The British Music Embassy (BME) is returning to Austin to spotlight some of the leading musical talent from the UK, including acts such as Alt Blk Era, Big Special, Confidence Man, CVC, Sam Ryder and Steam Down. Now in its 17th year, the BME will feature 80 performances, including twelve showcases and parties over an eight-day period. Since launching at SXSW in 2008, the British Music Embassy has hosted shows for 659 UK acts. The British Music Embassy is a collaboration from BBC Introducing, UK record labels association the BPI, the Department for Business & Trade (DBT), the British Council, and music licensing company PPL. The BME forms part of UK House bringing together the world’s most innovative minds to spark ideas, forge partnerships, and shape the future of the creative economy.
Moving to a new home for 2025, the BME will take over the 700-capacity Palm Door on Sixth Street with a two-stage indoor and outdoor venue, programming the very best of UK music from Saturday 8 March until Saturday 15 March. UK House & the BME will also host music events during SXSW Interactive including an opening night show on Saturday 8 March, and a special takeover event on Sunday 9 March with the Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GREAT) Campaign, bringing together the finest American and British talent for a series of exclusive collaborations. This includes performances from Adjua, Jurassic 5’s Soup (aka Fullee Love) Kimberly Zielnicki, Mr. Switch, Spiderhorse, The Beatbox Collective, The Beatbox House, The Petebox and special guests.
The BME is also working with a range of programming partners for day parties and evening showcases throughout the week. Evening showcases will be hosted by Beyond the Music Manchester (Monday), Future Arts & Culture with curators PIAS and Ristband (Tuesday), BBC Introducing (Wednesday-Friday) and Chris Hawkins’ Awesome Friends (Saturday), while daytime events will be hosted by Northern Sounds (Wednesday), Band Share & Output Belfast (Thursday), Fatsoma (Friday), Bonza Music and Omen Magazine (Saturday). Media partners for this year’s shows include BBC Introducing and Selector Radio, run by the British Council.
On Tuesday, Future Art and Culture are teaming up with award-winning creative studio Ristband who return for a brand-new Future x Music showcase, their biggest at SXSW to date. Taking over UK House, which Future Art and Culture are sponsoring for the first time, it includes a groundbreaking live music mixed reality concert performed by artist and producer Venice Bleach, a diverse lineup of live bands and DJs, and an entirely new spatial audio installation that pulls the audience into a world of digital distortion and immersive soundscapes. The event also kicks off the SXSW Music Festival and closing XR Festival, bringing together the music, tech, film and gaming communities, and offering a window into the future of entertainment.
The BME line-up includes:
Alt Blk Era, Amelia Coburn, Annie-Dog, Antony Szmierek, Baby Said, Beth McCarthy, Big Special, Black Fondu, Blackgold, Casey Lowery, Cloth, Confidence Man, Cortney Dixon, corto.alto, CVC, Deja, Dilettante, Delivery, Emmeline, Ellur, Essii, Finn Forster, Fourth Daughter, Freak Slug, Gurriers, Himalayas, Honeyglaze, INSXGHT, Jacob Alon, Jasmine.4.t, JC Stewart, Jo Hill, Korda Korder, Lizzie Berchie, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Maruja, Mary In The Junkyard, Master Peace, Nature TV, Ny Oh, OneDa, Pivots, Sam Ryder, Shao Dow, Sir Jude, Steam Down, Summer Pearl, The K’s, The Molotovs, Tokio Myers, University, Venice Bleach, Venus Grrrls, Vital Powers, Winnie Ama, Wynona Bleach, Yoshika Colwell
There will also be networking opportunities for those looking to build business connections worldwide, with a week-long program of panels and round tables featuring top UK executives and industry experts.
Kelly Betts, Editor of BBC Introducing said:
“BBC Introducing will be back at SXSW with our valued partners once again. The British Music Embassy is our UK collaboration and has become an iconic part of the festival where we showcase the hottest acts from home. Alt Blk Era, Jasemine.4.t, Maruja, Deja & Antony Szmierek are just a few of the names we’re all really excited to bring from the UK to Texas.”
Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of BPI (British Phonographic Industry) said:
“SXSW is a vital platform for talented British artists looking to reach influential international audiences, which remains a challenge in today’s competitive global music landscape. The British Music Embassy is an incredible springboard for new acts and has played host to a diverse range of UK musical success stories over the years, including the likes of Dave, Glass Animals, IDLES, Jungle and Little Simz. There are some great names across this year’s BME line-up, including some supported by the Music Export Growth Scheme, a funding initiative which sees the UK industry and Government unite to help artists develop on the global stage. We’re delighted to be returning as a partner of the BME this year to help showcase the next generation of emerging talent, together with our colleagues across the UK’s music and tech ecosystems, the UK Government and the British Council.”
Giles Pocock, VP of Brand Marketing, Bowers & Wilkins, commented:
“We’re proud to continue supporting the British Music Embassy and championing the next generation of British talent as they take this pivotal step in their careers. We know how much this moment means to every artist performing at the BME, and we remain fully committed to ensuring their music is heard exactly as they intended and in the highest quality possible.”
Joel Mills, Director of Music, British Council said:
“The British Music Embassy provides a brilliant and exciting platform for UK artists and talent to showcase at SXSW. It remains a hugely important global facing platform for the best in music, film, arts and technology, creating international networks, business conversations and exchange.
We are delighted to be supporting the British Music Embassy again in 2025 alongside other UK music partners to showcase some of the best of UK talent. It’s an important catalyst for developing international profile and audiences for UK artists. Our very own Selector Radio presenter Sian Eleri will be hosting an evening alongside Steve Lamaq as part of a new partnership with BBC Introducing. Together we will be filming a selection of UK artist performances at BME to create session content for sharing with international audiences worldwide. “
Rupert Daniels, Director – Consumer, Creative, Sport and Education, Department for Business and Trade said:
“We’re delighted to continue our ongoing support for BME at SXSW, which plays an instrumental role for showcasing British artists, management, labels and all the associated businesses that work together to develop the UK’s exciting music landscape.
In 2023, the UK’s music industry contributed £7.6bn to the UK’s economy and UK music exports surpassed £4.6bn. I have no doubt that number will continue to rise. It’s thanks to the incredible work of our BME partners, many of whom we collaborate with on programmes such as the Music Export Growth Scheme and International Showcase Fund, that we’re able to meet this global demand head-on and help UK artists break into new markets.
The UK’s Business and Trade Department has supported the BME from its inception to the world-class stage it is today. I can’t wait to see international audiences discover their next favourite UK artist at SXSW this year.”
Peter Leathem OBE, CEO of PPL said:
“As a long-time supporter of the British Music Embassy and an investor in new talent through the PPL Momentum Music Fund and the International Showcase Fund administered by PRS Foundation, we are delighted to be returning to Austin. The event provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase some of the most exciting UK music talent to a global audience and this year is no exception. We are looking forward to the shows and meeting industry partners from around the world at what promises to be an exciting eight days of music and networking.”
Becci Scotcher, Senior Grants & Programmes Manager at PRS Foundation said:
“UK investment in overseas showcasing has become increasingly important in recent years. This vital stepping stone for talented UK-based music creators to break into new territories, build audiences and broker deals to develop their careers for the first time, builds the foundation for sustainable careers and the UK’s industry to compete on the global stage. The British Music Embassy at SXSW in Austin, Texas, has an unparalleled reputation of unmissable shows from some of today’s most exciting UK artists and is an important platform for the UK music industry at one of the biggest festivals globally. We’re delighted that through our International Showcase Fund and BBC Introducing partnership we are supporting over 30 exceptional UK-based artists to showcase at this year’s festival, many at the BME, and through our UK Sounds collaborative partnership promoting the UK presence at the BME and across the festival.”
Check out the BME Playlist 2025 here.
For full details on SXSW please check the website.
