Are you an emerging artist or band looking to take your first steps abroad in 2023? Kultur | lx remains a partner in the EXCITE network, a highly-collaborative project between nine partner organisations based across Europe (BE, DE, DK, FI, LU, NO, NL, SE, UK). This innovative network leverages a dynamic mechanism to expedite the internationalisation of young artists earlier in their careers and development.

The delivery model is built around a core of at least nine partner festivals in their respective markets, with potential for visibility on curated stages at events like Reeperbahn Festival and The Great Escape.

Apply here
Deadline : December 5, 2022

The EXCITE network offers:

Are you ready for EXCITE? Artists/bands applying for the program must be/have: 

For more information contact :

Zach Glavan
Kultur | lx, Project Manager Pop/Rock/Electro/R&B/Hip-Hop :
zach.glavan@kulturlx.lu

 

Interview with Luxembourg artist C’est Karma at The Great Escape EXCITE Showcase

ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag), the key exchange for emerging European music talent announces the first acts for its 37th edition line-up – the first physical edition after two fully digital editions. The organisation is thrilled to welcome its visitors back to Groningen in January 2023.

The first batch of artists have been selected in cooperation with NPO 3FM and European national radio broadcasters – collaborating within the EBU (European Broadcasting Union). Emo-rap artist, Maz, has been selected in collaboration with Luxembourg’s public service radio station 100,7. 

Eurosonic remains one of the most important events for emerging artists of the year, who have the opportunity to perform in-front of a selection of 4.000 delegates and around 40.000 visitors. The organisation also helps to stimulate and push the circulation of European music across the continent and beyond. Artists who perform for Eurosonic are also added to the ESNS Exchange programme which helps to facilitate the bookings of European acts on festivals outside of their home countries and generate extensive media exposure for them in cooperation with the EBU (of which 100,7 is part of), export offices (including Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg) and local media.

Risen out of the ashes of early 2000’s Metal and Rock influences, MAZ is known for delivering a powerful and truthful message to his audiences with a determination to not only scratch at the surface, but to tear through it and see what lies underneath. With a sharpened musical and visual identity, the young rapper wants to give the voiceless not just a voice, but also an uncompromising vision and thus urging his listeners to drop the self-imposed masks and all other unnecessary superficialities to eventually find their true selves. 

Want to join MAZ at Eurosonic? Professionals can apply for financial support to attend via the Kultur lx “Support for mobility, research and career development.” Deadline to apply is Wednesday, December 28th. More details here.

This year, Fifty Lab is inviting the most promising upcoming talents for three days throughout iconic venues in the heart of Brussels. A unique take on the traditional showcase festival, Fifty Lab takes recommendations from some of the most influential Belgian and international musical programmers (i.e. Primavera Sound, Down the Rabbit Hole, Montreux Jazz Festival, Pukkelpop, Couleur Café, and Luxembourg’s very own Siren’s Call Festival). The audience will discover the next musical crushes from all genres and nationalities.

Kultur | lx is proud to be presenting the first Luxembourgish artist at Fifty Lab, MAZ. Risen out of the ashes of early 2000’s Metal and Rock influences, MAZ is known for delivering a powerful and truthful message to his audiences with a determination to not only scratch at the surface, but to tear through it and see what lies underneath. With a sharpened musical and visual identity, the young rapper wants to give the voiceless not just a voice, but also an uncompromising vision and thus urging his listeners to drop the self-imposed masks and all other unnecessary superficialities to eventually find their true selves. 

Want to join MAZ Friday, November 18th at Fifty Lab? Kultur | lx is inviting a small Luxembourgish delegation to attend the festival. Professionals can apply for financial support to attend via the Kultur |  lx “Support for mobility, research and career development.” More details here.

MAZ at Fifty Lab
Friday November 18th
8:40 – 9:20 PM | L’ARCHIDUC
More information here.

Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg is taking up the “next step” workshops initiated in 2021 and is adapting it to the pop/rock/electro world. Kultur | lx will offer artists an inside look and training course dedicated to the pop/rock/electro music market in various territories around the world, starting with the French market on October 25 & 26.

