Loud LDN

Loud LDN is a British music collective of female and non-binary artists based in London, primarily focused on electronic genres including drum and bass, pop, and R&B.^[1]^[2] Founded in May 2022 by musicians Coupdekat and Maisi as a WhatsApp group initially named "Ladies Making Noise in London," the collective began with around ten members and expanded to over 50, fostering a supportive network amid the male-dominated dance music scene.^[1]^[3] It organizes activities such as open mic nights, midweek raves, and showcase events to promote member visibility and collaboration.^[1]^[4] Notable members include Piri, Venbee, Willow Kayne, Lucy Tun, and Charlotte Plank, several of whom have achieved commercial success, such as Venbee's UK Top Five single and Willow Kayne's Ivor Novello Rising Star award.^[1] The group has partnered with platforms like Spotify for playlists highlighting its artists and performed at festivals including Truck Festival.^[2]^[5] Currently run by Maisi and Martha Jean alongside co-founder Coupdekat, Loud LDN emphasizes community-building to counter industry barriers faced by its demographic.^[5]^[3]

History

Formation and Early Development (2022)

Loud LDN originated in May 2022 when musicians Coupdekat and Maisi established a WhatsApp group chat initially titled "Ladies Making Noise in London" to connect female and non-binary artists based in London.^[1] The initiative stemmed from their shared frustrations within the male-dominated electronic music scene, particularly drum 'n' bass, aiming to foster a supportive environment for sharing professional advice, experiences, and collaboration opportunities among members.^[1] Starting with approximately 10 initial participants, including artists like Piri, the group rapidly expanded through personal invitations, reaching over 50 members by late 2022, with membership restricted to women or non-binary individuals actively pursuing music careers in genres such as drum 'n' bass, pop, and R&B.^[1] The collective's early activities emphasized community-building over formal structure, serving as an informal network to address gender-based challenges in the industry, such as limited booking opportunities and networking barriers.^[1] ^[5] In November 2022, Loud LDN organized its inaugural event, a showcase party held on November 24 at a venue in Deptford, including The Bunker, which highlighted member performances and marked the group's transition from online discussions to public visibility.^[1] ^[5] This debut gathering underscored the collective's goal of uplifting underrepresented artists at various career stages, laying the groundwork for subsequent expansions while maintaining a focus on mutual support rather than commercial imperatives.^[5]

Growth and Key Milestones (2023–Present)

In 2023, Loud LDN transitioned from an informal support network to an active organizer of live events, marking its expansion beyond online coordination. The collective hosted its second public event in February, featuring performances by members and drawing significant attendance at a London venue. This was followed by a dedicated live band night on October 14 at The Windmill in Brixton, showcasing women and non-binary artists from the group.^[6] Additionally, in May, Loud LDN partnered with Spotify's Our Generation initiative, amplifying member visibility through curated playlists and promotional efforts aimed at emerging UK talent.^[2] The collective's activities intensified in 2024, with multiple high-profile takeovers and community-focused gatherings. It organized two takeovers at Boxpark venues, providing platforms for DJ sets and networking among women and non-binary musicians.^[7] Complementary events included two open mic nights and a live music performance at The Old Blue Last, fostering direct collaboration and audience engagement.^[8] These initiatives reflected sustained organizational growth, building on the group's foundational WhatsApp origins to establish recurring real-world presences in London's music scene. By late 2024, Loud LDN's event programming had solidified its role in promoting underrepresented artists, with announcements for future appearances such as at Truck Festival in 2026 indicating ongoing momentum.^[5] No specific membership figures post-2022's reported 50+ participants were publicly detailed, but the proliferation of events underscored expanded operational capacity under founders Coupdekat and Maisi.^[1]

