Celebrating 5 Years of Girls Twiddling Knobs
A MILESTONE EVENING AT STRONGROOM STUDIOS
On Wednesday 5 November 2025, the Girls Twiddling Knobs community gathered at Strongroom Studios in London for an evening that felt both joyful and deeply moving. Over one hundred women and gender diverse creators came together to celebrate five years of learning, experimenting, cheering one another on and championing music technology on our own terms.
The room was filled with warmth from the moment people arrived. Familiar faces reunited, online connections finally met in person and new friendships sparked across the studio. It was a night that reminded us how powerful it is to gather in real life, to witness one another and to honour the creativity that has grown through this project.
Live music from Oram Award winning artist afromerm
We opened the evening with a stunning live performance from afromerm, whose set carried the room with a mix of delicacy, grit and bold sonic playfulness. It was a fitting tribute to the spirit of GTK, celebrating artists who innovate and take risks with their sound.
Panel discussion on music tech and artist career pathways
Our panel brought together Karen Sutton from the Oram Awards, Rookes from 2% Rising and Glade Marie from Saffron. They shared honest reflections on how music tech skills shape creative confidence and long term career choices. The conversation touched on personal experiences, the challenges faced by women and gender diverse producers and the value of supportive communities in nurturing artistic growth.
A full moon letting go ritual
To mark this significant turning point in the life of Girls Twiddling Knobs, artists from the GTK Rise & Release membership invited everyone to take part in a gentle full moon letting go ritual. Attendees were asked to reflect on what they were ready to release and what they wanted to carry forwards into their creative lives.
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It was a beautiful moment of collective pause, held with care and a sense of possibility.
Reflections on a five year journey
Isobel Anderson, Founder and Director of Girls Twiddling Knobs, shared her heartfelt reflections on what it has meant to run this project since 2020. From the first Zoom workshops during lockdowns to a global podcast audience to thousands of women gaining the confidence to record, produce and release their own music, the journey has been extraordinary.
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This celebration was not only a marker of how far the community has come but also an invitation to look ahead with curiosity. Even as GTK moves into its final phase, its legacy will continue in the music being made, the friendships formed and the skills that have changed lives.
Marking the close of Girls Twiddling Knobs
The Strongroom celebration also marked the beginning of the final phase of Girls Twiddling Knobs, which will close at the end of 2025. It offered a moment to recognise everything the community has created together and to honour the artists shaped through this project.
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As we move into these final months, the focus turns to legacy. This includes archiving the podcast, preserving key resources and celebrating the wider impact GTK has had across music tech and sound.
Thank you to everyone who joined us
This evening at Strongroom was unforgettable because of the people who showed up. Your openness, your laughter, your stories and your presence made the celebration what it was.
Girls Twiddling Knobs has always been powered by community and this night proved it once again.
Thank you for five years of learning together, pushing boundaries and supporting one another.
Here is to whatever you create next.
