Elke Mayer: It felt like a very natural next step. I had already been involved with Zurich Music Week in an advisory role, so I knew its potential long before becoming Festival Director. At the same time, after more than a decade at Zurich Film Festival, I felt ready for something new. Electronic music has been part of my life since I was a teenager. I’m still DJing today, so I know this scene not only from behind a desk but also from inside the community. That perspective is incredibly important to me. My vision isn’t to build the biggest conference in Europe. It’s to build one of the most relevant ones. I want Zurich Music Week to become a place where people don’t just exchange business cards—they exchange ideas, challenge each other, discover new talent, and leave inspired.

E.M.: For me, it’s the balance. Electronic music has always lived between culture, technology, and community. Zurich Music Week reflects exactly that. During the day, people discuss AI, artist development, mental health or the future of club culture. At night, they experience the music together. Those two worlds shouldn’t exist separately. One feeds the other. We’re intentionally a boutique festival. That means conversations don’t end after a panel—they continue over coffee, during dinner, or on the dance floor. Those spontaneous encounters often become the most valuable moments of the entire week.

We’re entering a period where technology is changing music faster than ever before. AI will definitely become part of creative workflows, but I don’t think that’s what worries people most. The real question is how we preserve originality and human creativity in a world where content is becoming almost limitless. At the same time, I think the role of clubs is changing. They aren’t simply places to party anymore. They’re cultural spaces, places of identity and communities where people meet beyond algorithms. That’s why conversations around sustainability, inclusion, mental health and fair working conditions have become just as important as conversations about music itself.

Because our industry has become incredibly digital. You can upload music from anywhere in the world. You can collaborate online. You can build an audience through social media. But what technology still can’t replace is genuine human connection. Meeting somebody in person, having an unexpected conversation, receiving honest feedback on your music…those moments can completely change a career. That’s why we created formats like the A&R Lab or the Producer Camp. We want to create opportunities that simply can’t happen through an email or a direct message.

Honestly, it’s less about one particular guest. I’m excited whenever people from completely different backgrounds meet and start talking to each other. Of course, we’re welcoming incredible artists, labels, curators and industry leaders this year, but I’m often just as interested in the conversations happening between established professionals and young producers attending their very first conference. Those unexpected moments are usually where the magic happens.

For me, a great conference doesn’t leave you with a bag full of flyers. It leaves you with new perspectives. It should inspire you creatively, challenge your thinking and hopefully connect you with people you’ll still be working with years later. Music conferences shouldn’t only reflect where the industry is today—they should help shape where it’s going next.