BIME Bilbao unveils the first names and expands its innovation program in Miami

Jorge Drexler, Ángeles Toledano, Brandon Young (Activision), A.J. Ramos (Google/YouTube), Chanela Clicka, Rocío Márquez, and Raül Refree will be part of the BIME Bilbao 2026 professional program, which will connect creation, development, the music industry, and the creative industries on both sides of the Atlantic 

Expresso Transatlântico (PT), LinLin (FR), restinga (ES), TIMØ (CO), Tussiwarriors (AR), and Zahara (ES) presents ZAHARAVE: LITE , lead the first announcement of the BIME Live lineup, a program that will once again bring together in Bilbao some of the most promising musical acts of the moment 

BIME is also strengthening its international presence through new European partnerships and Desafía Miami Music Tech 2026, an initiative focused on innovation that will bring some of Spain’s most disruptive music startups to the United States  

Tickets for BIME Bilbao 2026 are already on sale at a special price at bime.org  

BIME unveiled yesterday in Madrid the first details of its upcoming edition in Bilbao, which will take place October 27–30 and will feature a program that reinforces the mission with which it was founded fourteen years ago: to create opportunities, build bridges between both sides of the Atlantic, and bring together the people who are shaping the present and future of music.   

During the afternoon, BIME brought together more than 250 key players from the music industry in Madrid for an event that served to reveal the first names and some of the highlights that will shape its program. After welcoming the attendees, Isabel Villanueva, director of BIME, announced one of the milestones for 2026: BIME will land in the United States with Desafía Music Tech Miami 2026, an international immersion program promoted together with ICEX, Red.es, and the Spanish Economic and Commercial Office in Miami, aimed at Spanish startups with technological solutions applied to the music industry: “We want the companies that are building future solutions to access new markets, accelerate their goals through international alliances, and be part of the conversations transforming the sector.” This high-impact program was designed in collaboration with some of the most pioneering companies and players in the international music innovation ecosystem, such as Mana Tech, and with the support of key organizations like Billboard. Startups that want to join this mission can register via THIS link until July 15. 

After the welcome, the artists Chanela Clicka and Çantamarta participated in a conversation moderated by Inés Hernand under the title New Imaginaries: the art of the mix, a dialogue focused on how the new generation of creators are redefining the relationship between identity, territory, and artistic creation. The conversation, held at Cupra City Garage, gave way to live music with performances by Gara Durán and Hofe, before wrapping up the day with one of BIME’s key elements: networking among industry professionals.   

BIME BILBAO 2026: FIRST CONFIRMATIONS 

Among the first confirmations of the professional program BIME Pro are artist Jorge Drexler, one of the most important figures in contemporary Ibero-American music and winner of multiple Latin Grammys; Brandon Young, a key professional in music supervision and synchronization and global head of music at Activision with over two decades of experience leading the music strategy for such iconic franchises as Call of Duty and Tony Hawk’s; and Ángeles Toledano, one of the most promising artists of the new generation of flamenco. Also joining are producer and composer Raül Refree; A.J. Ramos, head of Music Content Partnerships for YouTube in EMEA; JJ Sunday, a lawyer specialized in intellectual property, technology, and copyright; flamenco artist Rocío Márquez, Chanela Clicka, who are revolutionizing the fusion of sounds from Mexico and Spain; Yassir, the composer behind some of the biggest hits in urban music for artists such as Quevedo, Lola Índigo, and Omar Montes; and Justin O’Connor, one of the leading international experts on cultural economics and policies for the creative industries. 

For its part, BIME Live, BIME’s showcase festival, has revealed the first names of its lineup, again reinforcing artistic circulation by bringing an increasing number of acts from Europe and Latin America. Among them: Expresso Transatlântico (PT), and its fusion of Portuguese musical tradition with contemporary sounds from around the world;  ; LinLin (FR), one of the most unique voices in new French electronic music, able to blend techno, shatta, dance, and funk; restinga (ES), a Spanish-Moroccan artist who connects the roots of Arab music with contemporary electronic and hyperpop; post-punk by the Ukrainian composer and producer SadSvit (UA); TIMØ (CO), one of the most promising young Latin music bands, nominated for the Latin Grammy for Best New Artist; Tussiwarriors (AR), the irreverent Argentinian collective that has already become an emerging phenomenon of Latin American trap; and Zahara presents ZAHARAVE: LITE (ES), the club version of artist Zahara’s electronic universe—a project that transforms the energy of her GLITCH show into a more intimate, immersive experience designed for the dance floor. 

