Appropriately positioned at the onset of International Women’s Month, MMBASSY’s second iteration of its “See Her Be Her” event delivered yet another jam-packed day of insightful and necessary conversations around the role of women in dance music.
Over six hours on a Saturday at the W Hotel in downtown Seattle, “See Her Be Her” brought together some of the region’s biggest movers and shakers to show women aspiring to break in to the scene that there’s not only a place for them to exist within the industry, but to thrive. Workshops and panel discussions covered a wide swathe of topics, from nightlife safety, representation and branding, to DJing, producing and mentorship, all centered around a simple message: “This is where you belong.”
The day kicked off with panel hosted by DJ Mia Tai, featuring the Overdose Prevention Collective and DanceSafe organizations. The session focused on knowledge, actions, and resources to help with safety preparedness.
They also raised discussion of the DJ’s role in safety, and how Producers and DJs can encourage (and even require) venues to consider risk reduction as part of the events. Emily Dalgo from OPC highlighted that carrying Naloxone and knowing how to use it was her #1 risk reduction tactic. To the same question, Richard Hartnell from DS emphasized “test before you ingest.”
Across the hallway, local DJ Miss Min.D led a production 101 workshop that was all-encompassing in its scope, covering the “why” of producing as much as the “how.” As Miss Min.D pointed out, women held just 19% of songwriting credits in 2024, as well as just 6% of production credits, demonstrating firsthand just how far we have to go in terms of representation across the industry.
“We have a lot of work to do.” – Miss Min.D
Christine Nguyen from Circa, Inc. and Christina Greenberg from ViViD Presents teamed up to talk in the Representation in Today’s Music Industry panel. They both had a core message that centered around making genuine connections. With the amount of people trying to get into the industry, and long hours of those who are already there, it can feel challenging to get a foot in the door. Being open to all types of roles, networking, being persistent, and being direct yet patient will help newbies find the right mentors to engage and grow with.
Next up was DJing 101 with LowkeyDintheHouse, who cut her teeth in the Colorado house music scene before moving to Seattle, where she’s opened for JOYRYDE, Nostalgix, Proppa, and a long list of other heavy hitters. But despite her status as a technical master on the decks, the focus of her workshop was all about the basics. Anyone can DJ, she opined, you just have to get started.
“I figured it out, and I know you can too.” – LowkeyDintheHouse
Complementing the DJing session was a B2B workshop that demonstrated tips and tricks for two artists who want to make seamless melodies together in one set. BexfromChicago and SKA said communication is key, including making a plan prior to your set, keep open communication throughout, and always take the opportunity to debrief after to help build momentum for future collabs.
To pair with the beats being laid in the DJ workshops, Caitlin Sciscoe from You Can Shuffle With Us lead the group through a heart-pumping shuffle tutorial. Participants learned basic steps including the T-Step, Happy Feet, and Crossover. It was a high energy session that literally kept us on our toes (and heels).
Attendees were also treated to a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an event people want to attend, featuring Seattle’s Girl @ the Show, as well as the folks behind tech house pop-up Dilly Disco, Seattle Paddle Rave, and Codex Collective. Much like the day’s other sessions, this discussion dealt heavily in the questions around accessibility — how do you make sure that people feel welcome at your events, how do ensure that women are represented on lineups and in leadership positions, and how do you transform a night of music into a sustainable community?
And while managing those logistics can seem daunting, the session’s panelists were proof positive you don’t have to be a major production company to connect with a diverse local audience on a deep level.
The next panel on branding hosted by local DJ Megatron and featuring Girl @ the Show and Codex Collective felt like a natural next step in the discussion. Whether you’re a DJ looking to score an opening gig or a production company trying to set itself apart, establishing a recognizable brand is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Over the course of the hour, panelists highlighted the importance of everything from well-designed event fliers to making quality DJ merch, as well as overcoming any fear you might have of talking about yourself and hyping up your brand.
In addition to outward branding was a focus on fashion, lead by Leah York from Coffeeton and Tel0sity from Codex Collective. More than just vibes, though, the What Are We Wearing Tonight workshop emphasized the importance of your outfit choices when it comes to brand-building, comfort and even safety (hint: make sure you can carry risk reduction items like earplugs and Naloxone). The group ended with a thoughtful and fun discussion of where items like fishnets, coresets and crocs fall on the suffer/ slay matrix and what considerations impact your outfit planning.
“I just want people to be their unique selves.” – Bexxie
Learning production, DJing, branding, and everything in between on your own can be tall order to say the least. Enter the night’s headlining DJ, Bexxie, who was the guest of honor for an illuminating session on mentorship hosted by C89.5’s Harmony Soleil. A dance music veteran who got her start playing raves in the 1990s, Bexxie shared her fascinating story that saw her step away from DJing for years, before returning to become an instructor at artist development program Cosmic Academy. Since then, she’s had her music released by Insomniac, Anjunabeats and Toolroom, all while making time to guide other up-and-coming women through their own budding careers in music.
Making it in dance music today also requires a whole suite of skills that simply weren’t a part of the artist toolbox in EDM’s early days. Nowadays, Bexxie said, knowing how to make music isn’t enough on its own, with artists now expected to be experts in social media branding, promotion, and even graphic design, all while often handling the rigors of a day job on top of all that. In the end, she advised, it’s vital to avoid trying to do too much at once, and instead focus on things that feel right to you. And with the right mentor at your side, the rest can fall into place.
A day of panels and workshops was followed by a night of partying in the W Hotel lobby, which MMBASSY transformed into a makeshift club space, complete with a booming sound system, projection screens, and a lineup of talented women that took us on a veritable house music odyssey. Kicking the musical portion of the program off was Mai Tai, peppering a packed room with an array of thick techno tunes, followed by Harmony Soleil for an hour of vibey melodies.
The night closed with Bexxie’s unmistakable brand of old-school house, before MMBASSY’s Mia Maya paired up with Sloane Motion for a sizzling b2b to bring us home, putting an exclamation point on a “See Her Be Her” 2026 we won’t soon forget.
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