Does anything actually change after IWD?

In 2025, to many, IWD is a day siloed almost entirely to LinkedIn, where big brands can celebrate the women on their teams while still engaging in a 21.8% gender pay gap at the time of writing this article.

Within music, IWD is often a similar exercise. The likes of Diplo congratulating the women in the industry around him or promoters booking IWD lineups like they’re a special occasion.

In the lead-up to IWD 2025, Gadigal Land/Sydney-based DJ and producer Mincy (she/her) shared her opinion on her social stories, which garnered a huge amount of attention and traction from other women in the scene. In this, Mincy pointed out “the ‘favourite female producer’ posts starting to pop up from men in the scene” and questioned her audience on the last time they’d recommended or shared a woman’s releases.

With IWD now more than a week behind us, has anything truly changed?

Does anything ever change?

Mixmag ANZ spoke with a series of women across the industry to get their thoughts on the importance of IWD and what punters, producers, DJs and promoters can really be doing to shift the dial on how we appreciate and value women in the industry.

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Q: Is there still a ‘boys club’ in dance music?

MINCY: Yes, very much so. Some progress has been made absolutely but we still have a long way to go. Over the last few years of touring and releasing music I have witnessed and been subject to the results of this quite a few times.

Q: Why do you feel like the many people within the broader scene’s appraisal of women is only really noticeable at IWD?

MINCY: IWD is really important and should absolutely be celebrated. In the last few years though it has because a bit of a scapegoat for them to do some box ticking when it comes to how they support women. It’s almost become expected of brands, collectives, labels etc to show their support to women on this day now, which in turn means a lot of the time very little is shown the rest of the year. Brands know people are watching on IWD, it’s a day of visibility to prove they are doing the right thing.

Q: What do you think this kind of focus around IWD does for brands that may not book a lot of women or play their music at any other point of the year?

MINCY: It just comes across as performative and ingenuine. I think a lot of the industry are now are aware of who is supporting and providing opportunities year round instead of the performance posts once a year.

Q: What do you think punters think when they see this kind of promotion around IWD?

MINCY: I do think punters are becoming aware of when events/labels etc are legitametly showing support and when they are not. It only takes looking at what else those collectives have been doing for the rest of the years - the music they’ve released by women, the women they’ve booked, pushing forward other opportunities for women - to see if it feels genuine.

Q: What sort of change do you think needs to happen for this to be something that happens all year round?

MINCY: There’s an underlying bias that women aren’t on the same level when it comes to performing or creating music, which goes without saying that’s it’s absolutely not true. A lot of the time we have more to prove and work extra hard to do this. Being open and receptive to a wider range of artists and losing that preconceived idea will go a long way.

Q: Why do you think that people are so quick to defend labels, DJs and other figures for not doing more to dispel to ‘boys club’ in dance music?

MINCY: I think a lot of the time people worry about their own opportunities - it can feel like women coming to the front will mean less opportunity for men, or pushing them aside. It’s not the case, a thriving scene with inclusivity across the board means bigger audiences, more events, more people consuming more music, a wider demographic feeling represented in the scene. It’s creating an even playing field rather than pushing anyone to the back.

Q: You said of your recent release that people just assumed that men had made it, commenting “nice one boys” on the listing. Why do you think this happens so regularly & is men’s first instinct when listening to dance music?

MINCY: Unfortunately, it’s a pretty frequent occurrence. Even on collaborations with men I have had on multiple times audiences only acknowledge the man I have worked with and not my contribution. It really again comes down to that underlying bias, which has stemmed from the elevated level of opportunities a lot of men in this industry have been given. If there was more visibility of women we would be taken more seriously and these sort of assumptions would likely lessen.

Q: What do you recommend that fans do around IWD, or for the remainder of the year to truly support women DJs & producers?

MINCY: There’s so many ways to support year round, as both consumers of music or people in the industry. Small acts go a long way - sharing music on social media, booking women year round in main and headline slots, releasing music by them. Even on an artist level there are opportunities to do this - playing music by women in your sets or shouting them out when they deserve the recognition. Adding an inclusivity clause to your rider to ensure minorities are booked. We have seen entire careers skyrocket from really simple acts like this.

