To mark International Women’s Day, we put a simple but powerful question to some of the most compelling women in electronic music: who inspired you, and who should we be listening to? In a scene where female voices have historically had to fight hardest to be heard, the answers that came back were striking in their generosity: a portrait of an industry reshaping itself from within, built on sisterhood, mentorship, and mutual admiration. From Berlin to Miami, spanning melodic house to experimental techno, these are the voices and the women they champion, presented alphabetically.
Born in Venezuela of Lebanese heritage, Amal Nemer has rapidly become one of Miami’s most exciting exports since launching her music career in 2021. An architect by training, she brings a builder’s precision to her tech house productions — releases on Moon Harbour, Glasgow Underground and Nervous Records have already earned her a place in Beatport’s top 100.
Amal’s new party series Manifest launched in Miami in 2024, and she shows no signs of slowing down her prolific studio output.
Her inspiration: Dua Lipa & Manda Moor
“Dua Lipa is a true inspiration as an artist in every sense of the word. Her music hits that sweet spot where you feel good, empowered, and completely in your body all at once. She has this incredible ability to make you move while also tapping into real emotion, and she does it all with such authenticity. She’s sexy, optimistic, and unapologetically herself, everything I identify with and aspire to embody through my own artistry. Manda Moor is another woman I deeply admire. The way she expresses herself through her sound, especially through her label alongside Sirus Hood, is a masterclass in how to do proper tech house while carving out a lane that is entirely your own. What I love most is how she’s made the genre feel personal. When I hear her music, you know it’s hers.”
Few figures in electronic music have shaped the landscape as decisively as Anja Schneider. The Berlin-based DJ, producer, broadcaster and label owner spent twelve years building Mobilee Records into a major underground institution before launching her own imprint, Sous Music, in 2017. She has championed countless artists from Pan-Pot to Maya Jane Coles in their early days and was recognised in 2021 with an Honour Prize from the Berlin Music Commission. This month, Anja receives the Pioneer Award at the 2026 Femmy Awards during Miami Music Week — a fitting tribute to three decades of barrier-breaking work.
Her inspiration: DJ Minx
“When it comes to DJ Minx specifically, what really inspires me — beyond all those qualities — is her skills. Her roots, the way she produces tracks, and the way she can bring so much energy and vibration into the music. There’s this power in her tracks, in her DJ sets, in the way she builds a dancefloor. Those are skills that I honestly miss in many other artists, but that I see so strongly in her. Right now I’m a bit obsessed with her tracks — how she manages to translate a very specific dancefloor vibe onto records. I love her coolness, her attitude, her presence. That’s something I want to hear more of in music.”
Frankfurt-based producer, singer and live performer Avis Vox has carved an unconventional path through electronic music, beginning in 2008 as the front vocalist of an EDM project, touring Japan, France, Ukraine, China and India, before reinventing herself as a melodic and peak-time techno artist. Her debut album ‘Skin’, released in October 2024, surpassed 600,000 plays on Spotify and featured the viral TikTok single ‘Illusion’.
She recently made her debut on Adam Beyer’s prestigious Truesoul imprint, and on March 17th releases her new single ‘We Are Falling’ with PARAFRAME on This Never Happened.
Her inspiration: Miss Kittin, FKA Twigs, Sevdaliza & ABRA
“For many years, the women who have consistently inspired me are Miss Kittin, FKA Twigs, Sevdaliza and ABRA. For me, they are role models in the music world – artists who cultivated my taste for electronic music while remaining feminine and vulnerable.”
CLARAA is a French DJ and producer blending groove-driven melodic house with afro-infused rhythms and deep percussive energy into powerful journeys. Known for high-impact, rhythm-rich sets across clubs and festivals worldwide, CLARAA continues to build a global audience through immersive soundscapes and vibrant melodic energy.
With standout releases on Connected Frontline, MoBlack Records, LSF21+, Unreleased Records or Ulu Records, she has gained worldwide support from artists such as Black Coffee, Pete Tong, Bedouin and more.
Her latest single ‘No Fear’ featuring GHSTNR is out now on Connected Frontline, the imprint founded by the Stereo MC’s.
Her inspiration: Julya Karma
“If I had to highlight one female artist to keep an eye on right now — even though there are so many talented ones out there — I’d say Julya Karma. I really connect with her groovy melodic house tracks and her sets feel like a true journey rather than a performance showcase, and that’s an approach I deeply relate to. Beyond the music, she’s incredibly sweet, approachable, and humble. She’s always genuinely smiling and sharing her energy on stage, which is something I love. I admire the way she’s growing with Innervisions while staying completely natural — never forcing an image, whether in her track selection, her attitude, or even her style. She’s a real breath of fresh air. I was also very happy to see her supporting my track ‘Starlight’ in some of her shows. If you don’t know her yet, definitely check her out.”
La Santa is a music lover and DJ with a passion for electronic sounds, rooted in the emotional and healing power of music. Her sets traverse soulful, groove-driven electronic music, and she brings a deeply personal connection to every record she plays.
This week she drops a remix of Magnetizm’s track ‘The Eye’ on the Iziki label. Keep your ears open.
