DJing is attracting an increasing number of women who view it as an invigorating hobby, supplementary gig, or even a lifelong profession. The rise in female Irish DJs is quite evident, from nightclubs to festivals and even in overseas locations. They are successfully overcoming the impostor syndrome, making a name for themselves in the industry.
Though male artists still govern the festival line-ups, a gradual but positive shift can be detected. This change is possible due to initiatives like free beginner DJ courses, the prevalence of a supportive community, and reasonably priced, easily accessible equipment. However, sexism and misogyny present their challenges at times; despite this, women DJs are fighting to have their artistry and voices recognized in the industry.
Six DJs – JWY, Yasmin Gardezi, Saz, Sleepless Beauty, Shauna Dee, and Kaycee– share their journeys.
‘Being a woman might be why they want you’
Jo-Ann Ahia, 27, hails from Amsterdam but has been living in Dublin for the past six years. She juggles her full-time job as a quality analyst for TikTok with her part-time DJ role, using the stage name JWY in Dublin clubs. Furthermore, she organizes events via her collective, Foxgluv. In 2021, she was drawn to DJing and attended free workshops provided by Skin & Blister, an organisation fostering creativity in music and arts. Even though she encountered some challenges, she felt the DJ community in Dublin was encouraging.
Ahia recalls, “The pressure of wanting to achieve perfection as a beginner can be overwhelming, especially when comparing oneself with online DJs who often present their best shots. Numerous times I thought about quitting as it felt out of my league. However, the reassurances from fellow DJs and industry friends to practice and persevere got me through those phases.”
At times, she has experienced tokenism, particularly when asked to join a line-up without the organisers having a proper understanding of her music style. She specialises in bass-heavy beats combined with Afro-Caribbean rhythms and grime.
She condones the attitude that they desire her only due to her being female or specifically, a black female. Recognising the difficulty in defining the reason, she cites situations where she noticed male groups excluding their female counterparts prior to performances. These instances saw males receiving drink tokens whereas the females were left empty-handed. This has been part of her reality as well.
Despite this, the bulk of her encounters have been favourable. There’s a rising sense of unity now, and people feel at ease to voice their thoughts and to refuse to engage professionally with those who are disrespectful.
Yasmin Gardezi, a resident of County Kerry, presently resides out of her luggage. The 26-year-old experienced a turn of fate when she became a DJ as a college society member seven years prior. Her trajectory has been on the rise since that point, with performances at Irish festivals like Electric Picnic and Life, and varied locations all over Europe, specialising in techno sessions infused with elements of trance and psychedelia.
The Irish arena now encompasses more women since Gardezi began, which has made securing bookings more challenging. However, she perceives this change as positive, favouring an increased quantity of DJs.
Nonetheless, given her standing within the industry, she does experience occasional unwelcome attention. She observed apparent sexist and misogynistic behaviour on popular techno webpages on Instagram. Comments under images of female DJs often pertain to their attire or insinuations that they are inexperienced. Contrarily, similar posts featuring men primarily attract encouraging comments, Gardezi states.
“People struggle to accept that women can be attractive and skilled,” said Gardezi. She refuses to let this affect her, claiming, “I know how to react to it. It doesn’t bother me. I’m aware of my talent. Individuals’ comments shouldn’t be taken seriously; their opinions are often rooted in envy.”
She optimistically remarked, “Should they hire me, I trust that it’s because of my skills as a DJ and not based on my gender.”
27-year-old Sarah Higgins, who is professionally recognised as Saz, hails from Castleknock, Dublin. She holds a full-time position in the Civil Service while pursuing DJing as a hobby. She developed an interest in DJing back in 2018 when she acquired a set of decks from an acquaintance. Since then, she has progressively established her presence in the music industry, garnering support and guidance from her peers. This interaction enabled her to grow both as an artist and individual.
Observing the rising number of women DJs has been an inspiring journey for Saz, similar to Gardezi. She notes an ongoing chain reaction, with increasing female DJs performing and supporting one another through collaborations.
Saz maintains a hopeful attitude when it comes to being selected for line-ups based on merit rather than gender. She desires to be respected as a talented DJ instead of being known as a female DJ.
