Building Bridges. Not Just Stages.
On 16 September, Reeperbahn Festival opens its doors to an evening focused on one powerful concept: nobody moves the needle alone. The night’s schedule consists of a reception, a keynote, and a showcase, curated by the belief that alliances outlast applause. If you’re interested in joining, here’s what awaits you.
Somewhere between the third handshake and the first song, something clicks. Two people who did not know each other an hour ago, standing closer now, talking about a mentoring programme, a booking, a way in which they can support one another. That is what the FLINTA* & Friends Reception is all about, and this is why music is her passion society e.V. is proud to participate this year.
Strength in Numbers, Not in Silos
For the first time, the FLINTA* & Friends Reception and the FLINTA* Music Force Showcase are merged into a singular evening programme at the Schmidtchen on Spielbudenplatz. Keychange, MEWEM, Bundesstiftung LiveKultur, fæmm, Music Change Germany, FLINTA* Netzwerk by GEMA, recordJet and music is her passion society e.V. open the doors together at 20:00, an hour before the first note plays.
None of these organisations do the same work: Some specialize in mentoring young talent, some fight for more diverse festival line-ups, some build networks, some keep the archive of feminist and queer music culture alive. Joining forces, their competences stop merely overlapping and start stacking up to a superpower. A multifaceted collaboration goes further than any single initiative could, because each one adds a piece to the puzzle the others cannot - creating a colorful bigger picture instead of redundancy.
A Word That Only Travels So Far
The evening opens with an impulse from Nebou, of the Hamburg collective bangerfabrique. She commands the room during a short keynote on equality and structural change in the music industry. Nebou unpacks the meaning of FLINTA*, a term that carries real weight in German-speaking scenes and barely translates anywhere else. What it should stand for, who takes note of it, and whom it represents - those will be at the center of the message Nebou leaves with the audience.
Four Voices, One Stage
At 21:00, the FLINTA* Music Force Showcase takes over the Schmidtchen stage for its third edition, run by recordJet with Music Change Germany. First in the line-up, artist Mine brings pop, indie and hip hop in a mix that bounces with energy and refuses to accept inaction. Charlotte Colace, a Berlin soul with French Cuban roots, arrives with a full live band, trumpet and all. Following her, lùisa's indie pop sounds like it was written for a film that has not been made yet, mentally transporting listeners into a cinematographic masterpiece. Miss Marla, this year's wildcard winner chosen among 244 applications, closes the night with trap and club sounds sharpened into something entirely her own.
An Open Invitation
Reeperbahn Festival did not simply join this movement; it helped its vision come to life, co-founding Keychange back in 2017 and building the pledge that hundreds of music organisations worldwide have since signed. Every year, its programme proves that a balanced gender ratio in bookings and a crowd-pleasing line-up not only don’t contradict one another - they make festivals more memorable and unique for both artist and attendee.
The FLINTA* & Friends Reception is free to attend and open to everyone, no festival ticket required, though registration is essential. Come for the conversation, stay for the music, and bring someone you have not introduced to this room yet.
