One of the country's leading independent music conferences, Indie-Con Australia returns to Adelaide from 31 July to 2 August.
The three days of programming will see more than 80 industry figures – both international and national – discuss, debate and drive conversations related to the independent music sector in Australia across 18 panels and workshops."Thanks to the continued support of the South Australian Government's Music Development Office - South Australia, the 2024 Indie-Con programme will welcome a host of international and domestic speakers and will discuss challenges and opportunities faced by Australian independent labels and the music industry at large. . . and will be followed by MusicSA's Scouted, showcasing emerging and unsigned talent from South Australia's music scene."
The Indie-Con Australia Conference is staged alongside AIR's 2024 AIR Awards (1 August) that recognise, promote, and celebrate the success of Australia's independent music sector.
We kick off our 20-24 speaker profile series with Dylan Pellett, the General Manager for IMNZ.
What do you do and why?
I'm the General Manager for IMNZ, the independent labels association for New Zealand/ Aotearoa. We operate to advocate, celebrate and educate our members, whether they are self-releasing artists, or labels releasing more than one artist. I believe it's important to provide information for our country's vibrant artistic community and I enjoy being here to help.
Who should be tuning into Indie-Con Australia?
Everybody involved in the music community – you'll find that the independent music sector is here and that it reaches all parts of the industry, big and small.
What are the rewarding aspects of working in the independent music sector?
It's exciting to watch an artist grow in stages. By observing what is usually an artist's first live shows, their first releases, through to touring and reaching new audiences around the world, the independent music sector provides a thrilling vantage point.
Remember that time we saw Aldous Harding playing in Junk Bar in Brisbane, or at Freida Margolis in Auckland (both 40-person-cap rooms) and then Aldous took off around the world gaining recognition and kudos wherever she went. Magic stuff.
Australia's independent music sector; how vibrant is the scene compared to other parts of the world?
Pretty darn vibrant from where I'm sitting. There's a new Full Flower Moon Band track out right now. Can't wait for the new album.
What are a couple of challenges currently facing independent artists in Australia?
Geofencing is something that more people should be aware of, and there are concerns around the lack of, or reduction of, dedicated music curators at streaming DSPs. Being able to hear your voice presented at scale (via radio/ streaming platforms) will always be a challenge.
Indie-Con Australia takes place at Mercury Cinema (Adelaide) 31 July to 2 August.
Indie-Con Australia 2024 Speakers
Adam Noviello (artist)Alastair Burns (Heatstop Music)
Andrew Stone (Chugg Music)
Ash Hills (Unified)
Ash King (Support Act)
Blossom Rot Records
Bonnie Knight (producer)
Cam Price (Xelon)
Catherine Haridy (manager)
Chelsea Wilson (artist, House Of Valerie Joan)
Chris Cowburn (graphic designer)
Chris Maund (Mushroom Group)
Chris O'Neill (APRA AMCOS)
David Bridie (Wantok Musik Foundation)
Dean Ormston (APRA AMCOS)
Dona Inthaxoum (Meta)
Dylan Pellett (IMNZ)
Eden Sher (Blak Label Music)
Ellie Rumbold (Partisan Records)
Emma Bosworth (Green Music Australia)
Emma McGarry (Future Classic)
Emmy Feldman (Heavy Duty)
Genna Alexopoulos (Super Duper)
Georgia Mooney (artist)
Glenn Dickie (Sounds Australia)
Guy Blackman (Chapter Music)
Hayden Somerville (director)
Heath Bradby (Fidelty Corporation)
Henry Compton (FUGA, Downtown Music Group)
Irma Bolzonello (BG Private)
Ixara Dorizac (Anti-Dismal)
Jack Bergin (Void Of Vision)
Jessi Tilbrook (PAK Records)
Jim Romeo (Ground Control Touring)
Joe Alexander (Music In Exile)
Jordanne Chant (Dinosaur City)
Josh Pyke (PPCA)
Kate Lawrence (Unified)
Kirsty Rivers (Sound Story)
Laura Harper (Hush)
Leah Harris (Spotify)
Lisa Hresko (A2IM)
Lorrae McKenna (Our Golden Friend)
Luke Logemann (Green Music Australia)
Lynne Small (PPCA)
Mandi Mcintyre (QMusic)
Marcus Rowland (Outdustry)
Mardi Caught (The Annex)
Maria Amato (AIR)
Matt 'Footy' Horvath (Clarity Records)
Max Thomas (Secretly Group)
Michael Kucyk (Efficient Space)
Nicholas Pickard (APRA AMCOS)
Nicole Ficenec (Brilliant Corners)
Oscar Dawson (producer, artist)
Pippa Ryan-Kidd (IMNZ)
PNAU (artist)
Reggie Ba-Pe (AWZA)
Renee Barnes (The People Paradox)
Sarah Hamilton (Golden Hour)
Simran Pasricha (journalist, content creator)
Stephen King (Media Arts Lawyers)
Stuart Kennedy (ATC Live)
Tania Doko (artist)
Tilly Tjala Thomas (artist)
Tina Manolitsas (The Leaders Mentor)
Tom Iansek (producer, artist)
Tommy Faith (triple j)
Vanja Bezbradica (Spotify)
Yasmin Naghavi (Media Arts Lawyers)
