Collaboration, diversity and inclusion. These are the values that lie in the core of Shesaid.so. These values were brought to life on October 3-6 in Portimão, Portugal. SheSaid.So celebrated their 5th anniversary and put together MEETSSS, a music forward, female-first conference that allowed members and other music industry participants from all around the world to network and exchange ideas. The event featured various group training sessions, panels, tons of wine, great food, and of course, live performances. The focus of the event was based on personal and professional growth for professionals, open to all genders. Speakers and mentors throughout the program included The Orchard’s Director of International Artist Services, Anette Collins, as well as the Head of Youtube Subscriptions Marketing, Emmanuelle Rosset, and SheSaid.So Spain/SONAR Director & Head of Communications, Georgia Taglietti.
Many of the panels included important topics such as: “Addressing Bias and Harassment in the Music Workplace,” “Mind The Pay Gap: A Music Business Analysis,” and “Mental Health Through An Intersectional Lens.” Mark Grotefeld (Pioneer DJ, UK), opened the panel by speaking very honestly about stress, anxiety, and how employers can support employees and allow them to thrive.
Along with panels and discussions, the event also consisted of plenty of DJ’s, boat trips, yoga classes, pool parties, and a closing party hosted by The Orchard. The party kicked off with live performances from Delhia de France, CRLN, DJ sets by Libson funk artist, Da Chick, and DJ Deena Abdelwahed closed the event with her hybrid DJ set.
The three day event closing party was hosted by The Orchard at NoSoloAgua Beach Club in Portimão, while The Orchard’s Anette Collins, joined the closing discussions. Collins spoke about promoting artists on a global scale, music exporting, and the importance of international networks.
With artists, speakers, approximately 200 delegates attending, and people from all around the world, including Russia, Canada, and Korea, this unifying experience will be a hard one to forget.
We are honored to have sponsored such an incredible conference and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Shesaid.so and the working women in the music industry in the future!