On the other hand, Anna Kerslake, known as DJ Sleepless Beauty in professional circles, lives in Clondalkin and is in her early 30s. With previous experience as a photographer and in the music sector, Kerslake embarked on a DJing course in a bid to explore new interests. Despite initial apprehensions, she soon found herself attracted to the craft and it has since become a significant aspect of her life, even causing a career shift. She laughingly recalls her first encounter with the DJ decks in the basement of a Dublin venue, the Wigwam, comparing it to a spaceship.
“When Sleepless Beauty graced the stage for the first time, she recalls that the scene was dominated by men and a touch cliquey. Today, she senses increased support in the industry, though on occasion experiences negative feedback, predominantly from male audience members who impinge on her personal space, staring and examining her work, before displaying unnecessary signs of approval. Disconcerting as they may be, such responses don’t deter her. As a bisexual woman who has often felt somewhat estranged from her community, she established the Fluid Club in 2023, a community for bisexual, pansexual, fluid and flexible individuals, as well as their allies. In addition, she founded the House of Pleasure, a club that champions positive attitudes towards sex and caters to women, gender-fluid, queer and non-binary individuals.
Shauna Costello, a 25-year-old youth worker based in Coolock, Dublin, turns tables in her free time under the moniker Shauna Dee. Her passion for dance music was ignited at clubs. She’s always the one who has her playlist set before the night out. One day she decided to buy herself a set of decks. Rather than going out for the mere act, she’s typically there for the music.
Costello got a foot in the door of the DJing world when she connected with DJ and promoter Jonathan Kiely and began training under him. She has since opened for renowned artists like Route 94, Hannah Laing and Green Velvet. For her, the biggest hurdle during the initial stages was self-confidence. Her fear of being judged often surfaced. Costello’s mixes range from minimal house to heavy acid techno. She pointed out that event line-ups often place female DJ’s in the first slot before the male counterparts, resulting in less visibility for the women performers.”
Sometimes, as a woman doing what’s predominantly known as a man’s job, she finds herself dealing with men who underestimate her abilities. They’d question her, asking about her choice of music, distastefully insinuating she might be cheating by using pre-recorded songs or Spotify. On their skepticism, she simply replies, “I’m here doing it, and you’re not.”
‘The unique edge of being a female DJ.’
Kaycee Keating-Brady, under her moniker ‘Kaycee,’ not only spins records but also works as a dental nurse at the HSE. Daughter of a well-regarded underground DJ, Ken Brady, it could be said that she’s following in her father’s footsteps. At 27, Kaycee first got into the groove in Hangar, a former nightclub situated in Andrew’s Lane in Dublin, known as one of Ireland’s notable dance music venues before its doors shut in 2018.
“My influences definitely started with my dad-,” she reflects, “but the club Hangar was instrumental to my musical journey, where I found my unique sound. While I have an inclination towards trance and hard house since my younger years, my association with Hangar made me lean more towards the disco and house genres, and it’s what propelled me to transition from DJing as a hobby into something serious.
In retrospect, starting her DJing journey at the tender age of 19 or 20 turned out to hold an unexpected advantage. She recalls, “Back then, female DJs were few and far between, so it gave me this distinct appeal. The novelty of being a woman DJ gave me a slight edge, helping me secure gigs initially. But as we all know, gimmicks can only take you so far. Absolute talent is the real game-changer.”
She indicates that she has faced resentment from some male colleagues, who readily stereotype and doubt her abilities. Kaycee still feels a significant pressure to avoid mistakes, out of concern that some men are eager for her to stumble. However, she has established her reputation to such an extent that she now recognises she is hired for her talent as an artist, and not because of her gender.
Beyond the Pale festival will host JWY on June 21st and Rathaus Pride will host her on June 29th. Foxgluv, a collective she’s in, will introduce Bianca Oblivion to Ireland on June 8th. Yasmin Gardezi is scheduled for Slither X Research: The One In The Woods on June 8th. Saz’s Local Bytes, a radio programme in partnership with Shauna Dee on Phever radio, will broadcast on June 9th and July 7th. Sleepless Beauty will be present at the inaugural Pride event by House of Pleasure on June 22nd. On June 28th, Fluid Club’s Pride Party is to be held at the Cellar, Temple Bar, Dublin; Shauna Dee has a performance scheduled in Bow Lane, Dublin, on July 13th; Kaycee will feature at the Sound House on June 21st.