In a culture where women in music still fight for space, Serato doesn’t ask for change—it demands it.
Serato launched Women to the Front during Women’s History Month, but its purpose stretches far beyond a commemorative window. The campaign was born from a cultural urgency: the DJ and music production world remains a boys’ club, where talent alone doesn’t guarantee visibility. “Women are historically underrepresented in the DJ and music production spaces,” said Nicola Tims, Marketing Manager at Serato. “It’s paramount that we use our platform to empower the women making waves in the industry.”
The campaign confronts outdated gatekeeping by doing more than featuring women. It invites them to tell their own stories, connect with broader audiences, and discuss the barriers they continue to face. Its alignment with Women’s History Month is deliberate—but not performative. It’s a reminder that progress must be ongoing, not seasonal.
From One-Off Activations to Full-Year Accountability
Many companies rush to amplify women during March and then fall silent. Serato took a different route. Their strategy spans the full year with workshops, beat sessions, educational partnerships, and a physical presence at Serato Studios in Los Angeles and New York. They build community by creating recurring touchpoints—not just content drops.
“Community is at the heart of Serato,” Tims emphasized. “Our artist relations team supports creators year-round—through campaigns, mentorships, and local workshops.” This approach fosters genuine relationships with DJs, producers, and event organizers. It also includes original content platforms like “Hometown Sounds,” where women like UNIIQU3 have been celebrated for innovating local music scenes. But the work doesn’t stop at public-facing stories.
Behind the curtain, Serato has an internal team of women shaping campaigns. These professionals work across marketing, A&R, social media, growth, and production. “It’s equally important that the women in our team help shape these narratives,” Tims said. “That’s how we ensure representation from the inside out.” The brand recognizes that representation without influence is hollow. Women in the Serato ecosystem are given both the microphone and the producer’s seat—allowing them to rewrite the rules.
Serato Uncovers The Danger of ‘Women DJ’ as a Label
At the heart of Serato’s campaign is a critical idea: women in music shouldn’t need a separate category to be recognized. The term “woman DJ” implies that “DJ” by default means male—an assumption Serato is actively dismantling. “My hope is that when people hear the words ‘DJ’ or ‘producer,’ women are thought of equally—and even first,” Tims said.
The campaign doesn’t just chase growth metrics or highlight success stories. Its purpose is to normalize the presence of women in roles where they’re still viewed as outliers. It doesn’t tokenize—it insists on system-wide change. That said, visibility is working. The most recent campaign drew over 720,000 views in just weeks, with a nearly equal gender split in viewership—proof that the audience for change already exists.
The campaign’s artists often lead their own collectives, host their own events, and mentor others. Serato supports this momentum not to shape their image, but to amplify movements that already exist. These aren’t sponsored talents. They’re architects of alternative futures.
Beyond Diversity Statements: A Roadmap for Industry-Wide Reform
For Serato, the real work is in making sure this campaign isn’t just another diversity initiative that checks boxes and fades out. They’re creating infrastructure and access where industry barriers still dominate. “We want to ensure women producers and DJs know that there is a place for them in these industries,” Tims said.
Feedback from campaign participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Not only do they feel seen, but they feel invited into long-term conversations about their careers and the systems shaping them. “It’s been awesome to give them their flowers,” she said. But Serato doesn’t intend to stop there. With data showing a 30-to-1 male-to-female producer ratio in 2023, they know the campaign must evolve into long-term, structural disruption.
The real test isn’t how loudly the campaign speaks—it’s whether the industry listens.
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