"We are ambassadors. They should give us diplomatic passports so we can travel with our music." — Seydou “Kanazoe” Diabate
Music in Exile (est. 2019 Melbourne/Naarm, Australia) is a not-for-profit record label and registered charity dedicated to supporting musicians with lived experience of migration and displacement who are living and working within the Australian music industry.
Its vision is for a society where meaningful connection and genuine care drive collective action, creating a safe and harmonious future for all. Music in Exile believes this can be achieved by uplifting individual artists and amplifying their stories, fostering a strong sense of community cohesion, and shaping an Australian music landscape that truly reflects the diversity of voices across the country.
All of the organisation’s work is guided by an unwavering ‘artist‑first’ principle, ensuring that every artist retains ownership over the tools, resources and networks needed to build sustainable, dynamic and impactful creative careers. Music in Exile seeks to make lasting change by empowering individuals as the foundation for broader cultural transformation.
PROJECTS
Six countries. One island. On Hydra, musicians from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, France, the UK, and Australia meet for the first time to trace how music travels across oceans, borders, cultures, and generations. Together they ask: How does music carry us home?