In turbulent Tbilisi, a radio station broadcasts through the storm

In Georgia, music has long been a symbol of national pride in the face of oppression. When the country’s traditional folk music was rewritten for Soviet propaganda purposes, performing songs in their original form became an important expression of resistance. And despite Western rock music being banned from the airwaves, musicians still found ways to smuggle discs into the country; by the ​’80s Tbilisi had developed a thriving underground scene that was heavily influenced by these contraband records. 

Even today – more than three decades after the fall of the Soviet Union – music remains vital in expressing Georgian identity, as the country continues to struggle against Russian influence. ​“For us, culture and activism are inseparable,” says Tata Janashia, co-founder of Tbilisi-based community station Mutant Radio. ​“Artists have always played a crucial role in Georgia’s history of resistance. From Soviet times to more recent movements, art has been a way to protest, to give voice to the community. We see ourselves as part of that tradition.” 

Since launching in 2019, Mutant Radio has grown to become a key player in the city’s booming music and nightlife scene. Today, it’s housed in a former power station on the banks of the Kura river – a sprawling industrial complex that’s also home to nightclubs TES and Left Bank. Recent years have seen these institutions provide vital spaces for communities to come together in the face of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and the increasingly conservative ideology being pushed by the ruling Georgian Dream party. 

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But they are more than just hedonistic spots for young music-lovers to forget their troubles on the dancefloor. Hosting lectures, film screenings, art installations and workshops, these spaces are part of a new generation of activism-driven music venues. Mutant takes this role seriously; not only does it broadcast talks about politics, but last year when thousands of Georgians took to the streets to protest the Foreign Agents Law, the station put together an album with local musicians to raise money for those arrested during clashes with police. ​“Mutant Radio isn’t just about music, it’s about standing with our society, about amplifying voices,” says Janashia. 

The new law, which was seen as capitulation to Putin in line with the government’s increasingly pro-Russian agenda, also put Mutant’s own operations under threat. This new legislation stipulated that NGOs and independent media receiving more than 20% of their funding from non-Georgian donors register as organisations ​“bearing the interests of a foreign power”. The station was forced to give up its NGO status, forcing it to seek new ways of obtaining EU funding. It was another major blow to the station’s finances, having already struggled to access vital governmental support. 

“Funding has always been a challenge, especially in Georgia,” says Janashia. ​“The cultural funding system here is limited and heavily tied to state structures, which often come with political strings attached. Independent projects like Mutant don’t easily find support here.” For Janashia and her team, opening a bar in their space has provided a vital income stream. ​“It’s not just a social space, but also the main financial backbone that sustains the radio. The fact that we built Mutant largely without institutional support is something we’re proud of – it shows the resilience of our community and our ability to survive on our own terms.”

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And during the most recent wave of protests earlier this month, when Georgian Dream claimed to have clinched victory in every municipality in an election boycotted by the two largest opposition blocs, Mutant closed its doors for a day in solidarity – encouraging their supporters to get out onto the streets and make their voices heard. 

Yet while activism is an important part of the radio’s ethos, music still very much takes centre stage. The station has some 90 resident DJs, whose shows span everything from experimental psychedelia to post punk and synth pop – all with a particular emphasis on spotlighting Georgian musicians. ​“Mutant Radio was born out of a realisation: there was no space dedicated to showcasing ​‘underrated’ artists and alternative sounds in Georgia,” says Janashia. ​“It was a vacuum that needed to be filled. Our aim was to create a platform that not only highlighted these artists locally, but also connected them to audiences abroad, building bridges outside Georgia.”

From the start, the station’s journey has hardly been straightforward. The first major challenge came in the form of the pandemic, which struck not long after broadcasts began in 2019. ​“It was a huge test, but also an unexpected catalyst. While many projects had to pause, we realised how important community radio could be in keeping people connected when everything else was shutting down,” says Janashia. ​“The station became a lifeline, and that gave us a strong sense of purpose.” 

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Janashia had been working in the marketing team of pharmaceutical giant and vaccine manufacturers Pfizer, before quitting her job to launch the station with childhood friend Nina Botchorishvili, an established DJ who also goes by the name Ninasupsa. With help from Amsterdam’s Red Light Radio, the duo set up the station in a converted caravan. ​“The idea was that we could stream from different locations across Georgia and beyond,” says Janashia. But when they applied for funding from hospitality magnate Temur Ugulava, he offered them a permanent spot in the power plant complex he’d converted into a cultural hub called TEC. In 2021, the station added their outdoor bar as well as a stage for hosting concerts and live performances. Recently, they’ve added another space inside the building where they plan on hosting workshops and exhibitions. 

A major milestone for the station came six months ago, when Mutant opened up a new studio in Berlin – a space for broadcasting and hosting events. ​“From the very beginning, our mission has been to expand communities across borders,” says Janashia. ​“Mutant has always had a strong Berlin connection – many of our long-time residents are based there, and over the years we’ve organised events, pop-ups, and collaborations in the city. So opening a physical station there felt like the natural next step.”

The move marks not just a geographical expansion, but also a symbolic one – proof that a project born in a caravan on the streets of Tbilisi could grow into an international platform for dialogue and exchange. For Janashia and her team, Berlin offers both a second home and a stage from which to amplify Georgian voices to the wider world. ​“Music is the heartbeat of Mutant Radio, and everything else grows around it. A talk might explore political issues, a workshop might focus on visual culture – but sooner or later, it all connects back to sound,” says Janashia. ​“That’s what makes the station more than just a radio: it’s a cultural platform where music and other art forms meet and feed each other.”

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Hester Underhill is a freelance journalist. Follow her on Instagram.

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