Great music unites people; across gender, age and location. This month, we’ll be championing these 6 up-and-coming artists and collectives who are giving women in the DJ industry a voice to share in their musical talent. From punk-infused techno off the streets of Paris to the funky breakbeats of the Hong Kong dancefloor, here are some independent females and collectives to add to your playlist! 

 Louisahhh
 

An icon of the LGBTQIA+ music scene in Europe, Louisahhh burns up the dancefloor with her ferocious punk-infused European techno. With chants and heavy chords, the intensity of punk concerts is redefined in Eurodance and giving female voices a chance to be heard through Louisahhh’s intense lyrics. Her latest album, The Practice Of Freedom, will be released on 12 March and locks her in as one of the more bold acts in dance music.

NVSHU女术

The strong femme Shanghainese collective is a huge supporter of LGBTQI music scene, having started out organsing DJ workshops. Led by Lhaga Koondhor and Amber Akilla, the collective hopes to engender female-identifying people through music. Inspired by the tunes of grime and underground techno, the tracks are more avant-garde in order to foster new aesthetics and sensibilities through music, fashion and art.

akasounds

Leading the girl riot in the Singaporean DJ scene is Amanda Keisha Ang, known better by her DJ moniker A/K/A/Sounds. Depending on the night, she mixes a bit of everything from jungle music to classic house, soul music to UK dubstep, and even the Top 40s occasionally. She’s also led the way for aspiring female DJs with her collective Attagirl, which runs regular party nights in clubs and bars (before COVID of course) showcasing a lineup of all female DJs only.

 Xiaolin 

The Hong Kong DJ, producer, and classically trained violinist has been heating the Hong Kong dancefloor up with her intense breakbeats and energetic remixes. Her first EP Lanterns will be dropping a few days after International Women’s Day, with plenty of bouncing basslines, nostalgic synths, and classical riffs mixing it up in a delightful euphoria. 

Malakat Records
 

The Amman-based record label is looking for their debut artists in the Middle East, giving musically-inclined Arab women artists a chance to explore their musical expressions. Stay tuned for their first EP, due to drop in May for a mix of hyper-pop, Arab pop, and hyperrealism in between.

Didi Han

If you look past the bright stars of Kpop are many hidden gems from South Korea’s vibrant music scene. Didi Han is an upcoming star in the Seoul music mecca, with her hypnotic style of house music, Afrobeat breakbeats and some R&B thrown in for good mix.