In Tribes: DISCWOMAN, Smirnoff Sound Collective spotlights the many contributions that women have made within the electronic music culture showcasing female DJ talent around the world.
Dance culture has always been about inclusion.
Yet even within club culture itself, barriers still remain. Gender diversity is still rare, with big name festivals and influential clubs still relying on the same old – predominantly male – faces.
While much of the conversation over the past few years surrounding female DJ talent has focused on issues of equal pay and opportunities for female DJs, the Smirnoff Sound Collective has decided to use International Women’s Day as a worldwide celebration of female DJs. The story told in the documentary Tribes: DISCWOMAN flips the script with a new narrative that sheds light on the incredible energy and eclectic sense of style that female DJs contribute to the scene.
“The Smirnoff Sound Collective has made a commitment to becoming the biggest contributor to the inclusive nature of electronic music culture,” said Justin Medcraft, Smirnoff Global Senior Brand Manager. “With today being International Women’s Day, we are fulfilling that commitment by using our global platform to celebrate diversity in a way that inspires positive conversation within music and how the culture truly becomes better when everyone is included.”
DISCWOMAN is a New York-based all-female collective. A celebration of new talent, of gender diversity, and of the key role women play in club culture. The video features special appearances from the likes of The Black Madonna, Star Eyes, Demian Licht, Sandunes, Nicole Moudaber, and Ninasonik.
“The Smirnoff Sound Collective’s goal of telling an inclusive and diverse story about female DJs is something we decided to join forces with because the work we do is more than just about us,” said Frankie Hutchinson, DISCWOMAN co-founder. “It’s about an awesome community of women who have great talent and deserve their stories be shared and celebrated.”
The 12-minute documentary, which can be viewed here follows the three co-founders of DISCWOMAN as they share their perspectives on the role women have played within electronic music.
“Music is something that belongs to everyone. It was my way to evolve as a woman,” says Mexico City-based producer, Demian Licht. And with platforms like DISCWOMAN and a spotlight like Tribes, there may soon be a lot more opportunity to do a whole lot more.
