Cindy Charles, Twitch’s Head of Music, Dies in Traffic Accident

Twitch’s head of music, Cindy Charles, has died after being involved in a traffic accident last week in the Netherlands. Cindy had been scheduled to moderate a panel at the Amsterdam Dance Event, the world’s leading electronic music summit.

The news was confirmed by Kira Karlstrom, Head of Twitch Music Label Relations, in a heartfelt blog post.

Cindy Charles was a driving force in shaping the music landscape on Twitch. Her efforts revolutionized how artists and creators engage with audiences on the platform. Known for her visionary leadership, Cindy was instrumental in establishing Twitch as a home for DJs with innovative music licensing agreements that allowed them to legally stream their performances. Her tireless work to build bridges between the music industry and the platform laid the groundwork for what Twitch Music is today.

Twitch CEO Daniel Clancy expressed his deep gratitude for Cindy’s contributions: “Anyone that uses music on Twitch owes a debt of gratitude to Cindy’s work. She always had a bright smile, even while negotiating unprecedented licensing deals, including the recent DJ agreement. Cindy cared deeply about everyone she worked with.”

Her dedication left a lasting impact, not just within Twitch, but across the music industry at large.

Beyond her professional achievements, Cindy was a passionate advocate for women in the music industry. She co-founded the San Francisco chapter of She Is The Music and Women in Digital, empowering countless women to pursue careers in digital and technology.

Cindy’s legacy is one of innovation, empowerment, and relentless dedication to making a difference for artists and creators worldwide.

As Kira Karlstrom reflects, “Cindy once told me, ‘I finally feel like all my life’s work has been worth it. I’m making a difference for artists.’ That is the legacy Cindy leaves behind—one of immense impact and love for the music community.”

From all of us at Data Transmission we wish to send love to all her friends, family and Twitch family on her passing.

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Grahame Farmer

Grahame Farmer’s love affair with electronic music goes back to the mid-90s when he first began to venture into the UK’s beloved rave culture, finding himself interlaced with some of the country’s most seminal club spaces. A trip to dance music’s anointed holy ground of Ibiza in 1997 then cemented his sense of purpose and laid the foundations for what was to come over the next few decades of his marriage to the music industry.