”

Canada will also field a contingent of highly regarded professionals, some of whom have been responsible for the successful careers of some of the biggest global artists including Drake, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, The Weeknd and Michael Bublé among others.

The event programme line-up includes:

• The Future of Music Business: Surviving COVID-19, By Neill Dixon, CEO Canadian Music Week
  
• 4th Industrial Revolution – Digital World: Music Streaming, Sync & Gaming by Gugu Nyoni, Webrave (SA)
  
• Music Market in the Digital Era: (Streaming, Gaming, Social Media (Indie Vs Majors) by Antos Stella, CEO Content Connect Africa and Lee Ann Morais
  
• Investing in The Business of Music by Mike Tanner, Music Programmer, City of Toronto
  
• How Can Canada and the South African Industry Partner and Become Music Cities – Sister Cities? (Best Practices, Arts Friendly Policy Development, Music Office) by Jackie Dean, Interim Co-CEO of Music, Canada
  
• Turning Artists into Brands by Sylvester Chauke (SA)
  
• Programming Support for International Missions and Artistic Collaborations and Foreign Artist Tours by Pierre-Louis Pinel, Canada Arts Council
  
• How Foreign Artists Can Access Funding to Tour Canada & Collaborate with Canadian Talent by Evelyn Cream, Marketing, Publicity, Artist Management along with a Panel: Factor Funding Model – How to Empower Emerging Talent
  
• Music & Copyright Law by Wiseman Ngubo, COO, CAPASSO
  
• Reciprocal Opportunities Between Canada and South Africa – Where are the Export Development Opportunities? By Trisha Carter, Music Export Manager CIMA
  
• How to Tour Overseas and Export South Africa to Foreign Markets, by Renneth Shisikule, CEO, IMEXSA
  
• The Manager’s Rule Book to Turning Artists into Mega Stars- Canada and the USA, by Cory Litwin, CEO 2wenty 2wenty Music Group (Canada)
  
• Government to Government: Prospects for Collaboration and an Exchange Programme – Skills Development and Training by Marina Adams and Charmane Botha.

Performances include:

• Afronaut
  
• Anada Trap Story
  
• Andyboi
  
• Bongani “Mahlathini” Zanazo
  
• Jay Popular
  
• Mahlathini
  
• Kayla
  
• Sean Trimz
  
• Nono Nkoane
  
• Automatic
  
• Khanyo
  
• Hanco Tarryn Lamb
  
• Thuto
  
• Sofaya
  
• New Hero

For more information, please visit www.samw.co.za