Bristol's Beat Queens: Women Rocking the Electronic Music Scene

In Bristol, women and trans people are making a significant impact on the electronic music scene, thanks to a charity called Saffron. For the past ten years, Saffron has been dedicated to training and mentoring women and trans individuals who want to become DJs or work in music technology. The organization is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, and it has played a crucial role in helping many people overcome the challenges of a male-dominated industry.

One of the women who has benefited from Saffron is Marla Mbemba. Marla started playing bass at the age of 12 after becoming obsessed with Guitar Hero. She joined Saffron's Artist Development program in 2021, which helped her launch her career. Marla says that even though there have been efforts to make things more equal, women and gender minorities are still not seen enough on stage, especially in electronic music. She often feels that people at venues do not take her seriously. Despite these challenges, Marla has achieved a lot. She won the 2024 Youth Music Producer Award and released her debut EP, collaborating with other women and non-binary producers she met through Saffron.

Faith Morton is another inspiring figure in Bristol's music scene. Faith became a DJ in her 50s, after waiting for her children to grow older so she could focus on her passion for music. She says learning to DJ has brought her a lot of joy and opened up new opportunities. Faith has performed at major festivals like Glastonbury and Boomtown and now has a regular radio slot. She credits Saffron for giving her the support and inspiration she needed to succeed. Faith remembers that when she was younger, most DJs were men, but she has seen a lot of progress in recent years. Saffron has helped create space for women and non-binary people in Bristol's music community.

Marley Small is a DJ and radio broadcast tutor at Saffron who started producing music as a teenager. For Marley, music is a way to express emotions that are hard to talk about. She completed a 10-week course with Saffron, which gave her confidence and connected her with a mentor. Marley believes there should be more women in leadership roles in the music industry. Before joining Saffron, she did not realize how many talented women and non-binary people were involved in music. Now, she feels part of a supportive community.

Saffron's work over the past decade has helped many women and trans people find their place in electronic music. The charity continues to inspire and support new talent, showing that with the right help, anyone can succeed in music regardless of gender. These stories highlight the importance of organizations like Saffron in making the music industry more inclusive and diverse.