We are a global scene born of rebels who have always danced on the outskirts of political systems and ideologies, often risking our personal safety to aid in the establishment of a new paradigm based upon higher states of consciousness and, dare we say, Love. It is Love that brings us peace, unity, and respect. These values are the formal foundations Electronic Music Alliance adopted upon our organization. They are the same informally upheld by the scene itself for decades.
The tragedy at the Supernova festival has left a deep wound on our global dance music community. Our hearts have cracked open, and many of us are still shaken, imagining the very real possibility that it could have been any one of us. Many know someone personally who it has affected directly. Regardless of physical presence or direct relation, many of us feel the deep devastation of the attendees, their friends, and their families. We have immense compassion for them as well as the artists we see crying out for international solidarity on either side.
As an organization founded on the values Love brings (peace, unity, and respect), we condemn the violence initiated against Supernova patrons. However, we do not confuse the ideals of religious fanatics, terrorists, governments, or militias with the desires of “the people.”
Therefore, our condemnation of violence is not consent for retaliation of any kind. Abhorrent violence is not what this global community stands for, and so the peaceful Supernova dancers should not be utilized as martyrs for the perpetuation of this war. Honoring them would be to observe what they danced for. And we do know what that is. Organizers claimed Supernova was about connection and peace, “a journey of unity.” If the attendees are martyrs of anything, it should be for what they showed up for and what the organizers billed, which was “a celebration of friends, love, and infinite freedom.”
We respect the freedom of opinion and expression of our membership and unaffiliated global electronic dance music community. However, we want to remind this community that it is not just our organization but our entire scene that has blossomed based upon the values of Love: peace, unity, and respect. Look at our gigantic impact on our growth as a global community. Is this not evidence that another world is possible? So, we encourage responsibility and discernment in how each of us might choose to express ourselves, including media sharing. We all have a choice to transcend the desire to quickly and emotionally react. This world may benefit by us cultivating the habit of taking a few extra moments and considering if sharing our opinion or a particular piece of media actively promotes peace with the understanding that if it does not, it may (even unintentionally) cause further division and add fuel to the fire of war efforts. Let's keep our vibe high.
We recognize it may seem hard to advocate for peace in the face of such adversity. This is precisely what many of us hoped, through our scene, we could one day change. Now is the time. May this statement be a reminder for the rest of our community to stay strong, advocate for, and embody our values. We know many of us have experienced heart-transforming events on dance floors worldwide. It is time to live fully by those elevated experiences, dance for peace, and stay in Love.
