Keleigh Batchelor on why balanced lineups start years before the poster, and why “fewer women DJs” doesn’t hold up.
Debates about representation in electronic music tend to get heated fast. Comment threads and panel soundbites distort arguments that deserve more space, whether that’s about lineup balance, studio access, mentorship or safety.
At the heart of the series is a simple question: can we close the gender gap?
No one is asking for consensus; that’s impossible. But by opening the floor, we can build a broader understanding through other people’s perspectives and experiences.
Next in the chair, in this ongoing series, is Keleigh Batchelor. Keleigh has spent more than 13 years at AlphaTheta, where she now leads PR and communications across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In that time, she has helped shape how the company’s brands and technology reach the market, and how they speak to the creators who use them.
Alongside that role, she has become one of the company’s most active voices on inclusion. Her recent work includes Equal Beats, an initiative that creates opportunities for aspiring women and gender-diverse DJs and creatives, and the thinking behind it runs through her answers below.
Attack: If there are simply fewer women and gender-diverse DJs in the talent pool, is it fair to expect more balanced lineups – or are those two things not mutually exclusive? In other words, does that argument ignore why the pool is smaller in the first place?
KB: I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. Our AlphaTheta account registration data shows that our user base remains heavily male, with around 15% identifying as female. We need to ask why; it’s not something that happened in isolation. Years of barriers to entry have shaped it, whether that is access to equipment, education, role models, mentorship, networking opportunities, or simply feeling like you don’t belong in the space.
Lineups are the visible outcome of everything that has happened beforehand. If we focus only on who is available to book today, we risk overlooking the work needed to ensure the talent pool is larger and more diverse in the future.
That’s why initiatives like Equal Beats focus on creating more opportunities much earlier in the journey through our Start from Scratch program. This helps more people access DJing, build confidence and develop the skills and networks needed to progress.
Can you share a story or example that shows how inclusion – or the lack of it – has affected someone’s confidence, career path or creative output?
One theme we’ve consistently heard through Equal Beats is that visibility creates possibility. This isn’t a new concept or something only applicable to our industry. Many women have told us that seeing another woman behind the decks, speaking on a panel or leading a workshop gave them the confidence to believe they belonged in the industry too. The proof is there: when people rarely see themselves represented, it’s easy to question whether they have a place.
Sometimes it’s not a lack of talent that limits someone’s career; it’s a lack of confidence, networks, or opportunity. Creating spaces and opportunities where people feel welcomed and supported can profoundly affect whether they keep pursuing music or decide it’s simply not for them.
Some promoters would argue that their job is to sell tickets, not to fix structural inequality. What would you say to that?
I can understand that argument, as promoters need to build commercially successful events. But I think we need to look at it through a different lens; commercial success and inclusion aren’t necessarily opposing goals.
Audiences increasingly want authenticity and lineups that reflect the communities they are part of. Investing in emerging talent isn’t just about fairness or quotas; it’s about building the next generation of artists who will become tomorrow’s ticket sellers.
This feels like an often-overlooked commercial opportunity. A more diverse lineup can attract broader audiences by helping people feel represented and connected to the event. As the number of women entering DJing grows, so does the audience that wants to see that talent. Inclusion isn’t just about doing the right thing; it’s also about investing in the industry’s growth and sustainability.
[quote align=right text=”Inclusion isn’t just about doing the right thing; it’s also about investing in the growth and sustainability of the industry”]
What is the creative cost of a narrow industry? If the same people keep getting the same opportunities, what sounds, scenes, ideas or communities never get the chance to develop?
Good music thrives on diverse influences, cultures and lived experiences. The more voices contributing, the richer and more innovative the scene becomes.
If opportunities keep going to the same people, we inevitably miss out on artists with different perspectives, sounds, and stories. That’s not only a loss for those trying to “make it”; it also limits creativity across the entire industry.
This isn’t about replacing existing talent; it’s about widening the creative pool so more artists have a chance to flourish.
What does accountability look like beyond saying the right thing publicly? What should promoters, brands, venues, media or platforms actually be fairly measured against? And who should judge ‘fairness’?
Accountability is about continued commitment, not following trends or simply meeting quotas.
For AlphaTheta, that means investing in long-term initiatives that improve access to education, mentorship and community.
I think organisations should be measured by the consistency of their actions over time, not one-off campaigns or public statements. Are they creating opportunities? Are they investing in talent development? Are they building environments where a broader range of people can succeed? Those indicators create lasting change.
Where do you think responsibility currently falls through the cracks, and who needs to step up?
Inclusion is a shared responsibility, not someone else’s problem. I think it’s easy to pass responsibility from one part of the industry to another, we need to start seeing this as a collective action we all contribute to, that’s when meaningful progress will happen.
The industry works as an ecosystem, and every part of that ecosystem influences who has the possibility to succeed. Brands, promoters, media, labels and artists all have the opportunity to create pathways into the industry.
No single organisation can solve the challenge alone, but if each part of the ecosystem commits to creating more opportunities, the industry as a whole becomes stronger and more sustainable.
[quote align=right text=”If we genuinely want to see greater representation on stages, we need to invest much earlier in the journey”]
It could be argued that lineups are only the visible end point of a deeper problem – that before someone is even considered for a booking, access to gear, mentorship, studio spaces, confidence, safety and industry networks may already be restricted. Are lineups simply a billboard for deeper issues further down the funnel, and if so, where should the real work begin?
I don’t think we can place the responsibility solely on lineups here. A lineup is often the result of years of opportunity, or lack of opportunity.
If we genuinely want to see greater representation on stages, we need to invest much earlier in the journey. That means making DJing feel accessible, providing opportunities to learn, connecting those on the up with mentors, creating welcoming communities and ensuring people have safe spaces where they can develop skills, confidence and networks.
That’s exactly the thinking behind Equal Beats: if we can widen participation at the grassroots level, representation at the top will be a natural outcome.
Find Equal Beats online.
Read Part 1 with Martha Bolton here or Part 2 with Steven Braines here.
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