Absolut X Boiler Room takes a step in the direction of inclusivity in music

Boiler Room X is a collaborative platform by the two brands to help women, queer individuals, people of colour, and local talent showcase their abilities, as groups conventionally lesser represented

As the modern world moves closer to ideas of diversity and inclusivity, opening more doors for individuals who have been less visible through history is the only way forward. In this spirit of creating more avenues for a diverse group of artists, The Pernod Ricard Group’s Absolut has collaborated with Boiler Room, the London-based digital music broadcaster and club promoter to develop Boiler Room X, a platform for women, queer individuals, people of colour, and local talent, creating for them the opportunity to showcase their abilities.

Women, queer and people of colour are primarily underrepresented in the club and festival scene, and Absolut aims to change that and build a platform where more artists can show their true talents, which is something that Boiler Room has always done as well, thereby aligning the brands’ common goals.

Absolut’s concept entails working with DJs and VJs, with the brand viewing the combination of both artistic expressions as an important part of the culture

The initiative’s India line-up at present comprises 10 artistes—Alina, Bhish, Cashu, Chhabb, DJ Red, Himay, NEUX, Octave One, Pulpy Shilpy and Rrose—all of whom embody the idea of being “born colourless”, signifying the fact that art knows no bounds, and transcends differences.

An uphill climb

Alina, a 24-year-old DJ from Bengaluru, started her journey in music at the young age of 15. It was her mentor who introduced her to the best house music she’d ever heard, and it changed her life completely. While she has never faced any discrimination for being a woman of colour on account of having played only in India, Alina believes the space takes cis-het men more seriously than they do anyone else. “It has not been easy for me, I started really young (and as a girl) I don't believe I'm always taken seriously. As a queer person who does not conform, or look a certain conventional way, it is difficult. But fortunately, I have always had a solid support system throughout,” she says, adding that house music is an institution that has been and continues to be a safe space for many, especially “for people who feel like outsiders and like they don't belong anywhere else in society.” “Underground was built on this, and I will continue to defend, protect, and work towards that till the very end,” Alina says.

For 38-year-old Goa-based Pulpy Shilpy, the journey hasn’t been a cakewalk either. While she says she can’t be too objective about her hardships anymore, on account of being in the thick of things, she does think the past five years have been crucial in her career. “In the last five years, there's much that's changed in how we consume, and the overall fabric of an artist's agenda has also changed. I come from a space where documenting reality or truth through craft was paramount. I don't know anymore,” Shilpy says.

Rays of hope

However, platforms like Boiler Room X bring her hope. She believes it’s exactly the kind of platform young folx need to propel their careers in a creative space and break glass ceilings that act as institutional hindrances. “I just hope these opportunities develop consciously, and without too much gentrification, or harm to natural ecosystems,” she says. “Also, I hope it doesn't happen via bypassing marginalized or overlooked creatives, communities, pathmakers, and individuals. I believe money, fame, and exposure are great incentives, but what's greater is when it's sustainable, slow, steady, and clean.”

The idea of acceptance of diverse forms of arts and artistes is systemic as well. When 39-year-old Rahul Chhabria, aka Chhab, from Mumbai, entered music by taking the route of rave culture, he did so as an escape from a difficult childhood spent battling Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). “I was a singer in school, but I didn't pursue music after I quit in the ninth standard. I was always going to school competitions and classes and then it all stopped. My life at home and school wasn't easy, as I was a kid with ADHD in those days. We were either demonised or neglected,” he recalls.

However, even after seeking a sojourn in music, it continued to remain a largely transactional relationship between him and his audience. Therefore, a platform like Boiler Room X helps significantly. “Being associated with brands of this scale makes people think we are doing better or have arrived,” Chhabria says. “But, in reality, in India, we don't have the privilege to be complacent unless you're already on top of the chain. I'm already back to finding work and pleading to get my payments in time to pay my bills at the end of the month.”

It’s these challenges that Absolut and Boiler Room wish to address and scale systemically, in order to create a more diverse and inclusive ecosystem for artistes to thrive, instead of survive.

Also Read: Tajdar Junaid on why making music—for concerts or Oscar-bound films—is about marrying minds

Also Read: Does Tamil rap music’s secret to success lie in the diaspora?

Also Read: AI covers, mashups, Indie albums will dominate the music landscape in 2024 and beyond