NZ’s Going Global summit boasts bumper international line-up

The Australian music business will once again have a strong presence at New Zealand’s Going Global Music Summit — both on panels and on the floor.

The annual indie conference, organised by Independent Music NZ, is this year being held Aug. 31-Sept. 1 and is becoming a popular precursor to BIGSOUND, which follows on immediately after the Auckland event.

IMNZ general manager Dylan Pellett says the team behind Going Global — the government agency NZ Music Commission is another key supporter — has always liaised closely with the BIGSOUND on the international guest line-up and, as in previous years, both events will be sharing many of the same speakers.

The Australian industry will be well represented at this year’s summit, with the panel line-up including Chapter Music co-founder Ben O’Connor, BIGSOUND executive programmer Maggie Collins, The Sound Pound’s Tyler McLouglan and our own Poppy Reid, managing editor of Seventh Street Media.

In addition, newly launched digital operator GYROstream will be hosting a workshop at the conference to talk about the services it can offer Australian and New Zealand conferences.

Pellett adds there is also a growing number of Australians attending as conference delegates. “They have cottoned on to the fact that it makes sense to attend Going Global before going on to BIGSOUND,” he says. “They are realising the value of having the opportunity to have some on-ground time with not only the NZ industry but also of the international guests coming in, too.”

The Neve at Roundhead Studios

As well guests from the U.S., there will also be a prominent Latin American presence, with four trade commissioners from Chile, Peru, Columbia and Mexico in attendance.

The summit, which is held at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studios, will kick off on Aug. 31 with a keynote from expat Kiwi Ruban Nielson from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, with the rest of day being devoted to the music businesses in different territories around the globe. The keynote speaker for day 2 is noted U.K. music lawyer Ann Harrison, hailed as one of top 100 most influential women in the international music business, followed by sessions examining the latest music data and trends from around the world.

Although Going Global is essentially an industry summit, the event coincides with The Others Way Festival, a one day event staged at 13 venues in central Auckland, which will feature more than 30 NZ bands, including Flying Nun legends Headless Chickens and Bailterspace, plus three Kiwi acts who are performing this year at BIGSOUND: Miss June, Wax Chattels and Estère.

As well as the cream of NZ talent, there will be a dedicated Chapter Music stage, featuring the likes of Laura Jean, The Good Sax and Gregor.

“Pig City” author Andrew Stafford and TIO’s Lars Brandle at Going Global 2017

In addition, Going Global will culminate on the Saturday night with a series of showcase gigs for 13 up-and-coming NZ bands with international ambitions. Pellett says this year’s line-up features a broad range of artists from indie pop to electronica and hip hop.

Aldous Harding, Nadia Reid, Kane Strang, Tami Neilson and Fazerdaze are among the artists who have previously featured in the Going Global Showcase events.

Going Global speakers:
Alison Rosenfeld (Music Supervisor, Aperture Music, US), Amber Carew (A&R, Saddle Creek Records, US), Ann Harrison (Solicitor, SSB UK / Business Affairs Peermusic, UK), Ben O’Connor (Co-founder, Chapter Music, Australia), Brianna Liebling (Booker, Billions Corporation, US), Brian Zabinski (TAMIZDAT Artist visas, US), Brontë Jane (A&R Director, Third Side Music, US), Fabrizio Onetto (Artist Manager, A&R, OCESA Seitrack / Partner, DiscoPanoram, Mexico), Jacob Daneman (Publicist, Pitch Perfect PR, US), Jen Pearce (Music Licensing & Strategy / Founder/CEO, Low Profile, US), Jessi Frick (Manager, Citrine Management, US), Katie Garcia (A&R, Secretly Group / Owner, Bayonet Records, US), Kevin Pedersen (Label Manager, Dead Oceans, US), Maggie Collins (Triple J / Artist Manager / BIGSOUND Festival Programmer, Australia), Nevin Domer Maybe Mars, China), Poppy Reid (Managing Editor, The Industry Observer, Australia), Owen Mallon (Booker, Paradigm Talent, US), Ruban Nielson (Artist, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, NZ/US), Tom Wironen (Manager, Friendly Announcer, US), Tyler Mcloughlan (Music Licensor, Sound Pound, Australia). A number of NZ speakers are still to be confirmed.

Going Global Showcase artists: alayna, Albi & The Wolves, Arthur Ahbez, Holly Arrowsmith, Jaggers X Lines, Jed Parsons, Nakita, nomad, ONONO, SHAYNA, Soaked Oats, The Beths, Unchained XL

For more information visit www.goingglobal.co.nz

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.