29th October – 1st November
Bilbao (Spain)
– Basque artist Fermin Muguruza, journalist Garbiñe Ubeda, Palestinian rapper Tamer Nafar, and Argentine rapper Malena D’Alessio discuss music as a political tool and cultural identity in a globalised world.
BIME, the world-renowned international music industry event, returns to Bilbao for its 15th edition, gathering professionals, artists, and brands from around the world. Alongside showcasing emerging talent with global potential, BIME will feature free cultural programs spanning film, literature, and photography, transforming Bilbao into a hub of creativity.
The central theme of this BIME edition, ‘Territories,’ will explore the opportunities and challenges of the music industry in a glocalised context. In response to changes driven by AI, ticketing, and digital distribution, BIME will foster discussions on musical diversity, international collaborations, and preserving traditions. The synergy between music and brands will be highlighted through case studies, alongside key topics like entrepreneurship, personal growth, legal challenges, and trends in live and recorded music.
Euskalduna Bilbao will once again host BIME Pro’s professional activities from the 29th to the 31st of October, curated by leading industry figures. Among confirmed names are Scott Cohen, CEO of JKVX, DJ and creative director Elijah, Catalan artist Albert Pla, composer Errollyn Wallen, Spanish artist María José Llergo, MITC founder Tamsi McLarty, Universal Music Publishing’s Alexandra Lioutikoff, and creative director Toni Segarra. BIME will also feature Basque artist Fermin Muguruza, celebrating 40 years of promoting Basque identity. He will join journalist Garbiñe Ubeda, Palestinian rapper Tamer Nafar, and Argentine rapper Malena D’Alessio to discuss music as a political tool and cultural identity in a globalised world.
BIME Pro adds new names to its conference program at Euskalduna Bilbao, such as the rapper Kase O (ES), who, along with Nicolai Fella (CO) from Colombia and J Noa (DO) from the Dominican Republic, will talk about the past, present, and future of rap; Villano Antillano (DO); in a conversation that will discuss the resignification of the feminine discourse in Latin music; Ana Tijoux (FR/CL), highlighting new promotion formats; or Andrés Pérez (ES) and Ferni (ES) from Saikoneta, the team that achieved the largest independent launch in Spain’s history with the artist Saiko. Also joining the discussion will be George Drakoulias (US), creative director of Premier Music Group, Grammy winner, and responsible for the musical supervision of films such as Barbie, Joker and Batman; Blanca Salcedo (ES), General Director of Sony Music Spain; Itzel González (MX), promoter at OCESA and the Vive Latino Festival; Michel Vega (US), CEO of Magnus Talent Agency; and the Lilttle Spain team, who, together with Toni Segarra (ES), will talk about unlimited creativity and branding strategies in music.
BIME IS MUSIC AND MORE
BIME Live, from 29th to 31st October, will feature over 90 showcases with artists from Germany, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Hungary, Mexico, the Netherlands, Palestine, Peru, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. The city’s main venues will showcase a wide range of musical styles and the best emerging talent from today’s music scene. Highlights include the fusion of danceable grooves and post-punk energy from young Portuguese band Bad Tomato (PT), the subtle blend of Hip Hop, electronic music, and R&B with Caribbean Latin American influences by Çantamarta (ES/VE), the underground creativity of Basque group EZEZEZ (ES), the raw lyricism and sharp verses of rapper J Noa (DO), and the catchy melodies fusing past and future from Mexican duo Juanpalitoschinos (MX). Other notable names include Maestro Espada (ES), a duo mixing Murcia’s ‘quadrillas’ accent with futuristic electronics and folklore; Nicolai Fella (CO), MC and performer with LosPetitFellas; Chilean alternative pop band Oye, Elizabeth (CL); and the arcade punk band Sistema de Entretenimiento (ES) with catchy synthesisers, among others.
In its commitment to fostering the development and promotion of a strong cultural and creative ecosystem, BIME offers a broad range of activities in collaboration with local, national, and international cultural initiatives, connecting music with different artistic disciplines. These include a portrait photography workshop with professional Jon Rodriguez; a DJ workshop in collaboration with Dabadaba; screenings of ‘After’ by Anthony Lapia and ‘Climax’ by Gaspar Noé, with Filmin; the presentation of the book ‘Puto Boomer’ by Roberto Moso; the first edition of the BIME Luthier Show for artisans; and other activities such as the International Vinyl Fair, or the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao ART&MUSIC series sponsored by Kutxabank with the Catalan artist Rita Payés.
For the first time, this edition will include the AUPA Music Industry Awards, which will be held on Thursday, October 31 at Euskalduna Bilbao. This event will publicly recognise different agents for their contribution to the advancement of the music industry through innovative, daring, and creative projects.
With a focus on community and networking, BIME presents itself as an event made by and for everyone, with space for entrepreneurship, supported by the Bizkaia Provincial Council [Diputación Foral de Bizkaia]. It will also bring together a selection of the most disruptive startups in the sector in BIME Start Up!, whose StartUp Competition will be inaugurated by Antonio Garamendi, President of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations.
BIME’s online platform, active year-round, offers continuous networking and access to past talks, ensuring global connectivity for the music industry.
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