Sundance ASCAP Music Café 2025 (2025)

Sundance ASCAP Music Café 2025 (1)

LIGHTS. CAMERA. ASCAP.

Whether it’s enhancing emotion, building mood or helping to drive the story, music is essential to the art of filmmaking. The Sundance ASCAP Music Café honors the love affair between music and film with performances from artists and songwriters you need to know, and conversations with the composers who are powering the 2025 Sundance Film Festival selections. For our 27th year, we're partnering with Acura, longtime sponsor and official vehicle of the festival. Come by to discover great music and find a collaborator for your next project. Courtesy of your friends at ASCAP, home to more than one million of the world’s greatest music creators.

All events are free and open to the public. Just stop by Acura’s House of Energy at 550 Swede Alley, Park City, UT.

Sundance ASCAP Music Café 2025 (2)
#SUNDANCE @ASCAP #ASCAPMUSICCAFÉ

SCHEDULE

SUNDAY 1/26, 2pm - 6pm
2:00 - 2:20 - Composer Jeff Morrow & Director Cristina Costantini (Sally)
2:30 - 2:50 - Composer Jay Wadley (The Wedding Banquet)
3:05 - 3:35 - Ambar Lucid
3:50 - 4:20 - Haffway
4:35 - 5:05 - Toby Gad with Antonique Smith & Mae Mae
5:20 - 6:00 - Eric Bazilian (The Hooters) & James Bourne (Busted)

MONDAY 1/27, 12pm - 4:15pm
12:00 - 12:20 - Composer Josh Dibb with Director Albert Birney (Obex)
12:30 - 1:00 - Ambar Lucid
1:10 - 1:40 - Haffway
1:50 - 2:10 - Composer Katya Mihailova (How to Build a Library)
2:20 - 2:50 - Eric Bazilian (The Hooters) & James Bourne (Busted)
3:05 - 3:35 - The Wild Feathers
3:45 - 4:15 - Toby Gad with Antonique Smith & Mae Mae

ASCAP SCREEN TIME CONVERSATIONS

Illuminating conversations about the art and business of music for screens, with today's top composers for film, TV and beyond

More Screen Time

Composer JEFF MORROW discussesSallywith director CRISTINA COSTANTINI | Sunday, 1/26 @ 2:00

More about Sally @ Sundance Film Festival 2025

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About Jeff Morrow

Jeff Morrow is an Emmy-nominated composer in film and television. He recently scored Disney’s live-action Snow White, directed by Marc Webb, produced by Marc Platt with songs by Pasek & Paul. Alongside his score featuring a 100-piece orchestra you can hear him as the whistling voice of Dopey.

No stranger to timeless classics, he is currently expanding the rich musical history of The Peanuts as the composer selected by Apple and the Schulz family to score Snoopy in Space, The Snoopy Show, Camp Snoopy, Who Are You, Charlie Brown? and six specials, including To Mom (and Dad), with Love, which earned him an Emmy nomination. He also refreshed the sound of a Warner Bros. favorite with A Christmas Story Christmas, directed by Clay Kaytis.

Jeff was chosen by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio to bring George Carlin’s career to life in George Carlin’s American Dream. He returns to Sundance this year with his score for Sally, a profile of the first American woman in space, after charming festival goers with his DIY synths in the 2018 Sundance Audience Choice award-winner, Science Fair.

Jeff’s other credits include major films such as Trolls, Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, Jumanji: The Next Level, and Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid.

Jeff Morrow website | Instagram | Spotify

About Cristina Costantini

Cristina Costantini is an Emmy Award–winning director. She started as an investigative journalist, covering immigration and the opioid crisis. Her first film, Science Fair (2018 Sundance Festival, Festival Favorite Award), was turned into a series for National Geographic. Her second film, Mucho Mucho Amor (2020 Sundance Film Festival), was acquired by Netflix.

Composer JAY WADLEY discussesThe Wedding Banquet | Sunday, 1/26 @ 2:30

More about The Wedding Banquet @ Sundance Film Festival 2025

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About Jay Wadley

Jay Wadley is a New York-based composer and music producer, twice awarded the Charles Ives Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and named in IndieWire's “10 Best Scores of the Year.” Renowned for his emotional and narratively resonant work, Wadley’s recent projects include Franklin (AppleTV+), blending baroque and contemporary classical styles, Americana horns, and electroacoustic textures, recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville.

