Canadian Music Week Goes Virtual In May
After being forced to cancel last year, Canada’s biggest music industry gathering reconvenes in May, in virtual form. Plenty of biz heavy-hitters are lined up, while the festival component is now accepting artist submissions.
By FYI Staff
Canadian Music Week is back in 2021 with a virtual conference and festival now scheduled. The 2020 edition of Canada's largest music industry gathering was a victim of Covid-19 and the pandemic lockdown. Ongoing restrictions prevent the traditional format of the event, but the virtual conference set for May 18-21 will still include networking sessions, breakout rooms, one-on-one meetings, Q&A sessions, exhibitors, and more.
The list of music industry heavy-hitters who will participate is an impressive one. In alphabetical order, they include:
Brittney King Rock – President, 10k Projects
Carianne Marshall – Co-Chair & COO, Warner Chappell Music
Chris Blackwell – Island Records Founder
Debra Rathwell – EVP of Global Touring at AEG
Desmond Child – Grammy winning producer, songwriter
Ethan Millman – Writer Rolling Stone
Gail Mitchell – Executive Director, R&B/Hip Hop, Billboard Magazine
Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault
Ian Montone – Founder Monotone Management Inc.
Kevin Liles – Co-Founder & CEO, 300 Entertainment
Lawrence Mestel – Founder & CEO, Primary Wave
Mauricio Ruiz – 8 Til Faint Management, Co-Manager, Jessie Reyez
Merck Mercuriadis – Hipgnosis Music Fund
Michael McCarty – CEO, Kilometre Music Group
Michael Huppe – President & CEO, Sound Exchange
Natalia Nastaskin – CCO, Primary Wave
Nile Rodgers – Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer
Portia Sabin – President, Music Business Association
Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk – Hit singer/songwriters
Rob Stevenson – Partner, 300 Entertainment
Ryan Press – President, A&R, U.S., Warner Chappell Music
Sam Hollander – Songwriter, producer, hitmaker
Shirley Halperin – Executive Editor, Variety
Suzy Shinn, Hit Producer and engineer
Wendy Ong – President, TaP Music
Register for the conference here
The Canadian Music Week Festival will also proceed, in virtual form. To watch live-streamed shows, register for free here.
CMW Festival Submissions 2021 are now open here, with a deadline of April 25. The submission fee is $99 (plus HST), and includes one free general admission to the virtual CMW Conference whether you are accepted or not.
Also held in conjunction with CMW is the 20th anniversary of the Independent Music Awards (The Indies), to be livestreamed from the El Mocambo in Toronto on May 21.
More CMW info here.
Stephen Macklam (left) and Sam Feldman.Courtesy Photos