Sarah-Jane Nicholson (ZA)

Paradise Sound System & Rights Infrastructure
Under Nicholson’s leadership, Paradise Sound System has surpassed 100 catalogue releases, featuring groundbreaking collaborations across genres and continents. These include: - Zakes Bantwini's "Osama" (global hit release) - A Pete Tong remix of a Busiswa track — Busiswa being one of Africa’s most recognized artists globally for her fierce individuality and work with Beyoncé, Major Lazer, and Black Coffee - A landmark Âme remix, marking PSS’s 100th release Through Paradise Worldwide’s international reach and Berlin headquarters, Nicholson ensures African rights holders can participate fully in the global music economy — with robust back-end systems for revenue collection, metadata accuracy, and distribution efficiency.

Artist Management & Brand Integration
Nicholson is the manager of MONEY BADOO, a rising South African artist whose career she is developing as both a sonic and visual disruptor. MONEY BADOO is: - A brand ambassador for Diesel, Dermalogica, and Sealand - Part of Adidas’s global billboard campaign - A 2025 Reeperbahn Festival showcasing artist - Known for blending style, genre fluidity, and authentic storytelling Through her company SJNco, Nicholson has developed numerous cross-continental collaborations, connecting artists such as Black Coffee, Moonchild Sanelly, Mi Casa, Yemi Alade, Sauti Sol, and more — building globally relevant campaigns around their releases and live performances.

Conference Programming & Cultural Strategy
A big-picture thinker and creative conversation builder, Nicholson has programmed or contributed to music conferences across the globe, including: - Reeperbahn Festival (Germany) - Canadian Music Week (Canada) - XP Music Futures (Saudi Arabia) - International Music Summit (Ibiza) - Eurosonic (Netherlands) - Linecheck (Italy) - Music In Africa events - And more... She curates programming that opens doors for African artists and delegates, creates space for executive development, and fosters policy-relevant discussions around equity, export readiness, and innovation.

Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC)
Nicholson is the founder of Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC), now preparing for its 6th edition in 2026. ARMC has become a benchmark for international collaboration in African music, bridging stakeholders across creative, legal, and technical fields, while maintaining a strong focus on youth, women, and underrepresented talent. She was selected as a Keychange Innovator and now serves as a mentor within the Keychange program, reflecting her continued investment in gender equality and leadership pipelines in music.

Brand Partnerships & Cultural Exports
Nicholson has collaborated with major global brands to align music with powerful narratives, including Adidas, BMW, Diesel, Jägermeister, Dermalogica, Yamaha, AlphaTheta (Pioneer DJ), and more. She was instrumental in: - Setting up Damon Albarn’s Africa Express in Johannesburg - Coordinating African artist collaborations for Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift - Producing Ultra Unite South Africa - Working with SAMPRA and other partners to build an export office concept for South Africa, advocating for artist mobility funding inspired by successful EU models

Philosophy & Future Outlook
Nicholson’s approach is artist-first and future-facing. She believes in: - Creating ecosystems, not gatekeeping - Investing in knowledge exchange and executive development - Ensuring inclusivity for women, mothers, and neurodivergent creatives (without needing to be labeled) - Leveraging AI, data, and tech to protect creator rights — including her advocacy work with the Get Paid Get Played campaign via the Association for Electronic Music She continues to mentor, lead, and collaborate across borders to move African music forward — not only in visibility but in ownership and influence.