Finding the Right People and Spaces to Elevate Your Music Career
Moderator: Emily Gonneau
Speakers: Sarah El Miniawy, Mahaut Dufour Lamanthe
Success in the music industry is rarely straightforward - it’s a mix of talent, strategy, and being in the right place at the right time. This session will explore how to identify the key people who can accelerate your career, from industry professionals to creative collaborators, and how to position yourself in the right spaces, both online and offline, to reach new audiences and grow your presence.
Speaker Bios
Emily Gonneau
After 4 years at EMI, French-British Emily Gonneau founded Unicum Music, her own label & publishing company (2009), Nüagency a digital agency specialised in music & culture (2013), and Causa, a modern agora for forward-thinking conversations at the intersection of music, innovation and social change (2023). The 3 entities are now reunited within the üni goup which Emily heads.
Author of "L'Artiste, le Numérique et la Musique", published by the Centre National de la Musique (CNM) and currently enjoying its 3rd edition (2023), Emily is also the Conference Curator for MaMA Invent, as well as a member of the CNM’s Innovation Commission and a Keychange 2022 Innovator.
She is also the Co/Founder of 2 non-profits aiming to transform the French music industry: La Nouvelle Onde (awards & organisation championing the industry’s under 30 year old movers and shakers since 2018), and Change de disque (focused on fixing the French music industry's rampant sexism and discrimination).
Sarah El Miniawy
Website • Twitter • Sarah Instagram • Simsara Music • Instagram • Facebook
Sarah El Miniawy, the founder and director of Simsara Music, stands at the helm of a music management and creative production agency that has become synonymous with the adventurous Arabic music scene. Renowned for its intimate infrastructure, with a keen curatorial ear for progressive new work, Simsara Music has been instrumental in fostering the rise of some of today's most innovative music, including Maryam Saleh, Maurice Louca, and Tamer Abu Ghazaleh's groundbreaking collaboration, Lekhfa. Other notable collaborations include Nadah El Shazly's game-changing debut record Ahwar and most recently Nancy Mounir's critically acclaimed Nozhet El Nofous.
In a testament to the agency's unwavering commitment to the region's flourishing music landscape, Sarah launched Tarkeeza in 2021. This platform serves as a catalyst for the development of music management skills and the empowerment of DIY artists and emerging music managers.
Sarah's journey began with eight transformative years at London's Barbican Centre, where she honed her expertise in Public and Media Relations. She also pursued an MA in Ethnomusicology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, laying a solid foundation for a career dedicated to supporting quality artistic production on the global stage.
Mahaut Dufour Lamanthe
Mahaut Dufour Lamanthe started out in the music industry in 2016, driven by a desire to work closely with artists. She soon founded Loom, offering management services for talents such as Sika Deva, BlackDoe, Tices, and HERA. Passionate about ambitious and diverse projects—including English-speaking artists, producers, and international development—she quickly built a strong expertise in project creation and execution. This naturally led her to project management, collaborating with independent companies on strategic initiatives.
Her journey took a decisive turn when she became involved in the launch of Artistic Palace, a 1,200 m² creative hub in Paris. As an associate and head of development, she played a key role in shaping the space into a go-to destination for artists and industry professionals. Today, she continues to oversee its growth, ensuring Artistic Palace thrives as a home for artistic innovation, from high-end 11 recording studios to a dedicated photo studio and versatile event venue. She is also actively developing the record label and publishing subsidiaries.
Beyond her work, Mahaut is committed to advocating changes for women in the music industry. A former mentee of MEWEM France, the mentoring program for women entrepreneurs in music, she now sits on its board, working to foster change and empower the next generation of industry leaders.
