FACE THE MUSIC reveal second round of speakers

PRESS RELEASE:

How’d you like that last announcement? We know. We set the bar too high. We couldn’t possibly match it with the second speaker lineup. Titans of industry likeRobert Forster, Ricki Askin, Anthony Fantano, Zan Roweand more – how could we possibly equal it this time? Sorry to disappoint: We did. Adding to the already massive lineup, Face The Music presents a whole new host of legends to get your thoughts ticking on the state of the global music industry.

And just as hot:Face The Music is stoked that the venue where this is all going down will be the opulent State Library Victoria.In the centre of the city and the central hub for Melbourne Music Week, there’s no better place to house all the experts on show at Face The Music this year. From statisticians to superstars, this summit’s only getting higher. And they are:

Zola Jesus,the synth Second Coming whose mix of avant-garde electronic noise and classical composition has led to some of modern America’s most beguiling records. Her latest recordTaigawas created in the natural isolation on Vashon Island but was praised for its far-reaching, experimental sound. Zola Jesus joins Face The Music following her already announced Melbourne Music Week exclusive performance at Melbourne Recital Centre.

Tkay Maidza,rap’s prodigal daughter. A string of celebrated singles and high profile collabs (most recently with hip-hop godfather Killer Mike) has crowds around the world craving her forthcoming debut album.

Amber Galloway, a sign language interpreter working in live music to bring lyrics to life for the hearing impaired. As the discourse around accessibility in music progresses, it’s never been more important to talk about how the industry can make music available to everyone, and Amber Galloway is leading the charge. Her energetic performances to the side of stage of everyone from Kendrick Lamar to Destiny’s Child has made her a visible advocate for a noble cause.

Alex White,the head of Pandora’s Next Big Sound team. White oversees the people digging into the nitty-gritty of listening habits, analysing data and design to bring out the truth in numbers of how people consume music.

Briggs,the powerhouse rapper whose records have made him a pioneer of Australian hip-hop and whose outspoken critiques of Australian culture have given a voice to a marginalised population. Whether on your TV in ABC’sClevermanor on your turntable with his critically hailed albums, Briggs is here to blow up everything white Australia has tried to sweep under the rug.

Japanese Wallpaper, the artist / producer whose massive festival sets, co-signs from the likes of Gotye and Lorde, and thoughtful, ebullient music turned him into a teen heartthrob.

Plus the following heroes and luminaries:

Michael Hohnen[Skinnyfish Music]

Emma Barnes[Emma Jane Management]

Katie Stewart[Laneway Music Festival]

Myf Warhurst[Double J]

Samuel Wald[WME]

Johann Ponniah[I Oh You]

Jaime Gough[Native Tongue]

Emily York[Penny Drop]

You can see it with your own eyes, folks. A whole raft of forward-thinking, fast-moving, industry-leading speakers all ready to tickle your brains with questions. Pack your band-aids and join us on the bleeding edge.

The party kicks off November 17 and 18 and kicks on throughout Melbourne Music Week, so when you’ve filled up your brain you can go wriggle it out on the dancefloor. Oh, and just between us, there’s still more to come. More brain-busting speakers, yes, and also the (da-nahnah-NAH!) reveal of Face The Music’s inaugural live music showcases where you’ll see artists you love sharing stages with those you’ll come to obsess over. We’ll give you that in October. This is Face The Music like you’ve never seen it, a local bacchanal on a global scale. Meantime, take a moment to digest all this. While you still have the chance, face the music and dance.