Organizational Structure

Founders and Leadership

Loud LDN was co-founded in May 2022 by the musicians Coupdekat and Maisi, who established it as an informal WhatsApp group to foster connections among women and non-binary artists in London's electronic and dance music scenes.^[1]^[2] The initiative arose from the founders' recognition of limited support networks for such artists, particularly in genres like drum 'n' bass, pop, and R&B, prompting them to create a platform for collaboration, skill-sharing, and industry navigation.^[1]^[9] Coupdekat, born Katherine Reilly, is an English singer-songwriter from outside London who began writing music at age 15, influenced by 1980s sounds, and has since released EPs while advocating for greater visibility of underrepresented artists.^[10]^[11] Maisi, whose full name is Maisie Harriet Brand Bourke, is a South London-based artist known for her work in similar genres and has leveraged her platform to expand the collective's reach through events and releases.^[12]^[13] Together, they identified an opportunity after Maisi discovered Coupdekat's music on TikTok, leading to the group's rapid growth to over 50 members by late 2022.^[1] As a decentralized collective rather than a hierarchical organization, leadership remains founder-driven without formal titles or board structures, emphasizing community governance through shared decision-making on events, showcases, and member inclusions.^[6]^[14] Maisi has taken a prominent operational role, handling administrative aspects such as social media coordination and event programming, which has helped sustain the group's activities amid its expansion to over 100 members by mid-2023.^[9] This model prioritizes mutual support over top-down authority, aligning with the founders' goal of addressing perceived gender imbalances in the male-dominated UK music industry.^[3]

Membership Criteria and Composition

Loud LDN operates as an informal collective with membership restricted to female and non-binary artists who reside in London and pursue music production full-time.^[1] The group maintains selectivity through an application process to align new members with its community goals, following an initial organic growth phase where founders invited personal contacts.^[9] Originally launched as a WhatsApp group chat in May 2022, it transitioned to Discord to accommodate expansion, handling hundreds of applications while limiting active membership to approximately 120–150 individuals as of mid-2023.^[9]^[3] The composition emphasizes underrepresented voices in London's electronic music landscape, particularly within genres such as drum 'n' bass, pop, and R&B, fostering a supportive network for collaboration and shared experiences amid industry challenges.^[1] Members span emerging and established talents, including vocalists, producers, and multi-disciplinary artists, with a focus on those navigating male-dominated scenes.^[9] Notable participants include Piri of the duo Piri & Tommy, Venbee, Willow Kayne, A Little Sound, Lucy Tun, and Charlotte Plank, reflecting the collective's role in amplifying drum 'n' bass revivalists and diverse stylistic influences.^[1] This structure prioritizes peer-driven initiatives like advice channels and events over formal hierarchies, prioritizing communal advancement.^[3]

Artistry

Musical Genres and Styles

Loud LDN artists primarily engage in electronic dance music, with a strong focus on the drum 'n' bass revival, alongside pop and R&B influences.^[1] The collective's output reflects a burgeoning scene where these genres intersect, as seen in contributions from members like Piri of the drum 'n' bass duo Piri & Tommy, Venbee, and Lucy Tun, who incorporate high-energy breaks and vocal-driven tracks characteristic of mid-2000s DnB aesthetics updated for contemporary production.^[1] Hybrid styles are prevalent, blending indie rock elements with dance rhythms and drum 'n' bass percussion, particularly evident in New York-influenced crossovers adopted by London-based creators within the group.^[3] Live performances and releases often feature alternative, indie, and pop structures, emphasizing melodic songwriting over rigid genre boundaries, as showcased in collective-hosted band nights.^[6] This diversity stems from the collective's inclusive model, allowing over 100 members to explore genre fusions without prescriptive limits, though electronic and dance-oriented sounds dominate due to foundational influences from founders Coupdekat and Maisi.^[9]^[2] The result is a stylistic ecosystem prioritizing energetic, community-driven experimentation over monolithic genre adherence.

Individual and Collective Outputs

Members of Loud LDN primarily release music as solo artists or in small collaborations, spanning drum and bass, pop, R&B, and electronic styles, with the collective serving as a promotional and networking hub rather than a traditional group production entity. Co-founder Coupdekat (Katherine Reilly) issued her EP FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY on June 22, 2023, comprising upbeat dance tracks reflecting post-lockdown experiences.^[9] She followed with the single "M.I.A." on August 16, 2024.^[15] Co-founder Maisi collaborated with fellow member Piri on a track released August 25, 2023, highlighting interpersonal support within the group.^[16] Other notable individual outputs include contributions from members advancing the drum and bass revival, such as Piri's work in the duo Piri & Tommy and Venbee's productions, which emphasize high-energy electronic elements.^[1] Lucy Tun, aligned with the collective's ecosystem, has produced visionary tracks in similar veins.^[17] Collectively, Loud LDN curates a Spotify playlist aggregating recent member releases to showcase emerging London sounds, updated periodically as of February 2024.^[18] The group partnered with Spotify's Our Generation playlist in May 2023 to amplify member visibility.^[2] No full-length joint albums exist, but a dedicated record label imprint, Loud Music, was announced as forthcoming to facilitate shared releases.^[19]

