Brainstorm Radio mixes tracks selected by a range of illustration’s greatest names Looking for new forms of inspiration at the beginning of the pandemic, Xaviera Altena turned to her peers’ listening habits – creating a growing radio station in the process. Words As a freelance illustrator who works from home, Rotterdam-based Xaviera Altena often starts each day by deciding what to listen to. Without an office to head into, there’s no need for Xaviera to piece together a perfectly timed commute mix, or curate a more ambient collection of songs to drown out the noise of colleagues. But when the pandemic hit, she found herself stumped at what to listen to, and for inspiration in general. “I wasn’t able to find it in food, going out, visiting exhibitions or meeting new people since everything was closed. So, I looked for in music.” Wondering what her creative peers were listening to at their desks around the world she decided, she might as well ask, creating Brainstorm Radio in the process.