This year's Leicester Music Conference is just around the corner, and the organisers have now released a full programme schedule for the event, as well as announcing that the evening showcase will feature a performance from London-based rapper Professor Green.
The conference will open with a keynote address from Myn Jazeel (Co-Chair - MOBO Trust, Chair of Music Against Racism, Artist Manager, ex-SVP of Warner Music), and attendees will have the chance to take place in an array of panel talks, workshops, hands-on demos and networking opportunities.
The first day will be a dedicated event for 14–18-year-olds attending from schools across the county, and will include career and education panels, performances and interactive sessions led by artists and industry professionals. The day will conclude with a roundtable led by Phil Nelson, an experienced artist manager whose career spans major award-winning acts, including gold and platinum-selling artists and nominees for the Mercury Prize and BRIT Awards, and co-founding The Great Escape Festival.
Founded three years ago, the Leicester Music Conference continues to grow in ambition, scale and impact. Panels at this year’s event include: In the Mix: The Craft of Music Production; Pathways Into the Music Industry — The Featured Artists Collective; music:defined — Your Music. Your Money. Your Move; South Asian — Futures in Music; Indie Labels in the Modern Age; TikTok — Tools for Success; Mental Health and The Music Industry; and BBC Introducing hosted by Dean Jackson.
There are also workshops from Sontronics on Microphone Techniques; Meet the Funders Zone; MMF Session: Managers, Aspiring Managers and Artists Seeking Managers; and Using Ableton Live for Live Performance.
A full schedule for the day is now available on the conference website, along with delegate passes giving access to the full programme, free expo and live showcase.
The conference programme will include a significant focus on South Asian music pathways, reflecting the fact that 43 percent of the city's population is Asian. Following a successful panel last year, Sania Haq, music data specialist and Founder of Bye 2 Stereotypes, will return to curate the South Asian future-focused session. Sania led the groundbreaking South Asian Soundcheck study — a first in-depth survey of South Asians in the UK music industry.
“Last year was about laying the foundations: mapping the current landscape and starting to give visibility to South Asian voices in music. What made it really special was the energy in the room — lots of creators and emerging talent who don’t often get direct access to industry insight or decision-makers. - Sania Haq
The event will also include a showcase that’s been designed to provide a snapshot of the region’s grassroots music scene, bringing together emerging, developing and established artists across multiple genres while giving local acts the chance to share a platform with bigger names, build connections and create progression opportunities. It will include a performance from Professor Green, a London-based rapper and musician who uses his personal experience to raise awareness of mental health — a key subject being explored by the conference this year. Sharing the stage at the evening showcase will be Zdot; Gemma Fox; the South Asian Showcase with Brown is Everywhere; DESI TRILL; Queen Millz; and the HQ Familia Show, with more acts still to be announced.
“I’m honestly buzzing that we’ve been able to secure Professor Green for this year’s Leicester Music Conference. He’s a multi-platinum artist with a story that a lot of our artists can really relate to, and he’s also been a strong voice around mental health, which matters a lot to us. Having someone like Professor Green involved in our conference is massive, because he’s living proof that it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you start with — anything is possible. He’s joining an amazing line-up full of opportunities for artists at every stage, and it’s exactly what LMC is about: giving Midlands talent a proper platform and connecting them to the wider industry.” - Dr Yasin El Ashrafi, Conference Founder
Where & When?
Delegate places for the Conference & Expo at 2Funky Music Complex and The Venue at DMU are £10, or £15 with the Evening Showcase. Access to the Expo only is free and also bookable via Eventbrite. More information can be found via the link below.
