A huge congratulations to the team behind BILLY JOEL: THE 100^TH – LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN for receiving three Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special, and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.

The special celebrated Joel’s record-breaking 100^th consecutive residency performance at Madison Square Garden and featured performances of some of his iconic songs, including “New York State of Mind,” “Piano Man,” and the new hit “Turn the Lights Back On.” This was his first concert to air on a televised network, which received more than 24 million viewers across its three broadcasts.

BILLY JOEL: THE 100^TH – LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN is a co-production of Sony Music Entertainment and Enliven Entertainment. Steve Cohen, Barry Ehrmann and Paul Dugdale are executive producers. Emmy, BAFTA and DGA Award-winning Paul Dugdale is the director. Sony Music Vision is the distributor.

In June 2022, applications opened for the first official Global Scholars Program. This new initiative was designed to help educate the next generation of music leaders and provide scholarships for a diverse group of students around the world enrolled in music and music business-related fields of study at accredited colleges and universities. 

The program received applications from over 70 countries. The 50 scholarships awarded represent a global cohort of students across all regions where Sony Music Group operates (including Africa, Asia, Australia, Continental Europe, Latin/Iberia, New Zealand, North America and the United Kingdom). All the beneficiaries showcase immense passion for music, and a commitment to pursuing a career in music and inspiring new opportunities for artists, songwriters, and composers. 

This July, the Scholars traveled from around the world and came together for a four-day conference at our NYC headquarters. 

The conference itinerary was packed with enriched programming, and opportunities for the students to hear from—and network with—producers, songwriters, engineers and music professionals and leaders from across SMG.  

They participated in discussions about the recent journey of the music industry, listened to panels delving into the dynamic world of music marketing, engaged in interactive workshops and studio sessions, and much more. 

Hear from some of the scholars, below.

“As a performing artist, the conference provided a fascinating look into the behind-the-scenes of the mainstream music industry. It was eye-opening hearing directly from the executives. My desire to pursue music professionally has always been strong, and the conference has solidified ideas that will contribute to furthering my career.”
– Duncan Hunter Neale, McGill University, Schulich School of Music; Performance Jazz (Jazz Trumpet) 

“This conference has profoundly changed my musical goals and life. Seeing things I had only vaguely imagined has been incredibly inspiring. I was deeply moved by how everyone is dedicated to bringing music to life, and by the detailed and kind responses to our questions.”
– Ye Won You, Berklee College of Music; Music/Film Scoring, Composition, Jazz, Music Production 

“During the ‘Day in the Life at the Studio’ session, I gained a wealth of knowledge from Sony Music’s A&R and songwriters. I can apply these lessons and insights to my career journey and navigate the industry more effectively. This experience has been profoundly inspiring in shaping my professional aspirations.”
– Maharsyalfath Izlubaid Qutub Maulasufa, President University; Information Systems for Business and Management focusing on Music Technology 

Mentees from The Sizanani Mentorship Programme heard from Sony Music Africa’s Digital Services Manager Yule Dlamini, who shone a light on the many opportunities across the entertainment industry.

On August 17, 2024, Sony Music Africa’s Head of Creative Business Intelligence, Yule Dlamini, visited students from the Sizanani/Ikusasa Lethu Mentorship Programme as part of their Life Orientation (LO) sessions. The session focused on careers in the entertainment industry, exposing mentees to less ‘traditional’ pathways and broadening their understanding of what’s out there and what’s possible.

Founded in 2007, the Sizanani Mentorship Programme in South Africa works with over 100 young students and over 100 mentors to equip learners with the knowledge and skills required to make informed career choices. For these students, many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds, the programme helps them dream big about their future.

During the session, Yule shared his career experience in the entertainment industry, touching upon the different roles and specialisations available. He stressed the importance of following your interests, values and strengths when pursuing a career, and aligning it with education. We’ve received some excellent feedback from the mentees, which we’ve shared below.

• Thulisile, Grade 10: “I enjoyed learning about the various roles and specialisations within the entertainment field. The session emphasised the importance of aligning my career choices with my interests, values, and personality. Overall, the session was engaging, informative, and empowering, leaving me with a clearer understanding of how to make good career choices.”
• Nhlanhla, Grade 10: “I went to entertainment and it was great! Thank you so much for the lessons; they were amazing and very helpful.”
• Buyiselwa, Grade 10: “The speaker on the entertainment industry encouraged us to use our skills and talents to fulfil some of our dreams. He also told us that we can be anything by only using our skills and talents. Thank you so much!”
• Jabulile, Grade 11: “I enjoyed the LO sessions today; it was amazing! We really appreciate the sessions because growing up, we only hear of the traditional careers, but the LO sessions help us get exposed to different careers and get a variety of options to choose from. Thank you so much to all the people who helped put it together.”

The programme has expressed its gratitude to Yule and Sony Music Africa for taking the time to speak to the mentees. These experiences go beyond just offering advice – they inspire students to expand their horizons and explore careers they would never have otherwise imagined. 

Yule’s visit to The Sizanani Mentorship Programme is one of the many ways Sony Music is supporting the next generation of talent worldwide. We have also previously hosted students and faculty from Kennesaw State University’s Music and Entertainment Business Programme at our London headquarters. Sony Music South Korea has also introduced a music mentorship programme for six students, hoping to attract a new generation to the classical music genre.

Today, the Sundance Institute | Sony Music Vision Initiative announced the selection of its first grantees through the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, an unrestrictive grant supporting global nonfiction films creating cultural and social impact. Grant recipients selected by the Sundance Institute | Sony Music Vision Initiative are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) filmmakers who are demonstrating a significant music component or innovative approach to audio and sound. 

The first films and creative teams selected include: 

Jaripeo (Mexico, U.S.A.) 
Directors: Efraín Mojica, Rebecca Zweig 
Producers: Efraín Mojica, Rebecca Zweig, Sarah Strunin 
At the rural rodeos in Michoacán, México, a hypermasculine tradition is rife with hidden queer encounters. Guided by director Efraín, Jaripeo follows two rancheros as they navigate desire, machismo, and mass migration from one rodeo season to the next. 

Songs from the Hole (U.S.A.) 
Director: Contessa Gayles 
Producers: Contessa Gayles, Richie Reseda, David Felix Sutcliffe 
An incarcerated musician struggles for healing and peace as he comes of age in this documentary visual album composed behind bars. 

The new partnership highlights Sony Music’s continued commitment to support anti-racist initiatives and educational opportunities around the world that foster diversity, inclusion and equal rights. Through the Global Social Justice Fund, grant recipients will also have the opportunity to engage with the broader music and film industry, including individual educational sessions on music in film.  

Visit the Sundance Institute’s website to learn more about the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund and its 2024 grantees. 

Read the original article on www.sonymusic.eu.

Last Saturday, artists and employees from Sony Music Germany celebrated and demonstrated for love, diversity and human rights. Sony Music Germany once again represented with its own truck at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD), with almost 160 employees in attendance, including members from EYO (Embrace Yourself and Others), Sony Music Germany’s Talent Advisory Group for queer-identifying people and allies. Hundreds of thousands of people took part in the demonstration in Berlin, uniting the slogan “Only Strong Together – For Democracy and Diversity.”

Participating in the parade was one of various Pride activities that occurred at Sony Music GSA in July. Among other activities, Sony Music hosted a fair booth at Sticks & Stones, Europe’s largest LGBTQIA+ job and career fair, at the beginning of the month. Additionally, EYO organized a Pride parade pre-event at the Berlin office on July 23, which highlighted the history and significance of ballroom culture. The event featured live performances and panel discussions with Crystal 007, Father David Elle and Jade 007, prominent members of the German ballroom community who are regularly programming Ballroom events throughout the country.

Sony Music Entertainment supports the LGBTQIA+ community as an employer through various actions and guidelines. Amongst other measures, Sony Music issued a guidance for employees and managers on the best ways to support our employees who are nonbinary, transgender, or gender nonconforming. Furthermore, measures such as gender-neutral restrooms in the Berlin office, gender-neutral language and LGBTQIA+ awareness training create a safe space for all employees. Additionally, trans people are supported in their transition with five supplementary days of leave per year.

“Pride is a fundamental element of our corporate culture. This starts with diversity and inclusion workshops during onboarding and continues with our queer Talent Advisory Group EYO within the company. What matters most to us is that our commitment to LGBTQIA+ issues primarily benefits the community, which is visibly represented in our company by numerous artists and employees,“ says Nasrin Vahdani, founding member EYO and Recruiter, People eXperience, Sony Music Entertainment GSA.

Martin Staudigl (Vice President People Experience GSA): “We want to guarantee an inclusive environment for our artists and employees where everyone can grow and contribute to the company’s success in a creative environment. Of course, this also includes supporting extensive actions for our LGBTQIA+ community on a global and local level. We are thrilled to have been represented at the Berlin pride parade for the fourth time with around 160 employees from all departments as well as artists  and creators. Happy Pride!”

From May to July 2024, various Sony Music artists participated in the celebrations to kick off the highly anticipated Olympic Games in Paris, France.  

Sony Music France artists Adèle Castillon, Alonzo, Gazo, Jain, M. Pokora, Patrick Bruel, Patrick Fiori and Pierre Garnier were among the 11,000 torchbearers in the iconic Olympic Torch Relay. This ceremonial tradition—which followed the journey of the Olympic torch from Greece to France—heralded the commencement of the Games in Paris.

