Loud and Proud
In 79 countries, Pride is illegal or too dangerous to celebrate. But freedom always finds a way to shine. At the next Pride Amsterdam Canal Parade, a group of DJs from these hostile places will make a stand to show that no country, no government, no law can stop the community.
Nothing can mute Pride.
The DJ Set
On August the 6th, we hosted, together with DJ Mag, a unique music session on our boat. With 3 DJs representing the LGBTQIA+ community from countries where Pride is illegal or unsafe to celebrate. We also streamed and recorded each set. Watch them back separately or check the whole session.
The DJs
Polen
AVTOMAT
A man with way too many interests – an openly queer composer, producer, DJ and vocalist, graphic designer, typographer and 3D illustrator. His own music has morphed several times throughout the last 10 years – from purely synthetic timbres and polyphonic singing with Pleśni to a perplexing fusion of rhythmically and sonically jagged compositions, bass-heavy club tracks on his latest EPs. In his series of DJ-sets and club nights he blends unusual rhythmic patterns kicked up a notch with his improvised vocals.
Kenya
JANICE ICHE
ICHE is a queer Kenyan-Tanzanian artist, DJ, music producer and vocalist from Mombasa. Music was an early companion to Iche and they started singing and writing music and performing by the age of 7. Iche has since enjoyed engaging with different mediums to express and connect through music, getting to explore themself and the people around them, learning and understanding more the true essence of life and using these lessons to expand and give back to the community.
Jordan
Shamsa
The first female electronic DJ/Producer and underground scene activator back in her hometown Amman; Jordan. Shamsa is a name that many in the MENA music community are familiarised with today. Her political and international work experiences intertwined with her journey as an artist and event curator between Jordan, Egypt, Dubai, and Berlin for the past decade, cement her unique, broad perspective. Outside her international musical presence, her work today lies in community building in Berlin and through her ever growing international network, laying a foundation for a proper and positive impact to the electronic music culture growth in Berlin and back in the Arab region, MENA, and finally the rest of the world.
A collaboration between
Our commitment to the LGBTQIA+ Community
Throughout the year, KPN is committed to bringing diversity and inclusivity to the workplace. From internal activities through our own KPN Pride network to creating more inclusive policies. We are also regularly involved in Pride festivals and panels with other companies. We also support LGBTQIA+ organizations that are committed to an inclusive society, such as Workplace Pride and the 'LGBT workplace inclusion' chair at Leiden University. Because only when you can completely be yourself you are at your best, at home and at work.