Southampton Solent University is celebrating 10 years of SMILEfest this month, and tomorrow that means the 2018 Music Industries Conference in Studio Solent. As usual, the university has managed to attract an amazing line up of guest speakers for the event, all of whom will be taking part in various panels throughout the day.

Kicking off the event is the Digital Futures panel, featuring copyright and neighbouring rights expert Sabine Jones, singer/songwriter and ‘Rize’ broadcaster Emma McGann, Horus Music Limited Director Nina Condron, Gavin Foord of Floor Collective and Julie Sykes (PLYA). They’ll be discussing how musicians and the music industries will prosper in the digital revolution, so if you’re an aspiring musician then it’s a must see!

The same goes for the following panel, which will see Prodigy Manager Nick Halkes discussing how to build and sustain a career in music, with Soraya Sobh of The Bakery Marketing and Management Agency, producer and owner of Food Music  Shadow Child, and Senior Grants and Programmes Manager Joe Frankland.

After that, in perhaps the most exciting discussion of the day, Creation Records Founder Alan McGee will be in conversation. He’s the man that signed Oasis, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain, and in doing so pretty much defined 80s and 90s indie music, so he might have a few interesting stories to share…

He’ll be returning after that to re-visit the 90s with Record Producer Jagz Kooner and Steve ‘Chandrasonic’ Savale of the Asian Dub Foundation, before Sleeper’s Jon Stewart closes the day with his Demo Surgery.

He’ll be joined by Kooner, Toploader guitarist Julian Deane and acclaimed singer/songwriter ECKOES, in order to mull over the finest songs that Solent Uni’s students have to offer.

If you’re interested in the hot topics of the music industry in 2018, t’s bound to be an amazing day, and it’s totally free if you’re a Solent student.

Just get yourself down to JM315 tomorrow!