Being able to participate in the relay was a memorable and personal experience for our artists. Here’s what a few of them had to say:

“For me, Olympism is about sharing, fraternity and exchange. Values that I share.”
– Patrick Bruel

“The people are there, it’s in Paris, it’s in France. I’m so happy. It’s historic, I’d only [get to] do it once in my life!”
– Pierre Garnier

“It’s wonderful to see all those smiles, all those people gathered around this symbol, the Olympic flame and all the values it represents. It’s an honour and an immense source of pride to do it here in Strasbourg. It’s a very powerful emotion, it’s a bit inexplicable.”
– M. Pokora, who carried the flame in his hometown

“Honestly, I can’t believe it. Carrying the flame, I [said] to myself, ‘What the hell am I going to do, a kid from the northern suburbs, carrying the Olympic flame with all that it represents!’”
– Alonzo, who also recalled watching the Olympics throughout his childhood

Along the way, Adèle Castillon, Alonzo, Gazo and Jain gave special performances, further contributing to this unique moment.

Closing out the opening ceremony was Celine Dion, who performed a beautiful rendition of Édith Piaf’s “L’Hymne à l’amour” on the balcony of the Eiffel Tower. This marked her first live performance following a four-year hiatus from the stage, which she explains in the new I Am: Celine documentary available on Prime Video.

A huge round of applause to all our artists who participated in the events and celebrations leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The Sample Music Festival—which took place from July 10-14 in Berlin—is an annual meeting point for international creatives who want to experience and shape contemporary digital performance art and urban music culture. Over the weekend, non-profit organization Turning Tables held a youth edition of the event, offering various workshops to over 80 children, teenagers, and young adults, including one hosted by Sony Music Germany.

Titled “From Artist Bio to Social Post – Tips for a Successful Release,” Alexander Foell, Product Manager Four Music, Sony Music Germany; Nina Froeschl, Manager of Paid Media & Marketing Strategy, Sony Music Germany; and Kim-Thaya Krabel, Manager of Content Strategy & Operations, Sony Music Germany, provided advice for children and teenagers aged 10 to 27. The aim of the workshop was to equip the youth with essential aspects of a successful release, helping them maximize the impact of their publications. About 40 teenagers participated in the workshop.

Normen Dommann, Managing Director of Turning Tables Germany, said: “This year, some great songs with pretty cool features will be created with our cooperation partners, and our young creators clearly have the aspiration to release their songs. Therefore, it is interesting for them to get tips and insights from Sony Music that can help them get the most out of their releases.”

Since 2021, Sony Music Germany has been an official partner of Turning Tables, which aims to give young people a voice through music and film. Together, they support children and teenagers from all over Berlin through workshops or recording sessions in the Sony Music Circle Studios. The NGO uses contemporary music as a foundation in youth social work, thereby promoting the creative development of young people. The German branch is located in Berlin.

On May 2, Sony Music Group announced the launch of Your Voice, Your Power, Your Vote in the European Union, our non-partisan voter campaign encouraging participation in the EU elections between June 6-9. The campaign included a collection of videos, across multiple platforms in multiple languages, featuring a call to action to vote from Sony Music Group’s roster of artists and songwriters. 

Artists—including Clueso, Lotte, $oho Bani and Alvaro Soler—were even spotted on billboards in different neighborhoods around Berlin, calling those passing by to “Take Action and Vote.” 

The campaign was run in partnership with the European Youth Forum—which represents over 100 youth organizations across the continent. This was a new, exciting way for both Sony Music Group and European Youth Forum to reach young voters who are not already politically engaged.  

When asked about her thoughts on the strategic partnership, María Rodríguez Alcázar, President of the European Youth Forum, explained: “Music is a way of expression, and we know that there are many artists [who] are very much committed to values that resonate with ours. Having artists who are committed to spreading the word…was really the goal and how we understood this partnership.” 

“Young people are key to a vibrant society,” added Towalame Austin, Executive Vice President for Global Philanthropy and Social Impact of Sony Music Group. “They care about the world we live in and are active and engaged every day through widespread movements, activism and more. However, while social action ensures their voices are heard, voting is also key to ensuring they are listened to. We are delighted that our artists and songwriters have come together to support the Campaign.” 

In addition to mobilizing young voters across Europe, the European Youth Forum informed and engaged with Sony Music Belgium employees in an in-office Q&A session ahead of the elections. The panel—moderated by Ricardo Castanheira, Sony Music’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy & Government Relations Europe & Latin America—featured Alcázar; Benjamin De Moor, European Youth Forum’s Communications and Creative Manager; and Marialena Yannoulatou, European Youth Forum’s Communications Officer. 