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Q: Is there still a ‘boys club’ in dance music?

TINIKA: There is very much a boy's club in dance music, we are seeing lineups full of men and we see men come into the scene and get immediately pushed forward by their peers and promotors alike. Controversial opinion, but I think a lot of it stems from the commercialisation of dance music and the mass appeal to the people who buy the most and it is probably men and it genuinely stems from a very uneducated crowd who don't want to know more. Australia has a lack of identity at times often following trends from overseas, and when big festivals and promotors plug the same men over and over it just continues the cycle.

Q: Why do you feel like the many people within the broader scene’s appraisal of women is only really noticeable at IWD?

TINIKA: Outside of IWD, men will book their one girl friend and call it a day and the IWD lineups/recognition I saw this year were almost entirely white and did not extend past the immediate circle of the bubble they operate in. I’m really tired of hearing ‘we don’t know any women’ because that means you’ve been purposefully oblivious to what’s happening in the scene. It's boring and extremely lazy.

Q: What do you think this kind of focus around IWD does for brands that may not book a lot of women or play their music at any other point of the year?

TINIKA: It makes them look goofy, honestly. It's embarrassing and highly deflating and offensive.

Q: What do you think punters think when they see this kind of promotion around IWD?

TINIKA: I honestly think punters do not care. I think unfortunately a lot of the scene here is built around heavy substance intake and whether or not there is a lineup full of women or not, punters will treat it like any other day.

Q: What sort of change do you think needs to happen for this to be something that happens all year round?

TINIKA: There are so many angles that could improve this. Men need to do better, labels and promotors need to do better. Do a bit of research, get on the ground and educate yourself. Real talk, being a woman in the Aus music scene means having to be palatable, cool, sexy and heavily marketed, it also unfortunately means being banished to opening slots, silenced for speaking up, perceived as difficult, dubbed up and coming for half a decade and then not taken seriously. Women have to jump through hoops to get a slither of recognition so we really are going to need men to do more the other 364 days of the year to uplift us. Shoutout to the male artists that make sure their lineups include women all year round, the ones that are sharing on Instagram and helping spread the word or plugging music made by women.

Q: Why do you think that people are so quick to defend labels, DJs and other figures for not doing more to dispel the ‘boys club’ in dance music?

TINIKA: Australia is a vacuum, and there are only so many opportunities to really make it so I think with this comes a genuine individualistic mindset and desperate clawing toward the top that makes people silent on things they should really speak up about. We need to create more genuine opportunities for people in Australia to thrive sustainably as we've seen time and time again promotors and labels churn through trendy artists, then rinse and repeat with the next 'big thing'. This all contributes to a scene where no one wants to step on toes, or disrupt in fear of going against the status quo or in artist's case, being left behind or perceived as difficult.

Q: Why do you think it's so regularly a first instinct for men to assume that a man has made a track?

TINIKA: If you asked any man to name 3 female artists in dance music in Australia, they would not be able to name them. We barely have any labels in Australia that platform women so of course they think it's men who are making all music. We need to look at the big guys.

Q: What do you recommend that fans do around IWD, or for the remainder of the year to truly support women DJs & producers?

TINIKA: It's such scary times for the entertainment industry here, venues are shutting down and festivals cancelled, so we will have to rely on grassroots and smaller scale single day events. I have had the best musical experiences of my life at events run by women, by Queer people, and BIPOC organisers. I really wish punters would open their eyes to what we have to offer here and buy tickets to sustain the industry outside of the big festivals and mainstream events. Even Boiler Room over the last few years has had incredible femmes such as C.Frim, Crybaby, Caucasian Opportunities, Sovblkpssy, Colette and Stev Zar so it's evident the talent is definitely there, but it's deflating to know it has to be shoved in people's face for them to notice. I really urge people to get out there and see for themselves, tag and share, support and uplift the amazing women we have!

Q: Is there still a ‘boys club’ in dance music?

KAILYN: Oh absolutely. Sometimes it can feel like we’ve progressed a lot, and there are way more women and gender diverse folks on lineups, promoting, running venues, working for labels etc. than there was 5 or 10 years ago. But unfortunately, when you peek behind the curtain and even look towards more commercial electronic communities it’s still dominated by white, cis male dudes. I could provide receipts for how many male DJs and producers I get pitched for radio and airplay as opposed to other genders – I would estimate at least 80-85%, so at an industry level it seems like there’s major change that needs to be made on who is receiving representation from agents, labels and managers.

