Female musicians have been steadily climbing the charts across multiple genres this past year. With major hits such as Adele’s “Hello” debuting as number one and setting the record for most US downloads sold in a single week at 1.11 million to other prominent artists taking home American Music Awards such as Taylor Swift, Rhianna and Nicki Minaj, there’s no doubting that there is a #GirlPower revolution occurring.
So why is it that Female EDM artists seem to be non-existent, especially in major award shows?
The category for Favorite Artist – Electronic Dance Music, was introduced in 2012 and has been completely male dominated ever since. In fact, not even a single female DJ has been nominated since the category’s inception.
Forbes reported that the top 12 highest paid DJs in the world are men.
Ever heard of Anna Lunoe? She’s a highly skilled DJ, producer, and singer that has worked with The Weekend, Disclosure and M.I.A. With a stellar stage presence and flawlessly executed sets, it’s a sin that this passionate producer hasn’t had a real chance in the spotlight.
What about NERVO?
If you’re a true EDM connoisseur, you’ve most likely come across the fiery Australian twins that got their start writing David Guetta and Kelly Rowland’s Grammy Award-winning single “When Love Takes Over.” In their lates album, Collateral, they experiment with deep bass, electro house, and samples from Kreayshawn, Kylie Minogue, Nile Rodgers and more.
How can you ignore TOKiMONSTA?
From building her own event brand Spam n Eggs to dropping 3 albums, this girl is on fire. With another album on the horizon coming off producing Gavin Turek’s newest album, You’re Invited, it’s hard to ignore such a well-rounded DJ and producer. Her music is inventive, adapting her melodies and beats to take on a psychedelic feel while also hitting you with unexpected dubstep beats.
These are just a few examples of the musical gold that female producers and DJs are putting out right now. So why is it that their male counterparts are reaping all the success and awards?
There are clear flaws in the way award shows are run, especially the American Music Awards. While the AMA’s claim they are a “fan-voted” awards show, the winners are usually reflective of big corporate dollars and high-budget publicity reserved for Top 40 artists.
The biggest flaw may be that there is no option for “write-ins.” Category leaders are pre-chosen by the industry and then the public has an opportunity to vote.
DJ Hanna Hanra explains in her article on The Guardian, ”I realized that it didn’t matter how many times a week I DJ’d or how much I charged or how much people loved what I played, I was losing the impetus to fight my way through the boys’ club and try and make it to the top. And if I got there, would the fight to stay there be worth it?”
So what’s to come of female DJs and producers in 2016?
Will they take center stage and establish a stronger presence in the music world?
Catch Anna Lunoe, NERVO and TOKiMONSTA soon at a show near you. For more about the latest and greatest EDM shows, visit our event calendar.
