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True Music Fund: 2025 recipients

Mahalla x Cultur'all Massalia - Aura Anahita, FRANCE

The Ballantine’s True Music Fund 2025 (powered by shesaid.so) recipients have been selected! keep reading to discover which projects we’re helping press play.

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Bamba

Bamba is an electronic music event in Medellín, Colombia, offering a safe, inclusive, and sustainable space for the community.

By actively booking diverse lineups and prioritizing gender parity, Bamba ensures that different identities have a visible and active role in the scene.

 

How they will press play:

This year, Bamba seeks to transform itself into a travelling club with a primarily female-led production.

PB&JAM

 

PB&Jam is a series of weekly jam sessions designed to unite talented musicians from Bucharest and beyond.

The idea is to establish a setlist and participants for each song in advance, but allow musicians to perform without rehearsing, giving them complete freedom to improvise solos and add their own creative tweaks.

 

How they will press play:

They will launch ‘PB&JAM’ a weekly series of ‘planned but not rehearsed’ live music jam sessions in Bucharest with a ‘no genre’ ‘no limit’ ethos.

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MAHALLA

 

Mahalla is a collective and curatorial platform for emerging music from the SWANA region founded in 2021.

Through spaces of intercultural connection and togetherness, Mahalla strives to amplify marginalised voices and foster a vibrant community of artists and audiences.

How they will press play:

The fund will help launch Mahalla x La Citadelle, a new programme including concerts, panel discussions and workshops to highlight emerging music from South West Asia and North Africa and the input of diasporic communities to the cultural scene in France.

Vibe check

 

Founded by A&R Karrie Sagoe, Vibe Check is a cultural platform dedicated to amplifying African music and fostering collaboration among African artists.

How they will press play:

The True Music Fund will help launch their It’s 5pm Already event, which is designed to introduce audiences to both established and emerging African artists, creating a space where music lovers can experience the full spectrum of African sounds, Amapiano, Highlife, Afrohouse, and more.

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FRAGMENT A

 

Fragment A is an Abya Yalan platform and record label founded in Colombia and Argentina, currently based in Barcelona, dedicated to bringing visibility to rhythmic experiments within electronic music and the transdisciplinary arts of Abya Yala.

 

How they will press play:

Launching a new mentorship programme providing economic, technical and professional resources for artists to produce a full album. They will also organise different showcases to present these releases live.

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KAIQUE THEODORO

 

Kaique Theodoro is the first trans man to make waves in Rio de Janeiro’s nightclub scene.

Kaique is a trailblazing Brazilian artist who fuses funk, acoustic rap, and trap to share his personal stories and trans experience through music. His career spans multiple states across Brazil, where he has performed at renowned festivals and shows, including the São Paulo LGBTQ+ Pride Parade in 2023 and 2024, as well as the Trans March in São Paulo with the collective SexxBoxx.

 

How they will press play:

The True Music Fund will support the creation of Kaique’s debut album “Me Chame Pelo Meu Nome” (Call Me By My Name).

BOXOUT.FM

Boxout.FM is a radio station and community platform serving India’s non-mainstream music audience.

 

How they will press play:

 The True Music Fund will help support the revival of Boxout.Fm’s physical radio space and the launch of a daily morning show on YouTube, creating a long-term, sustainable hub for independent music, culture, and community-driven storytelling in India.

By reestablishing a dedicated HQ and studio space, they will bring live radio broadcasts, artist sessions, and community engagement back to life, making it an essential meeting ground for India’s underground music scene.

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SOUNdSISTERS MOROCCO

 

Soundsisters Morocco is a pioneering collective dedicated to empowering women in the Moroccan electronic music scene.

 

Founded in 2022, Soundsisters Morocco’s mission is to create a safe, inclusive, and inspiring space where women can learn, practice, and thrive as DJs, producers, and music professionals.

 

How they will press play:

The True Music Fund will support a new Soundsisters Morocco project that will create new opportunities for accessing music in Morocco. The studio will become a hub for connecting aspiring musicians, industry professionals, and artists. They will host events, jam sessions, record sessions, lives and collaborations, creating opportunities for new connections and cross-cultural exchanges within the music scene.

Want to discover more about the True Music Fund? Head on over to read more and discover past recipients.

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