Nina Kraviz responds to Clone Records’ allegations of “pro-Putin” views
The Russian DJ has issued a statement on her social media in response to allegations from the Dutch label and distributor.
Posted yesterday (17 May) Nina Kraviz spoke about the continuing war in Ukraine. “As a person, musician and artist I’m deeply moved by what’s happening in the world. It’s appalling what my country’s relations with Ukraine have become,” she wrote, “I am against all forms of violence. I am praying for peace. It pains me to see innocent people die.”
Kraviz and her label трип Recordings previously worked closely with Clone Records. In her statement, Kraviz goes on to say, “I am a musician and was never involved in supporting the politicians or political parties, and I am not planning to do it in the future. I don’t understand politics or the social processes it creates. So I don’t think it is right to talk about what’s happening on social media.”
This post comes after criticism levelled at Kraviz for her silence over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, outlined in a recent TIME Magazine article. Until now, the artist hadn’t spoken about the war, but had posted a video of her writing the word ‘peace’ in Russian in response to the war in Ukraine.
Kraviz’s label manager also clarified that the working relationship between Kraviz and Clone Records broke down last month over трип Recordings’ latest compilation all his decisions. “Mid April Clone asked for the meaning of certain track titles. Given the current circumstances the label gave them quotes from the artists involved explaining the titles,” her label manager said, adding that “after worrying and disrespectful discussions” between them, Clone Records halted the vinyl production.
The press statement from Kraviz’s label manager also addresses the allegations of “pro-Putin” and CCCP/USSR views, giving context to “the outings mentioned from Nina’s social media”. Her label manager states that Kraviz wearing a CCCP space t-shirt when visiting San Diego’s Space Museum with a cosmonaut “did not support anything other than the achievements of the space programme.”
In reference to her posing with a cut-out of Putin at Coachella the explanation given is that this was “one of many cardboard cutouts available at the festival in 2014. People, like Nina, were taking pictures with them”. Kraviz’s label manager added that the flower in the barrel of a gun featured on the cut-out has been a symbol of peace since 1967 and suggested contacting the festival “to ask why they supplied these cutouts”.
Concluding her social media post, Kraviz wrote: “I intend to continue to follow the principles of unity despite attempts to censor the work of artists on my label. Making, releasing and playing good music is what I love most. Peace.” Read Kraviz’s full post below.
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Head here for our resource list of charities, organisations and fundraisers helping to support the people of Ukraine. In March, we launched the project Loops for Ukraine, where you can donate money to access a bank of loops from artists such as object blue, VTSS, Coby Sey and Mount Kimbie.
