Cinema NDN: Defected Records Announces New Label and Partnership with South African Nonprofit Bridges for Music

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Defected Records Announces New Label and Partnership with South African Nonprofit Bridges for Music

Defected will sponsor five students per term at Bridges Academy in Langa, Cape Town.

Esteemed UK dance label Defected Records has announced a three-year partnership with South African nonprofit Bridges for Music, an organization devoted to uniting the industry in their efforts to support disadvantaged communities through music education while raising global awareness. The partnership will see both entities joining forces to sponsor five students every six months at the Bridges Academy in Langa, Cape Town.

The academy, which launched last year with the help of Skrillex, was developed to empower future creative leaders from underserved backgrounds through music and art. The school has been years in the making, as Skrillex and his OWSLA label first began organizing the initiative with Bridges for Music back in 2012. With the backing of Defected Records, the academy is now set to further flourish.

"As Defected today has unprecedented engagement with millions of fans worldwide, the label team feels a greater responsibility to raise awareness and act on issues that need attention," said a Defected Records representative in a statement. "While the music industry and electronic music especially is going global and expanding into developing countries, there is an opportunity to lead meaningful change through the power of music."

On top of their work with the academy, Defected has also teamed up with UK-based, Tanzanian DJ Sef Kombo to launch Sondelo Records. The new afro-house imprint is the brainchild of Defected founder Simon Dunmore's son, Louie Dunmore, and Sef Kombo. The label will be directing all profits and proceeds directly to Bridges for Music.