“SADE has been inspiring me through all my life in so many ways, from connecting myself to feelings and healing them to create music — her music has been and is a big inspiration. In the electronic music scene I would say Anané, a woman to look out to for her power, resilience, energy and forever tracks. Great DJ, singer, producer and most important SOUL.”
Austrian DJ and producer Dominique Jardin has built a reputation for electrifying tech house and melodic sets on the international circuit. Her sound has drawn support from Meduza and Tiësto, and her latest single ‘Locked In’ on Bon Voyage! continues her upward trajectory.
2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year: she is releasing one new track every month for the rest of the year and is confirmed for Electric Love Festival in Austria this summer, alongside a string of European dates.
Her inspiration: Peggy Gou & Honey Dijon
“I’m inspired by women who create their own lane instead of fitting into one. Peggy Gou for instance turned taste into a brand without losing credibility. That balance is rare. I also think Honey Dijon is someone every DJ should study. Her knowledge and presence are on another level.”
Belgian DJ and producer Luna Lucci has been a force in the Benelux techno scene since picking up her first decks in 2015. Known for strong, driving peak-time techno built around clear melodic hooks, she has played legendary venues including Fuse and Kompass and has launched her own DJ and producer school, Sound Control Academy, to open doors for the next generation.
Her new single ‘The Real Damn Thing’ is available to pre-save now.
Her inspiration: Charlotte de Witte, Sylvie Miles, BLONDEX, Mha Iri, Kiki Solvej & MARHU
“Maybe it’s a little bit of a cliche, but I was really inspired by Charlotte de Witte. Also, she’s a super friendly, down-to-earth woman with some crazy DJ-skills, so it’s always nice to meet her backstage and to see her perform. I’m supporting a lot of female artists, so it’s difficult to choose just one. So here’s my top 5: Sylvie Miles, BLONDEX, Mha Iri, Kiki Solvej and MARHU. I already made a collab with Sylvie called ‘Girls Can’t Produce’ as a statement that women DO can have some DJ- or produce-skills. It would be lovely to have some collabs with the other female artists as well in the future!”
A true original in every sense, Öona Dahl is a DJ and producer who has been operating at the intersection of psychedelic electronica, left-field house and ambient techno. Her kaleidoscopic sets have graced Burning Man, Boom Festival, Tomorrowland and Fabric, and her two critically acclaimed albums on Hallucienda have earned her a devoted worldwide following.
Her third studio album is slated for Fall 2026, and she is currently developing live AV show to accompany its release.
Her inspiration: Delia Derbyshire & DJ Jenner
“Delia Derbyshire has always inspired me. She was one of the earliest pioneers of electronic music, experimenting with tape manipulation and sound design long before the tools we use today existed. DJ Jenner from Toronto is someone to watch. She’s incredibly talented and works hard to bring people together through her events and has a great release schedule with her original music production and label, Darkest Hour Records.”
Dina is one half of Berlin’s Local Suicide — the Greek-German DJ duo she founded with her partner Brax Moody after meeting at a DJ competition in Berlin in 2008. The pair have spent nearly two decades blending new wave, Italo disco, EBM and dark techno into one of underground music’s most distinctive operations, which also includes their own label Iptamenos Discos, now in its fifth year. Together with producer Kalipo, they front the beloved synth-wave live act Dina Summer, whose second album ‘Girls Gang’ landed in January 2025.
On March 13th, Local Suicide headline a Kater Berlin show as part of an Iptamenos Discos takeover, and Dina Summer’s new single ‘On The Road’ arrives March 25th via the label, with live shows at Elektroanschlag Festival (March 27th) and Astra Berlin’s Out of Line Weekender (May 7th).
Her inspiration: A community of women
“Before any artist, my ultimate heroes are my mother and grandmother — brilliant, fearless women who built their lives from nothing with pure strength. Artistically, my foundation was built on Agatha Christie’s brilliant mind and the iconic presence of Morticia Addams and Lydia Deetz. In music, my first loves were the groundbreaking Madonna and Janet Jackson. That eventually led me to the fearless rebels who shaped me later on: PJ Harvey, Courtney Love, Karen O, Debbie Harry, Kim Gordon, Peaches, Le Tigre, Miss Kittin, and Chloé to name a few. The real fire comes from the unapologetic women right beside me — my Germany-based DJ girlfriends. I am definitely a ‘girls’ girl’. The fight for equality is still ongoing, which is why it is so important for women to stand together and support each other.”
Polish-born and split between Berlin and Valencia, VONDA7 is a DJ, producer and label owner whose wide-ranging musical DNA and technical affinity sets her apart. Since launching her imprint art | werk in 2018, she has cultivated a distinctive creative world that has caught the ear of world-class DJs and tastemaker radio shows alike. Her output has also found a home on other labels, including Anjunadeep, This Never Happened and DAYS LIKE NIGHTS.
Her bold new ‘Behind The Flash’ EP, out now on art|werk, sees her harnessing innovative technology to push her sound into striking new territory.
Her inspiration: Dani Siciliano
“She was one of the first women I discovered in electronic music when I got into it around 20 years ago, coming across her through her work with Matthew Herbert and of course her outstanding appearance on Bodily Functions in 2001 on ‘Leave Me Now’.Her voice was soothing and had this energy that blended with the music which made this record still functional in a club environment.”
