Following the resounding success of the first two editions in 2020 and 2021, Global Music Match returns for a third year.
The groundbreaking initiative was recognised by the international music industry at WOMEX last October, receiving their prestigious Professional Excellence Award. The latest iteration of Global Music Match will feature 58 artists from 16 countries and four continents in an export academy for developing artists. Participants from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Catalonia, Chile, Denmark, England, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Scotland, Taiwan, USA and Wales are set to collaborate over the coming three months, in what is widely considered to be the world’s largest online musical collaboration program.
Five Australian artists will take part in this year’s Global Music Match:
Camille Trail
Hannah Acfield
Kelly Brouhaha
Kim Yang
Mickey & Michelle
Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and created by founding partners Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo, English Folk Expo and Canada’s East Coast Music Association (ECMA) as a unique and direct response to the sudden limitations imposed on the worldwide music industry and, in particular, international showcasing, Global Music Match has become a valuable artist development program.
The third iteration of Global Music Match has evolved to focus on emerging artists who are just starting to explore and embark on their international careers. The 59 selected artists will develop their social media skills, learn about new markets, interact and collaborate with fellow musicians online all while creating new and engaging content.
Participating artists are grouped into international teams of six, from different countries, and over the coming 14 weeks will collaborate with each other online. Each act has an assigned ten-day Spotlight period, during which time their five teammates will introduce them to five new international audiences – an invaluable opportunity, given that many of these artists haven’t yet had the opportunity to tour internationally.
Each team is led by an international coach – all of whom are leading festival directors, programmers and publicity managers within the folk/roots genres. Artists will be coached throughout the project by respected figureheads from events including Glastonbury Festival (England), New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (USA), Knockengorroch Festival (Scotland), Manchester Folk Festival (England), Montelago Celtic Festival (Italy), AmericanaFest UK (England), Vancouver Island Music Fest (Canada) and World Music Festival (Chile).
Participating organisations for 2022 include the founding partners (Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo, English Folk Expo and Canada’s East Coast Music Association (ECMA), alongside returning export music offices (EMOs): the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), Catalan Arts (Catalonia), Chile Música, Export Music Sweden, FOCUS Wales, Folk Alliance International (USA), Iceland Music, LUCfest (Taiwan), Music Finland, Music Norway and Tempi (Denmark). In addition two new EMOs have joined in 2022: Brasil Música & Artes (BM&A) and Why Portugal.
The inaugural Global Music Match program culminated in a four-hour-long online broadcast at Folk Unlocked, the acclaimed digital edition of the Folk Alliance International conference in the USA in February 2021. Following on from the WOMEX award, the success and popularity of Global Music Match continues to grow and gain worldwide recognition. Discussions are now underway to hold a live showcase event at Showcase Scotland 2023 as part of Celtic Connections festival, where artists from previous editions of Global Music Match will feature.
To see all the artists participating in this year’s edition, head to globalmusicmatch.com and follow the #globalmusicmatch hashtag on socials for the next couple of months to discover the amazing collaborations and content being created.