Updates
Tue 25 Oct
Go to main menu women on top! or the beginning of the end for the glass ceiling?
Just how progressive is the electronic music industry and do women really get an even break? That is the question to be answered at Felix Meritis on Friday. And to be honest, it is a good thing to see a bunch of women on the mic at this male dominated conference. Is it a man’s world? DJ Heidi (GB), Magda (PL), Melissa Taylor (DE) and Olga Zegers (NL) discus the matter.
Olga Zegers is one the few ladies who had been around for a long time in the music business. She has been working with ID&T since ‘99 and has been responsible for the musical programming for events and festivals like Sensation and Mysteryland. When she started out as a booker, back in the days, she was surrounded by women. Zegers: ‘In the beginning most of the bookers where female. But nowadays our business is dominated by guys. When I started out as a booker, you could hardly make a living. But now, if you work with the big names, you can earn a lot of money. I think that is one of the reasons why there are so many man around these days.’
DJ Heidi thinks the music business isn’t an easy place to work at: ‘You can’t be insecure. You have to have the balls to do it. Say to yourself: I will make it happen and go out there. Personality is key. As a dj, I don’t think gender matters, it depends on what you play. Quality stands out.’