Google cites quotes from Women’s History Month and finds a lot of remarkable comments from amazing women. From Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Shirley Chisholm, Maya Angelou, Billie Jean King, Susan B. Anthony, Malala Yousafzai, and many others, women have made an impact on American history since the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, and even before.
Since 1987, the United States has celebrated Women’s History Month in March to honor women’s contributions to history, culture, and society. The National Women’s History Alliance designates an annual theme for Honor Month, and the 2024 theme is Women Standing Up for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. It’s about identifying “women across the country who perceive that, for a positive future, we will have to absolutely eliminate prejudice and discrimination from our lives and institutions,” the alliance’s website says.
One of the many tactics that women have influenced culture is through dance music. Notable pioneers include Wendy Carlos, Kym Mazelle, Annie Nightingale, DJ Minx, Jordana LeSense, SOPHIE, Smokin Jo, and UNIIQU3. Some of the accolades achieved through these female avant-gardes. Fashion figures have been championing the advancement of women in the industry through radio and television, influencing the early stages of a genre, creating the first Moog synthesizer, and creating new styles of music.
Here, Forbes catches up with Aluna, Kito, mini Bear, SITA, and XIE on what they consider Women’s History Month, the current state of dance music for artists who identify as women, their perspectives on what equality looks like in the scene, and more.
Lisa Kocay: What does Women’s History Month mean to you?
Aluna: “This month changes for me every year. It’s a time when I saw other women stand up and be proud, but now I see it as a moment of rebirth, a time to shed my old skin and embrace all that I have. It may be through what I’ve learned.
Kito: “I love it and I like to celebrateArray, so I have the ability to do that.
Mini Bear: “It’s an opportunity to recognize all the achievements made through women, but it’s also a reminder to be aware that there is so much gender inequality. “
SITA: “For me personally, this represents a birthday party of resilience, empowerment and unity among women – a reminder of the importance of solidarity and the relentless pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable society for all women, regardless of their background or circumstances. But for me, each and every day is Women’s Day, so I celebrate it in my own way each and every day of my life. “
XIE: “This is a time to talk about women’s empowerment and highlight the vital and impressive paintings that women are making. The music industry has been dominated by men for so long that this month now has an even more special meaning. There are so many amazing things about women in music, from artists and executives to managers and photographers, who deserve to be the highlight in their paintings and exclusive perspectives.
XIE.
Kocay: Which female dance artists have empowered you?
Aluna: “Jayda G is a constant inspiration. I love how she’s incorporated her hobby and skills as a scientist into her career, not to mention revealing her soul on her new album. It helps to further expand the perception of who you are in this genre.
Kito: “There are a lot of them. I’m lucky to have had a pretty solid network of female artists and DJs in my life since I started: Moxie, Nina Las Vegas, Aluna [and] Anna Lunoe, to name a few. My leadership team, Renee and Lola at TMWRK, motivate me and motivate me to do things that I possibly would have imagined very improbably just a few years ago.
“It’s been an honor to see LP Giobbi’s career blossom over the past few years, and it’s been incredibly inspiring to watch him uplift other female artists around him as he continues to progress. I also feel empowered on a foundation, thanks to the talented friends who keep crushing her: Mary Droppinz, BIIANCO, Starya, Fei Fei, Bad Snacks, etc. Watching them grow and shine gives me energy in so many ways.
SITA: “There are so many incredibly talented and inspiring female artists in the dance music scene who have had a profound effect on me. Artists such as Miss Kittin, Nina Kraviz, Amélie Lens, Ellen Allien, among others. I’m thinking about electronics. Music wants to pay more homage to women like them, because many women like them have largely explained the trajectory and essence of electronic music.
XIE: “Grimes is one of the reasons I was introduced to electronic music. I don’t forget watching her play and make her music in such a wonderful style, and it made me feel like I could do the same. Today, there are more women than ever in dance music, many of whom I know personally, and having a network to identify with and elevate yourself with is everything. To name a few: LP Giobbi, HoneyLuv, Kaleena Zanders, VNSSA, Qrion, Sohmi, Anabel. I am very pleased that the landscape is changing because I believe in all the young women in the world today who have so many women to look up to and aspire to.
Kocay: How do you occupy and use your platform to uplift other female artists?
Aluna: “After researching what our demanding systemic situations are, I saw big gaps in investment in the recording aspect and too much symbolism in the live aspect. So I started a label and event company called Noir Fever focusing on making an investment in my talent network.
Kito: “I started hosting parties in [Los Angeles] called Club Kito, and the driving force behind that party is literally that: raising other female artists and DJs. The compositions reflected that, and while I don’t need to exclude anyone, it does feel smart to tip the scales the other way.
“We live in a very individualistic society, especially in the United States, but I think it’s vital to have more of a network mentality. When you approach life from the attitude of “we” rather than the attitude of “I,” it benefits everyone. I started coaching music production because I felt this call to percentage knowledge, but I also felt it was very vital to create a safe and supportive area for marginalized genres to have informed production and feel empowered to grow. When you feel confident that you completely occupy the area, you have a chance to thrive.
SITA.
SITA: “With my vision and message, I have tried to motivate other women to be themselves and fight for their dreams. Sadly, to this day, we continue to live in a society where many men believe they have the “privilege” to dictate to us and tell us how we deserve to be or live our lives. It’s anything that has caused me a lot of frustration and, at the same time, the strength to prove to myself what I’m capable of. I need everything I’puedo. de done, motivate other women to continue to be themselves. We are capable of giving life and that can never be forgotten. However, through my platforms and events, such as my party Outopia, I try to create spaces where female identification artists can shine and be celebrated. Outopia’s programming occasionally features a wide diversity of talented women, offering them a platform to showcase their music and talents.
