Sound Waves Music Meeting

Andrew Sannie
Chief Operating Officer
Daytripper Entertainment Group (Toronto, ON)
He/Him

Andrew Sannie is an award-winning artist and A&R executive with over a decade of experience in brand partnerships and integrated marketing. He has collaborated with leading brands such as Nike, the NFL, Just Eat, Campari, Porsche, Hudson’s Bay, and Red Bull, earning multiple accolades—including recent recognition as a finalist for the 2024 Ephie Awards.

Currently, Andrew serves as COO of Daytripper Entertainment Group, one of Canada’s premier independent music publishers, representing works by artists including Tate McRae, Paw Patrol, The Weakerthans, The Strumbellas, and many others. Daytripper specializes in acquiring and managing some of the world’s most sought-after music copyrights.

In addition to his role at Daytripper, Andrew contributes to the Canadian music community through board and committee service. He sits on the Executive Board of the Western Canadian Music Alliance/BreakOut West, ADVANCE Music’s Regional Committee, the JUNO Awards’ Adult Contemporary Committee, and the Partnerships Committee for the Canadian Black Talent Initiative.

www.daytrippersongs.com

Brendan McCarney
Label Manager
Paper Bag Records (Toronto, ON)
He/Him

Brendan started his career in music as a tour manager and video director. After countless tours across North America, as well as dozens of music videos and several feature documentaries (including one that landed on Netflix), he turned his attention to artist management and founded Double Denim Mgmt in 2014. Since then, he has also taken the role as Label Manager for the longtime celebrated indie label, Paper Bag Records.

www.paperbagrecords.com

Courtney Milford
Event Producer
Students’ Association of MacEwan University (Edmonton, AB)
She/Her

Courtney is a Live Event Producer based in Edmonton with 10+ years’ experience producing festivals, concerts, and cultural events across municipal, post-secondary, private and non-profit sectors. For the past five years, she’s led live events at MacEwan University, managing a diverse array of events ranging from intimate speaker engagements to large-scale festivals and concerts.

Danica Bansie
Music Supervisor
Pirate Sound (Toronto, ON)

Danica is a music supervisor at PIRATE SOUND, a full-service audio house based in Toronto. With over a decade of music industry experience, Danica is a former music photographer, writer, and marketer. With a foundation in media & communications, English literature, and film, Danica brings her love of culture and storytelling to all of the projects she works on. Danica is passionate about the sweet spot where underground DIY music meets the music business at large. She aims to champion the indie, and underrepresented musician in any way she can. Danica is a proud juror for the Polaris Music Prize, and a member of the Guild of Music Supervisors Canada.

piratesound.com

Darya Kulinka
Public Relations Communications Manager
Better Things Berlin (Germany)
She/Her

Darya is Head of PR at Better Things. The Berlin-based and female-owned music agency takes a modern approach by combining traditional PR & radio promotion, influencer collaborations, sync, fan events and B2B relations to achieve the best possible reach. Darya’s experience ranges across PR strategy, communications, media outreach and creative project management, with a strong focus on helping artists and cultural brands tell their stories and reach audiences in GSA. At Better Things, she leads PR campaigns across the GSA region for both major and independent clients - including artists like Tom Odell, Sparks, Oklou, Alice Phoebe Lou, Caroline Polachek, Self Esteem, Sunflower Bean, La Femme, L'Impératrice, HotWax, Coach Party, Paris Paloma & many more. She is also developing Better Things’ sync offering, representing a curated roster of artists for film, TV, and advertising.

better-things.berlin

Jon Grau
Artist Manager
Thirty Tigers (Nashville, USA)
He/Him

Jon Grau is an artist manager with over 15 years of experience in the music industry. He began his career at JD White Management, working with artists such as Warpaint, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and Tony Joe White. In 2012, he began working for veteran manager Norm Parenteau, who became a longtime mentor and collaborator. Together, they helped guide the careers of artists like Old Crow Medicine Show and Parker Millsap to new heights.

In 2020, Jon founded This is Management, an independent company focused on building sustainable, long-term careers for artists. He now serves as a manager at Thirty Tigers, working with a diverse roster including Parker Millsap, Thomas Csorba, Husbands, Trampled By Turtles, and Liam Kazar.

Jon is also an active advocate for the live music community. He has served on the board of directors for NITO (National Independent Talent Organization) for the past three years, where he sits on the executive committee and co-chairs the membership committee.

www.thirtytigers.com

Juliette Lehoux
Booking Agent
Ambiances Ambigues (Montreal, QC)
She/Her

Juliette is a Montreal-based booking agent with extensive experience working alongside both national and international artists. Always seeking new opportunities, she is also responsible for the professional division of La Noce Festival, which hosts over a hundred industry delegates from around the world annually and features a vibrant lineup of local and international musical talent.

www.ambiancesambigues.com

Michelle Kambasha
Cultural and Creative Industries Consultant
(London, UK)

Michelle Kambasha is a cultural and creative Industries consultant specialising in communications strategy and strategic storytelling. She has led PR and communications campaigns for boundary-pushing artists such as Bon Iver, Kara Jackson, shame, Moses Sumney, YATTA, Joy Guidry, Jamila Woods and more, alongside developing new pathways for emerging musicians through mentoring and youth-centred creative programmes.

