News

MUSIC BIZ 2019 SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT — Shelita Burke, Blockchain Music Artist

Music Biz is excited to welcome Blockchain Music Artist Shelita Burke to the Music Biz 2019 Program! As part of this year’s Indie Artist & Songwriter Forum powered by Songtrust, she will be interviewed in a session called, “Music Inside a Blockchain World: Why Artists Will lead the Blockchain Revolution” set for Monday, May 6 at 3:30 pm. Check out the Speaker Spotlight profile below to learn more about Shelita before her panel in May! You can also keep tabs on the latest featured speakers on our Speaker Spotlight Portal.

 

Besides attending the Music Biz Conference, what is your favorite thing about Nashville?
This is my first time to Nashville! I’m super excited to come to the land of legendary songwriters.

 

What do you foresee being the most impactful trend for the industry in the coming year?
I think it will be the rise of more independent artists being able to support themselves through streaming revenue. And although it is still early, the impact of Blockchain technology in terms of transparency and direct to fan models.

 

When did you know you wanted to work in the music business? If there was no specific “Aha!” moment, what led you to working in music?
The first thing that happens when we come out from the womb is we hear. Painting the world of sound with creating music is all I’ve ever wanted to do this since I was a little girl. There was nothing else for me. I knew I wanted to be a musician. I knew I wanted to be onstage. I knew I wanted to be a singer. I can’t imagine myself doing something else. Success for me is doing what I love every day. And that’s what I’m doing as an artist.

 

What music-focused app or tech could you not live without?
Native Instruments.

 

Aside from speaking, what are you most excited to experience at this year’s Conference?
Innovation. Innovation. Innovation. I am excited to hear insights on which innovations are coming through the pipeline.

 

What are your Album of the Year and Song of the Year?
It is an old song and album:
Song of the Year: Premiere Gymnopedie – Erik Satie
Album of the Year: Bach The Goldberg Variations – Glenn Gould

 

How do you discover new music?
I do a lot of research.

 

What was your first concert OR the best concert you’ve ever attended? What about the show sticks with you the most?
Sade. Her stage presence and voice is sooo dynamic.

 

What is your dream industry project? Is there an artist or power player you’d give anything to work with?
My dream project is working with Missy Elliot. She is a creative genius! Also, David Burns.


Music Biz 2019, the industry’s premier business-focused event, takes place Sunday, May 5 through Wednesday, May 8 at the JW Marriott Nashville. Attendees can look forward to keynote presentations from influential industry trailblazers including Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Capitol Records’ Amber Grimes, RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier, Motown Records President/Capitol Records EVP Ethiopia Habetemariam, Caroline President Jacqueline Saturn, and CEO of Def Jam Recordings Paul Rosenberg. The event will also feature our Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner, a celebration of artistic & executive achievement sponsored by BuzzAngle Music, City National Bank, Cracker Barrel, Jammber, and TiVo. Announced thus far, Bebe Rexha and Kane Brown will receive Breakthrough Artist Awards; Darius Rucker will accept the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award; Sony Music Nashville Chairman and CEO Randy Goodman will receive the Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement; Record Archive owners Richard Storms and Alayna Alderman will accept the Independent Spirit Award; and The Orchard Co-Founder Richard Gottehrer will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award. This year’s ceremony will also see the induction of the late Sir George Martin into the Music Business Hall of Fame by his son Giles Martin, along with 12 other notable industry executives, record labels, landmarks and media outlets.

More programming and awards announcements will be made in the coming weeks. Visit musicbiz2019.com for an up-to-date Program Schedule and to register today!