His acclaimed score for Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things featured an original ballet and inventive musical approaches. Other notable credits include Tell Me Lies (Hulu), Swan Song (AppleTV+), Before (AppleTV+), The Friend (Bleecker Street), We Grown Now (Sony), and the upcoming horror-comedy Heart Eyes (Spyglass), directed by Josh Ruben.

Wadley’s work has been described as “ethereal and profoundly moving” (Variety), “achingly beautiful” (IndieWire), and “brilliantly sustaining emotional undercurrents” (Chicago Tribune). His versatile style spans orchestral, electronic, and hybrid compositions, shaped by his studies with luminaries Aaron Jay Kernis, Martin Bresnick, and David Lang at the Yale School of Music.

Jay Wadley website | Instagram| Spotify

Composer JOSH DIBB discussesObex with director ALBERT BIRNEY| Monday, 1/27 @ 12:00

More about Obex @ Sundance Film Festival 2025

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About Josh Dibb

Josh Dibb (aka Deakin) is an artist, producer & composer most notably a member of the band Animal Collective. He has released multiple studio & live albums with Animal Collective, his solo project Deakin as well as producing and mixing albums for Avey Tare, Tickley Feather, Herald and most recently the upcoming Panda Bear album Sinister Grift. As a film composer he has composed music for the films Crestone, The Inspection, Jetty & Obex.

Josh Dibb on Spotify

About Albert Birney

Albert Birney is a Baltimore-based filmmaker. He has directed six feature films, The Beast Pageant (co-directed with Jon Moses), Sylvio and Strawberry Mansion (both co-directed with Kentucker Audley), Tux and Fanny, Eyeballs in the Darkness and OBEX. Sylvio was named one of the ten-best films of 2017 by The New Yorker. His films have premiered at Sundance, SXSW, the Maryland Film Festival, Slamdance and the Ottawa International Animation Festival. In 2021 he released a Tux and Fanny video game that he made with Gabriel Koenig.

Composer KATYA MIHAILOVA discussesHow to Build a Library | Monday, 1/27 @ 1:50

More about How to Build a Library @ Sundance Film Festival 2025

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About Katya Mihailova

Katya Mihailova is a composer for film and media, a British Academy Television Craft Awards (BAFTA) 2018 Original Score Nominee and a Film Composer Fellow at the Sundance Institute. Katya’s work includes: The Territory(2022) for which Katya traveled to the Brazilian Amazon to record indigenous instruments and environments of the rainforest; TikTOK Boomthat premiered at Sundance at 2022; Russian Woodpecker, a documentary which earned the Grand Jury prize at the 2015 Sundance FF; a Libyan-British documentary Freedom Fields(2018) that premiered at TIFF and a narrative feature film The Restoration(2020) among others. Her recent scores include Black Snow- the documentary about a whistleblower in Russia's pollution cover-up; Ukrainian feature documentary Defiantwhich premiered at TIFF (2023) and Iranian-American film Joonam(2023). Katya is originally from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. She holds a Masters Degree from the Manhattan School of Music.

Katya Mihailova website | IMDb |Instagram| Soundcloud

ASCAP SUNDANCE MUSIC CAFÉ PERFORMANCES

Stop by between screenings for intimate, electrifying performances you won't find anywhere else

AMBAR LUCID | Sunday, 1/26 @ 3:05 & Monday, 1/27 @ 12:30

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Ambar Lucid on the web | X|Facebook|Instagram| YouTube | Spotify

Ambar Lucid is a New Jersey-born, Los Angeles-based vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, known for blending psychedelic soundscapes with pop hooks in both English and Spanish. She explores vulnerability and emotional healing, spirituality, and offers listeners a sonic escape into self-discovery. Since her 2019 debut, tracks like “A Letter to My Younger Self” and "Fantasmas" have garnered tens of millions of streams. With her forthcoming 2025 EP, she continues her exploration, with her sound as a reflection of her quest for spiritual and artistic freedom.

HAFFWAY | Sunday, 1/26 @ 3:50 & Monday, 1/27 @ 1:10

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Haffway on TikTok |Instagram| YouTube | Spotify

HAFFWAY is the artist half of producer and writer Sam Westhoff, blending folk and indie alternative with a touch of cynicism. What began as an accidental outlet for Sam’s creative burnout quickly turned into a new artistic chapter. The first song, “I Don’t Need You Anymore,” started as therapy and paved the way for HAFFWAY’s debut EP, Prequel. The project’s success not only resonated with fans but also attracted like-minded artists to Sam’s production door.

