DJ Heartstring and Sugababes bring the party to a Berlin Späti

Late last year, British icons the Sugababes took to the stage at a sold-out O2 Arena, rolling back the years in front of a crowd of 20,000 people. Their latest show was slightly different to that, though, as they pushed the nostalgia button in a Berlin shop with a capacity of less than 1% of that last week.

The party, hosted by Telekom Electronic Beats, marked the launch of Deutsche Telekom’s ‘Summer to Remember’ campaign, providing Gen Z with a season of free music experiences across Europe. The initiative will allow young people to attend up to 10,000 events including exclusive small-crowd gigs, pop-up events hosted by Telekom Electronic Beats, and the chance to win tickets to some of Europe’s best festivals.

Hosted in Berlin’s equivalent to a corner shop (known locally as a späti), the night proceeded with a performance by musical duo DJ Heartstring, who grew up in the German capital. The pair posted up behind the shop counter, replacing tills with decks, and belted out their pop-infused trance in what felt like something out of a fever dream. 

A sea of Berlin natives waited eagerly for their chance to see their hometown heroes perform in the unconventional venue, which was kitted out with rave-ready lighting and a selection of booze and soft drinks all available for the taking from the store’s fridges (surprisingly, cracking open a beer and drinking it in-store still feels very illegal). 

Eventually, the crowd was split, and in typically iconic fashion the Sugababes emerged from clouds of vape smoke, strutting through the makeshift catwalk to a ring of applause. The group kicked off their set with ‘Freak Like Me’ before running through a handful of their bangers in what was a masterclass in pop performance. Eventually, the girls joined DJ Heartstring behind the deck to unveil their remix of ‘Push the Button’, adding a modern, youthful spin on the noughties anthem. 

“We are super excited to host this event with Telekom Electronic Beats, within the infamous late-night shop or ‘Späti’, as it is known in Berlin, and to preview our remix of Sugababes’ iconic summer anthem ‘Push the Button’” said DJ Heartstring. “This is often a place where the night begins and memories are made.”

As the youth of today face challenges throughout society, including a lack of economic support, alongside a crisis in mental health, the ‘Summer to Remember’ program hopes to provide a moment of respite for those who need it most. Sugababes and DJ Heartstring brought that sentiment to life with the first event in the program, transporting Gen Z back to a time when nightlife was at its peak and music just seemed, well, a lot more carefree. 

To find out more about Telekom Electronic Beats’ ‘Summer to Remember’, and how to claim access to their free music experiences, click here.