Launching live streaming has been on our radar for a long time here at Mixcloud. Putting it out into the world in the middle of a global pandemic with the uncertain future of music consumption as we knew it then, we were excited. If not a little nervous about how it would go down. 

Since then we’ve seen thousands of creators going live. As we launch our latest live feature – the ability to save your stream directly to your Mixcloud channel – we look back on some of the most inspiring ways creators are using live to get closer to their fans. During a time when digital connection has never been more important.

Whether you’re a regular streamer with a weekly residency on Mixcloud or you’re looking to go live for the first time, here’s a few ideas for you to get started. Go Pro and start streaming today. 

Fundraise for a cause you care about

Creators are using Mixcloud Live in powerful ways. Fundraisers are a huge part of that, against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement and the devastating effects of COVID-19. 

Basement Approved put on an eight-hour virtual party to end all parties. It was in aid of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, QTIBIPOC Emergency Relief & Hardship Fund and YF Studio. The ‘friends and family’ vibe brought together artists and DJs from across the spectrum of UK’s underground scene. CKTRL, Izzy Bossy, Sippin T and more.

Radio host and tastemaker Benji B joined forces with MC Judah to host a special Deviation session. It contained an auction for items donated by artists, producers, designers and record labels. Wrapping up the night they raised a mammoth £15,000 for two vital organisations. The first is The Black Curriculum, an enterprise founded to address the lack of Black British History in the UK curriculum. Next is INQUEST UK, which supports the families of people bereaved by a death in state care.

Elsewhere, Live for Love used Mixcloud Live to raise money for Food Banks. Their curated takeovers featured DJ sets, wellness classes, radio shows and much more. Going live each week throughout lockdown, they proved consistency is key, winding up raising an impressive £50,000 for charity.

Host a special, one-off event

With the future of IRL parties still in limbo, promoters are going beyond the limitations of physical events with Mixcloud Live. In exciting new ways, they’re bringing together a cross-continental communities for the first time ever.

Now in its seventh year, Charivari Detroit – a homegrown community festival celebrating the sound of the Motor City – took to Mixcloud Live for an extended programme. It kicked off with Detroit Electronic Music Conference’s week of online educational workshops and events presented by Spin, Inc., Detroit’s premiere DJ/music production school. This was followed by two weeks of round-the-clock sets from legends of the scene Juan Atkins, DJ Cash Money, Moodymann, Terrence Parker and many more.

The UK’s only LGBTQUIA+ pop-up radio station, Alphabet Radio, threw it’s Day of Pride broadcast marathon. This coincided with celebrations across the globe, from Toronto to Margate. They looked back at their history, how COVID has affected 2020 and plans for the future. As well as celebrating their worldwide community.

Elsewhere in Dubai, Ultraviolet DXB launched as a strictly online festival. They curated two days of B2B performances from global emerging talent. All while pushing their mission for diversity and equality across their platform and within their community.

Go behind the scenes on your latest project 

Planning a workshop, live production session or want to set up an exclusive Q&A with the artists on your latest collaboration? Look no further.

If you want to give a behind-the-scenes look at your latest music project, take Reform Radio’s Remote Rhythm Lab as inspiration. The Manchester-based radio station brought together eight artists across Manchester, Nairobi, Milan, Chicago, and New York to discuss their lockdown-inspired project. The project challenged musicians, producers and creators to explore virtual collaboration and music making.

Cross-continental collaboration has never been more boundary-pushing than it is now. KG’s new project with Trinidadian artist Blasé Vanguard is the perfect example of how creators can use Mixcloud Live to level up their new project or production process. They took to Mixcloud’s Instagram live to give an insight into how producers collaborate with vocalists. After the chat, Blasé laid down vocals for KG to rework on her Mixcloud profile. They then hosted a Mixcloud Live production session flipping the vocal into a whole new track.

Looking to run your own online workshop but don’t know where to start? We’ve had our eyes on Little Pink Book x London Sound Academy’s new Level Up! collaborative project. This consisted of female-led DJ and production workshops and industry insights hoping to inspire young women to rise up in the industry, powered by Pioneer DJ.  The six-part series kicked off with an introduction to DJing led by Rhythm Sister’s Hemlin. This included a prize giveaway to win a DDJ 200 Controller. Not bad, eh?

Bring a live performance to your fans’ living room

For artists, lockdown has pushed creativity in so many new directions. From mixing mediums to experimenting with vocals or new instrumentation for the first time. Streaming is bringing entirely new dimensions to live performance.

With gigs and shows off the table right now, we’ve seen some amazing artist-led live music showcases. Thus includes The Spectacular Empire’s Nine Nights, founded by GAIKA and Akwasi Mensa. The nine-part programme broadcasts straight from the heart of Berlin and was set up to celebrate Black culture. It also raised money for Black causes including Justice 4 Grenfell and New York’s Emergency Release Fund. The event sawincredible live performances from Afrobeats artists Mista Silva, Soul singer Azekel and GAIKA himself.

But it’s not just about the music. Earlier this year Threads Radio marked Windrush Day with a takeover from London’s since deserted club The Cause. It had a packed programme featuring an inter-generational collaboration of some of the city’s most talented and influential DJs and MCs. Voices from local Black and Caribbean performers and poetry from elders of the Windrush generation as well as Year 6 children of Afro-Caribbean background from the London Borough of Hackney plus its surroundings.

Kick-start a regular live-streamed residency 

Or, why not launch a new residency on Mixcloud? Whether you’re branching out into radio or planning a new live stream series.

Little Simz is the perfect example of a cutting edge artist using her influence in London’s underground scene to offer a rare glimpse into her dizzyingly eclectic musical obsessions with her new 4-part 101FM radio show. It features her on rotation tracks plus special guest mixes and interviews with Lashawna Rose, OTG and more.

Or, take a cue from Kuala Lumpur’s SaturdaySelects. They’ve kickstarted their new On Air weekly broadcast featuring homegrown DJs and selectors from around the world. All with on-demand playlist of their live streams available exclusively to their Channel Subscribers.

Want to get started with Mixcloud Live? Go Pro with our 30-day free trial and and start streaming today.