By Gabrielle Olowe

The UK lockdown in March pressed pause on London’s vibrant nightlife scene but the music didn’t stop playing for brothers Jojo and David Sonubi, known for establishing RECESS: a series of parties and events in the capital. Instead, they switched focus to their online radio station, No Signal. The station had existed before the quarantine but took off in earnest when the country entered lockdown. Many of the people that worked on RECESS now host their own shows on No Signal. The radio station is now run by a team of 14 who produce content from 10 am to 1 am every day of the week.

No Signal rose to prominence by capturing Twitter’s attention with #NS10v10, a sound-clash series, which saw songs from two different artists being pitted against each other, with the winner being determined via Twitter polls. #NS10v10 became the flagship feature of the radio station and its hashtag frequently trended on Twitter. The online response to their musical showdowns mirrors reactions to communal events such as Love Island. The musical battle between Nigeria’s Wizkid and Jamaica’s Vybz Kartel garnered 89K listeners, crashing the website. Despite, the sense of competition that is inherent in its premise, #NS10v10 acts as a celebration of the creative output of the African diaspora. The station has come to epitomise the words of the legendary musician and activist, Fela Kuti, ‘the music of Africa is big sound: it’s the sound of a community…it’s music of the people. It’s music of togetherness.’

The No Signal team’s desire to uplift Black British culture is reflected in their use of the hashtag #blackradio and the content that they produce. Their DJs and presenters showcase the diversity of musical genres made by Black artists from gospel, Grime, and RnB. The station has even created a space to facilitate conversations on important topics as ex-footballer and commentator Ian Wright used the platform to discuss the racist trolling that he has experienced on social media and why he felt it was necessary to call it out.

The whirlwind success of No Signal hasn’t gone unnoticed outside the online world as they’ve collaborated with major brands such as Spotify and Adidas, having recently hosted a live broadcast from the new Adidas Originals store in London’s Carnaby Street. On the 18th of September, No Signal was announced as the recipients of a £50,000 grant and mentorship from the Metallic Fund, an initiative established by Grace Ladoja to nurture Black talent in creative industries.

The team has set up a fundraiser to help them achieve their goal of moving from creating content from their bedrooms into a physical studio. Not content with being a lockdown moment, No Signal wants to become a permanent fixture of the British music industry and by highlighting the extraordinary talents of black creatives from across the globe.

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