Eli & Fur, Monki & More Name The Women Who Inspire Them For International Women's Day

This International Women's Day we gave the floor to some of the UK's finest female DJ talent to tell us about some of the women who inspire them and/or highlight some stand out tracks/releases that mean the most to them...

Eli & Fur 

Eli: 
"My mum is a huge inspiration to me. I grew up seeing her work very hard, she has always spent long hours at work but has still made time for her kids which is a difficult thing to balance. Her own Mum sadly died why she was a teenager, I have always admired the way she supported herself from a young age being alone like that. She’s had to be very strong and she has taught me a lot."

Eli & Fur: 
"Maya Jane Coles has been a big inspiration to us from when we first started producing and DJing together. To see a female producer singing on her own tracks was exciting as its something we have both always wanted to do. We feel very lucky to have her remix our latest release ‘Coming Back’ out on our own label NYX Music."

Their music pick: Madonna - Into The Groove 

Eli & Fur play ANTS at Printworks 16th March.

Monki 

"A lot of people I admire sit not only in music but also in sports. Serena Williams is a woman up there with the most influential and greatest athletes of all time. Not only has she dominated her game for over half my lifetime, but she's also not afraid to talk about topics outside of tennis. 

"She openly talks about gender equality, racial equality and body image; and these thought-provoking conversations push the boundaries of subjects that need to be talked about. I have to admit, I'm not the biggest tennis fan, it's not my sport by any means; but as a woman, who can't appreciate someone who wins there 23rd grand slam while pregnant and then comes back soon after the birth of her child to try and get another one. Absolute badass."

Her music pick: Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman 

Monki plays AMP Lost & Found Festival 2nd - 5th May.

Mantra 

On Lania, her best mate:
"We met when we were 11 on the first day of secondary school and have been best mates ever since. She’s the epitome of what sisterhood should be. She has my back, boosts me when I’m down, is honest, challenging, loving, empowering, inspiring...all of that!

"She’s also one of the smartest people I know and is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom. She’s an amazing artist and photographer, has a heart of gold and I’m totally spoilt to have her by my side."

On DJ Flight:
"When I was around 21, I would be down at Herbal two or three times a week. Flight was a regular DJ there playing for loads of my favourite nights like Metalheadz, Bassbin and Technicality. Me and my friends around that time were huge Flight fangirls! Her 1Xtra show, The Next Chapter was a massive highlight of the week where you could hear all the freshest D&B - the good stuff nothing candy-coated.

"She showcased her incredible depth of knowledge and ability for hearing fresh talent before they’d broken through. She ran a feature called ‘Breaking New Talent’ where she choose one of my mixes which is still one of my proudest moments. I hadn’t played out much back then so to have one of my mixes being broadcast across a huge platform, on my favourite radio show, hosted by my favourite DJ was such a buzz! She’s one of the many women playing for us on March 8th at Corsica Studios and is one of the sets I’m most looking forward to."

Her music pick: DJ Kicks Mix by Kemistry and Storm 

"The DJ Kicks mix by Kemistry and Storm is by far their most renowned mix and is probably the mix I’ve played most in the world. I would sit in my car unable to get out as I’d be waiting for the next tune to come in! Hearing the way they would blend the rough with the smooth gave me shivers and would get me so amped! It’s a true masterclass in how you take people on a journey with unexpected twists and turns yet always moving forward."

Mantra plays Hospitality On The Beach 11th - 15th July.

Emerald 

"Mothers inspire me so much. Since my nephew and my little brother were born a few years ago I had a real first-hand look into motherhood. I always knew it was hard, but now I really know. To firstly give birth to a human, then raise it to be a good person, whilst simultaneously providing for it, AND still learning about the world yourself is no easy feat and it takes real stoicism and trust in yourself."

Her music pick: Slowthai - Ladies

"The chorus goes 'This one's for the ladies, 'cause they have our babies, and they drive us crazy, but they made us men'. There's nothing better than a rapper you love, speaking about women in the right way, it's evidence of headway being made in music." 

Emerald plays Afro Nation Festival 1st - 4th August.