The course will be led by Paris-native Géraldine Zanaska, founder of international music business consultancy, Compass Music. Between earning her master’s degree in Music Business Management from London’s University of Westminster and launching Compass Music, Géraldine has worked for an independent record label, a music venue, a live music promoter, a cultural institution, and the French music export office.

This workshop will address the essential points for developing a strategy to present, market, and promote a project in France. In particular, the workshop will cover the various networks and professionals involved, as well as an overview on the French touring and recording landscape, the challenges and evolution of touring, and the key methods and innovative tools to better promote your project in France. 

This interactive training will start each day with a theoretical presentation and will be followed by a round-table discussion and Q&A with French professionals from the pop/rock/electro sector (TBA). The goal is also for the participants to come away with actionable advice and have communication-ready assets (like bio and press releases, highlighting what matters locally) once the workshop is finished.

More information & registration to come…Stay tuned!

One of the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe, Sziget, is set to take place for the first time since 2019 and has selected rapper, MAZ, as part of its official lineup! First organised in 1993, the festival attracts almost 400,000 people each year to an island in the Danube to join the fabulous atmosphere of this multicultural event. Sziget will take place this August 10 – 15 in Budapest, Hungary and feature a star-studded lineup, including Justin Bieber, Calvin Harris, Stromae, Dua Lipa, Arctic Monkeys, Tame Impala, and several more. 

Speaking of the festival, MAZ said he’s “super excited because Sziget is one of the biggest festivals in Europe! I’m on the line-up with some of the biggest stars in the world which is just incredible, but on a more personal level, it’s also exciting because I’m half Hungarian and I’m regularly travelling to the country (mainly Budapest) to visit friends and family.”

Described by Europavox as “the fresh face of Europe’s rap future,” MAZ’s aim is to spark a raw confrontation with life in brutal honesty. With a sharpened musical and visual identity, the young rapper wants to give the voiceless not just a voice, but also an uncompromising vision and thus urging his listeners to drop the self-imposed masks and all other unnecessary superficialities to eventually find their true selves. MAZ arrived in April with his latest EP, Upside Down (listen on Spotify here).

Risen out of the ashes of early 2000’s Metal and Rock influences – those heavy and dark, and yet extremely emotional and energetic trap beats that, today, carry the words of the progressive rapper from the future. He absorbs melancholy and reciprocates hope. MAZ is known for delivering a powerful and truthful message to his audiences with a determination to not only scratch at the surface, but to tear through it and see what lies underneath. 

Catch Maz at the Sziget “Drop Yard Stage” on Sunday, August 14 from 17:30. More info here.

 

After numerous consultations with the creative sector, it has become clear that in order for the Luxembourgish industry to grow, we need to support active managers working behind the scenes to develop and sustain the artists. This pilot grant has been designed as a two-year grant and offers managers the chance to increase the depth of their professional network and development while aiding them in their pursuit to work more closely with Luxembourgish artists locally and abroad. One of the aims of this grant is to allow managers to build dedicated relationships with the artists in order to further develop their careers (day-to-day activities, negotiating contracts, booking gigs, strategising long term goals, etc.).

For its part, Kultur | lx is committed to accompanying the laureates and has built a mentoring programme with international professionals who will be able to guide the laureates throughout the various stages of this grant. Mentors will come from a variety of backgrounds and countries, specifically within the management sector, and available for bi-monthly consultations with the laureates. In addition, the two laureates will automatically be included in any local or international training initiatives (i.e. educational, workshops, networking events, etc.) brought forth by Kultur | lx. Beneficiaries of the Artist Management Programme will also receive an additional stipend in order to attend up to two international conferences per calendar year.

Deadline to apply : September 4, 2022

More information and application HERE

Who are the biggest names in Luxembourgish Hip-Hop today? Kultur | lx’s first ever multi-part audio-visual series “|lx finest” offers a rare insight into the lives of various Hip-Hop artists in Luxembourg, how artists and their respective producers craft their songs collaboratively, how they see their role in the local music scene, and how Hip-Hop and Rap are thriving in one of the smallest countries in Europe. The four-part series features the likes of Magestick, Turnup Tun, Tommek, De Läb, Corbi, Maz, Nicool, Culture The Kid, and Denis Schumacher (aka “2NI”) and was produced by the Unison Studios and Skin teams. Watch the full four-part series via Kultur | lx’s YouTube channel here. More on each artist below!

“We have had the pleasure of following two generations of Hip-Hop artists and producers, each with individual styles but the same values and goals…to do their own thing!” says Max Hochmuth of Unison Studios. “Between a home studio in a shed to actually making a living off of music, you’ll get a glimpse into the diversity that our local scene has to offer.”

 

ABOUT NICOOL : Her debut album “Den Ufank vum N”, released in summer 2019, marked the start of Nicool’s rap career. In collaboration with local hip hop record label De Läbbel, Nicool worked together with various beatmakers from Luxembourg (i.e. 8Cee, BTM, Nick Sauber, to name a few). Her live performance is like no other, whether you understand the Luxembourgish language or not, it is guaranteed that the crowd will vibe along with the beats and head-nod along with her flow and rhymes.

ABOUT DE LÄB : Luxembourg’s cultural heritage when it comes to Hip-Hop made in Luxembourg. De Läb have been around since 2007 and played every stage there is in Luxembourg at least twice – including the slot as support act for Snoop Dogg and Cypress Hill. This 7-piece live band is formed by 4 of Luxembourg’s most established musicians (Benoit Martiny, Rene Macri, Georges Sadeler and Michel Lopes), including DJ Funkstarr (one of the best around) and of course fronted by the rap duo Corbi and David Fluit, featured in this video. They are true masters of their own craft, covering today’s topics with a rather old-school approach.

 

ABOUT TOMMEK : Tommek, Tom Mersch or Peter Punchline is a Luxembourgish rapper from Clervaux. He began rapping at the age of 11, initially in German, then from 16 years of age in his mother tongue. In 2013 he released his first single and in 2015 his first album “Tëschent Humor a Wourécht” (Between Humour and Truth). In May 2020 his latest album came out with 16 tracks, dealing with issues such as family, solidarity, happiness amongst friends and what matters most at the end of life. Tommek is renowned for his extensive use of wordplay and humour in his lyrics, and while using this humour to tackle more serious issues in society.

ABOUT TURNUP TUN : Tun Tonnar, aka Turnup Tun, is a Luxembourgish producer, singer-songwriter, musician and rapper. He has worked with various artists, such as Tommek, Bandana, Skinny J and Don Piano, to name a few. He is a member of the group Räpzodi and the collective Stayfou. In his singles, albums and EPs, he expresses himself in Luxembourgish and delivers socially charged Hip-Hop.

 

ABOUT CULTURE THE KID : As he introduces himself, Culture the Kid is a 19-year-old Brazilian/Luxembourgish lyrical rapper based in Luxembourg combining old school sounds and rap with new themes and lyrics. He is basically just a kid trying to preserve what’s left of his definition of good music and adding his own spice to it.

ABOUT 2NI : Denis Schumacher a.k.a. ‘2NI’ (which is simply a phonetic spelling of his first name in French : “deux-ni”), is one of the most sought out musical producers and drummers from Luxembourg. As a drummer, Denis is known more recently for his involvement with the grunge-rock band Francis of Delirium, as well as previous bands CHEAK and District 7. As a producer, 2NI lives within entirely different genres : Hip-Hop & Rnb. After meeting and producing his first song with Luxembourgish rapper Brooze, 2NI’s work has quickly evolved to include a number of artists, from Nevlo, to Troka, Vinci, EDSUN, and Maya Maunet. His goal for the future is to bring Luxembourgish music to a level where it can compete with those from abroad.

