Friday 4 June, 2021
SONIA AIMY JOINS WORLD’S LARGEST ONLINE MUSICAL COLLABORATION – GLOBAL MUSIC MATCH RETURNS FOR 2021
Following the colossal success of the debut Global Music Match in 2020, the worldwide matchmaking programme returns from June 7, featuring 78 artists from 17 countries and four continents.
Artists from Australia, Brittany in France, Canada, Catalonia in Spain, Chile, Denmark, England, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Scotland, Taiwan, USA and Wales are set to collaborate over the coming three months, in what is thought to be the world’s largest online musical matchmaking programme.
This year’s iteration follows 2020’s world-first collaboration, which was created by founding partners Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo and Canada’s East Coast Music Association (ECMA) in a bid to continue developing profiles for folk-based artists in international music markets within the challenging and unprecedented parameters of COVID-19.
Artists from around the world have been grouped into international teams of six, from different countries, and over the coming 12 weeks will collaborate with each other across social media. Each act has an assigned two-week Featured Artist period, during which time their five team-mates will introduce them to five new audiences around the globe – rotated amongst all artists, up to the end of August.
With 78 artists, 13 teams of six will operate simultaneously, across borders, countries and timezones, introducing audiences to three months of new music, whilst artists largely remain unable to tour internationally.
Each team is also led by an international coach – all of whom are leading festival directors and publicity managers from around the world, within the folk/roots genres. Artists will be coached throughout the project by influential figureheads from Cambridge Folk Festival (England), Gooikorts International Folk Festival (Belgium), Killer Inc. (Norway), Knockengorroch Festival (Scotland), Manchester Folk Festival (England), Montelago Celtic Festival (Italy), New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (USA), Philadelphia Folk Festival (USA), Port Fairy Folk Festival (Australia), AmericanaFest UK (England), Vancouver Island Music Fest (Canada), Westport Music & Arts Festival (Ireland), Woodford Folk Festival (Australia) and Word Music Festival (Chile).
Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and created as a unique and direct response to the sudden limitations imposed on the worldwide music industry – and in particular, international showcasing – Global Music Match
seeks to enhance and develop artists’ international fanbases, presence, and peer connections in global markets.
Not only that, but the 2020 edition established lifelong working partnerships, market development, substantially enhanced international networks, and collaborations across the globe – all during the most challenging year the live music industry has ever known.
Global Music Match 2020 ran from August to October 2020, and was officially wrapped with a four-hour showcase of the project and its collaborations at Folk Unlocked, the acclaimed digital edition of the Folk Alliance International (USA) conference in February 2021. On top of the strategic aims central to Global Music Match, February’s Global Music Marathon illustrates just one example of the international music industry taking serious note of the project – as well as the caliber and export-readiness of participating artists – presenting them to hundreds of leading buyers, bookers, programmers and presenters at the world’s largest folk-based music conference.
Folk Alliance International returns in an export capacity in 2021, fielding artists from the USA. They join the three founding partners, alongside returning export music offices (EMOs); Spectacle vivante Bretagne (Brittany), Catalan Arts (Catalonia, Spain), English Folk Expo, Music Finland, Iceland Music, Music Norway, LUCfest (Taiwan) and FOCUS Wales.
Additionally, six new EMOs have joined Global Music Match in 2021: the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), Tempi (Denmark), Chile Musica, Culture Ireland, Italia Music Export (Italy), and Export Music Sweden.
CIMA is very excited to jump into Global Music Match during the second edition to increase Canadian participation alongside founding partner the East Coast Music Association. CIMA will represent six fantastic Canadian acts from across the country: Amy Nelson (SK), Buckman Coe (BC), Krista Hartman (ON), Lynne Hanson (ON), Sonia Aimy (ON), and Stephen Fearing (BC). Seven Canadian artists will also be represented by our Eastern Canadian counterparts the East Coast Music Association: Émilie Landry, Terra Spencer, Pretty Archie, Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, Quote The Raven, Kubasonics, and Andrew Waite. This year Doug Cox (Vancouver Island Music Fest) will act as the sole Canadian coach to the artists.
Global Music Match begins next Monday, June 6, running until August 29.
Showcase Scotland Expo Executive Producer, Lisa Whytock said: “We’re really excited to see Global Music Match kick off again next week. The idea came about on a Zoom call between myself and Millie Millgate of Sounds Australia early on in the pandemic last year, and we have since seen it grow to include so many export organisations and artists – all of whom continue to amaze us with their positive outlook and enthusiasm for the opportunities it presents.
“Over the last year, everyone has been connecting through social media – yet Global Music Match really harnesses the power of collective markets, and ultimately the goodwill and supporting nature of the worldwide music community. We are really looking forward to seeing how all the artists work together this time round. With so many from around the world, most of the musicians won’t have met in person – let alone toured in their respective countries – so once again it really is going to establish new and lasting international connections”
CIMA’s, Sr. Manager, Business Development, Trisha Carter said: “After watching the Global Music Marathon and following Global Music Match 2020, we were excited to see how CIMA could help expand the Canadian artist participation in 2021. In a year of pause, it is beneficial for artists to continue to develop their skills and make connections globally before slowly easing back into live programming again. Programs like these provide a positive community-building experience for artists – they reconnect them with their artistic peers and build on their creativity in multiple ways. We are thrilled to join our export market colleagues in supporting this wonderful initiative and are amazed by all of the artists & coaches who have jumped in with both feet and embraced this intensive 12-week program with such enthusiasm.
For further information, head to www.globalmusicmatch.com, or search for the hashtag #GlobalMusicMatch to check out the worldwide introductions to new artists.