Two months ago month, Kish Lal premiered No More Excuses, her Noisey column researching, profiling and championing female and gender non-conforming artists. So that if you ever find yourself with a male-heavy line up on your hands, we're here to help. Check out the first in the series here, and the second here. Take it away, Kish.
I discovered Yemisul after lurking her instagram, only to find out that she was a DJ from Sydney and is bad as hell. Spinning hip hop and grime, she also works on IZMZ, a project that celebrates peoples strengths, passions and individuality. Check her in action exploring the relationship and complexities of social media in every day life.
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Photo by Elliott Lauren DJ Big Rig is Bec Rigby. Bec Rigby is the lead singer of The Harpoons. Bec Rigby is great. Her DJing style is delicate and unpretentious, made for easy listening and cuddling. But if you catch her at the club you'll be sure to get a sure dose of pop, dance and unrelenting fun.
Bahdoesa is the culmination of two incredible African women bonding over a love for reggae, dancehall and afro-beat. Regglues Songbird & Designer Quashani Bahd met in 2013, and have since performed alongside South Rakkas Crew and have kind of taken Melbourne by storm. I hate to talk in clichés but there is no other way to describe the infectious energy they bring in their performance and production. Get ready to dance, basically.
A curator of dark techno gems, and at the helm of many late night sets across Melbourne, Avery has been the reason behind a number of post-weekend "best night ever" tweets. It would almost be a disservice to say she's a newcomer to the scene because the air of confidence she brings with every damn DJ set is insurmountable.
With a career spanning almost 20 years, Simona Castricum has lived though many a musical era, to now tell her deeply raw, heartbreaking stories through music on stage. Her compelling and inimitable brand of live techno is a taste of the 80s yet a nod to the future, with the mixture of live drumming, soaring vocals and tangible passion making her unforgettable.
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An angelic voice from the Northern Territory, Emily Wurramarra is a beautiful indigenous woman, looking to inspire and empower her community. Growing up she often heard her uncles sing but rarely heard women from her community sing in public. She took that and went forward to make music, singing in both her native language, Anindilyakwa, and in English while touring the country relentlessly.
It's been low key incredible to see Kučka's star rise. She's quickly gone from playing in WA to taking her melt-in-your-mouth electronica to the rest of the world. Supporting Machinedrum in NYC is her latest success story and if you haven't heard of her yet, work out some time to pencil her into your iCal.
You want to hear a three-word success story? Sampa The Great. Raised in Africa and now based in Sydney, this legend sings songs of grave importance, ruminating on political and social themes throughout her catalogue. Songs like "F E M A L E" and "Blue Boss" do things to my heart I cannot describe in words.
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Brisbane-based Emma Stevenson—who also goes by DIDI—is quickly becoming a name well known the country round. Supporting the likes of Steffi, Trus'me, Marcellus Pittman and Matrixxman, she's clocked all the house and techno legends you'd dream of. Her mixes are deep and intricate, so prepare to get lost in her Soundcloud for days if you dare click.Follow Kish Lal on Twitter.