With Defected and Glitterbox now occupying cult status on the global clubbing map, few names feel as in sync with their moment as Steven Braines. Recently appointed Head of Events for both brands, Braines brings more than just experience—he brings a reputation built on inclusivity, risk-taking, and community-building at scale. His track record spans decades of work behind the scenes as an artist manager and cultural leader, plus the genre-defying, proudly queer platform HE.SHE.THEY, which he co-founded and continues to run in parallel.
In this exclusive interview, we dive into how Braines balances intimacy with scale, stays grounded while producing some of the most recognizable events in electronic music, and keeps the soul of house alive in an era of brand overload. He talks artist curation, community-building, and the backstage grind that powers Defected’s global orbit—from Ibiza residencies to 2025’s record-breaking Croatia festival.
Defected and Glitterbox have become global brands with a loyal following. What’s the strategy behind making a house music event recognizable — and desirable — from Dubai to Croatia?
Defected is all about the music, and Glitterbox is about the music but also the show as well, the dancers, the costumes are all really important elements there too. That’s the main point of difference and only a few DJs play both brands, so they are sonically separate. Ultimately, though, it’s about good times, good vibes, and incredible music in an inclusive space.
How do you approach market saturation? With so many cities now running 2–3 major events per weekend, what’s your take on avoiding brand fatigue while still scaling?
Ibiza has new people there every week, apart from its residents, which keeps the audience fresh and prevents fatigue. Other than London for both brands and NYC for Glitterbox, we tend only to visit each city around once a year, twice at most and that feels really comfortable. Far from being fatigued, I like to think we leave people wanting more! Some fans travel all around the world to different shows, and I love that. I think it shows a real community. I believe someone could come to one of our parties on their own and leave with friends for life. We’re visiting new places all the time, but that’s fuelled by demand from our fans.
What’s a misunderstood or underestimated part of producing Defected/Glitterbox shows that most people from the outside never see?
Probably how much work goes into everyone else having a lovely, safe time. At the start of the Ibiza season, I was doing 20-hour working days for the first 2 weeks of it. It’s not just one party you’re working on. It’s all the parties over the next 6 months and planning the Ibiza season already for next year, plus our two festivals in Croatia and Malta. I easily get more emails in a month than most people get in a year! If our team weren’t a family and didn’t care as much as they do, it wouldn’t work.
From your global POV, what do you wish more promoters or clubs understood when trying to book or build a night?
I think the most important thing is the fan and not your own ego. You can’t just program something for yourself. It has your influence for sure, but it’s about making other people –most of whom have a very hard life nowadays– happy for 6 hours or if it’s a festival for a few days. We offer them an escape through joy and community. You can’t just use community as a word; you have to mean it, you have to live it. You also have to respect your audience and not treat them like an ATM!
Is there ever tension between staying true to the roots of house music and doing big-ticket, globally recognized events?
I think there’s a lot of talent out there. If you are doing a show, we’re lucky that our brands sell a lot of tickets just from their own name. We only program headliners that make sense to our brands and their music policies. Most headliners at Defected shows will have either released on the label or done a remix. Same for the support acts. That’s what makes it keep its identity and why our line-ups aren’t just the same as everyone else’s.
What’s a recent risk you took that paid off?
We had Kaytranada and Lizzo play Glitterbox on their Ibiza debuts. We really believed it would work – some people weren’t sure, but it was INCREDIBLE. One of the best nights of my life. You have to evolve and take calculated risks. Even if it hadn’t worked, I would still be proud that we had tried because failure is part of success and evolving. Those brands that never take risks aren’t there anymore.
Are you seeing a generational shift in crowds or expectations?
We see a real intergenerational crowd at our parties. The majority are 18 – 35, but we see clubbers older than that who have been with the brands since day 1. Everyone is welcome. That’s the whole point of what we do. Everyone brought together by house music, love, tolerance and respect. Defected and Glitterbox both sell a lot of tickets just on the name, as we’ve built up a trust with our fans to be strong curators. Then more when the line-up is announced, you can attract those newer to our brands. There’s a lot of competition on the island every day, so you have to really make the best line-ups you can every week.
Where is the next scene-defining moment likely to happen?
Next year, there are some INCREDIBLE things planned globally. We have some tours planned. A decade of dancing in Croatia in its tenth year will be a big one for sure. Both Drumsheds, London and Malta, have seen their quickest selling ever so far, and will definitely sell out ahead of time, just like Croatia 2025. It feels like a very exciting time to be at Defected & Glitterbox for sure!
