DJ SHE ~ JANE BLAZE PRODUCTIONS, Women-focused electronic music festival turns the DJ sausage party on its head

1 year ago
Women-focused electronic music festival turns the DJ sausage party on its head | Granville Magazine
DJ She: ‘Female DJs in the industry are just as good as male DJs’

Back when she worked as the manager at Beatstreet Records, Tara Reeves, best known for her musical work as DJ She, recalls a male-dominated record store with occasional female customers.

“From the inside, it’s definitely dominated by men,” she says of Vancouver’s DJ scene. “That said, I feel like my peers that are female DJs in the industry are just as good as male DJs.”

While skill sets between genders may be similar, male DJs tend to hold more regular club residencies than women, she adds, resulting in higher male visibility.

Reeves doesn’t feel like she’s at a career disadvantage because of gender, but she acknowledges that women often need to work twice as hard as men to get to the same place. And she’s no stranger to hard work.

At 27, she’s opened for major North American acts like Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Jurassic 5, and Cut Chemist. When she’s not making music, she hosts and directs Grounded TV and runs Jane Blaze Productions.

“There’s more of a spotlight on men in any industry, whether it’s the music business or fashion industry. We have to work twice as hard to get the same position,” she says. “It doesn’t mean we couldn’t rock a party just as well as a male DJ.”

Just as this story was going to “print,” DJ She confirmed that she will be participating in the showcase. Other DJs who’ve signed on include Tanya Tagaq, Peaches, Betti Forde, Librarian, Nina Mendoza, Lynx, B-Traits, Soom T, Isis Salam, Tank Girl and Mandai, with more to be announced. Media artists will include VJ Electrabelle, Julie Gendron, Shebnem Ozpeta, Claudia Medina and Krista Lomax.

DJ She competed as the only female DJ at the Red Bull 3Style 2010. (Image: courtesy DJ She and Red Bull 3Style)

*Story by Jackie Wong for Granville Magazine

See full article here.

DJ She: ‘Female DJs in the industry are just as good as male DJs’

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