PRS Foundation, Keychange and more at Liverpool Sound City 2026
Liverpool Sound City is one of Europe’s leading independent festivals for new music, with an international reputation for supporting emerging talent. Artists who made their UK festival debuts at Sound City include Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Laura Marling, Lizzo, Fontaines DC and Christine & the Queens. And the one-day Sound City+ conference brings together industry experts, emerging talent, and innovators to share insights, foster connections, and explore the future of music.
As a PRS Foundation Talent Development Network grantee organisation and the UK’s festival partner for global gender-equity initiative, Keychange, Sound City is a must-see event and we are pleased to share information on events PRS Foundation is involved in.
PPL Momentum & PPL Momentum Accelerator Showcase at Sound City
In partnership with PPL, MusicFutures, AHRC, Liverpool City Region Music Board, Culture Liverpool and the Liverpool City Region Combined authority, PRS Foundation has offered targeted support for artists, music creators and industry professionals in Liverpool City Region for a number of years, and we host an annual event at Sound City to showcase talent from the region and beyond thanks to partnerships in Wales (with support from Arts Council of Wales and Creative Wales), Tees Valley (thanks to Sonic Futures and Tees Valley Combined Authority) and in West Yorkshire. PRS Foundation’s flagship fund, the PPL Momentum Fund offers support of up to £15,000 for artists at crucial career tipping points based anywhere in the UK.
Taking place after the Sound City+ conference from 7pm on 1st May at the Jacaranda (before the festival kicks off on 2nd), this year’s lineup features:
- 19:15 – 19:45: Wrkhouse (Wales)
- 20:00 – 20:30: SSJ (Liverpool City Region)
- 20:45 – 21:15: Marina Josephina (Tees Valley)
- 21:45 – 22:30: Michael Aldag (PP Momentum grantee)
Keychange x PRS Foundation x Music Export Georgia at Sound City
Announced earlier in the year, PRS Foundation has been working with Sound City and the Keychange team in partnership with Music Export Georgia and Daici.
Thanks to support from the British Council 20 women and gender-diverse participants based in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are involved in a capacity and network building programme led by Music Export Georgia, with one artist (Nini Iris) and one speaker (Sopio Toroshelidze) confirmed to attend Liverpool Sound City:
Friday 1st May at Sound City+ Conference
Time: 10:50 – 11:15
Title: In Conversation with Sopio Toroshelidze: Bridging the Gap Between Georgian Artists and the Global Landscape
Location: Spanish Caravan
Feat.
- Sopio Toroshelidze
- Becky Ayres, Liverpool Sound City
- Joe Frankland, PRS Foundation
- Chris Cooke, CMU
Sopio Toroshelidze is a Georgian music producer, composer, and artist working across experimental electronic music, film, television, and live production. Trained in orchestral conducting at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, she blends classical foundations with contemporary sound design. With over 15 years of experience, she has served as musical director and producer for major international TV formats, leading large-scale music productions and creative teams.
She is the co-founder of Play Records, a contemporary music production studio based in Tbilisi.
Formerly the lead singer of Eldrine (the most successful Georgian act on the Eurovision Song Contest 2011), she now performs under the artist name Sopio T, creating experimental electronic and ambient music and hosting a podcast “Platform 3/15” highlighting Georgian music creators, managers, and tech personnel, and supporting young talents to be discovered and promoted.
Sunday 3rd May: Nini Iris at Sound City
Time: 12:10 – 12:55
‘More Than One Job: The Reality of Modern Music Careers’
Venue: Spanish Caravan Courtyard
Feat.
- Joe Frankland, CEO, PRS Foundation
- Suzi Ireland, Manager Liquid Mgmt/Artist Development Tinderbox
- Basil Reynolds, Finding the Music Inside
- Dilys Uwagboe, Artist, ICMP Tutor, Creative
- Hosted by James Brister, ICMP/SAE Artist and Creative Development Manager
Born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, Nini Iris grew up surrounded by traditional Georgian folk music, shaping her earliest artistic instincts. Now living between New York and Tbilisi, she draws inspiration from both worlds. After moving to New York in 2016 to pursue music, she auditioned for NBC’s The Voice, earning a four-chair turn with “I See Red” and joining Niall Horan’s team, advancing to the semifinals. Her performances captivated audiences and sparked interest in her original work. Blending old-world influences with dark pop textures, Nini creates emotionally powerful music infused with her Georgian heritage and an evolving artistic vision.
PRS Foundation Team at Sound City
PRS Foundation CEO, Joe Frankland will be attending the conference and joins the below panel on 1st May, with Grants & Programmes Manager, John Hendrickse also attending.
Friday 1st May at Sound City+ Conference
Time: 12:10 – 12:55
More Than One Job: The Reality of Modern Music Careers
Location: Spanish Caravan Courtyard
Presented by the SAE Institute & ICMP
Feat.
- Joe Frankland, PRS Foundation
- Suzi Ireland, Artist Manager
- Basil Reynolds, Finding The Music Inside (and POWER UP alum and coach)
The panel explores how careers in today’s music industry are shaped by entrepreneurship rather than traditional employment. It highlights that most musicians and industry professionals now work as freelancers or operate as small, self‑run businesses. The rise of fractional roles and contract‑based work illustrates this shift.
The discussion emphasises that even highly successful artists often need multiple income streams, making the idea of a diversified, portfolio-style career essential. It also notes that long-term, single‑employer careers are no longer the norm, and education must adapt by preparing students to think entrepreneurially, compete in a marketplace, and build sustainable careers through flexibility and diversification.
