Interview time with Katharina Birkenbach

After entering Sean’s World, we’d like to invite you to learn more about the super-skillful Katharina Birkenbach. As the only german citizen who’s part of the SoundCloud team (for now!), Katharina has been with us since our beginning in May 2007 and has helped us tremendously. Here’s what she has to say concerning her involvement with SC:

Welcome Katharina! As an introduction, could you tell us when did you start showing interest for computers and programming?

Very very late to be honest. I always considered computers ugly and preferred not to have one in my appartment. But in 2000, I finally bought my first Apple and since then i did not spend a single day without it.

And how did you go from enjoying your first computer to working for the best music site ever?

Some years ago, I studied visual communication with the original goal to become a fashion photographer. But I lost interest in that after I got my first computer so I started making websites, something that I love and still do. I’m mainly interested in somewhat organically growing in some sort of way by learning websites, so i was happy to find myself some years later in Amsterdam working for Mediamatic, which is a design agency with a strong cultural, educational and indirect political background. After three years I returned to Berlin to set up Mediamatic Berlin, which failed and I ended up sitting in offices without airco. So i had to flee to St-Oberholz where i met Eric and that’s when he asked me to join in their office space.

So how did SoundCloud appeal to you?

I always had an interest for music, and even though i’m completely not musical, I always try to sneak in…

Could you briefly explain in which areas you’re working the most for the Soundcloud platform?

Well, back then in Amsterdam, I was sometimes complaining that i don’t want to be the css-meisje, which i basically am now at SoundCloud. But here it’s fun and actually very interesting.

What sort of music do you like? What’s your favourite artists?

I don’t have a favourite artist. I like every, and I mean every, kind of music as longs as it’s good. Together with a friend of mine I had some years ago an internetradioshow and it was called “lovesongs and other tragedies”. This would be my favourite genre, I guess.

Have you already discovered some interesting new artists via SoundCloud?

Yes. I found some weeks ago a remix of Feist’s “my moon, my man” by Tce and I really really liked it.

Currently, most of the artists on SoundCloud are House & Techno producers. How does it feel to live in Berlin, the electronic music capital of the universe?

It’s exhausting, but lots of fun!