Sasha
The rise of the female DJ community
When faced with the brief of ‘Community’, it was hard to find something that really felt worth writing about, however my interest got hooked deep into the flesh of the female DJ community when running into an old friend on a train to Bristol. Though we had known of each other for years, we first met properly in 2022 when she was mixing vinyl for a skate jam. To see such an inspiringly good and incredibly cool woman in an industry I hadn’t really seen a girl in before, was really eye opening. Honestly though, I feel really lucky to have spent my teenage years in a place that believes in everyone’s ability, like Hereford skate park does, I hadn’t considered how enduringly male dominated the music industry was before. In fact, Han solo (Hannah) is in the miniscule 10%[1] of women making up the DJ community!
Originally from Bristol, but now living around Herefordshire, Hannah became a DJ when faced with worsening cystic fibrosis (a lifelong auto-immune disease affecting the function of the lungs[2]), deciding life is too short to not pursue what you love the most. It would be safe to say she pursued it, with her first gig at “Love saves the day”[3] playing in the VIP lounge for their performers.
However, with there being only a small number of female DJs, mustn’t it be harder to form a community? This is the main question I posed to Hannah and her response has only provided me with so many more thoughts. She said, of course, it’s “a massive mixture” ranging from competitive or hostile to extremely welcoming! However, it could be argued in every industry there will be people who carry these attitudes, right? Every industry will carry the same challenges, yes?
Actually, when listening to Hannah speak further on this topic, something became quite apparent and that’s the different value put on females in male dominated industries. She explained to me that if there is a good-looking confident guy behind the decks people have already decided he is good, as a woman I feel I have to prove myself. Interestingly, as a younger woman it’s easy to get carried away looking at the industry from the outside. It can be so inspiring to see these women succeed - suddenly all barriers that they have overcome to get there become invisible. Sometimes when society sees a woman at the top, support for them vanishes, the perception that they deserve what they have is swallowed up and flushed away. Perhaps like gardens, communities need to be cultivated and tended correctly until they hold so much nourishment, they can’t help but nourish others.
After a few long and short conversations Hannah with her positive smile stated “the love of music keeps me doing it. So, I think about the good times.”
She has lay down the foundation for me as a young woman to think and to explore. we are Living growing proof of connection and community.
Power to human connection.
[1] Portsmouth University “the lack of gender diversity in electronic dance music”
[2] Nhs website
[3] Bristols biggest music festival with performers such as rudimental and the streets
Illustration by Ellie Lea
