Keynote #1

• EMPIRE has redefined the hip-hop and rap ecosystem as both a label and a distribution & publishing company, partnering with global icons including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Cardi B. By pioneering data-driven distribution and transparent partnerships, it has shifted the way artists earn from their music. In 2024, EMPIRE extended its global reach through a landmark distribution deal with G-Dragon. In this keynote, founder Ghazi Shami shares EMPIRE’s strategy and offers his perspective on how artist-driven models are reshaping power in the music industry.

• Ghazi is the Founder and CEO of EMPIRE, the largest independent label, distributor, and publisher in the U.S. Since its founding in 2010, he has grown EMPIRE into a global force known for its artist-first philosophy and cultural impact. Recognized by Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Variety, Ghazi brings together creative, technical, and business expertise. In 2025, he received the Clive Davis Visionary Award and was featured on the cover of Billboard’s Sports & Music Issue.

Keynote #2

• As A&R Director of SM Entertainment’s publishing division, Kreation Music Rights, Jin Suk Choi has overseen countless collaborations that cross race, culture, and geography—helping shape the foundation of today’s K-POP. In this keynote, he revisits those processes and examines what they reveal about the future of music creation and distribution in a world where boundaries matter less and less.

• Head of A&R and a Director at Kreation Music Rights, SM Entertainment’s publishing arm, and a producer with Norway-based Dsign Music. He has worked with leading K-pop artists across SM, JYP, and YG, including a No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Through global writer collaborations and international song camps, he helps drive K-pop’s worldwide growth and cross-cultural exchange.

Open Session #1

• What does a festival lineup need to look like in 2025 and beyond?
• Programmers from Primavera Sound, Colours of Ostrava, and Iceland Airwaves discuss how they build lineups that speak to today’s audiences—balancing social awareness, cultural context, and the discovery of new artists.
• They will explore how diversity, experimentation, and flexibility in curation are shaping the identity, philosophy, and branding of festivals in a rapidly evolving live music landscape.

• Ivone Lesan is a leading international music promoter in Spain, active since 2006. She worked 10 years at Live Nation Spain, then joined Miles Away (linked to Razzmatazz, Barcelona) as a booker/promoter. She now coordinates the booking department at Primavera Sound. With a background in Art History and project management, she oversees artist booking, legal/admin tasks, and production. Committed to gender equality, she served on the board of MIM (Women in the Music Industry) and mentors emerging professionals

• Jan Polak is a booker at Colour Production, spol. s r.o., where he is responsible for programming and booking for Colours of Ostrava, one of the largest multi-genre music festivals in Central Europe. With experience in international booking, artist liaison, and event production, he works across various genres and formats.

• Ísleifur is the founder and CEO of Sena Live, Iceland’s top live event company. For over 25 years, he has shaped the country’s music scene, producing shows for global stars like Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli, and Icelandic icons like Björk and Laufey. Sena Live also owns Iceland Airwaves, a globally recognized festival. Ísleifur has managed the festival since 2018, continuing to drive its creative and international vision.

Open Session #2

• Asia’s music market is becoming an interconnected network that extends far beyond national borders. This session presents real-world collaboration projects—bridging regions, genres, and industries—to show how creative partnerships can translate into both commercial success and cultural impact. The cases highlight how Asian music is building new models of cooperation while expanding its creative vocabulary across the global market.

• Chikara Kasahara is a Tokyo-based global marketeer and artist manager. At Universal Music Japan, he led campaigns for international artists such as Conan Gray, Rina Sawayama, and Troye Sivan, recognized for integrating offline and digital strategies. He now serves as Global Marketing Manager and Artist Manager at Made Management, overseeing acts including AURORA, Sigrid, and ena mori. In partnership with Chorus, he has spearheaded Japanese campaigns for Jackson Wang, Japanese Breakfast, and more, while also managing the international career of legendary Japanese musician Haruomi Hosono.

• Jing Wang is the founder and CEO of JADED, an American music company dedicated to developing, managing, and promoting the world’s leading emerging and independent Asian artists. She began her career on Wall Street as an investment banker and later held executive positions at Sony Music, Beats by Dre, and Apple. Drawing on this experience, she now leads JADED with a global vision.

