A2IM Announces Keynote Speakers For Indie Week 2021

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The American Association of Independent Music will host its annual conference, A2IM Indie Week presented by SoundExchange, as a virtual global conference this year. The largest independent music conference in the world, Indie Week runs from June 14 to June 17, featuring four days of keynotes, workshops, panels, and international networking opportunities.

Keynote speakers for this year’s event include U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries; Marian Lee Dicus and Jeremy Erlich, VPs, Global Co-Heads of Music, Spotify; and Pat Chin, Co-Founder of VP Records (a member of A2IM). The leaders will offer perspectives on the organization’s three key pillars—advocacy, education, and community—in discussions that span across the key role that streaming plays for artists, the struggles faced by creatives over the past year due to the pandemic, diversity in independent music, and how support from legislators is essential in empowering and protecting independent.

Congressman Jeffries has been the U.S. Representative for New York’s 8th Congressional district since 2013 and is a co-author of the Music Modernization Act. As Vice Presidents & Co-Heads of Music at Spotify, Dicus and Erlich lead a global team focused on delivering a best-in-class experience for both Spotify users as well as artists and their teams. A 60-year veteran in the music industry, Chin was the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the A2IM Libera Awards and as co-founder of the Queens, NY-based reggae label VP Records, nurtured the careers of artists such as Bob Marley & the Wailers, Elephant Man, Estelle, Junior Reid, Raging Fyah, and many more.

Featuring keynotes, panels, exclusive networking sessions, and more, A2IM Indie Week has historically drawn an attendance of over 1,200 participants from more than 30 countries. A2IM Indie Week 2020 was slated to take place in New York City, but in response to COVID-19 lockdowns, A2IM took Indie Week 2020 online. A2IM Indie Week 2021 will feature innovative and seamless ways for attendees to network and connect in the virtual environment. On its final day, A2IM Indie Week 2021 will culminate in the capstone event—the 10th Anniversary A2IM Libera Awards.

A2IM Indie Week is presented by SoundExchange, and sponsored by Bandcamp, Ingrooves, Merlin, Musiio, Qobuz, Songtrust, Spotify, and Vydia. Tickets are available now.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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