Global Music Match is making a return for 2021

International musical collaboration initiative Global Music Match is making its return for 2021.

Founded by Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo and Canada’s East Coast Music Association (ECMA), this year’s Global Music Match will span from June 7 to August 29, with 78 artists from 17 different countries being involved in the event.

All artists will be grouped into international teams of six, working on music remotely and communicating via social media for the duration of 12 weeks.

Teams will also be led by an international coach, with all coaches being plucked from a pool of leading folk/roots festival directors from events such as Woodford Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Vancouver Island Folk Festival.

Each act will also be assigned a two-week Feature Artist period, where each of their teammates will introduce them to their social media following to share international exposure among each other.

13 artists from Australia will attend this year’s Global Music Match, including:

• Andrea Kirwin
• Emma Swift
• Ernest Aines
• Francesca de Valence
• Georgia State Line
• Gretta Ziller
• Joel Havea
• Melanie Horsnell
• Monique Clare
• Musketeer
• Rich Davies
• Ruth Hazleton
• Tom West

Other countries to be involved in this year’s match-up include France, Canada, Catalonia, Chile, Denmark, England, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Scotland, Taiwan, USA and Wales.

Fanny Lumsden, one of the Australian artists involved in last year’s program, said that participating in Global Music Match was a “career highlight experience without a doubt”.

“Global Music Match completely turned on its head my approach and access to the international market as an independent singer-songwriter and it did that through people: friendships, connection, creation and collaboration,” Lumsden said.

“It was such an incredible way to connect across the oceans and I feel confident now to head out and physically tour in a range of new markets, once it’s all opened up again.”

To find out more about all 78 acts involved in this year’s Global Music Match, visit their website.