The Women of House will be bringing their coveted sets to Amsterdam Dance Event, flying in from Chicago, Glasgow, Seoul, New York as well as from the surrounding neighborhood. The lineup is curating an essential niche in the week, offering a spectrum of house music—from soulful to tech. You’ll find these women’s welcoming mixes touching full circle: light-dark, deep-shallow, hard-easy. The answer is finally yes—it’s time for the Women of House to crush ADE 2025.
Get to know the lineup before heading over to the three locations—Van De Werf, prik, and Blend XL—starting on Thursday the 23rd and capping off the series on Sunday with special guests.
First Lady is left in charge of the Amsterdam Dance Event recommended event, so start exploring the lineup by enjoying her smoke house set while the Carrillo Music Group have certainty helped in celebrating the Women of House over the past 10-year.
Opening the Amsterdam Dance Event series on Thursday night at Van De Werf, Women of House unites a commanding lineup of innovators whose artistry has defined, expanded, and reimagined the boundaries of dance music.
First Lady is a South Side Chicago native whose name is synonymous with the origins of House.
The first woman ever to play House Music on radio and a founding member of the legendary all-female DJ team The Fantastic Four, she has hosted #1 shows in New York and Chicago, collaborated with industry greats, and earned induction into The Frankie Knuckles Lifetime Achievement Award DJ Hall of Fame. Her legacy stretches from broadcasting to global stages such as the Super Bowl Gospel and the Amsterdam Dance Music Festival. With her enduring mission to uplift and educate through sound, including her current work as a Faculty Advisor at the Illinois Media School and co-host of SG1 House Radio, First Lady embodies the living history of the genre she helped to build.
Joining her is an eclectic and international collective of powerhouse selectors. DJ Better, one of Korea’s most dynamic exports, presents an raw blend of KPop, electro punk, breakbeat, minimal techno, and hip-hop—an invitation to explore the real energy of Korea’s underground via her popular MIXMIXTV.
Nite Funk, born in France with Spanish roots, channels the lush textures of funk, disco, and soul into elegant, groove-driven sets that define her Radio Ibiza Paradise series, Sunday Feelings.
DJ Val, Chicago’s longest-running female DJ, brings a career spanning five decades, residencies exceeding sixteen years, and remixes that have topped charts worldwide, including The Freedom Mix and Rise Again. From Glasgow, DJ Justine fuses old-school house with modern vocal-driven energy—her river sets for Kings Day 2025 already a local legend.
The Gen Z closing the circle is Isa Carrillo, Amsterdam’s rising force whose tech-house and disco-house selections have earned her residencies at Lula Club, Goya Social Club, and Victoria and repeat invitations to ADE. Together, these women represent both the foundations and the future of house—an intergenerational, transcontinental conversation told through rhythm, groove, and grace.
Rounding out the night is DJ Emma M from Great Britain, whose Boujee Beats show on ndcradio.co.uk has become a Thursday-night institution. Her high-energy sets have graced stages like the Artist Village at Creamfields, and her return to ADE—sharing the decks with Georgie Porgie, Jason Walker, and Barbara Tucker—cements her as one of the UK’s most promising forces in contemporary house music.
The celebration continues on Saturday night at prik, where the Women of House welcome a new wave of powerhouse DJs alongside select artists from Thursday’s lineup.
DJ Elle Cee, a child of the golden Hacienda era, brings her deep musical roots and soulful sensibilities to the decks. With over 15 years in the industry, Elle Cee’s sets are a masterclass in groove—seamlessly weaving vocal house, disco, Afro, and gospel-infused rhythms. Known for her standout edits, including Mary J. Blige’s ‘Nobody But You,’ she has graced stages from London to Miami, Croatia to Spain, earning a reputation for warmth, depth, and musical storytelling.
Mia Banks, formerly known as DJ-M, hails from Nijmegen, Netherlands, and radiates pure dance floor joy. Her passion lies in igniting collective ecstasy through an uplifting blend of disco, soulful, and funky house—balancing timeless classics with fresh finds that keep every crowd moving.
Kim and Simone, two veterans of the Dutch house scene, have been shaping dance floors for more than two decades. With residencies at iconic venues and appearances at numerous festivals, they joined forces in 2019 to form KIMONO, a dynamic duo known for taking audiences on a seamless musical journey where stopping simply isn’t an option. Especially for ADE, KIMONO will showcase a set full of their favorite records, celebrating the diversity and unity of house music.
Mercedes, a New York City–based DJ, producer, and label owner, brings her bold and visionary sound to the mix. As the founder of Benny Boy Recordings alongside Benn Starr, she’s performed at the Amsterdam Dance Event and opened for legends like Paul Oakenfold, embodying the forward-thinking energy of today’s global house movement.
The Women of House series closing party on Sunday will be at Blend XL, featuring special guests. Come find out who will pop on the decks and feel how soulful house hits on a Sunday following a long weekender in Amsterdam.