Q: Why do you feel like the many people within the broader scene’s appraisal of women is only really noticeable at IWD?

KAILYN: It's a tokenistic, pat on the back moment for industry folks who think they’re contributing to change by booking one all-female lineup per year but constantly missing the mark the other the other 364 days. I also think a lot of us bite our tongues because we don’t want to be seen as disruptive or put our own positions in the scene at jeopardy by talking about it, I know in the past I’ve called people out for booking all male or all white lineups and severed some relationships with people who wouldn’t book me afterwards. Having one day to celebrate and platform women doesn’t help anyone if the work isn’t being done year-round.

Q: What do you think this kind of focus around IWD does for brands that may not book a lot of women or play their music at any other point of the year?

KAILYN: It’s interesting because I’ve noticed the longer I’m in the scene, the more new artists and promoters pop up who may not have been around when a lot of noise was being made 5+ years ago, or when platforms like WIP and WOMPP were popping up. If IWD is an entry point for folks who genuinely may not have considered the issues that women face in the industry, that’s great. I hope they listen to the voices of women, take action and keep the momentum going post-IWD.

Q: What sort of change do you think needs to happen for this to be something that happens all year round?

KAILYN: I think more development needs to go into artists that are women, gender non-conforming and transgender by the industry. If you’re not already seeing gender-diverse artists at a level that you would consider worth booking or releasing music, get them there! For bookers – don’t just put women on opening slots, pay them at the same rate that you’re paying the boys and always aim for a 50/50 gender balance on your lineup (no excuses). For agents – put more women on your roster, especially if your currently roster significantly favours men. For artists - something I’ve also heard from producer friends is that they feel like unreleased music is being shared way more between male DJs, so consider reaching out to people not in your immediate circle of bros to send dubs and forthcoming track to play out. If you can’t be bothered to put a woman, a person of colour, a trans person or someone from a minority group on your lineup, I doubt your event is a safe enough for us to attend.

Q: What do you recommend that fans do around IWD, or for the remainder of the year to truly support women DJs & producers?

KAILYN: Put your money where your mouth is! If you’re a fan, go buy some merch or an album/EP/single from a non-male artist, or buy a ticket to their show. Post their new releases on your story and add them to your playlists. Get down early to their sets when they’re on support slots.

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Q: Is there still a ‘boys club’ in dance music?

KLP: Absolutely. While progress has been made, the industry still heavily favours men—whether it’s behind the decks, in the studio, or on festival lineups (just look at some big ones recently announced in Aus). It’s not just about representation; it’s about access to opportunities, resources, and recognition. Women have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously, and even then, our contributions are often questioned or overlooked.

Q: Why do you feel like the broader scene’s appraisal of women is only really noticeable at IWD?

KLP: Because for many, it’s a box to tick. IWD becomes a moment where brands, labels, and promoters feel pressured to highlight women, but once March 9th rolls around, it’s back to business as usual. The real test is whether these same people are platforming women in their day-to-day operations - signing their records, booking them for headline slots, supporting their music all year round.

Q: What do you think this kind of focus around IWD does for brands that may not book a lot of women or play their music at any other point of the year?

KLP: It’s performative if there’s no follow-through. It lets brands pat themselves on the back without making real changes. A single IWD showcase doesn’t undo years of overlooking femme artists. If anything, it highlights the gap - because if you have to scramble to find non males for one line-up, that tells me you’re not paying attention the rest of the year. They’re out there being fucking incredible.

Q: What do you think punters think when they see this kind of promotion around IWD?

KLP: I think most people see through it. There are fans who genuinely care about diversity in the scene, and then there are those who roll their eyes and see it as tokenism. The problem is, if the industry treated women as equals year-round, this wouldn’t even be a conversation. No one questions an all-male lineup, but the second a festival books a lot of women, it’s suddenly a “theme.” That’s the issue.

Q: What sort of change do you think needs to happen for this to be something that happens all year round?