XIE: “Growing up as the mixed-race daughter of an immigrant, I never felt like my dreams were exactly tangible. When you don’t see someone else who looks like you doing what you need to do, it can seem impossible. As a woman of color, I hope to motivate other women to pursue their dreams and [say] that it doesn’t matter what other people tell you – that whole thing is the paintings you make, your passion, and staying true to your mission. “
Kocay: What is the current state of dance music for female producers?
Aluna: “Women manufacturers are looking for a foot in the door. Unfortunately, this might be the industry’s most difficult component to bring about change, but we’re cutting back one step at a time.
Kito: “There are a lot more women than when I started, but the number of men is still minimal. “
mini-bear.
Mini Bear: “It’s exciting to see more and more women, producers and DJs in dance music in those days, especially since they were such a small percentage when I went crazy in the late ’90s and early 2000s. If there had been more exposure at that time, I probably would have felt more encouraged to participate sooner. That said, there’s still a lot of discrimination going on at the macro and micro levels. Many programs, especially the giant festivals, are not very varied and are disproportionately male. “
SITA: “[It’s evolving] yes, but there’s still work to be done in terms of representation and recognition. We’re seeing more and more talented female producers emerge on the scene [and] bring new perspectives and cutting-edge sounds. However, female producers still face challenges, such as sexism, lack of visibility, and unequal opportunities compared to their male counterparts. At least in the last few years, the scene has gradually changed and now you can see more female DJs betting on the big ones. festivals, and that makes me very happy. I don’t forget that when I started betting at the age of 18, there were very few female DJs who were appreciated. I’ve witnessed disapproving comments and looks from men just because I was a woman and a DJ. But fortunately I think that’s changing, although there’s still a long way to go.
XIE: “It’s blooming, is it so flourishing sometimes? There are many more women producers than there were five years ago. When I started my journey, it was rare to find a woman who used a DAW [digital audio workstation]. I like the fact that a path has been created that is still in progress and paves the way for others to come.
Kocay: What do you think of equality at the level?
Aluna: “It seems like lately we have the most modern concepts in the industry with safer positions for women, better salaries and popularity. “
Kito: “Equality in the scene is equal opportunities and equal pay, varied programming, especially at festivals, more popularity and representation at award ceremonies and the eradication of the sexualization and abuse of women in dance music, it’s anything I’m tired of seeing on social media. . . Let’s also eliminate the desire to refer to other people as “female DJs” and “producers. “Or we can just start talking about “male DJs” and “male producers. “the other.
Mini Bear: “More varied programming, balanced with other BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] genres and artists, and equivalent opportunities and access. According to Jaguar’s [2022] report on gender disparity among UK electronic music artists, only 5% of dance songs on the charts were composed exclusively through women and non-binary artists. Access starts with learning production and DJ tools, but also having the songs available to the public is a form of access that is not necessarily equivalent.
SITA: “To me, equality in the music scene means a playground where talent, creativity and hobby are the decisive points for success, more than gender, race or race. “
XIE: “I say that everything deserves to focus on music and art, regardless of your genre or orientation. Preconceptions are part of the human experience and, sadly, they still exist, but that goes for everyone. The remedy and judgment of men deserve to be equivalent to the remedy and judgment of women: this is the true equivalence. In the future, I would like to see more queues of women and ratios continue to increase everywhere: managers, agents, promoters, photographers, etc.
Kito.
Kocay: What do you think global dance music wants to do to be more inclusive for women?
Aluna: “Enough of this as inclusion. We are the essence of this industry.
Kito: “I’d like to see more men in positions of strength in music get involved in this. I think women’s voices are great, but maybe we can also start assigning a higher percentage of responsibility, especially Women’s History Month.
Mini Bear: “Access and inclusion come from the most sensible thing, which means carers want to be more varied so that diversity and inclusion are prevalent in dance music. If the guards are usually men, the scene will remain unbalanced and non-inclusive. I like Jaguar’s suggestion of an inclusion clause, a contractual reservation clause that states that the artist will only perform in a lineup if there is at least one other woman, a trans or non-binary user, or a gambling user of color. along them. If each and every DJ had an inclusive pilot, it would help drive some sort of upgrade and diversify the lineups.
SITA: “The industry wishes to actively address and dismantle the systemic barriers that obstruct the participation and advancement of female artists. Fostering a culture of respect, support, and zero tolerance towards harassment and discrimination within the music network is key to creating a welcoming environment for all of us.
XIE: “The more women who sign up for the force, the more there will be. I would like social culture to continue to evolve so that at festivals, shows, studios, meetings, etc. , women are more listened to and feel more. “Empowered.
Kocay: Which one in your life has empowered you the most?
Aluna: “My mother. She showed me that any factor can be challenged. All you have to do is ask and build your community.
Kito: “I actually lead by example, because that’s what motivated me the most: seeing other women do it. I can’t actually say one, but Peaches, Miss Kitten, Ikonika and Vaccine were big inspirations for me when they gave me into production.
Mini-Bear: “All women and anyone of any marginalized gender who has revealed themselves in the world as their fullest and brightest self, despite the many barriers that prevent who you are: showing up as your original self in a global that challenges. The core of who you are is a lovely thing.
SITA: “The women who have empowered me the most are my grandmother and my mother. Their strength, resilience, and unwavering help have been constant sources of inspiration throughout my life. Each of them taught me the importance of perseverance and self-confidence. And been prepared for what I’m in.
XIE: “My mother, 100%. She has been my biggest critic and my biggest supporter. His own history as an immigrant in this country and his adventure employing his intelligence, strength, and resilience is an integral component of me. She encouraged me to be independent and aim high.