Thank you to the European Youth Forum, as well as our artists and songwriters, for all the support throughout our voter campaign. Visit European Youth Forum’s website and follow them on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube) to receive updates on the 2024 EU Elections. 

Every June, Sony Music Group (SMG) celebrates Black Music Month. Officially recognized by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, Black Music Month serves as an opportunity to recognize the innovation, persistence, and contribution of Black talent within the music industry.  

On June 6, HUE (Helping Unite Everyone)—SMG’s Talent Advisory Group (TAG) aimed at uplifting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—partnered with two other TAGs from within the music industry, SpotifyBLK and Warner Music Kinfolk, in hosting “Setting the Record Straight: Reclaiming Our Music,” an engaging discussion about the history and future of Black music. The conversation included a myriad of perspectives, ranging from artist development to archival knowledge.  

“As one of the Board Officers of HUE, I was personally proud of this event,” said Karimah Day, Executive Assistant to the President of Commercial Music Group and Head of Administration of HUE. “Black people have been the heartbeat of countless musical genres, infusing soul, rhythm and revolutionary creativity that resonates across generations and continents; and ‘Setting the Record Straight’ highlighted this. It was a powerful and educational panel that I hope the audience felt.” 

Later in the month, HUE, alongside Tiffany & Co.’s African Brillance Collective and Moet Hennessy, hosted “Soundbites & Solidarity: A Celebration of Black Creativity & Community.” The event, which featured a performance and Q&A session with The Orchard-distributed artist Thutmose, was another great way to celebrate the undeniable influence of Black culture within music. 

“The event was really inspiring, and I loved having the opportunity to meet people in various roles and spaces within the music industry,” said Edward Williams, 2024 Sony Music Group Impact Fellow and Digital & College Marketing Intern at The Orchard. “My time at The Orchard has allowed me to work on multiple projects, and it was incredibly rewarding to meet one of the artists from my roster in person! Meeting Thutmose gave me newfound motivation to continue brainstorming innovative activations as he elevates in his career.” 

In addition to our in-person programming, The Orchard also launched “In Collaboration,” a three-part episodic video series that explored the influence of Black artists in defining culture. The project highlighted three unique partnerships between music and visual artists, offering a deep dive into their creative processes to produce art in their respective mediums. Click here to learn more about the project and watch all three episodes. 

From folk to rock, country to jazz, and everything in between, Sony Music Group is proud to shine a light on Black artistry and the revolutions that come from it. 

Every June, Pride Month is recognized throughout the U.S. in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, routinely marked as the inception of the Gay Liberation Movement. To honor this occasion, Sony Music Group (SMG)—with the help of our Talent Advisory Groups (TAGs)—held a variety of events for U.S. employees that helped celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and continue to foster a work environment where all feel included. 

We kicked off our Pride Month celebrations at our New York City headquarters, with a mindful journaling session titled “Ink & Identity: A Curious Journaling Journey.” Hosted by Wellful—the SMG TAG focused on health and wellness—attendees were guided through mindful prompts that allowed them to embark on a reflective journey exploring themes of curiosity, inclusivity and personal identity. The session offered a safe and supportive space for attendees to authentically express themselves and was later replicated at our LA office. 

Over in Nashville, OutLoud—SMG’s TAG for LGBTQ+ identifying employees and allies—hosted its inaugural Pride Party for SMG and The Orchard employees. A true community event, the celebration included beverages and treats from local businesses. 

“We braved the heat and a pop-up rainstorm to come together as a family and celebrate our LGBTQ+ community,” said Jean Jutila, Senior Analyst of Global Royalties at Sony Music Publishing and OutLoud member. “The love and support we all felt from Sony, our friends, family, and community, reminds us that we all have a place here.” 

SMG employees also had the opportunity to participate in this year’s Pride parades in LA, Nashville and New York City, respectively. Team members—along with their family, friends and colleagues from Sony’s sister companies—were spotted marching the streets sporting the Sony Pride logo across banners and various merch items. 

“For me, Pride is all about being unapologetic and joyful about my queerness. It’s a powerful feeling to walk down 5^th Avenue and experience an outpouring of cheers and support,” said Jimmy Wolfe, Coordinator of SMG’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and OutLoud NY member. “Even in 2024, it is a vulnerable experience to put yourself out there and celebrate your difference. I think experiencing that wave of celebration in response to putting your full authentic self on display is even more meaningful in a group of coworkers. ”

A huge thank you to all who made our Pride Month celebrations so vibrant, and special shoutouts to OutLoud and Wellful for spearheading the month’s programming. Regardless of who or where you are, Sony Music Group is proud to support everyone who chooses to live openly and authentically in their identity.