In collaboration with
- Words Amy Miller
- Photography Amy Miller
The events, curated by Reggaeton artist Ms Nina, celebrated local music and the sounds of Madrid’s thriving music scene.
A collaboration between two icons – Ballantine’s Scotch whisky and music events platform Boiler Room – True Music Studios is a new global event series created to harbour a safer, fairer future for music culture.
Part of both brands’ longstanding commitment to celebrate global diversity in music, True Music Studios will bring together a variety of artists, promotors, panellists, and underrepresented groups in a mission to champion sounds, scenes and diverse communities from across the globe, offering inclusive experiences at real life venues that can also be streamed from home.
The pan-continental residencies will open their doors for up to ten days, hosting an impressive series of 30+ inclusive music events, all in compliance with local COVID measures, bringing music lovers back together after the industry’s 20 month hiatus of live events.
Notion headed to Madrid to experience the second set of Boiler Room x Ballantine’s True Music Studios event series. Get a taste of the action below…
Snap Bitch! Collective Masterclass
A vogueing masterclass with LQBTQIA+ Collective, Snap Bitch!, which saw a fast-paced lesson on the five elements of Vogue.
Community Party with Dembooty and Brrrrrap
An evening of Bass, UK Garage and Reggaeton, hosted by two local promoters.
- Pictued: Drea
- Pictured: Israel B
(CLOSING NIGHT) – Broadcast Party 2
The final night saw an incredible line up, with live sets from Madrid based artists, Polemik and Israel B, as well as a performance from Angola-Chilean breakout star, Polimá Westcoast, which had the crowd dancing and singing along to multi-million streaming singles including ‘MONEYMAN’ and ‘Cu4tro’ in the packed out venue. There were DJ sets from DREA, Lowlight and event curator, Ms Nina, who headlined the evening with Ms Nina Presents “Cocinando Con La Nina”.
Club Magno, located in the heart of Madrid, was transformed into the Boiler Room x Ballantine’s True Music Studios home for the 10 day period.
The queue to the venue snaked around the block and saw many familiar faces return across multiple dates, making it the place to be in the Spanish capital.
There was an incredible atmosphere across each event, where attendees danced until the last hours.
A safe and inclusive space for attendees to express themselves in whichever way they chose, highlighted with their outfits, some partygoers chose extravagant looks whilst others opted for comfortable, all-night-long party clothing.
As the clock struck midnight on the closing evening, attendees expressed their sadness at the week and a half of events drawing to a close in the pulsing city. One partygoer stated that the events “Captured the Madrid music scene perfectly”.
We caught up with Ms Nina ahead of the closing night party:
- Pictured: Ms Nina
What does the Neoperreo movement mean to you?
Ms Nina: For me, Neoperreo means freedom, music and people expressing themselves through music and clothing. It’s a place where you can be safe and be whoever you are. If you feel different and people close the door to you at other parties and places, you can come to our events. I love Tomasa del Real because she started the movement on the internet and now in real life, it was good to see people there wearing whatever clothes and being whoever they wanted to be. It’s how life should be, you know? Don’t place names on people, let people be happy, enjoy life and enjoy music. We live in 2022 and there are still people with closed minds, sadly.
Can you tell us more about this extravaganza that you’ve been creating?
Madrid with the Covid thing was quiet because people couldn’t go out. Madrid is my favourite city in the world because here you have a lot of parties, open minded people, good people and a good scene in the music industry, so these two past years had people sad and depressed. This city really needs these events. I’ve met so many people this week and they are so happy, they have no problems, a safe party with lots of new girls, DJs, singing. The only thing that people are sad about is that the parties are going to finish. It was a good start to the year.
How has the experience been working with Boiler Room and True Music Studios to create these events?
It’s been a great experience, it was all organic, speaking with all of the people involved. I’ve worked with Ballantine’s before doing events with music. I love music and I love when people dance and have a good time. The people, young or old, enjoy the music and we give them five hours to dance, have a drink, have fun and be yourself. You can come to True Music Studios and be whoever you want.
- Pictured: Polima Westcoast
Inclusion is really central in your work. How do you think that’s best accomplished in the music world?
The best advice, or the best thing for me is to be yourself. I grew up loving everybody and welcoming everyone in my life. If you’re a good person with good intentions, I’m going to love you. I bring that into music with my lyrics, with my look, by being a woman, being sexy. Now, I’m thin, but three years ago, I wasn’t so skinny and still wore short skirts and whatever I f**king wanted, because it’s my body and this is who I am, I don’t care if you don’t like me, look at me, this is me. I think Ms Nina is through her lyrics, her image and through her personality.
Your work as a DJ is so reliant on people being together and sharing an experience. How does it feel to be finally getting back to that now?
I’m so happy! You can put your music on the internet, but you have to feel the music and the people and their energy. I love being around people. I love uploading music to the internet as well, but I prefer to perform in person. It gives me more energy and I enjoy my own music more.
What does the perfect collaboration look like to you?
My dream is not to do with Reggaeton, my dream collaboration is to work with Tyler, The Creator.
How is the Madrid scene helping to shape you as an artist?
There’s a great scene in Madrid with lots of new artists. I was so happy seeing so many more women partying this week. When you go to music festivals, usually only one person on the line up is a woman. This week there were lots more.
What’s next for you in 2022?
I will be releasing lots of music. I’d like to release a hit, travel a lot and make a lot of money. Enjoying it and being happy is the most important thing.
I’d like to give thanks to Boiler Room and Ballantine’s for this opportunity, it’s been amazing to be so involved with everything.
