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Global Music Match Returns for 2022 – World’s Largest Online Musical Collaboration

Following the resounding success of the first two editions in 2020 and 2021, Global Music Match returns for a third edition

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 60 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 programme.

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 t he worldwide music industry and, in particular, international showcasing, Global Music Match has become a valuable artist development programme.

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 60 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).

The inaugural Global Music Match programme 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.

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.

Canada’s Terra Spencer, who participated in Global Music Match 2021, said: “As a solo artist, any opportunity to collaborate is a welcome one, but what I didn’t expect when I applied for Global Music Match was to find genuine connections that transcended geography, genre, and language. I found great joy in making music and more with my teammates, and the friendships have extended beyond the GMM project as we continue to cheer each other on from afar. GMM has truly opened doors for me on a global scale as an emerging artist – it landed me a spot in my first Western Canada festival, gave me the courage to secure a booking agent, and I will have GMM friends waiting for me this summer when I play my first show in Glasgow. I am so grateful to the whole GMM team for the opportunity that keeps on giving!”

Showcase Scotland Expo Executive Producer, Lisa Whytock said: “We’re really excited to see Global Music Match kick off again. The idea came about on a Zoom call between myself and Millie Millgate of Sounds Australia early on in the pandemic and we have since seen it grow to include so many export organisations and artists – all of whom continue to amaze us with their positive outlook and enthusiasm for the opportunities it presents.

It truly has become a family and now that international events are open again it’s been fantastic to meet so many artists and organisations in person. At WOMEX last year Global Music Match was honoured to receive the Professional Excellence Award and it was made extra special by being able to celebrate with some of the artists, festivals and export organisations who participated in the first two editions.

Global Music Match really harnesses the power of collective markets, and ultimately the goodwill and supporting nature of the worldwide music community. We are really looking forward to seeing how all the artists work together this time round. With so many from around the world, most of the musicians won’t have met in person – let alone toured in their respective countries – so once again it really is going to establish new and lasting international connections.”

Global Music Match #3 begins on Monday, September 5 and runs for 14 weeks

For further information, accompanying images or interviews, contact:

Jo Frost, Global Music Match project manager, jsgfrost@gmail.com

www.globalmusicmatch.com
Facebook: @globalmusicmatch
Instagram: globalmusicmatch #GlobalMusicMatch
Twitter: @GblMusicMatch

Global Music Match has been honoured with the WOMEX Professional Excellence Award 2021.

On behalf of the artists and export organisations participating in this initiative, we would like to thank WOMEX for this amazing honour.

Here’s what WOMEX had to say about the award:

The past year-and-a-half has been one of the most drastic and challenging periods of change in the history of the international music industry. Almost at once, and with very little warning, a world’s worth of live music disappeared, and musicians and audiences alike scrambled to find new ways of reaching each other without leaving their homes.

But adversity leads to innovation, and that’s where Global Music Match comes in. The heart of the premise is simple: folk- and roots-based musicians uplifting and promoting each other, mobilising each other’s audiences and creating new professional networks.

Each cycle of GMM takes place over 12 weeks. Teams are formed of six artists, each from a different country or region, and each gets their own two-week spotlight across the whole team’s social media channels, as well as a dedicated mentoring ‘coach’. These spotlights are a flurry of activity including interviews, live sets, unreleased material and exclusive – entirely digital – collaborations. After two editions, 172 artists – and many thousands of fans – have participated and benefitted from this mutual support network and inspirational knowledge exchange with the help of music export offices from 17 countries and regions from around the world.

The exciting part of GMM is that it is not just a temporary quick-fix. It’s a new form of music export and cultural exchange, and one that is not necessarily anchored to the current situation. It is a real and effective way for artists to expand their audience in terms of numbers, as well as into new territories, opening up the possibility for new touring avenues post-pandemic, and showing a ‘good practice’ model for all.

For creating, at such short notice, a new and innovative platform that has already seen long-lasting and tangible benefits, for celebrating musical diversity, and for being a source of optimism and comfort to musicians in a time of great struggle, we are delighted that Global Music Match will receive the WOMEX 21 Professional Excellence.

For more details head here: https://www.womex.com/programme/awards