Saturday May 22nd. | KL. 13.00-13.50 | Radisson Blu

A CONVERSATION: FOREIGN ARTISTS IN JAPAN
We have all heard the success stories of Danish artists making it big in Asia – but is it really that easy? Archie Meguro and Steve McClure (residental in Japan since 1985) will explain what foreign artists should and should not do when trying to achieve success in Japan.

Archie Meguro (JPN), Senior Vice President of Sony Music Japan International Inc. (SMJI) is one of the prime movers in international music and has acted as a guiding force behind the careers of many internationally recognized recording artists in Japan while introducing Japanese artists into the worldwide stage. Archie Meguru has worked with artist such as Beyonce, Destiny’s Child, John Legend, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Oasis, Susan Boyle, Paul Potts, Franz Ferdinand, Cyndi Lauper, The Offspring, and Omarion. Additionally, Archie Meguro has put together tie-in partnerships with major Japanese and international brands, Japanese artists, TV, film and animation. These are international artists are now considered not only superstars but also superstar “brands” in the territory.

Steve McClure (CA), Executive Editor, McClure's Asia Music News. Steve McClure is a Tokyo-based freelance journalist and broadcaster. Until 2008 he was Billboard magazine's Asia Bureau Chief. In May 2009 he launched “McClure’s Asia Music News” (www.mccluremusic.com), an e-mail newsletter and website covering the Japanese and Asian music industries.
McClure is a native of Vancouver, Canada, and has lived in Japan since 1985. In 1998 he published “Nippon Pop,” the first book in English on Japanese pop music, and in 2005 he helped establish nippop.com, the Internet's leading source of information about Japanese music. McClure writes about music, the music industry and Japanese culture and society for a wide variety of publications, as well as working in TV and radio.