The Art & Commerce
of Swedish Music

Kevin Lampe

Executive Vice President
Kurth Lampe Worldwide

Moderator

​​​​​​​Kevin Lampe is an internationally recognized expert in political, media, and crisis communication strategies. Ideas Delivered is Kurth Lampe Worldwide's mission.
He has developed and directed the delivery of his clients' complicated messages to various audiences. Kevin is an expert in political consulting, crisis management, communications, litigation support, public relations, and messaging.

He has worked with media worldwide, successfully placing his clients' stories in outlets across every continent. His experience spans the globe. He has a vast network of business colleagues and numerous dear friends in Sweden. Since 1996, Kevin has been a member of the Speaker Tracker team at the Democratic National Convention, which works with everyone who speaks at the convention. In 2020, he was on the team that produced a remote roll call vote.

At the 2004 Boston Convention, he assisted in preparing then-State Senator Barack Obama for his pivotal keynote address. Kevin has been “on the road” performing advance work for the White House and international leaders. He also toured as a professional comedian from 1984 to 1990.
Kevin is a huge music fan. He has 35,591 songs in his Apple Music playlist. He expects to download some more after the panel.
 

Jim Powers

True Chicago & KNDRD
​​​​​​​Panelist

A former A&R executive for the RCA and Geffen records, Jim founded the record label Minty Fresh in the 90’s, often working with bands from around the world, including the Cardigans and several other Swedish artists.

He is a Chicago-based entrepreneur and start-up consultant with experience successfully detecting early trends, creating popular properties in entertainment, and guiding creative careers.
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Alexi Front

Scorched Tundra & Taylor Farms

Panelist

Alexi Front has worked in the music industry, with specific focus on the Swedish and Chicago markets for over twenty years. His first venture, Pivotal Rockordings, founded in 2004, quickly became a well-respected feeder label, identifying and broadening the reach of underground Swedish heavy bands. Early on the company identified the importance of digital distribution and streaming, emerging as one of the first American-based independent record labels to have its catalog featured on Spotify.

Scorched Tundra Festival was created in 2012 as an additional platform for Front to promote –innovative metal music from Sweden and the USA. The meticulously curated experience that draws audiences and bands from all over the world to Gothenburg and Chicago. Each festival edition featured unique craft beer, spirit and coffee collaborations with local producers firmly linking local and beverage industries. To date, the festival and one off-co-promoted events have been held at Pustervik and Sticky Fingers in Gothenburg and The Empty Bottle and Thalia Hall in Chicago.

In 2020 Alexi Front founded Heavy Hops, an interview format podcast featuring conversations with leaders, creators, innovators, and insiders from the beverage and music industries.

Shehzad “Shami” Choudhry

Reason Studios

Panelist

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Shehzad Choudhry, also known by the stage name “Shami Sosa” or mononym “Shami” is a multifaceted film, television, and music producer, as well as a mixed media artist based in Chicago, IL. With a masters degree in Public Administration and a passion for storytelling/content creation, Shami has collaborated with brands, corporations, public figures, and artists on both local and international stages, earning a reputation as a versatile & innovative force in the media landscape.