This past weekend the New York International Music Festival debuted in Miami bringing all sorts of musical talent from abroad to our very own Cocowalk in Coconut Grove.
The three day event hosted about 150 performing acts ranging all musical genres from hip hop, R&B, rock, pop, country, broadway, and jazz. These talents were given the opportunity to try to break into the music and entertainment industry as they were judged by panels of esteemed managers, producers, and professionals from all sectors of the industry.
The New York International Film Festival also took part in the event showcasing independent short films and documentaries at the same time. Miami was added to NYIMF’s venues this year along with its other destinations including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Sydney, and New York.
The entire spectrum of the music and film industry attended the opening night party on Thursday, Feb. 5 with guest speakers, panels and seminars which all took place throughout the course of the weekend. Representatives from Sony Music, Arista Records, MTV, Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment, The William-Morris Agency, Rolling Stone, and Vibe magazine among many other were present at the festival’s events.
The event was a success as talents were discovered and possible contracts signed. The prominent and renowned entertainment, film, and music entrepreneurs of the famed New York that were temporarily residing by day in the Grove and by night [as spotted by some] at the Beach, have by now absconded back to their bustling venture-filled lives and on to the next NYIMF locale: heated L.A.
Christie Asencio can be contacted at c.asencio@umiami.edu