European Union Music Mixer and Show

Planning on attending SXSW 2025? Join us to meet European Union music industry professionals and artists over drinks, then stay for a special lineup of emerging talent from across the Atlantic. The EU is committed to supporting the music sector as a vital contributor to the world economy, and fosters connections between Europeans and Americans through music. European Union Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė will open the event. Complimentary drinks will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

This event is in partnership with the European Music Exporters Exchange, Marauder, and the European-American Cultural Foundation. Visit our website: www.euinaustin.org

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

• 2:00 pm: Music industry mix & mingle with a special welcome from EU Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė
• 3pm: Live performance by Judy Blank from the Netherlands
• 4pm: Live performance by Emperor X from Germany
• 5pm: Live performance by badfocus from the Czech Republic

Live performances:

• Judy Blank (Netherlands)

Judy Blank (1995) is a Dutch singer-songwriter from Utrecht. Hailing from Utrecht, The Netherlands, the blue-eyed indie folk sensation has been known for an eclectic sound. Her music lands somewhere in the realm of ‘60’s girl group meets indie/garage rock, never losing the intimacy of a singer-songwriter. Whether she’s grooving with her band in a dark bar in Los Angeles, or in a quiet theater with nothing but a guitar, she’s certain to draw you in with her whimsical tunes, magnetic stage presence & painfully relatable lyrics. She always dreamed of crossing the Atlantic to embark on her own heroine's journey: pursuing her career as an artist in the United States. When she was nineteen, she bought a cheap plane ticket to New Orleans, where she started playing her first shows in local bars & coffee houses. Shortly after, she made her way to Nashville, where she recorded her 70’s inspired coming-of-age LP ‘Morning Sun’. From the green-eyed soul of her hit single ‘Mary Jane’ to the jagged-edged ballad ‘Tangled Up in You’, which currently has over twelve million streams on Spotify, her album checked all the boxes. Lead single ‘1995’ was even called a favorite by none other than one of her favorite artists: Sir Elton John. The release of ‘Morning Sun’ not only put her on the map in Europe, where she sold out clubs as a headliner and got to open for artists like Langhorne Slim, The Wood Brothers and SUSTO, but also in the States. She officially debuted at SXSW in Austin in 2019 and was the first Dutch artist to ever play AmericanaFest in Nashville that same year.

• Emperor X (Germany)

Chad Matheny releases eccentric, lyrically-dense underground pop music as Emperor X. In his 20s, Matheny paused academic work in physics, philosophy, and composition to spend much of the past two decades performing hundreds of concerts across the U.S. and Europe. Performing with a guitar drum machine, he shars bills with groups like Ratboys, The Hotelier, Foxing, The Front Bottoms, AJJ, and Xiu Xiu. His recordings can be heard in the 2014 Warner Bros. film Veronica Mars, on national radio outlets including RBB in Germany and NPR in the U.S., on soundtracks for non-profit messages by Planned Parenthood and SEIU, and in a multimedia installation by art photographer Joel Sternfeld. He also works as a producer, including on on Sub Pop album "Bits" by jangle punk legends Oxford Collapse alongside Eric Topalski of Don Caballero and on "Ditch Me" by Bar/None up-and-comers Maching Outfits. In addition to releasing on his own Dreams of Field cooperative, he works with labels including Burnt Toast Vinyl, Tiny Engines, and Bar/None Records. A permanent resident of Germany, Matheny lives and records in Brieskow-Finkenheerd, a former power plant town east of Berlin on the Polish-German border.

• badfocus (Czech Republic)

badfocus is the solo project of Prague-based producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Prokop Korb. Since debuting in 2020, badfocus has rapidly emerged as a standout talent, performing at premier festivals across Europe and Canada, including EXIT, Sziget, and M 4 Montreal, and sharing stages with electronic luminaries like Max Cooper, Pantha du Prince, and Grandbrothers. Drawing from a diverse musical background that spans jazz, electronica and hiphop, badfocus crafts a unique soundscape that fuses intricate alternative hip-hop with avant-garde electronic elements. This genre-blending approach results in a dynamic and immersive live experience, where original compositions are seamlessly integrated with remixes, all brought to life through the use of synthesizers and drum machines. Apart from his solo work, badfocus also contributed to the soundtracks of several movies and major Czech TV series. The latest soundtrack for documentary I’m Not Everything I Want To Be, which premiered at Berlinale 2024 is nominated for the Czech Film and Television Awards.

Disclaimer:
Registration for the events does not guarantee participation. Due to high demand and limited capacity, we strongly recommend arriving early. SXSW badge holders are granted primary access.

By attending, you consent to being photographed and filmed. Photo(s) taken during the event/meeting will be used in EU communication activities including social media.

Attendees must be 21 or older.

By registering, you agree to the collection and processing of your personal data by EU Delegation to the U.S., in compliance with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Your information will only be used for event communication, coordination, and related follow-ups.

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Speakeasy, 412 Congress Avenue, Austin, United States