"It's no secret that Naarm's music scene is alive and kicking in every corner. Dance music is a cultural staple here, weaving its way through bars, community spaces, and, of course, clubs. We lead the charge when it comes to lineup diversity and, for the most part, hold each other to impressively high standards. But when I first started DJing, the landscape looked pretty different."
"On the not-so-shiny side of the coin, though, I also got booked for some really tokenistic gigs... "We need a chick who plays house music." Uhhh, sure thing, boss. As if my gender mattered more than my sound. It was frustrating to be reduced to a checkbox instead of being recognised for my skillset, which, honestly, crushed most of the guys around me at the time."
"While the scene has come a long way, one thing that still flies under the radar is the rise of female-led dance music labels. Many of them are shaping some of the best sounds in the scene. These collectives aren't just curating forward-thinking music; they're reshaping the landscape and paving the way for others to thrive. And that's something worth celebrating."
Naarm's music scene is vibrant, with dance music woven through bars, community spaces, and clubs. Lineup diversity and peer standards are notably strong. Early-career DJs often gain experience through residencies and busy club nights, yet tokenistic bookings have reduced some performers to gendered checkboxes rather than skill recognition. Female-led dance music labels are emerging and gaining prominence, curating forward-thinking sounds and strong visuals, reshaping the local musical landscape and paving pathways for other artists. Local label output has intensified, reflecting years of scene evolution and a growing emphasis on creative curation and representation.
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