‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Songwriter, ‘Wicked’ Composer to Appear at ASCAP Experience 2026

Wicked composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and KPop Demon Hunters songwriter Mark Sonnenblick are among those slated to appear at February’s ASCAP Experience conference, ASCAP announced Tuesday (Dec. 9).

Schwartz and Sonnenblick will appear on stage for a keynote conversation titled “We Create Music” at the conference, which is set for Feb. 12 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Others slated to participate are songwriter/producer Darrell Brown (Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes) and producer/songwriter Neff-U (Justin Bieber, Sia, Eminem), who will return to the conference with their “Get Heard: Live Song Feedback Session,” which sees creators receiving live, constructive feedback from music industry professionals. ASCAP will start accepting song submissions from conference registrants interested in participating in the “Get Heard” section on Thursday (Dec. 11).

Other talent announced in this current round include songwriter and singer Justin Tranter (Justin Bieber, Chappell Roan); Swedish music producer, songwriter and 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame nominee Andreas Carlsson (Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC); Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and producer James Fauntleroy (Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars); and Grammy-winning songwriter-producer duo Nova Wav (Beyoncé, Rihanna).

Additional talent will be announced in the coming weeks.

In previous years, the nearly-20-year-old ASCAP Experience has hosted such bold-faced names as Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Katy Perry, Tom Petty, Timbaland and Hans Zimmer.

The single-day ASCAP Experience conference will feature networking opportunities, performances, and panel discussions around how creators can utilize new technologies and more. Early bird pricing is currently available for ASCAP members at $95 and non-members at $160.

For more information, visit www.ascapexperience.com.