Part 2 of our feature on our favourite females in electronic music right now. Check out part 1 here.
Madam X
After the constant contemplation over why bass-driven music apparently doesn’t appeal to women, a conversation encompassing anyone from musicians to academics, Madam X has been a refreshing face on the thriving Manchester scene and beyond. Having set up her own label, Kaizen, on which she’s even released a free compilation, her involvement in the electronic music scene only seems to be growing and flourishing. Her skilful and eclectic sets incorporate grime, techno, bass, garage, and dubstep – she executes these sets flawlessly whilst filling a gap in an incredibly male-dominated area of music.
Heidi
Growing up near Detroit’s underground house and techno scene, Heidi states that she ‘came from the dancefloor’, giving her a true passion for engaging a crowd and setting an incomparable energy. Perhaps most widely recognised for her monthly Radio 1 Residency, Heidi’s sets feature influences from old school hip hop, rock, and everything in between. Her own label Jackathon Jams’ first EP featured an all-female line up (go girls!) and has since gone on to tour across the UK, with regular slots at Fabric and XOYO in London, as well as Ibiza and Berlin, ensuring a non-stop party for all.
Jane Fitz
Despite being a DJ for over 20 years, Jane Fitz is consistently understated in the underground scene. This is quite possibly due to the fact that it is impossible to pin down her music to a single, or even a handful of styles, such is the variety of her collection. The Night Moves (London) resident plays anything from spaced out house to minimal techno, from trippy acid to more ambient and psychedelic electronica. Fitz’s extensive catalogue of records means she is suited to play styles for any and every crowd, and perhaps 2017 will be the year where she gains the recognition she thoroughly deserves.
Peggy Gou
South Korean born, Berlin based, degree from London College of Fashion, and previous editor for Harper’s Bazaar, is there anything Peggy Gou can’t do? Through success of her first EP ‘The Art of War’ on Rekids, she has seen her dream of being the first ever Korean female DJ to play at Berghain come true, as she debuted herself there later in 2016. Flux recently caught onto her talent, as her second ever RA event was at the event in September 2015. Peggy Gou is not only seeing success within music, as she is a talent of all muses, with her clothing collaboration with Stereo Vinyls being a big hit in 2016. The Black Madonna commented in her Mixmag interview how it is such a travesty women such as Peggy Gou have gone unnoticed for so long. Wearing the slickest clothes, Peggy Gou will be twisting vinyl at Wire this Friday night.
Julie Adenuga
Julie Adenuga is a DJ and presenter who has been making waves in a grime scene heavily dominated by male MC’s, producers and DJs. Starting her music career in 2010 on local radio station Rinse FM, in 2015 Julie was selected to represent London on Apple’s new 24/7 global radio station and now she holds a slot alongside the likes of Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden. Her ability to flirt between different genres with ease, find new local talent and explore the culture behind music with her interviews, have all allowed her to generate a huge following and establish herself as one of the most influential females in the music scene in 2017. Oh and she also happens to be the sister of Skepta and JME, founding members of Boy Better Know and arguably the most influential British musicians of our generation!
Isobel Moloney, Grace Kyne, Lawrence Cwerner, Owen Ellicott, Ummar Kas
(Image: Jade Seatle and Jane Fitz – The Ransom Note)