MMB is the first and biggest international music business conference and showcase festival in Romania. Dedicated to all music enthusiasts, MMB is the place where both independent artists and key music business professionals are offered the opportunity to meet with leading experts in the local and international industry, learn from them and interact with them directly.
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Everyone talks about building a fanbase, but what does it really take to turn an audience into a thriving and sustainable community? Not just followers, streams, or likes, but genuine fans who are willing to buy tickets, merchandise, memberships, experiences, or support crowdfunding campaigns, while continuing to engage with the artist over time.
This panel explores what it takes to build and, crucially, monetize a community around an artist or music project. Artists and music industry professionals will share real experiences and practical strategies for turning audience engagement into meaningful, sustainable revenue. From identifying the right supporters and creating value beyond the music, to developing products, experiences, and direct-to-fan revenue streams, the conversation will look at what makes a community willing to invest in the project they care about.
Marion has been working at Music Glue at Music Glue, an e-commerce platform tailored for the music industry, for the past 13 years.She has worked across multiple departments including ticketing, user services, campaign management, and sales. She currently serves as Head of Business... Read More →
This panel brings together promoters and venue bookers to discuss the current challenges in live music, from rising costs and shifting business models to changing audience behaviours. With Gen Z going out less, drinking less alcohol, and engaging differently with nightlife, the conversation will focus on how venues are adapting their programming and strategies to stay relevant and sustainable. The discussion will explore what it takes today to build and maintain audiences, and how the live sector is responding to a rapidly evolving cultural and economic landscape.
DJ at Kiss FM for 13 years, Program Director for a year. One of the organizers of the largest music industry conference in Romania, Mastering the Music Business, with experience in booking and artist management.
What does it take for an artist to make a booking agent fall in love with their music and live show? In today's highly competitive live music landscape, great songs are only part of the equation. This panel brings together experienced booking agents to discuss what truly captures their attention, what convinces them to take a chance on an emerging artist, and what makes a live act stand out in a crowded market.
We'll also explore the realities of an agent's role today: the challenges of building tours, navigating rising costs, changing audience behaviour, and balancing artist development with commercial viability. Whether you're an emerging artist, manager, or music professional, this conversation will offer practical insights into how to build stronger relationships with agents and better position your project for the live circuit.
Anca Lupeș is one of the most experienced professionals in Romanian music business. One of her most important advantages is that during her career in the music business she has activated in almost all the areas of this industry – mass media (press, radio, TV), concert organising... Read More →
For many artists, musicals can offer exciting creative and professional opportunities beyond the traditional music industry. But what does it take to make the transition from the concert stage to the theatre stage, and how can this experience shape an artist's career?
This panel brings together performers, casting professionals, and musical theatre experts to discuss what qualities artists need to succeed in a musical production, how the casting process works, and the skills that set candidates apart. The conversation will also explore how performing in musicals can influence an artist's visibility, artistic development, and long-term career, opening new opportunities while complementing their work as recording and touring musicians.
Musician, composer and producer, Cornel Ilie is one of the most appreciated and long-lived artists in Romania. He is a founding member and lead singer of one of the most beloved pop-rock bands, VUNK. Tracks like Prăjitura cu Jeleu, Vreau o țară ca afară, Așa, și? or Pleac... Read More →
Vlad Musta este artist si songwriter român, remarcat pentru vocea sa puternica si timbrul recognoscibil. Publicul larg I-a descoperit odata cu participarea la Vocea României, experientã care a reprezentat un punct important în dezvoltarea sa artistică si i-a oferit ocazia sã îsi demonstreze versatilitatea vocală în fata unei audiente nationale. De atunci, Vlad si-a construit propriul proiect muzical, explorând un sound pop contemporan si transformând experiente personale în piese directe si usor de simtit. „Vina mea", „in dragoste amator", „Aburi de Alcool" si „De mâine" fac parte din parcursul prin care isi contureazä tot mai clar identitatea artistică. Dincolo de propriile lansări, Vlad si-a dezvoltat experienta atât in studio, cât si pe scenă, colaborând cu artisti si producãtori din industria muzicală românească si continuând sã îsi extindã repertoriul si comunitatea construitä în jurul muzicii sale. Cu o combinatie de vulnerabilitate, energie si o voce care rămâne usor în minte, Vlad Musta îsi propune să ducă proiectul sãu într-o zonă tot mai matură, păstrând in centru autenticitatea si conexiunea cu publicul.
