Music / Review
Review: Lady of the House Cultural Exhibition, Lost Horizon
Lady of the House is a female led collective who not only aim to celebrate women’s contribution to the dance music industry but also to level the playing field for women in said industry. Formed by Bristol music promoter Laila McKenzie in 2020, the organisation has only gotten bigger and better.
As part of International Women’s Day earlier this month, we joined Lady of the House for a special exhibition at Lost Horizon. Three days of talks, panels, masterclasses and even an after party, the exhibition showcased women’s contribution in all areas of the music industry and how we promote inclusion and diversity in the field.
Bristol24/7 joined the exhibition for a day of industry talks, starting with the Virtual Masterclass Focused on How to Run a Record Label & Radio Show with Anja Schneider. Based in Berlin, the DJ attended via Zoom and gave the audience some tips on how to not only run a record label but also how a musician might be able to get airtime on the radio. It’s always a risk when there is a Q&A segment with a renowned guest but the audience filled the time with a range of questions, allowing Schneider to flex her advice muscles.
The next session was a short segment about a new company, Moving the Needle with Nikki McNeill and Jennifer Cochrane. Launched on International Women’s Day in 2021, the company’s main goal is to help women in the music industry from the very beginning of their careers. Their vision is to have 50% of senior management roles to be held by womxn and a zero gender pay gap for all roles including roadies, engineers, tour managers and so on. It was a great talk which wasn’t only inspiring but incredibly informative.
The merch stand had on sale, Lady of the House’s book featuring over 120 interviews and photos, photo credit: Myles Blackwell
Our final talk of the day (unfortunately we couldn’t spend all day there, as much as we would have liked to!) was Reimagining the Future of Electronic Music – discussing getting your first job and building a sustainable career in the industry. Steven Braines, Becky Rascal, MK, AmyElle were panellists with Nikki McNeill leading the discussion; topics included the metaverse of electronic music, the importance of queer, gender-balanced lineups and the impact social media has on the industry. It was a needed and well-rounded discussion and a great way to end the day.
The date for the next Lady of the House cultural exhibition has been announced, taking place on 11th March 2023. You can pre-register via their website https://www.ladyofthehouse.org.uk/
Main photo: Myles Blackwell
Read more: Lost Horizon presents cultural exhibition celebrating women in house music
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