Activities and Impact

Events, Collaborations, and Initiatives

Loud LDN has hosted multiple events to showcase its members and build community among women and non-binary artists in London's music scene. The collective organized its inaugural party in November 2022 at The Bunker venue in Deptford Broadway, serving as an early showcase for participants.^[5] ^[1] This event, held on November 24, 2022, emphasized support for female and non-binary performers amid the drum 'n' bass revival.^[1] Subsequent events included a sold-out party in February 2023 at Dalston Den, demonstrating growing interest in the collective's gatherings.^[5] In March 2023, Loud LDN partnered with broadcaster Abbie McCarthy's Good Karma Club for a collaborative gig, directing all proceeds to the Girls Against organization, which aids women facing abuse.^[5] The collective has pursued collaborations with streaming platforms, including a party linked to Spotify's 'Our Generation' playlist and participation in a three-day pop-up event hosted by Spotify in May 2023 aimed at emerging creators.^[5] ^[2] As an ongoing initiative, Loud LDN runs regular open mic nights and networking sessions to connect members, facilitate performances, and address challenges like gender-based discrimination in the industry.^[5] These activities aim to create safer spaces and opportunities for underrepresented artists in genres such as drum 'n' bass, pop, and R&B.^[1]

Discography and Notable Releases

Loud LDN has not issued any formal albums or singles under a collective banner, focusing instead on promotional platforms for its members' individual work. The collective curates a Spotify playlist aggregating tracks from its artists, regularly updated to highlight recent outputs such as those shared in February 2024. This playlist serves as a primary digital showcase, emphasizing drum 'n' bass, pop, and R&B genres prevalent among members.^[1] In May 2023, Loud LDN partnered with Spotify's Our Generation initiative to amplify visibility for female and non-binary artists, resulting in dedicated playlist features rather than original releases.^[2] The group announced intentions to launch its own record label imprint, Loud Music, but as of late 2025, no publications have materialized from this venture.^[19] Notable member contributions promoted through the collective include tracks like Venbee's drum 'n' bass-infused singles and Piri & Tommy's collaborative works, which gained traction in UK charts and festivals during 2022–2023.^[1] These outputs underscore Loud LDN's role in elevating underrepresented voices without centralized production.

Reception

Achievements and Positive Assessments

Loud LDN has expanded rapidly since its formation in May 2022, growing from an initial WhatsApp group to over 80 members by 2023, providing a platform for women and non-binary artists in London's electronic music scene.^[20] The collective hosted its first live band night at The Windmill in Brixton on October 14, 2023, featuring performances by members and marking a successful transition from informal gatherings to structured events that showcase emerging talent.^[6] Members of the collective have achieved notable commercial success, contributing to the drum 'n' bass revival. For instance, Venbee reached the UK Top Five with her single "Messy In Heaven" in 2022, while Willow Kayne received the Ivor Novello Rising Star award.^[1] These accomplishments are attributed in part to the supportive network fostered by Loud LDN, which offers advice, collaboration opportunities, and performance slots to underrepresented artists.^[1] The group has been praised for creating a safer and more inclusive environment in a traditionally male-dominated genre. An NME feature described Loud LDN as a "vibrant force taking over the scene," highlighting its role in challenging genre purism and building community spirit among artists like Piri, Coupdekat, Maisi, Charlotte Plank, and Lucy Tun.^[1] Collaborations, such as with Spotify in 2023 to promote female and non-binary talent, have further amplified their visibility and impact on emerging creatives.^[2] The collective's events, including open mics and showcases, have been recognized for empowering participants and facilitating breakthroughs in electronic music.^[21]

Criticisms and Debates

Loud LDN's creation addressed longstanding criticisms of the male-dominated electronic music scene in London, where female and non-binary artists reported frequent experiences of exploitation, patronizing treatment, and safety risks from male industry figures, particularly when relocating to pursue careers.^[1] These accounts, shared among early members like Maisi, underscored the need for protective networks amid a genre historically sidelined for women's involvement.^[1] Debates surrounding the collective center on its strategy of exclusivity for women and non-binary individuals, which counters perceived scarcity of opportunities but occurs within wider discussions on whether identity-based groups exacerbate divisions or effectively dismantle barriers.^[2] Coverage in outlets like NME, which emphasize empowerment narratives, has highlighted these industry flaws without noting substantial pushback against Loud LDN itself, potentially reflecting selective reporting in media sympathetic to progressive initiatives.^[1] As of October 2025, no major controversies or direct critiques of the group's operations, such as its WhatsApp origins or event formats, have surfaced in reputable sources.