Spotify House Checks In at SXSW Sydney – Billboard

SYDNEY, Australia — Spotify will be in the House for next month’s inaugural edition of South by Southwest (SXSW) in Sydney.

Guests at SXSW Sydney 2023 can check into Spotify House, which, for four days from Oct. 18-21, will transform iconic local venue The Lansdowne Hotel into a seat of knowledge and showcases.

According to reps, Spotify’s own space will feature a night program showcasing the region’s “best up-and-coming artists,” plus “future-focused music minds” speaking on a range of daytime panels, workshops and fireside chats.

Guest speakers for the daytime program include Spotify’s global head of editorial and former Billboard executive of the week Sulinna Ong; Xavier Jernigan (aka “X,” the voice of Spotify DJ); Jungjoo Park, head of music at Spotify Korea; Live Nation Australasia promoter Wenona Lok; and Virgin Music label manager Claire Tate.

Those sessions will cover “everything from music discovery to what’s next for K-Pop and how we continue to strive for gender equity,” reads a statement, with some spots open to SXSW Sydney badge holders, and others listed as exclusive invite-only events.

When the sun goes down, the Spotify House will host hot acts from across the Asian Pacific region, with a focus on Australian and South Korean artists.

“We’re excited to bring Spotify House to SXSW Sydney in October, along with some of Asia Pacific’s best and brightest talent and the sharpest minds in music,” comments Gautam Talwar, general manager, Asia Pacific at Spotify. “It’ll be an action-packed four days and a celebration of some of the region’s most vibrant music cultures that bring the world together.”

The full lineup of speakers and performers will be revealed in the weeks ahead.

SXSW Sydney is a collaboration with Australia-based ticketing, technology and live entertainment giant TEG, the New South Wales (NSW) government and its events agency Destination NSW.

Spread across seven days and nights from Oct. 15-22, 2023, the new edition will bring together the industries of music, gaming, film, television, technology and innovation much like the Austin, Texas version that launched back in 1987.

Penske Media Corporation, Billboard‘s parent company, is an investor in SXSW.

Visit SXSWsydney.com for more.