From across the globe and around the country they came, the young and the old, the successful and the striving, driven by hunger for information and the desire to connect and collaborate. Songwriters, composers, producers, musicians and those who work in the industry and believe in music’s power and potential. These were the attendees of the eighth annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO, held from April 18th – 20th at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.
This year’s attendees were joined by an equally passionate group of panelists and speakers, representing the most successful music creators working today. From Katy Perry, Diplo, Big Sean, Stargate and Ne-Yo to Jill Scott, RJD2, Judy Collins, Brett James and Steve Lillywhite and dozens more, this year’s lineup represented an incredible cross-section of writers, performers and producers from across the musical spectrum who were all there to give back to their community by sharing their wisdom and advice to those seeking careers in music.
Missed this year’s incredible EXPO? Click here to find out how you can watch over 40 panels and nearly 60 hours of content online.
Katy Perry, who sat for a lively, humorous and insightful interview, shared the story of how she rose from Christian music obscurity to become one of today’s biggest songwriter–performers, and demonstrated, with heartfelt self-deprecation, that she experienced all of the same ups and downs, insecurities and setbacks that any artist must endure if they are going to eventually rise above them and succeed.
Big Sean, who was featured in a conversation with DJ-producer superstar Diplo, talked about being a young rapper and approaching Kanye West at a Detroit radio station. Kanye told him “You’ve got 16 bars and one verse,” and Sean had to deliver the goods. Diplo offered his vision for his Major Lazer project, saying “We wanted to make Major Lazer a full-blown circus.” The takeaway is that you can never have too much hustle, vision and determination.
A&R executive Teresa LaBarbera Whites, who moderated the “Confessions of a Hit Producer” panel, featuring Brendan Benson, Christopher “Drumma Boy” Gholson, “Eman” Kiriakou and Dan “ROBOPOP” Omelio, offered the advice that nobody should wait for industry support, but rather simply post music on YouTube, SoundCloud and elsewhere to let the world find you. “You would be amazed by how many people are scouring YouTube looking for people to discover,” she said.
Steve Lillywhite, the mega-producer behind such artists as U2, Dave Matthews Band, The Killers and 30 Seconds to Mars, talked about what makes a great artist, saying “A great artist is one that continues to change and evolve and take listeners for a ride. A great act is someone you can go on that journey with.”
For many repeat attendees at this year’s event, the EXPO has become just that, a great act on a fascinating journey. The EXPO continues to combine educational panels with one-of-a-kind networking opportunities, inspiring interviews and performances as well as a call to action to all music creators to get more involved in advocating for their own rights. This year’s legislative panel, moderated by ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, featured US Representatives Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Judy Chu (D-CA) as well as hit songwriter Brett James and ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento and stressed the need for the music creator community to get more involved. Blackburn urged the audience to contact their representatives and stated, “The most powerful news network right now is you,” making the point that songwriters have power if they choose to use it.
This year’s EXPO introduced “The EXPO Experience,” which featured screens throughout the conference displaying attendee and panelist’s Twitter comments and Instagram photos, which provided a whole new level of information, entertainment and outreach to people not in attendance. Another big hit was special kiosks set up for attendees to get their photo taken with colorful props and cartoon balloon messages that said “I Create Music,” “I am a Songwriter,” and “I am a Producer,” among other messages.
While the EXPO’s online social networking activity provided an exciting buzz, the on-location social networking at the event was its real heart and soul. From the first night’s opening networking reception to daily One-on-One mentoring sessions, from lunchtime roundtable discussions to general face-to-face meetings in the hallways and ballrooms, the opportunities for connecting with a future collaborator or important professional contact were numerous.
For those who return again and again to the ASCAP EXPO and for those who experienced it for the first time this year, one important lesson learned from the event can best be summed up in the words of this year’s panelist and songwriter-performer Mike Posner. He said that to be successful…”You have to show up, and you have to keep showing up.”