 

ABOUT MAZ : Maz is known for delivering a powerful and truthful message to his audiences with the aim to spark a raw confrontation with life in brutal honesty. A determination to not only scratch at the surface but to tear through it and see what lies underneath. He absorbs melancholy and reciprocates hope. His flow and highly evolved technical skills will leave the audience “Maz”merized. Risen out of the ashes of early 2000’s Metal and Rock influences – it is those heavy and dark, and yet extremely emotional and energetic beats that carry the words of the progressive rapper from the future. Maz is the new engine of a more genuine and profound generation and incarnates a courageous attitude of empathy with a solid perspective towards a future world.

ABOUT MAGESTICK : Magestick Records, founded by the 30 year old music producers, André & David, mostly produces Hip Hop and Rnb Instrumentals which are offered for sale on their website. Embarking on a production career in 2013, they are known for their successful online beat catalogue on YouTube. Magestick Records has over 245.000 subscribers and is the biggest channel in Luxembourg. In 2020 André & David signed a publishing deal with SONY ATV Music Publishing Germany.

 

A free showcase event took place at Den Atelier on April 29th. During this special night, five artists – Culture the Kid, Nicool, Corbi (De Läb), Maz, Turnup Tun and Tommek – could showcase their musical talent and personalities in front of the public as well as select international pros.

Kultur | lx would like to thank all the partners of the event: Den Atelier, Konektis Entertainment, Eldoradio as well as the producers of the mini-series: Unison Studios and SKIN.

Direct-to-Fan Workshop with Music Ally

General Workshop : April 19, 2022 – 4:00pm to 7:00pm (open to all applicants)
Mentoring Session : April 20, 2022 – 4:00pm to 5:30pm (applicants selected by committee) 

Kultur | lx is thrilled to continue working with Music Ally for our industry-focused workshops and training sessions. As a global leader in digital training for the music industry, Music Ally has trained thousands of industry professionals and artists. A knowledge and skills company, it provides insight to indies, publishers, major labels as well as artists and managers globally. Their mission is to help the music industry embrace digital platforms and build sustainable careers for artists across the globe.  

The upcoming Direct-To-Fan Workshop will be split into two sections. The first half will involve a presentation on email marketing, which is a vital component of an artist’s marketing mix. By the end of the presentation, you will know how to choose an email marketing platform, build your mailing list and design captivating emails for your fans. There will also be an opportunity for Q&A and participation in Music Ally’s training module in advance of the workshop. 

In the second half of the session, we will be joined by Jessie Scoullar and Joe Vesayaporn for a panel discussion around direct-to-fan marketing. Jessie is the founding director of Wicksteed Works, a company focused on empowering musicians to maximise their audience and sales potential through connection, communication and coordination of direct-to-fan campaigns. Joe Vesayaporn works for Music Glue, a specialist e-commerce platform for the music business which allows artists to sell physical and digital music, merchandise, and event tickets in multiple currencies and languages direct-to-fan. Both panelists have collectively run campaigns for artists like Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Elvis Costello, Eurovision, Paul McCartney, and Iron Maiden among several others.  

REGISTER HERE

We look forward to welcoming you to this workshop series on Tuesday, April 19th!  Music Ally will also be hosting private mentoring sessions on Wednesday, April 20th (applicants selected by a committee). 

Save the date!
Upcoming workshops :
23/05 – Short Form Video Masterclass – Time TBD
20/06 – Livestreaming and social commerce – Time TBD

Since its inception in the 1970s as an underground movement in the Bronx area of New York City, Hip-Hop has massively influenced the way pop music (i.e. popular music) is crafted and continues to push popular culture forward around the world. Fast forward half a century to 2022, Hip-Hop is thriving as one of the most popular genres in Luxembourg among the younger generations, and remains one of the main genres in the country where the Luxembourgish language is widely used. 

