Boiler Room issues statement on new owners after several artists pull out of events

Boiler Room has issued a statement regarding several concerns over its controversial new owners, Superstruct Entertainment.

The online music broadcaster and club promoter was recently acquired by the second largest festival group in the world, Superstruct Entertainment, from ticket site DICE.

Superstruct Entertainment’s parent company, KKR, was accused of having ties to weapons manufacturers and businesses involved in the development of Israeli settlements on the West Bank.

As a result of the acquisition, various artists, including Ikonika, Beatrice M., Mia Koden, BasicDisarm, jtamul, and 8ULENTINA, have cancelled their Boiler Room performances in protest.

Addressing the backlash on social media, Boiler Room stated that while KKR "has investments that categorically do not align with our values," the platform had no say in the acquisition.

"No Boiler Room staff at any level held any ownership or voting rights in the company and had no control over the sale," the statement read. "We are also unable to divest because we have no say in our ownership.⁠"

The platform continued: “Boiler Room has been through various changes in control, investors, boards, and ownership, and through this our commitment to editorial independence and Palestine has never wavered. No investor, past or present, has ever influenced our output, this will never change. ⁠
⁠
“We will always remain unapologetically pro-Palestine. We continue to adhere to BDS and PACBI guidelines regarding artist programming and brand partnerships and engage with Palestinian artists and organisers in order to formalise our internal policies in line with this commitment. We uphold international law and human rights for all, regardless of identity.”

Boiler Room concluded by stating that their editorial mission "is to champion grassroots scenes in every corner of the globe. Led by the communities we serve, we empower the artists, DJs, creative minds, risk takers, and community leaders to highlight causes and tell stories from the inside out. ⁠
⁠
"We are committed to continuing this work and guarantee that it will always be in the DNA of Boiler Room.⁠"

Check out the full statement below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Boiler Room (@boilerroomtv)