While some women have broken boundaries within the DJing landscape of South Africa, it’s no secret that there is an unignorable wide gender gap that exists within this sphere of the music industry, and it is not because of any lack of talent.
In male-dominated industries, such as this one, the barriers to entry for women are deeply entrenched, making it much harder for females to break through. There are a number of factors that attribute to these barriers, such as, biasness due to false gender perceptions, lack of access, and so on.
South Africa’s number 1 vodka brand, Smirnoff 1818, has decided to launch a new initiative called Shaya Ingoma. The Shaya Ingoma platform calls on all up-and-coming female DJs nationwide to enter the first for the brand female DJ search. Through Shaya Ingoma, Smirnoff 1818 aims to narrow the gender gap and shine a light on some talented upcoming female DJs. This empowerment platform will be focused on unearthing, promoting and offering multiple opportunities for upcoming female DJs in Mzansi to showcase their skills, get the recognition they deserve, and receive sufficient support in the pursuit of their DJing career aspirations.
“We live in a country that’s recognized for the diversity of skills and talents that ordinary citizens have to offer, but the reality of lack of access and opportunity, particularly for women, is a real hindrance in making sure that these skilled and talented individuals are given a platform to flourish,” Gregory Tabane, Head of White Spirits at Diageo, says.
“This is particularly true for the DJing industry in the country, and this is why we, as Smirnoff 1818, are stepping up to say that we will be that catalyst for change in this regard and open up the industry to those that also deserve to be heard. Smirnoff 1818 will also be the first alcohol brand to shine a spotlight on and create opportunities for upcoming female DJs in the country in this way.”
From the countrywide search, top 10 finalists will be chosen to battle it out for the Top spot and get the Smirnoff 1818 Shaya Ingoma FDJ crown. The top winner of the competition will receive a life changing prize valued at R550 000.00 to help elevate their craft and boost their already-existing DJing skills.
HOW TO ENTER and stand a chance to win:
- Female DJs to create a DJ mix that is at least 3 minutes long, and consists of a minimum of 6 tracks, each of which must feature for at least 30 seconds;
- Upload that DJ Mix before 23h59 on 9 November 2021 onto either Facebook or Instagram with #SummeryeSmira and #ShayaIngoma1818; and
- To increase their chances, participants will have to drive public engagement on social media through likes, comments, reposts and reshares on the track/s submitted.
- Terms and Conditions apply, which can be found on www.shayaingoma1818.co.za
Grand Prize includes:
- R100 000 in cash
- A trip to the Miami Winter Music Festival 2022 to the value of R200 000
- 3-months residency on a national radio station
- Spotify playlist
- 2-months of direct PR profiling
- Main slot in Shaya Ingoma Music Activations in 2022
- Opportunities to DJ at Smirnoff 2022 events
- The title of “Smirnoff Shaya Ingoma FDJ Winner”
The #ShayaIngoma1818 female DJ competition will commence on 15 October and end on 18 December 2021 at 18:00 where the top 3 first ever SMIRNOFF 1818 SHAYA INGOMA Female DJs will be crowned.
Find out more about the Shaya Ingoma female DJ search on @smirnoffsa across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #ShayaIngoma1818 & #SummeryeSmira
Not for persons under the age of 18. Drink responsibly
