"The Paradise of World Music," as organizers titled it this year, is the World Music Festival held in Indonesia for the fourth year. Although it's more of an exhibition than a festival - the Indonesian Music Expo (IMEX). The main goal of this event is to showcase talents to the world, presenting the best Indonesian musicians to producers, concert directors, and promoters who are ready to break into the global charts.
That's why the best Indonesian bands gather in Bali for four days. It's the center of Indonesia's tourist life, offering even more opportunities to be heard by foreigners. Ubud was chosen as the venue, specifically the Puri Lukisan Museum.
"We know that Bali is already known worldwide. We want to introduce Indonesian world music to the international market," said Frankie Raden, founder of IMEX, at the festival's press conference in Jakarta.
World music is a modern genre that blends traditional folk music with popular elements. In other words, it encompasses everything that isn't Western music. Notable examples include Latin American, African, Native American, Australian Aboriginal, Pacific Island, Asian, and Gamelan music (traditional Indonesian orchestra).
Now, this genre, recognized about 30 years ago, continues to actively evolve, so national groups have every chance to establish their place in the global music industry. But not for everyone, only for the best of the best.
To participate in the festival, organizers, with the help of Indonesian and foreign music experts, selected 15 groups out of 124 who applied.
For example, Epo D'Fenomeno, a Papuan rapper whose compositions are based on the music of indigenous Papuans, will take the stage in Ubud, and a group of young musicians from Ubud will showcase what the sacred and ancient Balinese gamelan is capable of outside the temple.
Everyone who wishes can listen to these talented musicians; admission to the concerts is free. But the most anticipated guests will still be representatives of the industry from Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, and other countries. Music promoters, ticket booking agents, producers, label owners, festival directors, art centers, television, radio, and online media directors were invited by the organizers in the hope that they would be interested in Indonesian groups and offer them collaboration.
IMEX is the most important exhibition for Indonesian performers dreaming of reaching an international audience. If earlier observers talked about the dominance of African bands and soloists in the global music market, now they increasingly pay attention to the diversity of Indonesian music thanks to IMEX, which means that labels are truly interested in new names.
In addition to concerts from May 9 to 12 at Puri Lukisan, you can attend seminars, master classes, or explore unique musical instruments from a Balinese master.
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