CORE VALUES...
- Integrity: Our company values having strong ethics for every individual representing the organisation as well as EKUALS’s behaviour as a whole.
- Diversity: We champion a community where every member is treated with respect no matter the race, gender, sex, or beliefs.
- Commit to inclusion: We focus on creating new opportunities for underrepresented communities in the creative sector with an aim to remove barriers to participation.
- Support in the community: We support and embrace the development of creatives in the music sector. EKUALS focuses on working with and for the community.
- Value Creativity: We value the creative input of individuals as it helps the community progress towards a more sustainable development.
- Passion for music: We strongly believe that music connects people, so we thrive to work with individuals who are ambitious and passionate about music.
Meet the FOUNDERS
CHINAIRE austin
Chinaire, originally from Oxford started out in music at a young age of 11 where she started playing clarinet through her local school scheme, she then went on to teach herself piano and played in her local church.
In 2016, she helped launch London based online radio station, Urban Xtra. There, she held a position on the shareholders board and executed her role as press manager. Chinaire also held the prime time Saturday night time spot and showcased her show radio show 'Sound from the Underground' which promoted music and emerging artists of the underground scene globally and highlighted her keen eye for discovering talented artists.
Chinaire possesses expertise in artist development and management, where she started her own management label Bellewether Arts in 2017. She has looked after multiple artists and currently looks after indie duo Deuxes. She has also interned as a management assistant for artist management company Safe Music Management where founder Loretta Andrews acted as her mentor.
Fast forwarding to 2020, Chinaire went to study Music Business at The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance. Within her three years of study, academic projects gave her the opportunity to produce a documentary in which she interviewed Dr. Charisse Beaumont, CEO of Black Lives In Music. The documentary highlighted barriers black females face while navigating through the UK music industry, Dr. Charisse nominated Chinaire as a rising star in the music industry when inducted into the Women In Music Roll of Honour 2022.
Chinaire worked as a site manager for Pirate, managing the company's largest site in Tottenham which is made up of 48 studios. The site comprised of podcast, rehearsal, recording, and DJ studios, there she significantly expanded the site's reach through strategic brand partnerships, engaging events, and meticulous studio maintenance.
Chinaire's contributions extend beyond the mentioned above, as she has continued to collaborate with her peer Yara to curate Live events such as 'Live from the Underground' which showcased emerging bands around the London circuit. Moreover, her expertise was recognised on a larger scale when she gained experience working prestigious events such as the AIM Awards 2022 and heading up the press team at The Global Youth Awards hosted by Roundtable Global in 2022 and 2023. With an impressive portfolio, Chinaire continues to use her skills and expertise to help others in the music industry.
YARA BRAVO
Yara, a Spanish native of Portuguese and South American descent, always had a passion for music from very a young age and that matured throughout her years, in 2018 Yara taught herself to DJ within an impressive 6 months. Her speciality and love of techno bleeds through her veins and continues to reflect in her craft. With an unparalleled passion for music, she has woven a vibrant tapestry in London's LGBTQ+ and techno scenes, where her talent reverberates at underground events across the city.
Beyond the turntables, she is a maestro in bringing people together through music. Her magnetic energy and love for the art form transcends boundaries, creating an inclusive space where music becomes a universal language.
Her talents extend far beyond the dance floor. With a background in project management and analytics within the tech industry for a Unicorn company, Yara ‘s experience has been beneficial in business practices as she has navigated roles such as, Lead Project Coordinator and Operations specialist where her role has enabled her to lead groundbreaking research projects in the operations department, delving deep into data analysis, personnel management, and refining operational processes.
In 2020, Yara joined The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance where she studied Music Business BA and met peer Chinaire, it is then they collaborated to curate Live events such as 'Live from the Underground' which showcased emerging bands around the London circuit.
Yara boasts extensive experience in event management, the roll out of diverse underground events, where she played pivotal roles as the main Artist Liaison contact, consultant and head content creator. Her exceptional managerial finesse and strategic planning are the driving forces that ensure the flawless execution of these events, establishing her as a dynamic force in both the music and business realms.
From Idea to Impact: The EKUALS Genesis
In the final year of their studies for Music Business at The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, Yara and Chinaire unearthed a shared purpose: to shatter the barriers constraining underrepresented artists in the dynamic realm of music.
Together, they didn't just conceptualise a platform; they sparked a movement — EKUALS. Fueled by an unyielding passion for music and propelled by their diverse tapestry of experiences within the music industry, they were determined to champion and support talent from the underrepresented communities. Their narrative is one of relentless dedication, boundless innovation, and, most importantly, the potent force of unity in the relentless pursuit of musical equality. EKUALS stands as a testament to their ambition, a testament to their belief in a world where every artist's voice resonates, unencumbered by prejudice or inequality.