As part of CARIFESTA XV, the “Big Ideas, Bold Voices” event brought together five major music business panels in Barbados. Over the course of a single day, speakers from Jamaica, the United States, Canada and St. Kitts shared their expertise to offer Caribbean artists and professionals concrete keys to development.
Panel 1 - Soca as a Genre in the Grammys and Membership Aspects
Speaker : Janette Becerra – Representative of the Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)
The first discussion highlighted a central issue: the recognition of soca at the Grammy Awards. Janette Becerra pointed out that, despite its international influence, soca does not yet have an official category in this prestigious ceremony. At CARIFESTA XV, she stressed the importance for Caribbean artists, producers and managers of join the Recording Academy to have a collective say in decision-making.
In her view, soca’s future at the Grammys depends less on aesthetic debate than on institutional mobilization. The more Caribbean professionals are members and active within the Academy, the more likely their musical genres – soca, calypso or chutney – will gain visibility and official recognition. This intervention at CARIFESTA XV launched the day on a clear note: unity and organization are essential if Caribbean music is to make headway in the world’s major forums.
Panel 2 - Global Export Production
Speakers: Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor (Jamaica, producer for Drake, Shakira, Sean Paul, Damian Marley…) and Rico Love (USA, songwriter for Beyoncé, Usher, Kelly Rowland, Nelly, etc.)
This panel opened a frank dialogue between two renowned producers on how to export Caribbean sounds. Stephen McGregor, a leading figure in dancehall and reggae fusion, shared his experience as a Jamaican working on the American and international scenes. His message was simple: authenticity is an asset and exporting does not mean renouncing one’s roots.
Rico Love insisted on another point: a hit is always based on universal emotions. Whether it’s a question of love, solitude or joy, the songs that stand out are those that express intimate feelings in an original way. He reminded us at CARIFESTA XV that the role of the producer is not to create an identity for the artist, but to reveal the greatness already present in him/here.
At CARIFESTA XV, the two speakers also discussed the rise of artificial intelligence in music production. Their position is clear: AI is a tool, never a threat. It can help us become more efficient, but it will never replace the human sensitivity that makes a work so powerful.
Panel 3 - Publishing and Global Access (K-pop, Eurovision, EDM)
Speakers : Kristen, Maria Brokberg (aka Mathia), Bruno Duque, Spencer Mussellam
This panel focused on music publishing and access to international markets. Speakers showed how Caribbean catalogs could find their place in universes as varied as K-pop, Eurovision or EDM.
They stressed the importance of structuring copyright and to build a catalog. This is what opens the door to global collaborations. The example of K-pop illustrated how an industry can add value to its composers by exporting titles on a massive scale across Asia and beyond. Eurovision, meanwhile, was presented as an exceptional showcase for introducing regional styles to a global audience. Finally, EDM was highlighted for its fluidity of collaboration Today, a Caribbean producer can co-sign a track with a European or Asian DJ in just a few clicks.
The central message: the Caribbean must invest in the publishing and legal organization of its works if it is to become a key player on these global stages.
Panel 4 - Label Management, A&R Management, Global Booking & Tour Management
Speakers : Ivan Berry (Canada/Saint-Kitts, manager, publisher and consultant), Jonathan Ramos (Live Nation, VP Global Touring), Max Gousse (A&R and manager, collaborator with Beyoncé, Usher, Saweetie)
This fourth panel explored the core of the artist’s business how to manage a career, a label, artistic development and touring.
- ✅ A&R and label management : Max Gousse emphasized the central role of A&R, capable of guiding an artist in the creation of a coherent catalog and ensuring long-term vision. Label management, on the other hand, structures the entire process, from production to promotion.
- ✅Booking and touring: Jonathan Ramos explained the difference between soft tickets (festivals, support acts, where the audience hasn’t come just to see you) and hard tickets (concerts where spectators pay to see YOU). For him, the true value of an artist is measured by his or her ability to sell “hard tickets”.
- ✅ Local strategy before global: Ivan Berry encouraged artists to build their credibility at home first, via local circuits (cafés, bars, churches, clubs), before aiming internationally.
- ✅Fans and digital: Everyone stressed the importance of real fan engagement and online content. An active fan, ready to buy a VIP ticket or a T-shirt, is worth more than thousands of passive followers.
Beyond the technical aspects, this panel made it clear that no artist can succeed alone. It’s the complementarity between labels, A&R, managers, agents and producers that creates lasting careers.
Panel 5 - Global Platforms for Distribution
Speakers : Kevin Barton (co-founder of the Departure Festival, ex-Universal, director) and Patrick Murphy (Program Director, Departure Festival, ex-Live Nation)
The final panel extended the debate beyond music to consider the place of Caribbean artists in a global cultural ecosystem. At CARIFESTA XV, Kevin Barton reminded us that music touches on all fields – cinema, video games, gastronomy, visual art – and that we must avoid being pigeonholed into a single artistic label.
Patrick Murphy concluded by stressing the importance of a complete profile: talent, discipline, digital presence and strategic collaborations. For him, an Instagram or TikTok account is now a way of life. Online CV. Programmers and labels don’t want to guess at an artist’s potential: they want to see concrete proof of his or her commitment and ability to federate a community.
The two speakers at CARIFESTA XV also reminded us that the human network remains essential. Great careers are built less on distributed business cards than on real relationships forged with peers at the same level, who then grow together towards success.
Bringing together high-level experts on topics as varied as publishing, exporting, production, management and distribution, CARIFESTA XV showed that the Caribbean has all the resources it needs to assert itself on the world stage. But the messages converged: this requires discipline, structuring, collaboration and commitment.
Whether it’s getting soca recognized at the Grammy Awards, exporting an authentic sound, building a solid catalog, selling out venues or taking advantage of digital platforms, the future of Caribbean artists will depend on their ability to combine creativity and strategy.
2 Responses
This is a great article and summarized the amazing experience.
Thanks a lot Max