Baltic Focus programme to present Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian talent and industry at Ireland Music Week 2025

Music Latvia, Music Estonia and the Lithuanian Music Business Association are set to present the first-ever Baltic Focus programme at Ireland Music Week (IMW) in October 2025. The programme features three artists – mariin k. from Estonia, Plié from Lithuania and Vultura from Latvia – alongside a delegation of over 20 Baltic music industry players.

Baltic Focus at IMW highlights the diverse music markets of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, bringing emerging Baltic artists to perform in Dublin on 2 October alongside dedicated Baltic industry panel and networking sessions. The initiative aims to connect the region’s talent with international music industry professionals, share insights into each county’s markets and scenes, and foster cultural ties between the Baltics and Ireland.

Estonian talent is represented by dream pop outfit mariin k., carving out space in the shoegaze revival with cascading reverb, their recent debut album rose skin earning praise as “a lush, introspective journey.” Latvia presents electronic artist Vultura, blending drum ‘n’ bass with art pop and darkwave on award-winning Not Your Typical Fairytale, recognised as one of the country’s biggest musical surprises. Lithuanian Plié bring to Dublin relentless hardcore assault embellished with industrial and avant garde influences, their hypnotic live performances awakening animalistic energy at major European showcases.

“We are thrilled to see Ireland Music Week host a dedicated Baltic Focus at this year’s festival,” says Agnese Cimuška-Rekke, Executive Director at Music Latvia and Project Lead of Baltic Focus at IMW. “This is a significant moment for our region, offering a unique opportunity to showcase Baltic talent on an international stage. With the support of the Baltic Culture Fund and the embassies of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, this initiative highlights the strength of regional collaboration and our shared ambition to connect Baltic music with the wider world.” 

IMW Director Angela Dorgan welcomes the initiative: “We are excited to welcome artists and professionals from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to IMW 2025, and we hope they will benefit from the international line-up of buyers and open collaboration opportunities with Irish artists. We are also looking forward to welcoming more music lovers from the Baltics who live here and hope they enjoy this glimpse into the level of emerging talent back home.”

The Baltic Focus programme is a joint effort of Music Latvia, Music Estonia and the Lithuanian Music Business Association. Core partners in Estonia are Tallinn Music Week and e-Residency, media partner is Postimees Culture. Core partners in Latvia are Riga Music Week and Every Little Thing, media partner is LSM – Public Broadcasting of Latvia. Core partners in Lithuania are What’s Next in Music?, media partner is LRT – Lithuanian National Radio and Television.

The initiative is supported by the Baltic Culture Fund, Estonian Embassy in Dublin, Embassy of Latvia in Ireland and Embassy of Lithuania in Ireland.

---

About the project partners 

Music Latvia, founded in 2012, supports Latvian artists and producers whilst promoting the development of the Latvian music industry internationally.

Music Estonia is a music industry development centre and export office providing unified marketing platforms for Estonian-based music businesses and musicians, representing them at international trade events and developing international networks. 

The Lithuanian Music Business Association, established in 2015, unites the most active management and event organisation companies from Lithuania’s music industry, working in the fields of education, export and lobbying.

Ireland Music Week is an annual independent music showcase and conference festival held in Dublin since 2003, organised by First Music Contact. The festival provides artists with a platform to perform in front of influential industry professionals from Ireland and abroad, with up to 90 selected international delegates attending annually. Previous IMW showcasing acts include: Fontaines D.C., Hozier, David Keenan, Denise Chaila, YARD,  and many more.

Ireland Music Week is supported by The Arts Council and Culture Ireland. The festival’s partners include Warner Music Ireland, Claddagh Records, Sony Music Ireland, RAAP, IMRO, Anthem Vinyl and Minding Creative Minds.

---

Baltic Focus at IMW industry delegates

Estonian delegation

Ave Sophia Demelemester, Director of Music Estonia
Greete Paršin, Project Manager at Music Estonia
Ingrid Kohtla, Head of PR &VCommunications at Tallinn Music Week
Guillermo Chavez, Head of Spanish and Portuguese Markets at e-Residency
Janar Ala, Culture Editor at Postimees
Eva Johanna Lepikov, Executive Producer at Tallinn Music Week
Juliana Voloz, Founder of JVPromotion OÜ
Kaarel Sein, Promoter and Artist Manager at PS Music Agency
Kertu Mägar, Co-founder & CEO of FAAR Music
Roman Demtšenko, Founder of Paavli Kultuurivabrik & Damn. Loud Agency

Tanya Korenika, Founder and CEO of UCE Agency

Merit Maarits, journalist and cultural producer

Latvian delegation

Agnese Cimuška-Rekke, Music Latvia, Executive Director and Founder of Riga Music Week
Līva Pētersone-Kļaviņa, Project Director at Music Latvia, Head of Marketing & Production at Riga Music Week
Guna Zučika, Founder of Every Little Thing, conference curator at Riga Music Week
Aiga Leitholde, journalist at LSM
Bruno Roze, Co-founder & Owner of I Love You Records
Daina Zalāne, Director of Lauska
Elvijs Grafcovs, musician and manager of Very Cool People
Lena Sme, PR Manager at Skaņu Mežs Festival, Founder of MOO
Sabine Brice, Manager of Tautumeitas
Uldis Pabērzis, Director of Summer Sound Festival

Lithuanian delegates

Vaidas Stackevičius, Director of Lithuanian Music Business Association / M.P.3
Vilma Dzienaitė, Head of Projects at Lithuanian Music Business Association
Ramūnas Zilnys, Head of Popular Music at LRT – Lithuanian Radio and Television
Victor Diawara, Founder of Loftas
Aiste Naveckaite, Founder of Damn Good
Eglė Gedminaitė,  Founder of Perspective Collective
Justas Čekuolis, Founder of Muzikos Herojai
Lauras Lučiūnas, Founder of Creative Industries
Marija Astromskaite, Founder & Manager of MB Astrocore, Manager of Plié