“Berlin has been like a toxic relationship, like a toxic boyfriend or something,” says Izzy Diaz. It’s a strange way to describe a city that is still sold as a creative paradise, but for her, it feels accurate.
She moved to Berlin for the same reason many artists do. Freedom. “It’s a very exciting city as an artist. It’s like everyone is an artist here,” she says. As a singer-songwriter working across indie, pop, and alternative genres, she found a place where creativity feels open and shaped by everyday life.
That image of Berlin is not a myth. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, artists moved into empty buildings and turned them into studios, clubs, and cultural spaces. For years, the city offered something rare. You could live cheaply and focus on your work. It became known as a place where art came first and money came second.
But that version of Berlin is getting harder to find.
“Rent in big cities is getting super expensive. If you’re in the arts, that’s not really helpful,” Diaz says. Like many independent artists, she is responsible for everything herself. Writing, recording, booking gigs, and promoting her work. “You’re just doing your silly little songs and you just have to believe that it matters.”
In Berlin, that struggle has another layer. The city is globally known for its techno scene, with large clubs and international DJs shaping its reputation. But artists working in smaller, independent genres often exist in the background. Indie music does not always have the same support, visibility, or financial opportunities. “To make a living out of music, it’s complicated,” Diaz says.
At the same time, the city itself is changing. In neighbourhoods like Reuterkiez, rising rents are affecting everyone. “Everything is quite expensive now… even going out for a coffee,” says one local resident. As more people move to Berlin, long-term communities are being pushed out. “People who have been living here for ages will just move away.”
For Diaz, this creates a clear tension. Berlin still offers inspiration and connection, but it is no longer the easy, accessible space it once was. The cost of living is rising, competition is increasing, and not every artist benefits equally from the city’s creative reputation.
“It’s a good place to come to, but maybe not a good place to stay for a very long time.”
Berlin is still a place where art can happen. But for independent artists, especially outside the dominant scenes, it is becoming something else. Not a playground, but a challenge. The city has not lost its creative energy, but staying part of it now comes at a cost.
