Amelie Lens and Charlotte de Witte have been in the news in recent weeks for their statements during a panel at the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) where also this year the DJ 100 Top Mag which elevated Martin Garrix as David Guetta's successor.
Both DJs, who are experiencing one of the highest moments of their career in electronic music, once again put on the table the machismo that is often found in the industry, in the music scene and even in the media.
Both Amelie Lens and Charlotte de Witte made it clear that they were fed up with a phenomenon that is very common for them and that does not happen to them with the same frequency: “It is very emotionally and creatively exhausting. Honestly, no one ever says: 'AIROD it's better than farrago. It's something typical of female DJs. So stop it, please.'”
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The message that both artists sent through this powerful platform such as the ADE was one of unity, good vibes and, above all, of being fed up with a manifestly unfair situation: “We are not against each other, we are with each other. We are a brotherhood. We support each other“.
Data and barriers for DJs
Machismo in the universe of DJs and electronic music is a persistent problem. Despite progress, women still face significant barriers in the industry. A study by Spotify and the MiM association (Women in the Music Industry) revealed that only 6% of DJs are women and that less than 20% of festival headliners are women. This disparity is also reflected in the popularity rankings.
In DJ Mag's ranking of the world's 100 best DJs, women are underrepresented. In 2024, it has been possible to reach a maximum number of female DJs represented among those most voted for by the electronic music public. Until 14 artists have entered the Top100 although only one manages to reach the Top10.
Peggy Gou was the best positioned in 10th place, followed Charlotte de Witte in 16th place, Amelie Lens in 41st place, Indira Paganotto in 49, nerve in 50, Mariana Bo in 51, Deborah Luca in 58, Korolova in the 60's, Nora in Pure in 65, Sarah Landry in 75, Le Twins in 83, Rezz in 86, kaka in '92 and B Jones in '94.
Slow progress towards equality
The lack of women in top positions can be attributed to several factors, including the lack of visibility and opportunities, as well as the gender prejudices that persist in the industry where until a few years ago women had another presence and another role (even in many scenarios remains the case and even wage inequality continues to be another workhorse).
Unfortunately it does not seem like it is something that is going to change overnight as demonstrated by the fact that the Charlotte de Witte was already talking about it in 2021: “I've been DJing for 11 years and it's bad to say that I've gotten used to it. It's not that it doesn't give me chills, I mean, if someone close to me said something like that, I'd probably say something about it, but I realized that This mentality is very slow to change in people. Also, people don't fully realize what they are doing by saying those things, that doesn't make it right, but there are much worse things you can say than referring to someone as DJ woman. I mean, “There are many other battles to fight.”
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