A PROGRAM BUILT BY THE VOICES THAT CONNECT TERRITORIES, INDUSTRY, AND COMMUNITIES 

The idea that the voices that shape music are also the ones that connect artists, communities, the music industry, and regions across all geographic, cultural, and linguistic boundaries will be the central theme of BIME Bilbao 2026. This vision will run through the entire program and will be organized around four main pillars: Creation, the Music Industry, Development, and Connection. The program will address some of the topics that are redefining the sector, from artificial intelligence and new business models to internationalization, investment in culture, or the opportunities arising at the intersection of music, technology, and other creative industries such as film or sport. 

El Pitch Perfecto will return, connecting artists, composers, publishers, and labels with leading international music supervisors to foster new opportunities in the field of music synchronization. Latido Transatlántico will also return, a space dedicated to analyzing the opportunities for Latin music in Europe and strengthening the ties among programmers, managers, and professionals from both continents. The 2026 edition will also incorporate Orillas, a new space that focuses on those keeping music alive far from major urban centers, connecting venues, festivals, programmers, and cultural projects from towns, small cities, and peripheral territories. 

And because connections also happen outside the conference rooms, Musik & Pintxos will be back—the format that joins gastronomy and musical discovery at the heart of BIME Pro, and this year will expand its program into the afternoons, creating new informal meeting spaces for artists and professionals. 

A program created by and for the industry that will once again feature a broad schedule of professional activities international meetings, speed meetings, sector roundtables, spaces dedicated to startups and innovation, networking encounters, and parallel events designed to generate real connections among the different agents of the sector. 

A NEW ERA TO BOOST KEY ALLIANCES AND PROJECTS 

BIME has established itself as one of the benchmark meetings for the international music industry thanks to a network of collaborators who share the same vision: to promote international talent circulation, encourage exchange between territories, and generate new business opportunities.  

In line with this strategy, the 2026 edition strengthens its European dimension with an alliance with Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) and the European Talent Exchange Programme (ETEP), which will result in exchange actions between both professional communities. Furthermore, BIME has launched for the first time its own call for European artists, expanding opportunities for international circulation and access to new markets. 

This edition will also be supported by key organizations such as the Ministry of Culture of Spain, ICEX-Sounds From Spain, Catalan Arts, AIE, the Institute for Cultural Industries and the Arts of the Region of Murcia, the Axencia Galega das Industrias Culturais (AGADIC), Barcelona City Council, Valencia Music City; Secretariat of Culture, Recreation and Sports of Bogotá; Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage of Chile; Chilemúsica; National Music Institute of Argentina (INAMU); and National Music Institute of Uruguay (INMUS). Added to this network are also companies and brands such as Fever, Heineken, Amazon Music, Universal Music, Virgin, Altafonte, Jägermeister; and national and international media such as Rolling Stone en español, LOS40, Radio 3, Eh! Universo or Mondo Sonoro. 

This commitment is particularly evident in Bizkaia, a region that has supported BIME’s growth since its inception and continues to play a key role in its development through the Department of Economic Promotion of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the City Council of Bilbao. In addition, it benefits from the collaboration of the Basque Government’s Departments of Culture and Language Policy, and of Economy, Labor, and Employment, as well as BASQUE. MUSIC. A new addition to this network is the global agreement reached with the EITB group, a strategic alliance that will reinforce the connection between BIME and citizens, and help to project some of the most relevant contemporary music and culture conversations from Euskadi.  

After thirteen editions in Bilbao and five in Bogotá, BIME has become one of the main international meeting points for music and the creative industries. Beyond its venues, BIME is notable for its ability to foster connections, business opportunities, and meeting spaces among artists, professionals, companies, and institutions from around the world.