Michelle is the founder of black radical, a Substack exploring music, identity, and resistance through longform interviews and essays with Black artists working in alternative and experimental spaces. Her writing also appears in The Guardian, The Independent, and NME, where she brings a critical lens to music, culture, and representation.

Alongside her publicity and editorial work, Michelle lectures on Diversity in the Creative Industries at BIMM London and coordinates mentorship programmes that support underrepresented young people pursuing careers in music and the arts. Her work sits at the intersection of creativity, access, and equity — committed to reshaping how the industry listens, represents, and evolves.

michellekambasha.co.uk

Mizzy Mejia
Owner, Talent Buyer/Production Manager
TALA Music and Consulting / Timbre Concerts (Vancouver, BC)
He/Him

Mizzy Mejia has worked in the music industry for over 20 years, supporting artists and helping build sustainable creative infrastructure across BC and Canada. He operates TALA Music and Consulting providing artist and company services, and also works with Timbre Concerts in talent buying, backline management, and production management roles.

His experience spans event and festival production, artist and project management, songwriting, producing, consulting, and grant writing. As a former touring artist, he brings a practical, artist-first perspective to his work and believes in tailoring the way he supports artists to fit their needs. Mizzy currently manages Jeremy Parkin, Seven Taviss, Eli Rattlesnake, Pîsim SB, JUNK, Day Day/Creator’s Kidz Co and SeaNailedIt.  He also offers support to a range of emerging artists through a “pay it forward” and “each one, teach one” approach rooted in equity, access, and community development and remains a resource for those in need of industry support or guidance. He operates from a place of abundance, prioritizing shared access, mentorship, and opening pathways for others.

www.talamusicandconsulting.com

Osamudiamen Ekunwe
A&R Manager
Mavin Records (Lagos, Nigeria)
He/Him

Ekunwe O Edward (Vaedar) is currently the Snr. A&R Manager at Mavin Records. He looks after 10 amazing talents (some of which are Ayra Starr, Rema, Johnny Drille, Magixx, Crayon and Elestee) with a passionate team of A&Rs dedicated to building the brands, imagery and repertoire of their artists, further shaping the world’s views of Afrobeats.

With over 9 years of experience developing talents ranging from recording artists to songwriters and producers. He is a knowledgeable music business and product enthusiast.

My journey in the music scene encompasses diverse experiences, from managing power rentals for events to Stage Management and Live Sound Engineering. Previously Head of Operations for NPG Entertainment - a record label in mainland Lagos, Nigeria - his role focused on developing music talents from the city's rural areas

www.mavinrecords.com

Penelope Stevens
Co-Founder / Artist
Flourish Festival / Motherhood (Fredericton, NB)
She/They

Penelope Stevens is a musician and industry professional based in Tracadie, NB. Penelope has worked with a variety of organizations such as Forward Music Group, The Cap, Music-Musique NB, Shivering Songs, and Flourish Festival, but is best known as 1/3 of avant-rock band Motherhood, and, more recently, as frontperson for Penny & the Pits. When not making or yapping about music, you can find Penny jogging with the world's cutest dog, Valentine, or making needlessly pretentious cocktail.

www.instagram.com/flourishfestival

Rupert Hudson
Counsellor & Artist
(Vancouver, BC)
He/Him

Rupert Hudson (he/him) is a Vancouver-based therapist, songwriter, and front-person of the indie band Orchid Orchestra, working at the intersection of mental health, creativity, and neurodivergence. A Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with a Master’s in Counselling Psychology from UBC, Rupert specializes in autism and ADHD, burnout, and creative identity work, using a blend of mindfulness-based therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS-informed practice), somatic approaches, and expressive techniques. His clinical work includes supporting neurodivergent clients in navigating emotional regulation, rejection sensitivity, internalized ableism, and the systemic challenges of working in creative industries.

As a musician, Rupert has built a career that parallels and informs his therapeutic practice. With Orchid Orchestra, he has performed across Western Canada, released two EPs—with a debut album on the way—and earned national press, community-based festival bookings, and growing radio support. His songwriting explores themes of sensitivity, authenticity, and emotional resilience, mirroring the depth-oriented therapeutic work he does with clients and within artistic communities.

Rupert also has facilitated a therapy group for musicians and speaks regularly on the emotional realities of the arts sector. His work bridges mental health and the music industry, advocating for neurodivergent-affirming practices, sustainable creativity, and more humane artistic environments.

He is passionate about helping artists understand their nervous systems, honour their pacing, and build careers grounded not in burnout and hustle culture, but in self-knowledge, community, and emotional truth.

www.theorchidorchestra.com/