Cassandra Campbell, brand manager of beauty and personal care at TikTok, is imploring all creatives and industry stakeholders to attend this year’s Island Music Conference (IMC) to learn as much as they can about monetisation, as well as to maximise on networking opportunities.

“This is an intimate space with leadership across the industry to have these types of conversations and dialogue. If I know nothing else — as someone who works at TikTok — I’d say, ‘You just never know. You never know what’s gonna be the thing that sends you viral. These spaces are where these types of ideas and big moments come together.’ So that would be why I would encourage people to come. And I’m gonna say the thing that everybody probably says, who doesn’t wanna be in a conference where all the the biggest artistes are hitting the stage and sitting back and talking with you, and eating with you, and you know there’s a bunch of concerts and activities. It’s incredible,” Campbell told the Jamaica Observer.

IMC runs from February 25-28 at Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston. Campbell will be on a panel on Thursday, February 26 to speak on the topic ‘Streaming Math: How To Actually Make Money On DSPs’.

She will be joined by Tuma Basa (YouTube), Tanya Lawson (AudioMack), Yomi Desalu (Apple Music), Victor Conradsson (Believe), with host JR Watkins.

Keynote speaker Dr Moses Michael Levi Barrow, more prominently known as Shyne, will also be presenting on Thursday from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm under the topic ‘From Stage To State’.

“So, to me, IMC creates context, not just exposure. Every year that I’ve gone I’m just so amazed [with] the connections I’ve made in the industry… I spent a lot of time helping people out, like, access to their accounts and and I get the nuances, so it’s really an opportunity to peel back the layers, peel back the big headlines, to understand what’s preventing you from reaching your pinnacle moment on any of these platforms,” she said.

Campbell has had experience working at Meta, Instagram, and Facebook.

The theme for IMC 2026 is ‘Music Is the Unifying Force’ and serves as a declaration of the enduring power of sound to bring people together across parishes, borders, cultures, and generations.

This year’s conference is will also feature a compelling line-up of keynote speakers whose stories and expertise span artistry, leadership, storytelling, and the business of music.

Another feature of IMC is the collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport to stage fifth edition of Jamaica Creative Expo on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, starting at 10:00 am under the theme ‘Careers in Music, Media, Publishing’ aimed at attracting high school seniors, tertiary students, and at-risk youth who have an interest in the creative industries.

Portfolio minister Olivia Grange said that the expo will expose them to “an immersive, industry-led experience designed to position Jamaica’s creative industries as viable, scalable, and globally competitive career pathways.

“With many schools experiencing disruptions to infrastructure, access, and resources, this collaboration allows us to leverage an existing international platform to ensure that Jamaican students, especially those from vulnerable and underserved communities, continue to receive meaningful exposure to viable career opportunities despite these constraints.”

Students will see how culture becomes commerce, engage directly with local and international professionals, understand career paths beyond “being an artiste” and learn how creativity connects to education, business, and technology.

They will gain practical understanding of intellectual property and ownership, songwriting versus publishing rights, long-term income streams and the importance of contracts and financial literacy.

IMC’s international DJs and media tastemakers will host a Global Radio & International Media Zone helping students understand how Jamaican music travels internationally, what global platforms look for, professionalism, representation, and Jamaica’s cultural power on the world stage.

Panellists and presenters include David Miller (Seven Grand Entertainment); Portia Clark, head of marketing at BET UK; Martin Kierszenbaum (Cherry Tree Music Group); Ethan Bear (Rebel Creator Services); Ron André “Elvis” Telford (Creative Titans); John Baker (G Street Records / Geojam Studios); Blaise French; Jaii Frais; and Spice.

GRANGE…it’s an immersive, industry-led experience designed to position Jamaica’s creative industries as viable, scalable.