The Non-Profit Innovation Lab for the Music Industry

 

Thunderboom is a leading institute for democratizing new music technology such as AI, holograms and avatars. Our mission is to level the playing field and empower music artists, professionals and organizations by providing access to fair, safe and user-friendly music technology.

 

We do this through public projects where we build, test and share new tools, best practices and knowledge in close collaboration with music artists, venues, labels, tech companies and other stakeholders. Our projects take many forms, from organizing artist residencies and producing live showcases, to developing open-source tools and hosting creative workshops.

 

 

The Collective

 

Thunderboom was founded in 2020 as a non-profit by its current directors Joost de Boo and Max Tiel. From the start, it has operated as a collective, bringing together diverse disciplines to collaborate on a wide range of music tech projects.

 

The collective consists of Joost de Boo; Managing Director, Max Tiel; Managing Director, Femke Blok; Program Manager and Sofia Vieira; Communication Manager, as well as creative technologists such as Arran Lyon, Bas Maat, Pien den Hollander, Ivo Koolen, Timothy Adèr and musicians such as Chagall, Jaimie van Hek and Mark IJzerman.

 

 

 

 

The Core Values

 

Technology is not neutral; it is always built and shared based on cultural values and personal preferences. In our work, we place three public values at the heart of everything we do: transparency, complementarity and inclusivity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Why Bother?

 

New technology is reshaping the way we create, share, and experience music. Major artists such as Jacob Collier and Grimes are exploring the possibilities of AI. The Gorillaz and ABBA are taking the stage as holograms, Billie Eilish and Travis Scott are turning themselves into game characters, while Beyoncé and U2 are touring with massive LED screens. 

 

But what if you don’t have a multi-million budget?

 

In that case, you’re left with AI models and 3D software that are highly complex and often require coding skills. On the other hand, there are easy-to-use AI and 3D apps on the market, but they often come with restricted possibilities and problematic terms of use. Users frequently find their creative work sublicensed — or even stolen — by tech companies, putting both their creative expression and economic position at risk.

 

That’s why we believe it’s important to develop alternatives where we, as music artists, professionals and organizations, retain control over our own work while equally benefiting from technological developments. 

 

 

Board

 

The Thunderboom board consists of Johan Oomen (chair), Michel van Dartel (secretary), and Phuocie Le (treasurer).