🎶 Connecting Sounds in Amsterdam Brings Dutch and North African Music Industries Together
As the global music industry becomes increasingly connected, songs are no longer limited to one market or one audience. Digital platforms, international partnerships and cross-border productions are creating new opportunities for artists and music professionals around the world. 🌍🎧
Against this backdrop, Amsterdam is preparing to host Connecting Sounds: North Africa, a music industry event designed to bring together professionals from the Dutch and North African music sectors.
The event is organized by BumaStemra and Dutch Music Export, with the aim of strengthening professional and creative connections between the Netherlands and North Africa while exploring new opportunities for international cooperation. 🎼🤝
🇳🇱 Amsterdam Welcomes Music Industry Professionals
Connecting Sounds: North Africa is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Cruise Control Studios in Amsterdam.
The event brings together selected BumaStemra members, music publishers, songwriters, producers, artists and other professionals working across the music industry.
Rather than focusing exclusively on performances, the event is built around industry knowledge, professional discussions, networking and international collaboration.
Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about the North African music market while exploring potential partnerships between European and North African professionals.
🎤 Hassan El Shafei and Mohamed El Shaer Take Part
The event also features figures from the Egyptian and Arab music scenes, including music producer and composer Hassan El Shafei and music producer Mohamed El Shaer.
Both are scheduled to participate in a panel discussion alongside international music industry professionals, focusing on developments and opportunities within the sector.
Their participation reflects the event’s wider goal of bringing different music markets and professional experiences into the same conversation. 🎧🌎
📈 Why North Africa Is Attracting Growing Attention
One of the central themes of Connecting Sounds is the rapidly evolving music landscape across North Africa.
The region combines traditional musical styles with contemporary genres, creating an environment where artists can experiment with different sounds and cultural influences.
From Shaabi and Rai to Hip-Hop, Afro, Amapiano and electronic music, North African artists are increasingly working across genres and reaching audiences beyond their domestic markets.
This diversity creates opportunities for international collaborations, especially between artists, producers and songwriters from North Africa and Europe.
🎶 Sometimes collaboration begins with a recording session — but it can also begin with a conversation between two music professionals.
🎼 Music Is More Than Songs
An important feature of Connecting Sounds is its focus on music as a complete industry.
The sector includes music publishing, rights management, royalty collection, artist development, production, marketing, international expansion and strategic partnerships.
These areas have become increasingly important in the digital era, when a song created in Cairo, Casablanca or Amsterdam can reach audiences across the world within a short period of time.
Global reach, however, requires more than visibility. Understanding rights, contracts, distribution and professional partnerships is also essential for sustainable growth. ⚖️🎵
📋 Music Rights in North Africa
One of the sessions focuses specifically on the state of music rights in North Africa, examining how rights are managed and what opportunities and challenges exist for creators and rights holders.
The issue has become increasingly important as music consumption continues to move toward digital platforms.
As songs are distributed across multiple services and territories, protecting creators’ rights and ensuring that they benefit properly from their work becomes an essential part of a sustainable music ecosystem.
International collaborations also require a clear understanding of rights and responsibilities when several creators or companies from different countries are involved.
🤝 Building Stronger Dutch-North African Connections
The event is not intended to be purely theoretical.
Its broader objective is to create professional relationships that can develop into future projects and collaborations.
Bringing songwriters, producers, publishers, artists and music executives together creates opportunities for introductions, idea sharing and potential partnerships.
The networking reception provides another space for participants to continue conversations that began during the formal sessions.
🌍 Music may be a universal language, but strong professional networks are often what transform creative ideas into real projects.
🎧 From Shaabi and Rai to EDM
Another key discussion explores the relationship between North African music and the Dutch music scene.
Genres including Shaabi, Rai, Hip-Hop, Afro, Amapiano and EDM are part of the broader conversation.
The goal is not necessarily to remove cultural identity from music, but to explore how local influences can be incorporated into productions capable of reaching international audiences.
Cross-cultural combinations of rhythms, languages and musical traditions have become increasingly visible in global music, creating opportunities for experimentation and innovation. ✨
🌟 DYSTINCT and Avalon Music as a Cross-Border Example
Another notable session examines the international development of DYSTINCT and Avalon Music.
The discussion focuses on the development of his distinctive sound, artist strategy, international collaborations and the combination of Arabic fusion elements with urban music.
The example demonstrates how artists can maintain strong cultural identities while using modern production, marketing and distribution tools to reach audiences across different countries. 🎤🌍
💡 Knowledge Is Part of the Music Business
Knowledge exchange is another major objective of Connecting Sounds.
An emerging songwriter may need a better understanding of publishing rights, while a producer may be searching for international partners. A publisher may be interested in discovering new talent, while an artist may want to understand how to build an audience outside their home market.
Professional events therefore provide value beyond networking alone.
📚 Industry knowledge can help music professionals better understand the rapidly changing environment and make more informed professional decisions.
🔮 A Follow-Up Creative Mission in 2027
The initiative is also expected to continue beyond the Amsterdam event.
A creative music mission is planned for 2027 as a follow-up, creating the possibility of moving from initial conversations and networking toward deeper creative collaboration.
This could help turn relationships developed during Connecting Sounds into concrete projects involving artists, producers, songwriters and other industry professionals.
🎶 Music as a Bridge Between Cultures
Connecting Sounds: North Africa arrives at a time when geographical borders are becoming less restrictive for music.
An artist can collaborate with a producer in another country, a songwriter can work remotely with creators on another continent, and a finished song can reach international listeners through digital platforms almost instantly.
But successful international collaboration requires more than talent.
It also requires market knowledge, cultural awareness, rights protection and long-term professional relationships.
That is where events such as Connecting Sounds can create value by bringing these different elements together. 🤝🎵
🌍 Amsterdam as a Meeting Point for a Changing Industry
With artists, songwriters, publishers, producers and industry professionals from different backgrounds coming together, the event reflects the changing nature of the modern music business.
Music is no longer separated from technology, marketing, rights, management and international business.
Between Amsterdam and North Africa, these conversations can open new possibilities in songwriting, production, publishing and artist development.
🎧 Sometimes it starts with a single song — but the right collaboration can create an entirely new musical pathway.
📌 Fixed Conclusion
Connecting Sounds: North Africa highlights the ability of music to build meaningful bridges between cultures and markets. By bringing Dutch and North African music professionals together, the event creates space for creativity, knowledge exchange, professional networking and future international collaboration. 🎶🌍
Follow us for more entertainment news, music stories and the latest international artistic collaborations. ✨