KLP: It starts with structural change. Bookers, labels, radio, streaming, and media platforms need to stop seeing women as a “special feature” and start treating them as essential to the scene - because we are. There needs to be long-term investment in femme artists, not just a marketing push once a year. For me, the best support right now would be for people to actually listen to my new release and recognise my work for what it is - not because I’m a woman, but because it’s good music. I literally had a record come out a few days ago and would much prefer an article focusing on that and the other incredible artists out there doing inspiring shit – as opposed to discussing genders.

Q: Why do you think people are so quick to defend labels, DJs, and other figures for not doing more to dispel the ‘boys club’ in dance music?

KLP: Because it’s uncomfortable to acknowledge privilege. The people benefiting from the status quo don’t want to admit that the system is rigged in their favour. Plus, dance music prides itself on being “inclusive” in theory, so when you call out the boys’ club, it challenges the industry’s self-image. But if the numbers don’t lie—if women are still underrepresented on line-ups and in label signings - then clearly, there’s more work to do.

Q: What do you recommend that fans do around IWD, or for the remainder of the year, to truly support women DJs & producers?

KLP: The best thing fans can do is show up year-round. Stream our music, buy our records, go to our shows, request our tracks, and talk about our work. Don’t be afraid to SPEAK UP. Real change happens in the day-to-day choices we each make.

It shouldn’t be or feel taboo to shout out fucking loud about all the mad stuff that female and gender-diverse artists are doing. It’s exciting and I’m so proud to be amongst them. Support doesn’t have to be performative; it’s as simple as engaging with femme artists the same way you do with men. If you love a track, share it. If you see an all-male lineup, ask why. If a DJ is smashing it, give them their flowers.

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Q: Is there still a ‘boys club’ in dance music?

MELL HALL: 100%. Although the general sentiment is that there's been change and progress - which there has been - it's femme artists unfortunately doing all the work.

The 'boys club' will dissipate once the boys in said clubs speak up, and more so, act.

Q: Why do you feel like the many people within the broader scene’s appraisal of women is only really noticeable at IWD?

MELL HALL: Bluntly, because they're told to do so. My best analogy for this is only giving flowers/gifts on Valentine's Day - put in the work on any other day of the year, not just when it pops up in your calendar.

Q: What do you think this kind of focus around IWD does for brands that may not book a lot of women or play their music at any other point of the year?

MELL HALL: Now - hopefully - and in terms of the type of people I surround myself with, puts them on blast. You can sense the communal eye-roll. Femme artists are constantly working around-the-clock (twice as hard for half as much!) doing AMAZING things, so to only be acknowledged for that on one day of the year (barelyyyy) by brands that don't back-up their acknowledgement with action is disheartening to say the least.

Q: What do you think punters think when they see this kind of promotion around IWD?

MELL HALL: I like to think more of punters - that they can see exactly what is happening. Are savvy and educated. They want to see change and diversity and an equal playing field. They can see what labels, promoters and bookers are dated in their approach. No one is asking for special treatment - simply a seat at the table.

Q: What sort of change do you think needs to happen for this to be something that happens all year round?

MELL HALL: Acknowledgement. Action. Accountability. I would ADORE seeing in every IWD post this year a list, a proposal, a dedication outlining the year ahead and how (if not already in place...) your agency etc etc.., are going about the current imbalance.

Trust me, I'd LOVE to stop talking about this too.

Q: Why do you think that people are so quick to defend labels, DJs and other figures for not doing more to dispel the ‘boys club’ in dance music?

MELL HALL: Firstly, KLP answered this perfectlyyyy.

But to add - being complacent and comfortable is the underlying theme of the 'boys club' - so if you sit on that spectrum/within those boundaries/are surrounded by those with similar mindsets - breaking away from that is work. A lot of work.

And all too often, people don't know where to start. Rather than having uncomfortable or inquisitive conversations - they either remain silent or because they aren't directly affected, defend what works for them personally. All of which, doesn't help anyone.

Q: What do you recommend that fans do around IWD, or for the remainder of the year to truly support women DJs & producers?

MELL HALL: Share, like, follow, subscribe, converse, show-up, show-out, call-out, interact!

What femme artists are creating on-the-daily is mind-blowing, history-making! Be on the right side of it.

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