Electronic Dance Music or EDM is not only dominated by men DJs such as Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, Calvin Harris, etc. If you are not a fan of going to clubs and or music festivals, you probably don’t know there are plenty of the top female DJs in the scene as well.
If you are looking for something new and fresh to listen to, keep reading this article.
It is a common misconception that female DJs lack skill with the technical aspects of DJing. Some people even think that they are just for show, wearing provocative clothing just to entice the eyes of men. It might actually be the case sometimes, but not always.
I mean, DJ equipment is becoming easier to manipulate nowadays with “beat-sync” and easy transition effects. However, you have to be really talented and have a lot of musical knowledge to keep the party going, even if you do use new DJ technology.
It can be tough for women to make a name in a scene that is dominated by men. Frequently, women will be judged and treated differently. That is why I salute these women that overcame these challenges and got the recognition that is theirs.
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What is DJing?
You probably know this information already, but for those who don’t, there are various types of DJs. The famous ones are producer DJs. You will probably hear their tracks on the radio and hear their name all across the internet and social media platforms. Aside from their live mixing knowledge, producer DJs are also composers and beatmakers that write their own songs.
Another type of DJ is a club or music festival DJ. Producer DJs can also play at clubs and music festivals. Their talent can make the crowd dance and groove for hours. Some club DJs might not write their own music, but they still have the skill of mixing and matching songs without losing the crowd’s interest.
Being a DJ is all about learning how to transition from one song to another smoothly. And to do so, you must know a lot of songs and develop certain techniques.
Now that you know what DJing is all about, let’s move on to the list of the 10 best female DJs in the world:
Annie Mac
Annie Mac is a British DJ that you might have heard of.
She has a weekly show on BBC Radio 1 since 2004.
The show goes on for 2 hours a week, and that is where she gained her popularity.
Even if you are not from the United Kingdom, you can still listen to her show, thanks to internet streaming.
She also made appearances in some of the UK’s largest music festivals and clubs.
Although Annie has never produced a song of her own, she is still a top DJ because of her mixing talent.
TOKiMONSTA
You have probably heard about this next female DJ on the list. Jennifer Lee, a.k.a. TOKiMONSTA is a record producer from the United States.
I remember seeing her on a Netflix documentary about music. She was diagnosed with a brain disease and undergone two surgeries since.
Her brain disease didn’t stop her from pursuing her passion as a record producer and DJ.
Not only did she overcome the obstacles of becoming famous in a male-dominated field, but she also beat her disease. She is now back to performing and producing songs.
You can listen to her songs on Spotify and Apple Music.
Nastia
DJ Nastia is a techno whiz from Ukraine. Not only is she a successful DJ, but Nastia is also a mother. She should be a role model for the next generation of women, not only aspiring DJs.
She started her career way back in 2005. Now, she has performed in venues all over the globe.
A crowd of thousands absorbs her raw energy on stage. I can only imagine how exhilarating it is to watch Nastia live on stage.
Her life story as a working DJ and mother has captured a lot of people’s hearts.
Anja Schneider
German DJ Anja Schneider grew up in Europe’s techno capital, and it has paved her way to a successful DJ career. Growing up in Germany influenced DJ Anja to pursue mixing techno music.
She created her own kind of minimalist techno sound that quickly gained a lot of followers.
Since then, she has been playing the most famous clubs such as Pacha Ibiza and some of the other biggest music festivals in Europe.
DJ Anja Schneider is such a talented DJ with exceptional taste, which shows on all of her productions. Because of her talent, she founded her own music label, Mobilee Records.
tINI
The next female DJ on the list is tINI. She started her love for DJing and mixing since she was 7 years old. She started DJing in Germany’s underground hip-hop clubs.
One thing I like about her is her love for vinyl records. Nowadays, you will rarely see any DJs still using vinyl, but not tINI.
Her hip-hop background is what kept her using vinyl records even when she is playing electronic dance music.
