Hokuo Music Fest, held from this Wednesday to Saturday (16–19 November) in Tokyo, Japan is filled with Nordic artists and music companies. At Hokuo Music Fest, the Nordic countries introduce their freshest talents in both indie and pop as well as heavy metal to the Japanese market and build their networks together. Participating are 35 Nordic companies, 8 bands and artists and 7 songwriters. Hokuo Music Fest is a part of NOMEX program.

This year, in addition to the traditional Loud & Metal Mania showcase, there will also be a showcase event under the Ja Ja Ja brand with a focus on indie music, as well as a Nordic-Japanese songwriting session. Hokuo Music Fest will also include a trade day, seminar, reception and showcases by eight Nordic acts.

The Hokuo Music Fest is arranged with a japanese partner company, Creativeman, a renowned festival organizer and international booking agency.

The program

Hokuo Music Fest consists of a trade day, seminar, reception, showcase program and a co-writing session. At the trade day, held on ​Thursday 17 November, 12.00–16.00, essential Japanese labels, publishers and media will be invited to meet the Nordic music companies in an 4 hour trade session in the center of the Shibuya district. The seminar program takes place on Friday 18 November, 10.00–15.00 with Japanese music industry professionals orientating the Nordic participants to the special music market of Japan. A reception will be held on Wednesday 16 November at the Embassy of Denmark.

The Finnish showcase bands this year are: Satellite Stories, Santa Cruz and Mokoma. They are joined by Yung (DEN), Hey Elbow (SWE), and Mr Silla (ICE) at the Ja Ja Ja showcase, and The Interbeing (DK) and Lancer (SWE) at the Loud & Metal Media showcase. The Ja Ja Ja showcase takes place on Friday 18 November at Space Odd, doors 16.30. There is also an aftershow on Saturday 19 November at 7th Floor (Shibuya), (doors at 18.30) with performances by Mari Kalkun (EST), Maija Kauhanen (FIN) and Mr. Silla.

This year, a co-write session is organized in cooperation with Sony Music Publishing Japan. Songwriters from the Nordics will write and network with their Japanese colleagues. In addition to the songwriters, publishers and representatives of labels specialized in J-Pop will participate.

Listen to a playlist of all the Nordic acts at Hokuo Music Fest: