MUMBAI: YouTube and Believe Digital partnered with Branded to launch the Music Matters Academy, an online educational portal with a focus on the Asia Pacific region.

The free-to-attend, three-month program will feature open discussions, panels and workshops on the music business, providing a foundation for young industry professionals to upskill alongside some of the biggest names in the business.

Music Matters Academy participants will engage with eight different content modules, covering key fields such as music publishing, digital content distribution, artist management, marketing, livestreaming, touring, mental health and working alongside brands.

The Academy will launch on Tuesday, August 31 with its first module Publishing Matters, which will include a keynote from Hipgnosis Song Fund CEO Merck Mercuriadis, as well as sessions with Hipgnosis’s Amy Thomson, Kobalt Music Publishing’s Simon Moor, YouTube’s David Sheils and more.

All content covered throughout the modules will also be uploaded for on-demand viewing via Branded’s YouTube channel, and will also appear on the Music Matters Academy website.

Sylvain Delange, Believe’s managing director Asia Pacific, said that the company was proud to partner with Branded to provide the free industry resource for those within the APAC region.

“At Believe we are strong advocates that a fairer and more diverse music ecosystem will be achieved through wide access to resources, knowledge and experience for the next generation of music creators and music executives,” Delange said.

“We’re really proud to bring Music Matters Academy in close partnership with YouTube Music and Branded and play an active role in shaping the future of the music industry in Asia Pacific.”