• Pollakit Srisamut is a co-founder of YUPP! Entertainment, a music label driving the global rise of Thai hip-hop and pop. Under his leadership, YUPP! made history by presenting the first Thai-language rapper at Coachella, and has garnered over 1.4 billion views on YouTube and 10 billion on TikTok. Pollakit also played a pivotal role in founding RAP IS NOW, helping transform Thailand’s underground hip-hop culture into a mainstream movement. He is currently collaborating with the Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA) to develop soft power strategies for the nation’s creative industries. Pollakit continues to shape the future of Thai music through cultural vision and global ambition.

Workshop #1

• How do artists get noticed—and ultimately chosen—by music supervisors?
  
• This workshop brings together leading music supervisors and sync agents behind the soundtracks of <The White Lotus>, <Breaking Bad>,<Modern Love Tokyo> They will share how music is discovered and selected for screen projects, the role of sync agencies, and practical ways musicians and companies can pitch effectively. The discussion also highlights how sync licensing and brand collaboration are becoming essential income streams and growth opportunities for artists worldwide.

• Dan Koplowitz has been involved in the music industry in various capacities for the past twenty years. He is the owner of Friendly Fire Licensing, a boutique sync agency that represents about fifty labels and publishers—including Cherry Red, Now-Again, KYTE, Ace Recordings, and Alter-K—for inclusion in TV shows, films, commercials, and video games.

• Thomas Golubić is a Los Angeles-based music supervisor known for his work across acclaimed film and television projects including [Breaking Bad], [Better Call Saul], [Poker Face], [Silo], [The Walking Dead], [Halt and Catch Fire]. With a deep passion for the relationship between music and storytelling, he brings emotional depth and narrative precision to each project. He also gives lectures on Music Storytelling.

• James Matsuki is a Tokyo-based music supervisor and founder of Spine Sounds. With deep knowledge of Japanese music culture and copyright management from his experience at NexTone, he specializes in music supervision and sync licensing for Japanese audiovisual content including TV, film, advertising, and games. His notable projects include House of Ninjas, Modern Love Tokyo, The Boyfriend, Final Draft, and sync contributions to international productions like Pachinko, SHOGUN, Tokyo Vice, and Valorant.

Deep Dive #1

• London-based consultant and artist manager Danny Keir offers a practical look at the structures of the international music business and the partnerships needed for strategic global expansion. From labels and touring to booking, PR, and sync agencies, he shares how to find the right collaborators and build long-term integrated strategies that sustain growth and success in global markets.

• Danny Keir is a London-based artist manager and co-founder of Enki Collective, a music export and event production agency. With over 15 years of independent artist management experience, he has led hundreds of campaigns across international markets. His current roster includes I Monster, Tatyana, Casey Lowery, and film composers Matteo Tronchin and Jack McCartney.

Deep Dive #2

• Having worked as an A&R at JYP Entertainment with artists like TWICE and GOT7, Soojung Bae now runs her own company, Ocean Cave, where she focuses on independent A&R strategies. In this session, she shares how independent A&Rs identify and develop potential global hits at the earliest stages, what criteria they prioritize when selecting songs, and how they collaborate with international writers and producers. She also outlines how independents can build synergies with agencies to create a more diverse and sustainable production ecosystem for K-POP.

• Soo jung Bae leads OCEANCAVE and works as an independent A&R. Since founding the company in 2017, she has focused on album A&R and on developing and pitching songs through a global network of songwriters. Building on experience at JYP Entertainment, she collaborates with a wide range of K pop artists. Selected credits include PRISTIN V’s single album Like a V (including “Get It”), AOA’s “Bingle Bangle,” THE BOYZ’s “REVEAL” and “Thrill Ride,” and VIVIZ’s “Shhh!”. She has also contributed to projects with TWICE and GOT7. OCEANCAVE operates across publishing, production outsourcing, and A&R, supporting international collaboration within the K pop production ecosystem.