What does it take to turn local music talent into an international success story?
This panel brings together professionals with hands-on experience in artist development, music business, talent discovery, music export and international industry networks to explore how emerging artists and local music ecosystems can break beyond their home markets.
From building the right professional infrastructure and developing export strategies to connecting artists with international festivals, showcases, networks and industry opportunities, the conversation will look at what really helps talent travel — and how local music industries can create sustainable pathways to global visibility.
Svet is a London-based promoter at Gotobeat, one of the UK's fastest-growing independent promotion agencies. In just two years, Gotobeat has organised over 1,500 shows across the UK and 12 European countries, showcasing emerging talent from 16 nations spanning music, comedy, and theatre... Read More →
In the music industry, a crisis is never a question of if, but when. A leaked statement, a cancelled show, a controversy that spirals overnight — reputation can take years to build and hours to lose. This session looks at what actually happens when things fall apart: how artists, managers, and labels respond under pressure, what separates those who recover from those who don't, and why some careers even come out stronger on the other side.
Drawing on real cases from the music business, we'll break down the anatomy of a reputational crisis — from the first spark to full-blown storm — and explore practical strategies for navigating it: when to speak, when to stay silent, who should deliver the message, and how to rebuild trust with audiences, partners, and the media.
Because in the end, it's not the storm that defines you. It's what you make of it when it breaks.
A working session for musicians who dislike this part of the job but still have to do it. Not motivational, and not a list of formats that work this month. Expect uncomfortable arguments along the way about what the algorithm is actually measuring, what authenticity has ever meant in music, and where the line between public and private belongs. You leave with a way of working that survives the weeks when you don't feel like it.
Community is the Holy Grail of the music business. In an industry where attention is increasingly fragmented, a strong community is one of the most valuable assets an artist, festival, or event brand can build. This session explores how to create, nurture, and grow engaged communities that go beyond audiences and followers, transforming fans into active participants and long-term advocates. We'll discuss strategies for building authentic connections, sustaining engagement between releases or events, and fostering a sense of belonging that drives both cultural impact and sustainable growth
Ștefan Hadăr has been working in the music industry since the age of 19 with some of Romania’s biggest artists such as Tudor Chirilă/VAMA, VUNK, and Zoli Toth. Starting as a jr. project manager, he learned a wide range of skills, from social media marketing to PR and booking... Read More →
MINDTHEGAP is an instrumental piano trio born in Transylvania, part of a new generation of Romanian cross-genre jazz groups, with a distinctive style defined by a complex sound that evokes film music, nu jazz, fusion, and progressive rock.
Despite the classic trio format of keyboards, bass, and drums, MINDTHEGAP’s music creates an authentic blend of diverse genres, both through a modern approach to traditional instruments and by incorporating elements of electronic music, rock, and world music.
Their compositions draw inspiration from Transylvania’s multicultural diversity, combining intense, emotionally charged harmonies with surprising improvisations and complex rhythms, offering audiences a unique and varied sonic universe.
Thursday September 3, 2026 20:30 - 21:00 EEST Expirat - Indoor StageStrada Doctor Constantin Istrati 1, 040542 București, Romania
Not My Cup of Tea is a project based between Piatra Neamț and Bucharest, blending alt-rock and shoegaze within a lo-fi, atmospheric, and visceral sonic landscape. What started in 2019 as a jam session between friends gradually evolved into their debut album, DWELL, released in 2023.
