Montreux Jazz Festival has unveiled its initial plans for 2021 amid the ongoing global pandemic that has disrupted the live industry.
Founded in 1967 on the Lake Geneva shoreline, the festival had already adopted a digital strategy through its subsidiary media company Montreux Media Ventures.
Continuing to champion its hybrid model of live music and digital access for 2021, the festival has brokered an exclusive livestream deal with Canadian music, media, and technology company Stingray and its streaming service, Qello Concerts by Stingray. The livestreams will be available to watch free of charge.
Additionally, the festival has announced the launch of its MJF Spotlight initiative, set to foster the next generation of talent, which is supported through its Montreux Jazz Artist Foundation.
As part of MJF Spotlight, the team have been working closely with the major and independent labels, identifying its top 20 artists to watch this year, including Pa Salieu, Ashnikko, Steam Down, Omah Lay, JC Stewart and The Lathums.
Last year, Montreux Jazz Festival maintained its digital presence, even though the 54th edition of the festival was cancelled. In the summer of 2020, Montreux brokered a deal with Eagle Rock and YouTube to launch the 54th Summer of Music, a 16-day virtual music festival hosted exclusively on YouTube. The virtual event provided an internationally accessible digital platform for fans in lieu of the physical event, while also raising money for National Museum of African American Music in Nashville.
The festival is expected to announce details about its 55th edition in the coming weeks, as well as new deals and partnerships with brands and labels throughout 2021.
Qello Concerts will livestream future editions of the festival as part of an ongoing multi-year agreement. Additionally, the streaming platform will be granted the licence to high-quality content produced by the Festival’s subsidiary media company, Montreux Media Ventures.
With the launch of MJF Spotlight, we will now be able to promote new talent throughout the year on our digital channels
Mathieu Jaton
Qello Concerts by Stingray already has access to over 50 concerts from the Montreux Jazz Festival, including iconic performances by Ray Charles, Wu-Tang Clan, Johnny Cash, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, Deep Purple, Carlos Santana and more.
Montreux Media Ventures CEO Nick Bonard said: “Our deal with Qello Concerts by Stingray to livestream the festival is a key part of our hybrid model, creating an always-on experience. Streaming is a crucial medium for securing the continued success of the festival: if people can’t come to the festival, we will bring it to them. This deal will enable us to adapt and respond more nimbly to the key challenges facing the sector while generating support for the true lifeblood of the Montreux Jazz Festival – bold, new talent – for many more years to come.”
“We are thrilled to announce a partnership with Montreux Jazz Festival, one of the world’s biggest and longest-running music events, to expand our content offerings with livestreaming,” added Mathieu Péloquin, senior vice-president, marketing and communications, of Stingray. “We are always striving to offer the best concerts available for our music fans. Now, more than ever, audiences can access concerts from their favorite artists and continue to look to Qello Concerts for the top music entertainment they crave.”
The MJF Spotlight initiative is a new music brand that will support up-and-coming talent across all genres through digital content creation, such as recorded live sessions, promotion and special events, including a special showcase night at the Festival itself.
MJF Spotlight will live year-round across the Festival’s channels. Each month, one up-and-coming talent will be selected as MJF Spotlight’s Artist of the Month. Artists will participate in the MJF Spotlight Sessions, which will be published both as exclusive video clips and live EP albums on streaming platforms. The festival’s booking team will also curate playlists each month.
Commenting on MJF Spotlight’s launch, Mathieu Jaton, Montreux Jazz Festival CEO, said: "The lack of concerts and festivals has a severe impact on the emergence of new artists. At Montreux Jazz Festival, hundreds of up-and-coming talent usually perform each summer on our various stages. With the launch of MJF Spotlight, we will now be able to promote new talent throughout the year on our digital channels, independently of the Festival line-up. This initiative brings together our booking team’s competence, Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation’s support to emerging talent and Montreux Media Ventures’ digital content expertise."
Full MJF Spotlight Artists to Watch in 2021 list
Tate McRae
Ashnikko
Priya Ragu
Sault
Nathy Peluso
Tsha
Giveon
Omah Lay
Channel Tres
Yseult
The Kid Laroi
The Hu
Pa Salieu
JC Stewart
Yebba
Fousheé
Godford
Steam Down
Lila Iké
The Lathums
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