By summer 2023, HAFFWAY was splitting time between his burgeoning artist career and producing/writing for others. 2024 marked a breakout year with the release of three standout singles—"Bells," "Burden," and "Whatever He’s On" —and his acclaimed sophomore EP, Lady Lou. A deluxe edition followed, featuring collaborations with Wilderado, Cece Coakley, Sam MacPherson, and Trousdale. His track “Right Here” landed a coveted sync on the Grey’s Anatomy season premiere, further solidifying his rising status.

HAFFWAY brought these releases to life on tour with artists like Brent Cobb, Elle Coves, and Noah Floersch, earning new fans at every stop. Recognized as a TIDAL Official Artist to Watch, HAFFWAY’s momentum continues into 2025 with a tour alongside Wilder Woods and upcoming collaborations with artists like Cece Coakley, Hunter Metts, and Clover County.

Sam Westhoff’s dual talent as HAFFWAY and a sought-after producer is undeniable. Jump on the bandwagon before it leaves the station—HAFFWAY is just getting started.

TOBY GAD w/ ANTONIQUE SMITH & MAE MAE| Sunday, 1/26 @ 4:35 & Monday, 1/27 @ 3:45

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Toby Gad: website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | TikTok

Antonique Smith: website | Instagram | Spotify | X | YouTube

Mae Mae: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Toby Gad

John Legend’s diamond-award winning “All Of Me,” Beyonce’s “If I Were A Boy” and Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry” were all penned by German/Danish born songwriter Toby Gad who also lent his magic to albums of Madonna, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis and other Grammy winning stars. Toby’s brand-new legacy album Piano Diaries reimagines his radio staples with rising stars of today into timeless minimalist piano-vocal renditions, shedding a new light on the lyrics of his ever-green compositions. In intimate piano-vocal concerts Toby performs and tells the stories behind his hits.

Antonique Smith

Antonique Smith is a critically acclaimed actor, GRAMMY-nominated recording artist, and devoted climate and social justice “artivist.” She first captivated audiences on Broadway as Mimi Marquez in Rent and rose to fame portraying Faith Evans in Notorious. Dubbed “the voice of the movement” by Bill McKibben, Antonique is Cofounder and CEO of Climate Revival, mobilizing communities of faith and color to fight climate change. Using music and storytelling, she inspires action for climate justice and a healthier, more compassionate world while continuing to shine on stage and screen.

Mae Mae

Mae Mae, 15-year-old singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, grew up in Los Angeles and started releasing her music independently a few months ago. Her recent single “Ocean Song” was featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday and she released her first EP Erosion in July 2024, which she has performed in various London and Los Angeles venues. Mae Mae’s intimate, thoughtful music provokes a sense of melancholic beauty, drawing inspiration from the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver, Elliott Smith and Phoebe Bridgers.

ERIC BAZILIAN (The Hooters) & JAMES BOURNE (Busted)| Sunday, 1/26 @ 5:20 & Monday, 1/27 @2:20

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Eric Bazilian: website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube

James Bourne: Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | TikTok | YouTube

Busted:Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | X

The Hooters: website |Facebook | Instagram

Eric Bazilian

Known as one of the founding members of Philadelphia's “The Hooters” (no relation to the restaurants, thank you), guitarist/multi-instrumentalist/producer Eric Bazilian is the writer of Joan Osborne's timeless classic, "One Of Us," as well as co-writing Robbie Williams' "Old Before I Die," Billie Myers' "Kiss The Rain," Ricky Martin's "Private Emotion," and many others. He also played the signature guitars on Cyndi Lauper’s She’s So Unusual album as well as bass and saxophone. The Hooters are celebrating 45 years as a band in 2025 with an extensive tour of Germany and Scandinavia.

James Bourne

James Bourne is one of the most successful songwriters of his generation. Starting with his arena-conquering success in Busted, James has scored seven #1 smash hits and several Top 10 singles and achieved multi-platinum success with Busted, McFly, and the Jonas Brothers. His flair for a killer hook and addictive melody has also resulted in him writing songs for artists as diverse as 5 Seconds of Summer, Backstreet Boys, The Vamps, Pixie Lott and Gabriela Cilmi.

