The Great Escape UK Announces Keynote & Speakers

The Great Escape has unveiled the first keynote, as well as featured speakers for its conference, set to take place in Brighton, England, May 14-17.

The first confirmed keynote conversation is with acclaimed musician, actor, and writer Jordan Stephens, best-known as one half of Rizzle Kicks. The duo will headline a sold-out Brighton Dome on Friday, May 16, and Stephens will take the keynote stage at the conference on Saturday, May 17, for a discussion with award-winning presenter, BBC Introducing DJ, and tastemaker Abbie McCarthy.

Rizzle Kicks, who hail from Brighton, haven’t performed at The Great Escape since their first appearance in 2011.

Stephens will also be the first-ever recipient of the new Grassroots Hero” award, handed out by Youth Music, one of the curating partners of The Great Escape.

Stephens commented, “I’m buzzing to be part of The Great Escape’s Conference this year. Music has always been my foundation, but my career has taken me down so many unexpected paths – from acting to writing to mental health advocacy. Sitting down with Abbie to unpack that journey, and celebrate the grassroots movements that are keeping this industry alive is going to be something special.”

See: The Great Escape UK Announces Collaborators & Topics For 2025

Another special conversation is set to take place between broadcaster, footballer, DJ and music aficionado Pat Nevin, and his long-time friend, Cocteau Twins member, and Bella Union founder Simon Raymonde.

Hosted by DJ, broadcaster and music journalist Georgie Rogers, Nevin will share his passion for music and fandom, while Raymonde will discuss his storied career and new book “In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor Raymonde and Me” – described by Elton John as “a wonderful book of pop music history.”

Kicking off Thursday’s conference, MIDiA Research founder Mark Mulligan will explore the latest trends in streaming, creator economies, and market insights, including industry forecasts and market shares.

Meanwhile, Songkick’s head of product, Jordan Gemli, will share insights on music discovery and fan engagement on the platform; SoundCloud’s Industry Relations Manager Hope Hale presents ‘SoundCloud School,’ a deep dive into how artists can maximize their presence on the platform; PPL will present their PPL Licensing Masterclass, exploring the intricacies of rights and royalties.

Delving into topics such as sync, the live market, mental health and artist marketing, further essential workshops come from Audio Network, Pollstar, The Spanish Wave, Brainchild Creative Studio, Ticketmaster New Music, Climate Live, AudioActive, Music Support.

Other featured speakers include: BBC Radio 1 presenter Jodie Bryant; Sarah Joy, of ATC Live, representing bands such as Squid, Blondshell and Yard Act; Elspeth Merry, founder of PR agency Artists’ Way; the CEO of the NTIA, Michael Kill; Youth Music’s NextGen Community Producer Talia Andrea; and the leaders of all the member organizations of the Council of Music Makers, representing a cross section of the music industry: Gee Davy (CEO, Association of Independent Music), Naomi Pohl (General Secretary, Musicians’ Union), Roberto Neri (CEO, The Ivors Academy), David Martin (CEO, Featured Artists Coalition), Annabella Coldrick (CEO, Music Managers Forum), and Cameron Craig (Executive Director, Music Producers Guild).

The Steve Strange Award returns, celebrating rising industry talent in memory of the late, great music agent Steve Strange, with the recipient of the prestigious award receiving a cash prize of £5,000. In 2024, the prize went to Faroese experimental rap-punk band Aggrasoppar. This year’s winner will be revealed on Monday May 19 following the event in Brighton.

Delegate passes are available at greatescapefestival.com/buy-delegate-passes.

Subscribe to Pollstar HERE