Scouting Talent and Building Industry Collaborations
By Jan Ghazi & Mahmood Jrere
This session will be a discussion with music industry professionals, offering artists valuable insight into how talent is discovered, developed, and supported. The conversation will explore the key factors that industry professionals look for when scouting new artists, from artistic uniqueness and market potential to professionalism and long-term vision. Speakers will share their perspectives on what makes an artist stand out, the role of timing and strategy in getting signed, and the different ways industry players collaborate with emerging talent.
Speaker Bios
Jan Ghazi
Artistic director since the mid 1990s, Jan Ghazi is also a musician, composer, performer, arranger and producer. As a label artistic director, he has had the privilege of working for Sony, Virgin and Universal, and of accompanying the debuts of Camille, Camélia Jordana, Pomme and others. He also worked on the publishing side, signing Louise Attaque, Dj Mehdi, Kery James, Aimé SImone and Gonzales. During his years with major labels, he worked with Daft Punk, Etienne Daho, NTM, Air, La Grande Sophie, Asaf Avidan and others.
At the same time, he set up A RAG, a label and publishing house based around the projects of Don Cavalli and Mustang. He set up his own studio, a creative laboratory and production space where his new editorial recruits - Loverman, Nina Versyp, Timothée Joly, Jwles, Antonin Bartherotte, Takeshi HRTBRK - shape their artistic material under his expert and benevolent eye.
These stylistically varied projects have one thing in common: they are at the emergence stage, a decisive phase in their careers.
Mahmood Jrere
Mahmood Jrere is an entrepreneur and musician driven by a deep passion for both innovation and artistry. In 2000, he co-founded DAM, the first Arabic hip-hop group, which gained global recognition and released three official albums. Alongside his solo career, Mahmood founded Indiepush to support independent musicians, co-founded the internationally known Palestine Music Expo (PMX), and launched Line-up in 2023—a label dedicated to amplifying regional talent. Through these ventures, he continuously merges his love for music with forward-thinking entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for emerging artists and pushing creative boundaries.
