THE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION PRESENTS THE ROB POTTS INTERNATIONAL LIVE MUSIC ADVANCEMENT AWARD
2023 CMA International Award Presented to Anna-Sophie Mertens
The Country Music Association, the premier trade association of the Country Music industry, awarded Anna-Sophie Mertens (Vice President of Touring, Live Nation U.K.) with the Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award, one of its 2023 CMA International Awards, during Highways Festival in London on Saturday, May 18. These efforts are part of CMA’s ongoing mission to grow and expand Country Music globally.
Brett Young presented the award to Mertens during the CMA Reception at Highways Festival. This award recognizes outstanding achievements made by an individual who has made important contributions to the live music industry by extending performance opportunities and building live audiences for Country Music outside of the United States. Promoters, booking agents, talent buyers, festival/venue bookers and other live music industry professionals are eligible to win this award to be presented only when it is deemed that a recipient is worthy of recognition.
Mertens is the Vice President of Touring for Live Nation U.K. and has been instrumental in bringing exciting talent to the forefront of the U.K. live music industry, continuing the development of international superstars and championing awareness for Country Music outside of North America. In 2023, Mertens established Highways, the first ever Country & Americana Festival at the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London. Additionally, Mertens has been advocating for Country Music representation on multi-genre festivals which saw Morgan Wade play at the renowned Isle of Wight Festival in 2022, and in 2019 Brothers Osborne performed at rock mecca Download Festival, attended by over 100,000 fans a day. Mertens was named “Tomorrow’s New Boss” at ILMC’s 2019 Arthur Awards, featured on Billboard’s 2019 International Power Players List and was nominated for International Promoter of the Year in 2023’s Pollstar Awards. In 2020 Mertens joined the CMA Board of Directors and has proudly served on their U.K. Task Force since 2018.
About the Country Music Association
Founded in 1958, the Country Music Association is the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. The organization serves as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advances the growth of Country Music worldwide. This is accomplished through CMA’s core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; CMA Fest, which benefits music education through the CMA Foundation and is taped for a television special, “CMA Fest”; and “CMA Country Christmas.” CMA’s television properties are screened internationally in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the U.K. CMA brings music worldwide, by presenting live performances featuring artists and songwriters through its touring series Introducing Nashville and CMA Songwriters Series. CMA members are located around the globe. Through task forces represented in Australasia, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia and the U.K., industry leaders work to further Country Music in these territories. CMA presents six annual international industry awards to acknowledge the efforts of individuals working to develop Country Music in markets across the world.
Photo Credit: Centreline Films
Photo Credit: Centreline Films