Bourne has written many musicals, including Loserville, Out There and is looking forward to bringing Murder at the Gates with collaborator Stephen Slater (Spring Awakening) to Broadway.

WILD FEATHERS | Monday, 1/27 @ 3:05

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Wild Feathers on the web |Facebook |Instagram| Spotify |YouTube | X

How would you define The Wild Feathers? Some may immediately check a box for Americana – and they wouldn’t be wrong. Others may lean on a version of rock: Country-rock, folk-rock, heartland rock. They’d all be right, too. Blues? A Southern flare? Occasional punk attitude? It’s all in there.

But as a band constantly committed to pushing forward, no label put on the Wild Feathers may stick for long.

The longtime Nashville band returns this year with Sirens, a new LP of road-worn, sharply-woven tales chronicling a life worth living, love worth holding and the hard-earned lessons found along the ride. Now, it’s time to hop on the bus and sing along. “I love being part of a band that is always growing and evolving,” said co-founding Wild Feathers member Ricky Young. “We want to keep challenging ourselves to make new Wild Feathers music while always continuing to grow and be challenged. For us, this is a better version of what we’ve always done.” He continued “We’re not the band we were 10 years ago. We’re much better writers. Much better performers. We’re much better people. We’ve grown a lot.”

To cut the follow-up to 2021 album Alvarado – the band’s debut on independent label New West Records – The Wild Feathers decamped from Music City, U.S.A., to Los Angeles for sessions with producer Shooter Jennings (known for his work with Brandi Carlile, Turnpike Troubadours and Tanya Tucker, among others) at Dave’s Room in North Hollywood.

The band – members Young, Joel King, Taylor Burns, Ben Dumas, Brett Moore – entered the studio with about 30 rough draft song ideas that ultimately became Sirens. But unlike previous sessions where Young, King and company underwent a detailed pre-production and demoing process, they brought a largely blank slate to Dave’s Room.

The goal? To approach the album with a fresh perspective that pushes beyond simply recreating a handful of demos cut in Nashville, some 2,000 miles east of the studio. “We’re like, if Shooter’s producing this, we’re gonna give him something to do,” King said with a laugh. Young added, “You’re excited because you don’t have expectations but you’re nervous because you don’t know what to expect.”

For Jennings – who first met the band about a dozen years ago – being in the studio with The Wild Feathers meant scoring a front-row seat to music-making with “a collective of truly deep, soulful musicians and writers who have come together and stayed together over the years,” he said. He continued, “It was my pleasure to produce their newest music. The songs they put together for this record were so fun to work on and getting to really know their musicianship was a blast. I’m proud to be a part of the story of The Wild Feathers now.” Out of the so-called blank slate, The Wild Feathers built a sprawling album – named in-part after the mythological Greek creature with an alluring voice.

On Sirens, the band channels heartland rock excellence, like on opening number “Stereo” or the organ-laced “Sanctuary.” The group rips into old-school guitar riffs, like rootsy jam tune “Comedown.” And the album showcases heartfelt stories tailor-made for open-road therapy with windows down and speakers blaring, like lighter-ready piano ballad “Pretending,” reflective number “L.A. Makes Me Sad” or richly descriptive crime tale “Sleep For Days.’

After sweating and straining over small details on the self-produced Alvarado, the band returned to focusing on playing some of the head-turning music listeners expect from a Wild Feathers release.

“We just wanted to write a shit load of songs, find a great producer and let go of the reins a little bit,” King said. He continued, “We were like, let’s just do it like a band.” That freewheelin’ do-it-like-a-band spirit? It comes through on Sirens with songs like “Slow Down,” a pensive slow-burn that wouldn’t be out of place in a 1980s John Hughes flick, and “Don’t Know,” a rabble-rousing dose of surfy-punk delivered with layered gang vocals and a rolling bass line.

And when the so-called Sirens sound on this new album, don’t worry about how to define it. Just enjoy the ride.

ASCAP Composer Spotlight @ Sundance Film Festival 2025 Get to know the composers behind this year's Sundance selections.
Read the official press release Learn more
Past Sundance ASCAP Music Café artists Take a stroll down memory lane
Sundance ASCAP Music Café 2025 (2025)

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