Since being founded in 2010, Boiler Room TV has forged a reputation for being a truly go-to media platform for emerging and underground music.
The digital broadcaster says it exists to cover ‘the best music scenes, subcultures and stories from across the world’ – and it’s true to its word, having streamed literally billions of minutes of music to a hungry and clued-up audience.
It channels cover everything from UK grime to Berlin techno, as well as live bands and rap, trap and soulful rhythms.
In the UK, its mission is led by an array of talented types – and we spoke to just a handful to get a handle on how they feel about their place of work…
Julia Kisray, Digital Editor & Music Programmer
What’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to you at Boiler Room?
Since last July, I’ve been following a pipe dream/moment of insanity with a Boiler Room show that is a revival of The Other Side of Midnight – a televised acid house pool party hosted by Tony Wilson in Manchester in 1988. We’re filling up the same pool for the first time in 30 years, as well as billing some of the original Hacienda DJs. I’m now just waiting for someone to realise what’s going on and pull the (literal) plug on it all.
What does Boiler Room mean to you and why are you proud to work there?
It was 18-year-old Ju’s dream to be where I am now. It’s this global community that is chaotic and unpredictable, but we’re all really proud to be a part of. Even two years on, I’m impressed every time we achieve the unlikely-to-impossible (due to time restraints, grumpy agents or whatever else).
Boiler Room is a facilitator. Few jobs allow you to get involved in so many different things, ping-ponging skill sets as you go along. The variety that comes with each project always keeps me on my toes. It’s an aptitude that everyone requires at BR.
What do you hope to achieve at Boiler Room in the future?
I plan to see how many more ridiculous Boiler Room projects I can get away with — a festival, a feature-length documentary, who knows? — until I have a breakdown and migrate somewhere hot/non-Brexit.
Arianna Power, Head of Marketing
What’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to you at Boiler Room ?
Having been able to call “going down a massive waterslide at a Mixpak pool party while filming it on my phone” work, is pretty cool. That was in the water park area at the Ray-Ban x Boiler Room Weekender: our first ever festival. We put it together with a lot of care, and although it was prematurely ended by circumstances outside of our control, it remains a project we’re proud of.
What does Boiler Room mean to you and why are you proud to work there?
Working at Boiler Room means having a say in the direction of the things that are most important for me: music, culture, creative expression, and creating opportunities for others.
I’m proud to work at Boiler Room because it allows me to give hands-on support to some of the causes, musicians, and people that matter to me.
Being involved with the ‘UK: Can Nightlife be Saved?’ panel discussion, which focussed around the closure of Fabric, was a highlight for me as it was meaningful both on a personal level and at a wider scale.
It’s culturally critical to drive a discussion around the future of nightlife and to be able to contribute to that: which the Marketing team did by developing a network of live broadcast partners (NTIA, Time Out London, DJ Mag, Mixmag, Crack Magazine, Warehouse Project, Resident Advisor, Thump, Rinse FM) that amplified the amount of people we reached live by over 500%.
What do you hope to achieve at Boiler Room in the future?
To help keep the conversation going and to push for positive change in music, culture, and society by any possible means.
Sarah Anderson, Financial Controller
What’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to you at Boiler Room ?
There are so many amazing people working at Boiler Room, the most creative brains I’ve ever met. Boiler Room has taught me to think big and that you can make anything happen – like when we live streamed 8 stages at once at Notting Hill Carnival. Working at the King Tubby’s stage at Carnival last Summer was a big highlight for me.
What does Boiler Room mean to you and why are you proud to work there?
Joining Boiler Room feels a bit like joining a boot camp… The pace can be intense and people wear many hats, but it’s so energizing and inspiring to work with such passionate and intelligent people each day.
The pace and variety means that in one year at Boiler Room I’ve learnt more than if I’d spent 5 years anywhere else. Boiler Room is the best boot camp in the world! I love being part of it.
What do you hope to achieve at Boiler Room in the future?
I hope to see Boiler Room continue to grow, keep the quality bar extremely high, and use the platform as a voice for issues that we care about.
For me that means us encouraging diversity and equal opportunities for people in music.
When you work in an environment where people turn these ideals into action every day, you start to have the belief that you can always push things forward.
Amanda Maxwell, Office Manager
What’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to you at Boiler Room ?
In my time at Boiler Room – which has been 3 years (wow) – there’s been a lot of cool things happen. It’s hard to choose just one to be honest.
Top things to have done include; being Artist Liason for A$AP Rocky and the A$AP mob, as well as Carnival King Tubby’s stage and Ballantines Edinburgh for Heidi and Skream. Biggest personal achievement: completing an office for 68 people with a four day turnaround. Told you there was a lot!
What does Boiler Room mean to you and why are you proud to work there?
Boiler Room means a lot – the people make it an incredible place to work, the hard work and dedication is next level! We are a big crazy family and means we know we are all in it together. I am proud for all of those reasons and because we have done some next level, mind-boggling crazy events and we’re forever pushing boundaries.
What do you hope to achieve at Boiler Room in the future?
Even more mind-blowing events, elevating people’s music careers and educating our audiences. Learning and being the most progressive and positive platform we can be!