Whether as tastemakers, DJs, producers, or behind the sound desk, dance music in its contemporary form relies on the contributions of women across generations.
However, these experiences have not been without their difficulties. With International Women’s Day approaching, CLASH and AlphaTheta have joined forces to highlight mothers in the music industry, aiming to foster discussions around their lives and roles in club culture.
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For once, fans were left speechless. When Jayda G took charge at her Mixmag Lab last year, she had something to demonstrate. One of the top DJs, she had grown accustomed to breaking boundaries and was clearly excited about this new challenge. Performing while heavily pregnant, she intentionally challenged a taboo in the club scene, igniting a significant online discussion.
“Women are gonna have babies!” she laughs during a call with CLASH. “We’ve been doing it since the dawn of time. It’s not that complicated! It’s crucial for people to see this and for it to become normalized.”
“I want it to be visible,” she asserts. “A pregnant woman can still DJ and be present… I don’t know – there’s still a significant stigma.”
Of course, she is correct. Jayda G is part of an expanding group of women balancing motherhood with their roles in club culture. Recent data from AlphaTheta indicates that an increasing number of women are investing in DJ technology, leading to a rapid rise in women breaking through barriers in club culture.
“Six or seven years ago, it became a big deal to include more female DJs in line-ups,” Jayda reflects, “but as time goes on, if there are more female DJs, there will naturally be more women who are pregnant or mothers among the line-ups. It’s a natural progression.”
When CLASH connects with the Canadian-born DJ, she is out for a walk in her local park, her young son sleeping in a carrier. The profound changes brought about by motherhood have transformed her daily routine, including her approach to music.
“When you have a child, it’s such a life-changing experience,” she observes. “It’s fine to do some soul searching. It’s about acknowledging who I was before the baby and who I am becoming afterward. I’m trying to intentionally combine those two aspects of myself.”
“It’s interesting because my mind is brimming with creative ideas… but my hands are occupied with a baby! It’s challenging to channel that creativity – you really have to manage your time effectively.”
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Motherhood has altered how Jayda G approaches tasks she’s long been familiar with, including how she engages with music. “Having a baby has actually been quite beneficial,” she laughs, “because you find yourself sitting there breastfeeding for long periods! So I have time to listen to music. It’s a fantastic way for me to discover songs for my DJ sets that I might not have found as easily before. There are both advantages and disadvantages!”
On a practical level, becoming a mom – and the disruption to her income as essentially a self-employed individual – presents several obstacles. “I’m fortunate that my management has been so supportive,” she says. “I know many women, who aren’t DJs, facing similar situations in the workforce.”
For a DJ, there’s the heightened pressure to be visible, to be recognized on line-ups, festival posters, and social media. “Most women take six to eight months off,” she explains, “and I’m acutely aware I didn’t have that luxury.”
“I mean, I was lucky to have my baby at the end of November – a time when most DJs tend to take a break. Even then, not everyone has that opportunity.”
“The industry needs to acknowledge that some individuals require flexibility,” Jayda G states. “In club culture specifically, there has to be an understanding that some people have children, which affects the touring arrangements, necessitating greater flexibility in set times.”
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Navigating the scene as a pregnant woman presented an ongoing series of challenges – almost every venue and festival space was designed with patriarchal assumptions in mind. “Oh, there are all sorts of things no one considered!” she laughs, “simply because those planning the logistics had never been pregnant.”
She shares a story about a tiring DJ set where she was taken offstage and informed a buggy was prepared to transport her… but it was over 500 yards away. “I was like, I’m heavily pregnant! I can’t walk that far! You want me to trek all the way over there?! It’s amusing, you could tell they felt terrible since it was one of those things nobody ever thought about.”
As our conversation wraps up, her son starts to stir from his nap – he’s constantly moving, something she attributes to touring while pregnant. “He does not stop moving,” Jayda notes. “I wonder if that’s because I was on the road with him in my belly!”
Regarding music, her son seems to have developed a taste for classic hits – think
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