In Montreal, we’re so lucky to have an incredible amount of females DJs headlining events such as Piknic Electronik and Exposé Noir & MUTEK to name a few. While being exposed to the inclusivity in this city, it’s not hard to notice that the nightlife industry elsewhere is predominately dominated by men. So many nights, festivals, parties, we see male. You may be asking, what is the solution, and well…… I give you COLLECTIVE BAE.
We are artists & healers; connectors + curators.
We are thinkers, doers, makers, mothers, sisters, rebels,
magicians + witches + revolutionaries
freethinkers and intention-setters.
"The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn." check this #IRL moment of iconography + inspiration + (RE)EVOLUTION ➰feat. @dreeemy x @mimivonk evoking #gloriasteinem and #dorothypitman🎥 // @alley_irl📸 // @razberryphotography🎌 @bust_magazine @broadly ___________________________this is our ninth month of existence and we're on the verge of a collective BIRTH 🌷what do Y O U want to experience at:from:with BAE?
Posted by BAE on Monday, June 5, 2017
Started by Reem Abdou in Brooklyn NY, who was sick and tired of the industry continuously booking male DJs without concern for the lack of female representation in the industry. Reem also noticed that female DJs were constantly being classified as women first, then DJ second. I had the privilege of interviewing Mimi, international touring DJ based in Brooklyn, also known as Tony y Not and co-producer of Collective Bae, to see what she thinks about the electronic music industry. Here is her Husa Sounds mix to enjoy while you read:
Collective Bae strives on uniting women with art and supporting each other while putting on exciting events for everyone to enjoy. A year and a half ago, Reem and Mimi looked to their ever-reliable Burning Man connections and started giving a platform to female artists, creating unbelievable events done by women for everyone. Women entrepreneurs came together with their talents whether it was music, art or dance.
WE NEED MORE FEMALE REPRESENTATION IN THE NIGHTLIFE AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC INDUSTRY!
Colective Bae is the healing we need in a patriarchal and male-dominated industry, and they do it with grace and talent! One thing Collective Bae wants men to be aware of is that the only way women will grow is if you step aside and allow them to and everyone will see the shift of focus from monetary to experience.
When asked about the struggles she currently faces, Mimi states that a lot of events she gets booked for, that only consist of male producers or male DJs, are missing a soft female touch of energy. What is represented in production, the audience feels energetically. Collective BAE wants to bring back the community and love that really comes from within the music we all care for so much. This leads to the question “Why are we doing this?” – Before Anything Else (BAE), there should be the intention of connecting with others and yourself.
They have started to take matters into their own hands, motivating and empowering women and girls who want to create and showcase their art but never get the chance to do so. Collective Bae is all about building a female network through connecting with each other, sharing talents through art, and spirituality. It is important to be aware of the deep connections we have with basics of nature, like sound and vibrations and ancient teachings on the matter. Yoga, meditation or for example cacao ceremonies can help induce peace and calmness which is a perfect balance to the hard-hitting music and bass we all love.
For a positive future in music, we need to recognize that patriarchy is in every industry, and the only way we can use music to our benefit and advantage is to remove that narrative. Hopefully in the future we can see a fully inclusive scene where everyone is celebrated for talent and talent only.
MUSIC SEES NO GENDER
Collective Bae five year goals include full equality, no gender classification and an uprising of women, by allowing them to be fierce and do what they do best! They also host a podcast showcasing female identifying artists worldwide. Here’s their latest by Montreal’s well known Heidy P.
Starting on June 30th, Collective Bae is collaborating with Liberty Festival 2018 in the Adirondacks of upstate New York, only 4 hours away from Montreal. They will be hosting workshops, activating spaces and playing sets throughout the festival.
To all the females readers who don’t know where to turn to, Mimi also gave us a list of collectives & organizations for women in music:
Women in Music is a dynamic group of music industry professionals working together to support, cultivate and recognize the talents of women in our field. Through educational seminars, panels, networking events, showcases, our Touchstone Awards, and other gala events, we provide camaraderie and tools for advancement to hundreds of members at all stages of their careers.
A space (FB group with thousands of members worldwide) created for and by women & non-binary people, with the intention of solidifying a strong network of electronic music artists across the globe. SISTER began as a space exclusively for producers and DJs, but has expanded to encompass artists, event curators, designers, music writers and anyone with a passion or involvement in the large, multi-media world of electronic music and nightlife.
This is a safer space for sharing music, organizing gigs, asking questions (technical, work-related, etc), voicing concerns/successes, and ultimately ruling the world.
I am so happy to have interviewed Mimi aka Tony y Not and I look forward to what this group of fearless women will bring to the table.
article by Hellan
cover photo by www.alleyelle.com
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