Here you have IMS Ibiza 2024: Day Two Recap!
The organizers said:”Thursday was a real ‘getting down to business’ day at IMS Ibiza, presented in partnership with AlphaTheta. A packed-out schedule across all the Summit spaces meant making some difficult choices, but however you spent your time there were deeply valuable insights everywhere.
On the summit stage – indoor, the typically spicy Ask Me Anything session with the leading Ibiza club promoters was a must-see, as the Island’s nocturnal frenemies got down to brass tacks – with Ushuaïa and Ibiza Rocks’ daytime partying a bone of contention for some, a force of positive transformation for others. Once again the topic of young people being priced out of the Island was a hot issue – the need for concerted action before it’s too late seems more pressing every year.
Next up, the session on distribution confirmed that while the topic may not sound the most glamorous, distribution companies can make or break records and by extension careers – no wonder this session, introduced by a keynote from General Manager / Head of Business Development at Too Lost, Aldo Davalos, was a busy one.
A montage of Southern Fried’s biggest releases ahead of their session not only reminded us of their astonishing hit rate across 500 releases, but also ensured that Elton John’s smash hit / brutally effective earworm ‘Ready For Love’ stayed lodged in our brains for most of the day.
DJ Pierre gave us an insight into the genesis of our shared culture when he broke down the creation of ‘Acid Tracks’ with Farah Nanji in a packed-out Brave Space, and on the Summit Stage – Outdoor, Frank Nitzinsky explored the powerful Respecting The Creators campaign, reminding us that properly crediting artists for their work, whatever the platform is existentially vital to maintaining the art and creativity that the industry depends on.
Tomorrowland founder Michiel Beers laid out the unexpectedly tumultuous journey of the brand from Belgian party to world-dominating spectacle.
The session on gender disparity in the record label ecosystem was notable not just for the solutions-focused insights of the speakers, but the pleasing number of men from the industry in the audience, while Pete Tong, Adam Beyer, TSHA and Nicole Moudaber’s exploration of what the journey from bedroom DJ to main stage superstar actually looks like in practice in 2024 might genuinely end up inspiring a few future headliners.
And the rest of the day… well the rest of the day belonged to the sounds of Africa. Amapiano and afro-house, the fastest growing genres of the moment, were explored in a keynote interview between Nigerian superproducer / DJ Sarz and TikTok’s Global Head of Music Business Development, Ole Obermann, before a discussion, presented by Ballantine’s True Music, featuring Dare Balogun, Grace Ladoja, Phiona Okumu, Sarah Jane Nicholson, Shanae Dennis, Tunde Adeniyi and Charisse C explored just how the sound of the townships is taking over. Good to be reminded that beyond the UK and Europe there’s a wide world of electronic music with its own power, culture and transformative potential.
But sometimes showing can be even better than telling, and when Sarz and Charisse stepped up for the Ballantine’s True Music x Beatport showcase in the Hyde Beach Bar, no one remained unconvinced of the sound’s potential. Despite the wind!
Meanwhile, with acclimatisation over and delegates (and the IMS Ibiza team) now finally au fait with the new venue layout, there were deals being done and new, lasting connections being made all over the place.
The Art of Areté space, presented in partnership with AlphaTheta, was an oasis of calm amid it all, as ever, and despite Wednesday night’s extensive party program, today’s vibe was best described as ‘focused and productive’.
One more day to go then at IMS Ibiza, where the electronic music industry has come together to connect, learn, inspire and be inspired, and set the agenda for the year ahead.
And dance to amapiano.”
