Growth of the Underground

Exposure of niche markets through online platforms, Focus: Africa

Erich Ludwig by John Doelp
Georg Milz
Carmen Guibá by Alexander Wurm
Chobolo Eric Manyelo by Montparnasse Musique

Links

Chaired by Georg Milz (Germany), Outhere Records;
with Erich Ludwig (USA), Spotify;
Carmen Guibá (Portugal/Germany), Gato Preto;
Chobolo Eric Manyelo (South Africa), Montparnasse Musique

What are underground and niche markets?
And how are online platforms affecting them?

Online audio and video streaming has opened up channels for niche and underground musicians to market and export themselves internationally. We see more and more underground sounds presented in international popular music festivals, especially within the electronic music scene, due to the breaking down of barriers through online platforms.

In this panel we will look into how current online platforms expose underground music and the effects this has. We also look into what strategies are working best to market underground sounds internationally and how this marketing affects acceptance into more ‘mainstream’ events. Lastly, we shine the light on the growing climate of audiences who are more and more international and open minded to new sounds with online sites fast-tracking globalisation and music cross-fertilisation and what these online platforms are doing to encourage underground growth and exposure.