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Bristol book 'champions' female artists in dance music

Laila Mckenzie Laila MckenzieLaila Mckenzie
Ms Mckenzie said: "I hope this book becomes a blueprint for the future generations to encourage women to enter the dance music scene"

Women are not visible enough in dance music and need to be "championed", a music promoter has said.

Laila Mckenzie, 36, from Bristol, has documented more than 150 women in dance music in a book to raise awareness of how much they have given to the industry.

She said: "A key barrier to seeing more young women enter the music industry is the lack of visibility."

The Lady Of The House project was supported by Bristol nightclub Lakota.

Laila Mckenzie Lady Of The House bookLaila Mckenzie
The book documents the stories of more than 150 women who are part of dance music culture

Ms Mckenzie has worked in the music industry for 20 years as a promoter and has spent the past year collecting interviews and photographs of female artists, promoters and producers from around the world for the book.

Music organisations such as Bristol Beacon and The Ministry Of Sound supported the project and dance music DJs Carl Cox and Ian Snowball helped to write the book.

Ms Mckenzie said: "Respecting and upholding the legacy of the people that paved the way for dance music is crucial, as we wouldn't be in the industry we have today without their fundamental contribution.

"I can't go through my life as a woman and a mother and not give our women, especially black and brown women, the credit and recognition that they deserve."

The Yard Woman The Yard WomanThe Yard Woman
Techno producer, The Yard Woman said: "As I got more involved in music I started seeing the results of this gender imbalance"

Bristol techno producer The Yard Woman, who features in the book, said the project is the start of a "movement".

"People looking to go into the sector can be put off when there is no visibility of marginalised groups and women in the scene, it makes you feel like you won't fit in and that's really sad.

"To have all of these women's stories who make the dance scene what it is, collected in one book, it's really inspiring," she said.

'I'm now more aware'

Owner of Switch Southampton, Halo Bournemouth clubs and co-founder of Orange Rooms Gary Bennetton, supported the project and said it has changed how he approaches his work with venues and music events.

He said: "I'm now more aware of making sure there is fair representation of genders.

"Laila has made me realise how difficult it can be for women in the industry."