BEYOND THE BOOTH: THE RISE OF FEMALE POWERHOUSES IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC
Photo by Johnga Park
Since the pandemic ended, it’s become glaringly obvious just how much we’d neglected the sense of community that the club scene brings. The electric euphoria of dancing with strangers, the unspoken camaraderie of shared basslines, the strengthening of bonds with your inner circle—it’s all back, and it’s bigger than ever. But as club lines snake around corners and Ticketmaster queues grow infuriatingly long, one trend stands out: female DJs are taking over. Electronic, House, and Dubstep—genres that dominated from the ’90s to the late 2010s—are staging a fierce comeback, and this time, women are commanding the decks.
The past two years have felt like a renaissance for creative women in music. From headlining festivals to gracing global magazine covers, female artists have solidified their presence. A report from the USC Annenberg Institution paints a vivid picture: the percentage of female artists surged from 20.3% in 2020 to 35% in 2023, marking the highest point in over a decade. That same year, women dominated the Billboard Hot 100 like never before, carving out their place as trailblazers.
This cultural shift can be traced back to the pandemic. With traditional music labels struggling to adapt, the rise of digital content gave artists the freedom to thrive independently. For women, this was revolutionary. The barriers that had long defined the industry—genre pigeonholing, sexualization, and outdated stereotypes—were shattered. Social media became their amplifier, a direct line to audiences hungry for authenticity and unfiltered artistry.
Take Sara Landry and Charlotte de Witte, for instance. These women have flipped the script, owning stages at festivals like III Points, Tomorrowland, and Coachella with unrelenting confidence. Then there’s Peggy Gou, a South Korean phenomenon who’s rewritten the rules of what it means to be a global DJ. Her 2023 anthem "(It Goes Like) Nanana" became an instant classic, propelling her to headline shows, grace the cover of Vogue, and even host a seminar at Harvard Business School. Gou’s meteoric rise from underground gigs to worldwide acclaim underscores the limitless potential of women reclaiming their space in electronic music.
Still, the climb is steep. Female DJs remain outnumbered by men, holding just 32% of the profession compared to men’s 68%. This imbalance creates a vicious cycle: fewer role models mean fewer aspiring talents feel emboldened to pursue the craft. Yet, the resilience of women in the industry is undeniable. According to a 2023 study by music tech company A2D2, female DJs performed an average of 23 shows annually—nearly double the 13 shows played by their male counterparts. Women also claimed 40% of the Top 100 hardest-working DJs list, proving they’re not just breaking barriers—they’re setting new standards.
Beyond the decks, grassroots organizations are stepping in to tip the scales. Nonprofits like Future Female Sounds, Girls Make Beats, and FEMME HOUSE are creating inclusive spaces and empowering women and gender-minority DJs. These initiatives are more than just support systems; they’re engines of change, ensuring that the future of electronic music is as diverse as the beats that define it.
Female DJs aren’t just reshaping the electronic scene—they’re rewriting the playbook entirely. From underground warehouses to global festival stages, they’re infusing the genre with fresh energy, authenticity, and perspective. The future isn’t just inclusive—it’s a dance floor where everyone belongs, led by women refusing to take no for an answer.