Capitalising on Futures Forum’s ever-popular panel Now That’s What I Call… we’ve decided to keep the brand running all year round.
Each month, we’ll be asking a set of young and emerging executives to reveal the acts they’ve got their money on in 2024.
These executives will share three tracks apiece – both from artists they’ve worked with and artists they haven’t – and share their discovery stories.
In the first edition, we receive submissions from ASM Global’s Katie Morgan (UK), La La Slovak Export Office’s Katja Thalerová (SK), and Rock For People’s David Nguyen (CZ).
katie morgan
programming manager
asm global (UK)
Moonchild Sanelly, Sad Night Dynamite – Demon
One Fiinix Live
I can’t get enough of Moonchild Sanelly! With an impressive list of collaborations under her belt – from Gorillaz to Ghetts – each new tune I hear just gets better. Her self-coined genre “future ghetto funk” is not to be slept on – she was a standout performer at this year’s Reeperbahn Festival. Looking forward to what’s coming next!
Fcukers – Bon Bon
UTA
I had the pleasure of catching FCUKERS in Brighton earlier in the year which I’m grateful for as I know they’re going to be bigtime after their support on the next Confidence Man tour, effortlessly blurring the line between live and club – their sets feel like a real party.
Master Peace, Georgia – I Might Be Fake
WME
Indie sleaze is back!! Master Peace seemed to pop up from nowhere to ALL over TikTok – and I’m hooked! Bringing 2007 right into 2024 with this heater featuring Georgia – and a live show you can’t help but dance to. He’s back out on tour this month in a mix of academy’s and independent venues.
Katja Thalerová
independent booker/project manager
Slovak Music Export/SHARPE festival (SK)
Tolstoys – Witches
I started working with Tolstoys at the beginning of 2021. They have grown from a dream-pop band to a mature music group that has found its genre and is constantly pushing its boundaries in it. I had a dream and yes, in 2024 Tolstoys were the first Slovak band to play at the amazing Glastonbury.
Berlin Manson – Srdce
What I like about Berlin Manson is that their music breaks down language barriers and pushes the boundaries of Slovakia. Their music is full of energy, intensity and can get the listener. Their music is the statement of a generation that questions how to solve problems in society through musical art.
Erika Rein – People Like Us
Erika Rein varies between avante-pop and R’n’B with distinctive electronic production by Isama Zing. Their work reflects the current wave of bonding musical genres in Slovakia. At the same time, Erika beautifully refers to her Roma roots in her work. The song People Like Us is just a small sample from the freshly released album.
(All acts booked independently by Katja Thalerová)
David Nguyen
booker
Rock For People (CZ)
Paledusk, Such – BBB
Avocado Booking
Maarten sent me an email about Paledusk looking for festival opportunities and my mind was blown after listening to this chaotic music… what are they gonna play after this part? It’s so unpredictable! I answered him by sending an offer and told him that we have the first Rock for People announcement with Slipknot and Muse in a few days and I must have them there. A few months later, their guitarist DaiDai produced music for Bring Me The Horizon and Lil Uzi Vert.
Hanabie – お先に失礼します。 (Pardon Me, I Have To Go Now)
Dynamic Talent
Another band from Japan. By the looks of them, you would expect a cute J-pop girl band, but it’s quite the opposite – they are super heavy. We had them at the festival this year (2024) and the 5k cap tent was too small for them. We had to quickly remove all the surrounding fences to fit an extra few thousand fans. I believe that their next headline show will be sold out in advance and many shows will be upgraded.
Dead Poet Society – Hurt
ITB
I heard them for the first time on a Spotify playlist and a few months later, I booked them for Rock For People 2022. After that, they supported Badflower, sold out their own headline show in Prague and repeated that with a venue double the size half a year later… I feel that they are doing it right and next time they will sell out a venue two times (or three times?) bigger. As a bonus, they are super humble and very easy to work with.
If you are a young and/or emerging executive and would like to contribute to the monthly Now That’s What I Call…2024 please email lisa@iq-mag.net.
