Billboard Celebrates Global Power Players in London

updated June 5,2025
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London recently hosted Billboard‘s first Global Power Players event,a gathering to celebrate influential figures in the worldwide music industry. The exclusive event, held⁤ at Shoreditch‍ House, recognized honorees‍ from the Global Power Players list and the U.K. Power Players selections.

among those ⁣celebrated were Sir Elton John,along with his husband David Furnish,Ghazi Shami,the ⁤CEO and founder⁢ of EMPIRE,and afrobeats artist Tems. Each received special awards for their ‌contributions to the music landscape.

Elton John and David Furnish accepted the Creators’ Champion Award. John used his acceptance speech‌ as an opportunity to address the U.K. government’s proposed AI bill, which has‍ faced opposition regarding its approach to music rights. He stated that he would not back down and urged the government to collaborate with the creative industries to⁢ find ⁣a mutually agreeable solution. The House⁢ of Lords has​ rejected the bill ⁤multiple‌ times.

“Copyright has to ​be​ transparent and​ seek permission,” John said. “These two‍ principles are the bedrock ⁤of the industry and ⁢they ⁤must be included in the data bill as a backstop. Let’s ⁤be clear: we want to work with the government, we want our government to work with us. We are not anti-AI and we are not anti-big Tech.”

He further emphasized the importance of ​protecting artists’ rights: “I will fight for ‌this until it’s done and people have a fair deal. Every young artist⁤ or new person who writes a song, ‍I want them to have a future and have their copyright respected.”

Tems, ahead of her performance at Billboard Presents The Stage as part of SXSW ⁤London, was presented with the Diamond Award by Nkosiyati Khumalo, the incoming editor of Billboard Africa. Tems highlighted Billboard’s support for African music and culture.

“Being African and a musician​ is a whole new world and I feel like Billboard has been so supportive ⁢of not just African music⁢ but the whole scene and the culture,” she said. “This has been a really great honor,especially given that that African music is moving to heights that has‍ never ⁣been⁢ seen before,and Billboard is one of the key players in moving that needle forward.”

Ghazi ⁣Shami, founder and CEO of EMPIRE, received ‌the Clive Davis Visionary award, joining previous honorees such as ⁤TDE’s Punch and Top Dawg, Bang Si-hyuk, and ‌Joe Smith. nigerian musician Olamide presented the award.‍ this recognition follows Shaboozey’s success ⁣on the Billboard Hot 100 with “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

Accepting the award, Ghazi Shami said: “I often tell ​people that EMPIRE is a philanthropy company masquerading as a record label. I truly believe that in my heart. It wasn’t always that way. Being a visionary means you see ‌a need in ‍your community and you try and figure out how ⁢to serve that need. I felt that the San Francisco and the ⁢Bay area community had a void in the‌ music distribution space and fast-forward 15 years later, I’m blessed to say we built a global operation that reaches the ⁤four corners of the earth. We have employees ‌in 25 countries and have probably the most diverse ‌staff in the music business by design and intention.”

He added, “I‍ grew up as‍ an immigrant kid in San Francisco with Palestinian parents who‍ were refugees of war, and sometimes ‌as​ a child I often felt like I was invisible. How would I‍ be seen in a world that didn’t see me? I took the initiative​ to build a company where everyone ⁣could be seen and everyone could be heard and I always like to tell people ‍that if you’re excellent they can’t deny your existence.”

What’s next

The ⁢Global Power Players event sets the stage ⁣for continued recognition of⁤ key figures shaping the ​music industry and ‌highlights ongoing discussions‍ around important issues like AI and copyright.