Brazil takes 24 companies and music from all corners of the country to Womex
In October 23-27, the 25th edition of Womex – World Music Expo – will take place in Tampere, Finland. The Brazilian delegation will take the music diversity of our country to the event. The group, composed of 24 companies, including artists, managers, producers, distributors, bookers, record companies, labels and festivals, is led by Brasil Music Exchange (BME), a Brazilian music fostering project carried out by means of a partnership between Brasil, Música & Artes (BM&A) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil).
Members intending to meet them can go to booth 2.13-2.16, where happy hours open to visitors will take place in October 24, 25 and 26, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The expectation of Leandro Ribeiro, BME Project Manager, is that Womex 2019 will be as successful as the previous editions, keeping the participation of Brazil in an ascending trajectory. “The participation of a group of artists who properly represent the current Brazilian music, which is diversified and unique, has been increasing”, he states.
BRAZILIAN SHOWCASE
October 26 is the day of the showcase of Dona Onete, known as “queen of Carimbó”, on the Pakkahuone Stage, Tullikamari, at 9:45 p.m. See the full profile of the artist on page 3 for further information. Geraldinho Magalhães, the artist’s manager, says that the expectations for her performance are as highest as possible. “Her show has been impacting and making a good impression on audiences worldwide for some years now. This is our 4th application to participate in the fair and we are excited because it’s her time to shine”, he says.
He explains that Dona Onete already has an excellent position in the world music market. Last September, with album “Rebujo”, the artist was # 1 in two of the major international charts: World Music Charts Europe (WMCE) and Transglobal World Music Chart (TWMC). Her album was also ranked 1st by The Arts Desk, a critics association in the United Kingdom.
Geraldinho also talks about the current Brazilian music market: “We have an excellent group of artists who are competitive in such market, and they have been performing and strengthening the Brazilian music. It is time to pay special attention to what to sell and how to do it in the contemporary market. We are living a good moment and we must take the opportunity to value our work”, he completes.
USD 500 MILLION IN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Brazil is a huge music environment, with annual sales totalizing USD 480 million (recording and live music industry). Along with Mexico, it represents 70% of recorded music income in Latin America. There are two distinct worlds: the traditional music industry (the major labels and music publishers) and the independent sector (young managers, DIY artists, indie labels and music festivals). The independents are confidently creating the new Brazilian music industry. The country also has a growing online presence: it is the fifth largest global market in terms of digital users, with around 102 million people. The Brazilian music market also holds many business opportunities.
According to the consultancy PWC, Brazil has an income of around USD 500 million per year. This is much less than countries with similar economic strength, such as Italy and Canada, which earn about USD 1.3 billion per year. This shows how much the market needs to be developed and how the opportunities are open to investors. With local repertoire accounting for 70% of music sales and with touring by international acts being an expensive undertaking, the country has long been under the radar as far as the international music industry is concerned.