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Music

New Radio Show Gives Voice to Underrepresented and Marginalized Groups

Berlin Community Radio’s BCR Incubator program offers month-long residencies to up-and-coming artists.
BCR Incubator resident Bonaventure. Photo courtesy of the artist

Last year, THUMP made the argument that dance music has a "straight white guy" problem. Since then, the challenge to balance out and diversify the status quo—typically on club and festival lineups—has been well publicized.

This past April, Berlin Community Radio (BCR) expanded the movement for inclusivity to the airwaves with the launch of BCR Incubator, a program that aims to serve as a platform for emerging Berlin-based artists with a focus on underrepresented and marginalized groups including women of color, queer and transgender people of color, female-identifying artists, and people with immigrant backgrounds.

A contest was held to find such up-and-coming talent, with the selectees (judged by Discwoman's Frankie Hutchinson, NTS Radio host and programmer Tabitha Thorlu-Bangura, and BCR's own rRoxymore) winning a month-long Incubator residency, a live gig at BCR's Club of the Month, and mentorship from a BCR employee, among other perks. The four winners were He Rui, who puts a modern electronic twist on traditional Chinese music; Istanbul-born producer Nene Hatun; Bonaventure; and The Neighbourhood Character.

Bonaventure—who makes music as a means to connect her African and European roots, and "investigate human boundaries," according to her biography—today released a new single, "Complexion," on NON Worldwide, along with a remix from label co-founder Chino Amobi. Listen to it below, and also check out a video from Philip Diep documenting her time with BCR Incubator.