She has played a lot of festivals and lit up the stage with her mixing talent and showmanship.
She is a top female DJ that you should definitely see perform live.
Blond:ish
These two girls from Montreal has been rapidly gaining a lot of followers. Anastasia and Vivie-Ann, collectively known as Blond:ish moved to Spain a while back to pursue a career in DJing.
They have made several official remixes from well-known artists like Depeche Mode.
These ladies have a unique style of producing progressive bass lines that sound really well-engineered.
You can catch some of their tracks on the popular streaming apps.
Cassy
Cassy became well-known from her regular sets at Bergheim Panorama Bar.
She was born in England but later moved to Austria and ended up in Berlin, where she started her DJ career.
She started playing house music in small Berlin clubs in the early stages of her career.
Because of her talent, she was discovered by well-known producers such as Steve Bug and Richard Villalobos.
Ever since then, Cassy will be seen performing in some of the hottest DJ music festivals all around the world.
Monika Kruse
This international techno DJ and producer has made tons of appearances.
Monika Kruse is a well-renowned DJ from Germany. She played famous shows such as Burning Man and ADE.
Because of her talent, she is coined to be the first lady of techno music in Germany.
Now, she runs record labels such as Electric Avenue and Terminal M.
Doing all of this work makes you very proud of what women can achieve in a scene that is run by men.
Nicole Moudaber
Known as the Queen of Techno, Nicole Moudaber astonishes us with her skills.
She might be the most underrated DJ on this list, but her talent is really out of this world.
She is an excellent drumcode and techno DJ, but there is more to her than her love for techno.
She is a versatile DJ that has become a regular at the hottest DJ festivals like BPM and Awakenings.
Nicole Moudaber also has a successful radio show, and she has worked with names such as Carl Cox and Coyu.
Ellen Allien
Last but not least, we have Ellen Allien. Another multitalented DJ from Germany, she has produced a discography including eight full-length albums under her belt.
Aside from her own records, she has mixed and worked with dozens of other tracks.
Ellen Allien is such a multidimensional producer and DJ that is definitely worth the mention.
She has the most productions than any other DJ on the list. She also founded BPitch control way back in 1999 and has produced several artists under the label.
Her screen name Allien came from her fantastic sets. She is magnificent at experimenting and fusing a blend of different genres during her sets.
She has a talent that is truly not from this earth, hence the name, Allien.
Notable Mentions:
- Ida Engberg
- Magda
- Juicy M
- Nora En Pure
- Peggy Gou
- Deborah de Luca
- Amelie lens
- Eli & Fur
- Charlotte De Witte
- Hannah Wants
Related Questions:
- What equipment do I need to start DJing? To start DJing, I recommend you get a decent DJ controller like the Pioneer DJ DDJ 200. It is suitable for beginners, and all you need to make it work is an iOS or Android device. You can also use it for computer DJ software. This DJ controller has all the essential functions that you can use to learn the craft of mixing songs
However, the DDJ 200 is still classified as a beginner controller. If you have learned the foundations of becoming a DJ, you can probably move onto a more significant controller. I find that the DDJ 200 lacks some functions that you will need for more serious DJing (you’ll get a feel for it when playing for a while).
- Can you DJ with music streaming apps? Yes, with the new DJ software such as Djay by Algoriddim and Rekorbox DJ, you can use songs on SoundCloud and Spotify. Gone are the days where you have to switch between your vinyl records. However, you can still use tracks from your own library.
An essential part of Djing is building your music library. Knowing a lot of songs by heart can help you pursue a DJ career. Who knows? You’ll probably end up playing music festivals in the future.
Conclusion
Nowadays, being a female in a male-dominated scene can still be as challenging as before, so I just want to salute these top female DJs that overcame the obstacles.
Try searching for each DJ on the list on YouTube or your favorite streaming apps to hear their music or watch them perform live.
If you ever have the chance, you might see one of them at the next music festival you attend.
