MANILA, Philippines – ASIYA: Asian Music Festival & Conference, organized by KARPOS, will see notable and rising Asian music acts take the stage on October 12 and 13 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City.
However, ASIYA is more than just a music festival. The two-day event will also mount discussions designed to help Asian music artists and industry professionals network and enhance their skills. As such, ASIYA will present its inaugural edition of its program, Music Beyond Borders: Navigating Global Markets and Festival Opportunities.
Happening alongside the music festival, the conference seeks to support those in the music industry who compete worldwide by providing unique insights into international festival circuits and market trends. The conference features a mix of educational sessions, keynotes, and panel discussions.
Here’s what you can expect from the conference:
Panel discussions
ASIYA will feature four panel discussions throughout the two-day event, each addressing a vital area of the worldwide music industry. These seminars are intended to assist participants in navigating various foreign music markets and better understanding the avenues available to Asian musicians wishing to develop abroad.
One of the highlighted panel talks, Beyond the Pops: Unpacking East Asia, will look at the non-mainstream music environments in major Asian markets such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Mongolia. Experts from renowned festivals in these countries will discuss their perspectives on how local music is spreading internationally, providing unique insights into the cultural intricacies that drive music consumption in East Asia.
Another panel, New Favorites: Southeast Asia, will focus on the developing Southeast Asian music industry. This debate, featuring prominent industry professionals from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore, will concentrate on the obstacles of bridging cultural barriers and the techniques artists might employ to catapult Southeast Asian music into the international limelight.
Attendees of The Big West: A Basic Introduction to Music Markets in Europe and the Americas will learn how to navigate the Western music market, namely in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and Chile. Panelists will share their insights into the reality that Asian artists confront in these areas and advice on how to enter and thrive in the world’s second-largest music market.
The last panel talk, Standby Then Standout: Festival-Readiness for Artists, will offer comprehensive guidance for artists who want to play at international festivals. Cheats musician Jim Bacarro will oversee this event, providing practical tips and discussing his experiences as a performer transitioning from tiny venues to large outdoor festivals.
Beyond the instructional material, ASIYA provides networking opportunities with significant personalities in the worldwide music industry. Festival organizers, record label executives, and industry experts will attend, allowing those registered to network and explore potential partnerships that might lead to worldwide opportunities.
Masterclass, keynote discussion
Aside from the panel discussions, ASIYA will also offer a Spotify masterclass by Chesca Tan and Thea Madrideo from Spotify Southeast Asia. Taking place on Day 1, this seminar will present artists with essential techniques for maximizing Spotify’s platform to increase awareness, develop their following, and take full advantage of local marketing.
On Day 2, there will also be a keynote discussion between John Uy of KARPOS and Marta Pallares Olivares of Primavera Sound, the renowned Barcelona-based music juggernaut. Titled Plug and Played Out: Better Live Music For All – A Conversation With Primavera Sound, the keynote discussion will give an inside look at the complexity of organizing a well-known music festival. The conversation will focus on live music’s current state and future prospects, including suggestions for building a vibrant music culture and empowering artists beyond live performance alternatives.
How to get tickets
As of this writing, tickets cost P3,850 for the two-day experience. For those who only want to attend one conference day, however, tickets are priced at P2,000.
The ASIYA Music Festival will feature performances by Asian music acts like BINI, Zild, HYUKOH, Sunset Rollercoaster, Imase, and many more. Tickets for ASIYA are available for purchase at Tickelo.
Launched in 2024, ASIYA is designed to be a hub for discovering and celebrating the diverse sounds of Asia, featuring performances and experiences that showcase rising talents across the continent. – with reports from Zulaikha Palma/Rappler.com
Zulaikha Palma is a Rappler intern studying AB Journalism at the University of Santo Tomas.