Why you should listen #Forthemusic podcast

In an hour-long podcast, the British Dj and producer Rebekah sat down with friends and also Dj, Louisahh, to talk about some behavior in the dance music industry.

Women in the dance music industry

The podcast started the first question which is: what the name of women who djing: Djette? Djane? The two friends agreed that those terms' infantilize women so they go with DJ. When came the second question: why always asking women what it is to be in a mainly men industry? Rebekah proposes to ask agents why there's not a lot of women in lines up's. This is a question that Mathilda Von Der Meerch from Parisian Collectif Possession has asked. So she created a private group on Facebook called Women's Speech (now Noise Spreading) only reserved for women and queers. It's a meeting and supporting network.

The two friends also talked about the competition between women in the industry. The fact that women are less booked than men, makes them compete with each other. But competition is natural for humans. According to Maslow's pyramid, the need for competition is present in all of us. It's "a need to belong" that is to say a need to feel accepted by others and land to comparing yourself to others. Added to this false idea that women are rare industry creates an unhealthy work environment. Louisahh explains that mechanism very well.

Business techno in club culture

Louisahhh quotes Dave Clarke who says that the magic from the scene has gone, and now it's a hyper-capitalist industry. In every culture or sub-culture, there's evolution. Back then, the movement has spread in Europe then to the world so it's brought new peoples and genres. The money came because of the popularity of a venue, parties, and artists as through time they became the center of parties. It's up to the artists to be accountable for what kind of lifestyle they promote to the public. Also, the mimic of opulence is not something new in the music industry. For example, In the disco era, men would indulge in sophisticated grooming rituals and choose fashionable clothes.

Later on the podcast, Rebekah tells a story: one day she was invited to a party and there was some dude who was in charge of finding women to be behind the Dj booth. So she asked Louisahhh if this kind of behavior is a part of what went wrong in the scene. This part was a little bit confusing but it's referred to women's body use as a visual pleasure. (Here a video about the vixen culture Full Length: How Video Models Changed The Music Industry | VIXEN. - YouTube.)

Sexual assault, drogue uses, and "safer" space

For this part, it necessary to remind that the raise of raves was simultaneous to ecstasy. And even if it's illegal, the consummation of drugs in those parties is not a secret and it's risk-taking. Rebekah says "It's a crack house with a Soundsystem". So by definition, it's complicated to have a safe space. But clubs and festivals have obligations in regard to alcohol and drug consummation and have to enforce laws. For that, they need to educate themselves and educate their employees. But let's not forget that festivals and clubs are places where you go dancing and having fun. That's why the podcast was created to raise awareness about those topics and create a safer space.

For example, Rebekah says that she used to play in Berlin underground parties and the public is into BDSM fashion. So as long as there is consent, there's no problem. Let's remind that the way you dress or look is not an excuse for sexual assault. When there is the consummation of drugs or alcohol that can alter consciousness it makes consent a grey area. So kindness with each other is important. Again, it's not an excuse for sexual assault.

DJs who use their power so they can have the company of girls/boys after a set is also a grey area in terms of consent because it's lead to sex debt or worst, sexual assault.

There is no good or bad answer to those topics. We have two friends who sat down to see how they can use their power to spread awareness in the dance music community. Some parts are hard to understand but it's a good start. To have a safer place, venues, artists and the public must do research as these are complex subjects.

ForTheMusic Podcast with Louisahhh par Rebekah (soundcloud.com)