Recorded in an intimate bedroom setting, the songs delve into a raw space of introspection and contemplation, exploring both personal and philosophical-social themes.
Currently active within Bucharest’s underground scene, the band is in the process of refining its sonic universe and shaping its second album, Flat Sky Society.
Thursday September 3, 2026 21:05 - 21:35 EEST Expirat - Garden StageStrada Doctor Constantin Istrati 1, 040542 București, Romania
Founded in 2016 by Pavel Olari, Moldova's Cosmos în Buzunar blends analog synths, acoustic drums, and textured guitars to create a cinematic soundscape spanning electronic music, alternative rock, and dark wave. Featuring Pavel Olari (vocals, synths), Alex Însurățelu (guitar), and Cătălin Oleinic (drums), the band has performed at major festivals like Electric Castle, Summer Well, and Waves Vienna, sharing stages with acts like Alternosfera and Ivan Dorn.
Thursday September 3, 2026 21:40 - 22:10 EEST Expirat - Indoor StageStrada Doctor Constantin Istrati 1, 040542 București, Romania
𝗺𝗶𝗮𝘂.𝘄𝗮𝘃 is an indie dreampop duo from Bucharest, Romania. The concept took shape in 2022, when Teddy and Mircea started writing together in their kitchen in Berceni. That improvised studio turned into a real passion, and today miau.wav is the space where the two of them independently write, produce, mix, master and illustrate their own music. Their sound blends electronic dance elements with the nostalgia of 90s and 2000s music, plus disco, funk and RnB influences.
Their single “Last Days of Summer” caught the attention of Romanian media with a sound that stands out in today’s local scene, earning airplay on Radio Guerrilla and Europa FM and a spot in over 150 Spotify playlists, including Alternative Music Romania and New Music Friday on Apple Music.
Thursday September 3, 2026 22:15 - 22:45 EEST Expirat - Garden StageStrada Doctor Constantin Istrati 1, 040542 București, Romania
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗲 is an alternative rock artist, songwriter and performer whose sound blends indie rock, electronic and post-punk elements. His lyrics and concepts emerge from a deep desire to explore existential and ethical questions, crafting songs that come to life in unique, energetic and immersive live shows.
Theodore has spent the past several years touring across Europe and twice in the USA. His live performance at SXSW caught the attention of Bob Boilen, who personally selected him for an NPR Tiny Desk session in 2019. He’s also played renowned festivals like Reeperbahn (Germany), Eurosonic (Netherlands), Primavera Pro (Barcelona) and Europavox (Clermont-Ferrand, Bologna, Vienna, Zagreb, and Bucharest as Band of the Month), and shared the stage with acclaimed artists like Sigur Rós, Amber Run and DIIV.
Having released his album “FIRE” and completed the first leg of his EU tour, Theodore is currently in the studio recording his next album.
Thursday September 3, 2026 22:50 - 23:20 EEST Expirat - Indoor StageStrada Doctor Constantin Istrati 1, 040542 București, Romania
tourist is a diy four-piece melodic hardcore band from Romania with roots in local scene and diy culture, cinematography and social media marketing. The group captured the attention of the local and diy scene of Bucharest from the very beginning with a unique sound and visual direction.
The band’s main focus with everything they do is to push art and music beyond what an independent or a signed artists/band is capable of doing. Attention to detail is what sets them apart from any other musical project and thats a key thing regarding the ongoing rise to popularity, not just in Romania’s hardcore scene but across Europe. Everything this band does is DIY.
Currently the band has put out an EP and a few singles from the upcoming album, set to come out this year. Each release has seen major praise from fans and critics.
Thursday September 3, 2026 23:35 - Friday September 4, 2026 00:20 EEST Expirat - Indoor StageStrada Doctor Constantin Istrati 1, 040542 București, Romania