The preservation of Luxembourgish within the music scene remains very important, however, it also presents several challenges from an export perspective. Several neighbouring countries, despite the close cultural or language connection (i.e. Germany, France and Belgium), still find it difficult to import Luxembourgish rap. Even among older generations locally, the knowledge of the scene is still very limited and therefore Kultur lx has sought out ways to promote this very diverse and active scene both locally and internationally.

Introducing, “|lx finest : Hip-Hop” presented by Kultur | lx in collaboration with den Atelier, Eldoradio, Unison Studios and Konektis, highlighting some of the most notable Luxembourgish Hip-Hop acts in 2022 through a multi-part audio-visual series and showcase event. Produced by the team from Unison Studios, this four-part web series will offer a rare insight into the lives of Hip-Hop artists in Luxembourg, how artists and their respective producers craft their songs collaboratively, how they see their role in the local music scene and how Hip-Hop and Rap are thriving in Luxembourg.

“We have had the pleasure to follow two generations of Hip-Hop artists and producers, each with individual styles but the same values and goals…to do their own thing!” says Max Hochmuth of Unison Studios. “Between a home studio in a shed to actually making a living off of music, you’ll get a glimpse into the diversity that our local scene has to offer.” 

Kultur lx has also brought in Luxembourg’s Hitradio station Eldoradio in order to promote the scene through on-air interviews, airplay and in addition, to promote the Hip-Hop showcase event taking place at Den Atelier on Friday, April 29th.

“Eldoradio is proud to collaborate with Kultur|lx, den Atelier, Max Hochmuth and David Galassi for the “lx finest: Hip-Hop” series. As the largest hit radio station in Luxembourg we constantly continue our efforts to support the local music scene. This will be a good opportunity to also put the focus on the Hip-hop community” said Tony Ewen, director of Eldoradio.

Also reflecting on the initiative, De Läb co-founder David Fluit noted that ; 

“For a long time, Hip-Hop has been the most ignored and neglected culture in our society. Today, it’s one of the most present and active forms of music shaping the modern music industry with its rich, diverse and thus unique cultural background.”

“|lx finest” will feature some of the most active players from the scene including : Magestick, Turnup Tun, Tommek, De Läb, Corbi, Maz, Nicool, Culture The Kid, and Denis Schumacher. Stay tuned for the “|lx finest” webisodes launching end-of-April 2022 and look forward to seeing you on Friday, April 29th at the Atelier!

Kultur | lx’s first international showcase event for pop/rock/hip-hop artists was a success! The showcase took place at the new Swedish showcase festival, Future Echoes, from February 17-19, 2022 in Norrköping with a room filled with international delegates from all over Europe, including the UK, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Finland and more. The two featured artists, Maz and CHAiLD, received fantastic feedback from the delegation and local press alike.

Maz and CHAiLD also had the unique opportunity to participate in the internationally renowned writing camp Songhubs, organized by APRA AMCOS. SongHubs is a short intensive songwriting camp that brings together selected APRA AMCOS members and international songwriters and producers to create new hits. This particular songwriting edition was curated by Swedish based-songwriters and producers, Rebecka Digervall and Angus Campbell, along with invited special guest Rob Davis who co-wrote Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out of My Head.

“My stay in Norrköpping was definitely a success and absolutely worth it.
Both the songwriting camp by Songhubs and Future Echoes were very fruitful on a musical, professional and human level. Not only was I able to create three very promising demos with super talented producers, songwriters and artists, but I also bonded with them as human beings and made some new friends!” – Thomas Faber (a.k.a Maz) said of the event. “I also managed to convince the people that came to listen and received lovely feedback, connecting with industry professionals that could help me in the future of my career. I had a lot of fun and went back home with a lot of hope and motivation for the future!” –

Also reflecting on the festival, Adriano Lopes Da Silva (a.k.a. CHAiLD) said : “SongHubs and Future Echoes allowed me to connect with amazing people who I now consider friends. It also made me go past my comfort zone, being my first showcase festival abroad. I definitely gained some very useful experience!” 

Applications for Future Echoes 2023 are opening soon. Stay tuned via their website at : https://futureechoes.se/