ACM LEVel Up: Lifting Every Voice program is a two-year professional development and enrichment curriculum for rising leaders in Country Music, designed to empower participants to play a pivotal role in expanding the horizons of Country Music into new audiences that transcend demographics and geography. The program’s first year is spent learning as well as collaborating to develop a proposed plan to expand Country Music’s reach into new and underrepresented audience segments; the second, implementing said plan. The program is funded wholly by the Academy of Country Music at no cost to participants.
The inaugural class of eight individuals represents a group of diverse and talented leaders in the industry, selected by nominations received as well as self-submitted applications.
LEVel Up, Class of 2022- Kaela Allen, Singer/Songwriter
- Mackenzie Cooper, Triple Tigers Records
- Stephanie Davenport, Warner Music Nashville
- Morgan Kenney, WME
- Daniel Killian, FBMM
- Shelby Moran, AEG Presents
- Vanna Moua, Rhythm House
- Kortney Toney, Naxos of America
Nominate a candidate for the 2023 ACM LEVel Up cohort HERE.
Apply for the 2023 ACM LEVel Up cohort HERE. If someone shared the application with you, we encourage you to include their name under “How did you hear about the program?”
ACM LEVel Up Undergraduate Music Business Series
In September 2022, ACM LEVel Up launched a series for undergraduate students who are interested in careers in the music industry. The string of workshops, which will take place in Nashville, TN, will give attendees an “insider’s perspective” of the music business from rising leaders and executives.
The first of these sessions, a panel on “Music Industry Etiquette,” took place on October 20, 2022 and included panelists Kaela Allen (Singer/Songwriter), Mackenzie Cooper, (Triple Tigers Records), Daniel Killian (FBMM), and Vanna Moua (Rhythm House), with moderation from Stephanie Davenport (Warner Music Nashville) and Kortney Toney (Naxos of America). Speakers shared their unique perspectives, experience, and wisdom with the students in attendance. Topics included interview prep, the power of networking, and professional attire, and additional questions were fielded from the audience.
Future installments of the series, set to continue through 2023, will focus on production, business management, publishing, marketing, A&R, and more.
Unable to attend the workshop? Click HERE to watch the recorded session.
