Cercle Music openly asks for help after suffering financial loss

One of electronic music’s most iconic livestream brands has admitted it’s fighting to survive as soaring costs threaten its future.

Cercle shares disappointing news with the electronic music community. They’ve reget to share that it is facing a major financial crisis after a decade of ambitious productions. The well-known French platform, recognized for streaming dj sets with the most stunning and unusual landmarks revealed that rising production costs, higher taxes, and shrinking profit margins have brought it down to one of the toughest times in its time. For the first time since it started, Cercle publicly asks their audience for help.

This announcement also brought other horrible news for fans excited about the brand’s expansion into Mexico. Cercle shares that its installmment in San José del Cabo has been canceled indefinitely, all while organizers determined they could no longer deliver the event at the level they had originally planned. Ticket holders can expect refunds within the next two days, though it won’t replace the experience.

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Founded about ten years ago with a small investment, Cercle has become one of the most recognized audiovisual platforms in electronic music along with Boiler Room. It has hosted over 200 performances in extraordinary places, from ancient sites and mountaintops to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, giving millions of viewers a front-row seat to iconic DJ sets without leaving their homes. It has truly turned “location” into an art form on everyone’s 4K flatscreen TVs.

Founder Derek Barbolla explained that the financial pressure has gradually increased since the pandemic, with rising operational costs surpassing the company’s ability to manage the risk. After years of reinvesting in more spectacular productions, the business has reached a point where maintaining the same model is no longer possible. Sometimes, even the most beautiful views come with hefty price tags, along with their recent installments at airports.

Instead of fading away, Cercle opted for transparency. Supporters are invited to contribute financially through donation tiers, with donors entered into prize draws for exclusive collectibles from the archive. Those who cannot donate are encouraged to watch, like, and share Cercle’s content, reminding everyone that online engagement can be meaningful during tough times and can hopefully earn as many views as possible. Highly recommend rewatching Møme in Tahiti during a WFH session, or get an introduction to Boris Brejcha and Solomun.

This shocking news spread a wide reaction throughout the electronic music world. Artists who’ve played on Cercle’s stages have praised the platform for changing live music experiences and inspiring countless people around the globe to go further. While its future is uncertain, one thing is clear: Cercle has altered the way dance music is experienced, showing that sometimes the world’s greatest venue is simply the world itself that we can watch with experience at home or work.

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