Latest news with #SFMusicWeek
CBS News
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
San Francisco Music Week creates opportunity to connect with cultural scene
For Chicana musician La Doña, music is more than a career. Growing up in the heart of San Francisco's Mission District, La Doña's roots run deep in the Bay Area's vibrant cultural scene, which she describes as unique. "I think that it is very different from other places where you might find a more robust music industry," she said. "Just because, we are used to really supporting each other and uplifting each other." This sense of empowerment from her community has helped La Doña rise as an artist. But the multifaceted musician also points out that the city's infrastructure has not always been conducive to artists' success. That's why she says she is thrilled to participate in SF Music Week. "I think that we deserve and really should put energy and resources into creating those spaces." By "spaces," La Doña refers to opportunities where creative professionals can gather and collaborate in meaningful ways. This aligns with the goals of the new San Francisco Mayor's Office, which is working to support the local arts and entertainment ecosystem. Through the San Francisco Music Week, an event put on in partnership with the Noise Pop Music Festival, SF Live and the SF Office of Economic and Workforce Development, the city aims to foster stronger and mutually beneficial connections within the music business. "We continue our work to identify how to continue to support San Francisco's comeback, and how to leverage our great arts and entertainment ecosystem that we have here," said Ben Van Houten with the Office of Economic & Workforce Development. "Doing a week to showcase SF music and the music business is one way we're making that happen." For La Doña, participating in SF Music Week is an opportunity to share a consistent message with fellow artists and fans alike. "It's my priority to teach people that they can find themselves through music," she said. "Not necessarily through fame, not necessarily through even being a professional musician. But just driving home the message that the most important relationships are relationship to self, craft and community." It's this deep connection to her craft and her community that keeps La Doña singing and drives her passion for both music and the people who support her.
CBS News
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
San Francisco music industry leader Ghazi Shami set to speak at new conference
The Bay Area is celebrating its history with the inaugural SF Music Week that will feature a keynote speech from a local industry leader who recently celebrated a monumental moment. In a high-rise overlooking downtown San Francisco, Empire, the largest independent distributor, publisher, and record label in the U.S., is thriving. The music label's founder, Ghazi Shami, recently graced the cover of Billboard magazine. The Bay Area native and music executive, whose father is a refugee, is the first Palestinian American from the region to achieve such a distinction. "It's very surreal because these are magazines we used to look at growing up as kids," Shami said. "We used to read them in the stores because we didn't want to pay for them. And then, now you're on the cover. It's crazy." But it appears Shami and his team have only just scratched the surface. Empire, which has contributed to the careers of stars like Kendrick Lamar and Cardi B, recently made headlines by purchasing the One Montgomery building for $24.5 million — a full-circle moment for Shami. "We're standing on a marble floor, in a building that I could only dream about when I was a child, that will become our future headquarters. Hopefully in the next two years after the construction is done," Shami said. "But this used to be Crocker Bank. When I was a kid, my mom used to take me to Crocker Bank to do deposits. So to fast forward many years later, to be standing in a building that I used to fill out pieces of paper and run around in as a child is very surreal and very special." As San Francisco Music Week -- an event put on in partnership with the Noise Pop Music Festival, SF Live and the SF Office of Economic and Workforce Development -- unfolds this week, Shami, a music producer with a background in technology, took center stage as the keynote speaker. "You have every genre, music that touches the four corners of the earth, that all started here in San Francisco," Shami said. "In a city that has always been known for cultural diversity, inclusion, and has always pushed the envelope on being progressive." "I'll do whatever it takes. I'll put the city on my back in any way, shape, or form possible," he said. It's this kind of creative passion that continues to fuel Empire's ascent, keeping both the label and San Francisco on the rise.
Axios
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
SF Music Week to boost industry will debut next month
San Francisco is launching its first SF Music Week in an effort to boost the economy and help grow the local music and arts scene. Why it matters: Mayor Daniel Lurie announced the newest initiative to support the local music industry Wednesday as another economic driver to spur the city's comeback following a slow post-pandemic recovery that has led to reduced foot traffic and big retailer closures in downtown. Between the lines: The initiative builds on former Mayor London Breed's creation of entertainment zones — an effort to revitalize struggling areas — which allow businesses to sell alcoholic drinks outdoors during special events. The latest: The city has partnered with SF Live and indie promoter Noise Pop to host SF Music Week, running Feb. 24 to March 2. The programming includes studio and venue tours, film screenings, musician master classes, panels, workshops and live performances that will run concurrently with the 2025 Noise Pop Festival. It's also providing a platform to connect musicians, artists and other industry leaders with resources to advance their careers. What they're saying: The goal is to reinforce San Francisco's reputation as a city that "champions the arts" and strengthen its "position as a global hub of arts and culture, allowing us to foster innovation, attract talent, and support local businesses," Lurie said in a statement. "We're not just celebrating our vibrant music scene, but also actively shaping a more sustainable ecosystem for artists, venues and music lovers alike," added Stacy Horne, an event producer at Noise Pop. Catch up quick: SF Music Week was inspired by the success of 2024's SF Live, a six-month free concert series funded with $2.5 million in state dollars to aid the local nightlife and entertainment sector. What's next: This year's event will kick off with an industry summit on Feb. 28 featuring a conversation with keynote speaker Ghazi Shami, CEO and founder of independent record label Empire. Other panel discussions will focus on the intersection of music and technology and will detail the history behind the city's music scene. The free summit runs from 9am-6pm at the Swedish American Hall. Register here.
