Support Women DJs Is Shattering the EDM Glass Ceiling

Within the bustling music industry scene in New York City, a new organization is making waves with a specific focus on women in EDM. 

Support Women DJs is a women-owned and femme-focused event planning and resource-providing group for femme DJs and artists started by Rachel Brosman. With a wide range of services, community at its core and a drive to support artists, this is hopefully the future of the music industry.

Brosman has always been a driven, business-minded and budding entrepreneur. Now living out her life-long dream, she thinks of herself as an ideas person.

“I have great ideas that I want to share with the world. That’s very much what I want to keep doing my whole life.” Brosman shared with inspiring confidence. I look forward to seeing it.

Brosman’s inspiration for the concept was really quite simple. While attending a show with a friend who was highly involved in the production, she spent time behind the scenes and in the green room with event planners and managers. As she learned more about what those roles consisted of and the types of people who most often filled them, Brosman couldn’t help but get to thinking.

As an avid raver, Brosman had a deep understanding of the show opportunities in NYC and consistently struggled to find lineups with femme artists or events that catered to women. After in-depth conversations with bookers and event planners, Brosman realized that a venture into organizing shows wasn’t unattainable, in fact, she already had all the tools to succeed in it. The fact that she had just quit her corporate job wasn’t the only catalyst, it allowed her to focus on building Support Women DJs into what it is after one short year. 

“I was waiting for the right thing to fully go after and pursue and that’s exactly what I’ve done. Deciding to quit my job was the best move ever because there’s been so many different business projects that I’ve started and not fully finished,” she shared.

Brosman is no stranger to starting a business venture, from app development to thrifted clothing, the wheels on this project have been in motion for years. One long time inspiration for Brosman was Whitney Wolf Herde, the creator of Bumble, whose focus on prioritizing the female experience was undeniable and successful. Unlike some projects of the past, Support Women DJs quickly took on a life of its own. After starting the collective early in 2024, Brosman is already looking to expand outside New York. With a studio in the works, a podcast and opportunities including DJ tutoring, mentorship, equipment rentals and booking assistance, this is just the beginning of a massive and impactful idea.

Unlike the many for-profit groups in the music industry, Brosman’s goal for this concept really does come right down to the name, Support Women DJs.

“Our whole mission, everything we do is just all about that. It’s about creating awareness for this issue,” Brosman emphasized. “Not only talking the talk but walking the walk, to empower women DJs and get them better opportunities and more education. Make a difference within spreading the mission and creating activities and offerings that allow this to happen.”

Brosman found a need, now it was time to fill it. With roots in the EDM community from her time at raves, Brosman began reaching out across all platforms, pitching her ideas for her very first event.

Anybody who has spent time in EDM circles knows the community runs strong. Folks are there to support each other, so it makes all the sense in the world that the reception to Brosman’s concept was positive and immediate. It’s difficult to deny that there was a desperate need for a project like this, especially in the NYC scene.

“They have no reason to, trust me with putting on an event, but I had at least 80% of people responding to me, saying, ‘this sounds amazing. We need more of this. Yes, I’d love to be involved’,” Brosman explained.

Difficulties breaking through for femme people aren’t new in any profession, and the industry is no stranger to misogyny, by many accounts it depends on it. For most women in the scene, being placed in lineups, earning a residency or just getting a foot in the door at a New York club comes with open-ended expectations, often rooted in sex.

Despite her well founded confidence in herself, Brosman still experiences the perhaps inevitable walls involved in starting a business. She openly spoke to the impostor syndrome that comes along with feeling as though those enormous efforts are not quite enough. Between these dynamics and the already overwhelming task of building a business from the ground up, Brosman considered calling it quits on the organization. Lucky for us, and so many musicians and DJs out there, Brosman stuck it out and continues to work through the difficulties.

“I feel a responsibility at this point to this community and to do right for all these amazing people that I’ve met and created friendships with. I also realized that with any sort of entrepreneurial venture, there is that low point that everyone has and that’s why most businesses fail within the first year, because I think everyone reaches that point in their first year. Then if you push through that or not, I think determines if you will have that eventful growth and eventually be successful or financially independent, whatever that may be for you,” she said.

Now fully invested in life as an entrepreneur, Brosman still encourages anyone looking to take that next step into business to go full steam ahead. On that note, what advice does Brosman extend to those looking to take that next step into business?

“I’m finally, getting over that imposter syndrome, because I realized I’ve accumulated experiences and connections and credibility,” shared Brosman. “So I would say, push through imposter syndrome, you will eventually not feel it, and always, always speak your mind to whomever. We women deserve a voice – you need to be speaking up on behalf of yourself and other women, and that takes a lot of bravery, but someone has to do it, so why not?”

Why not, indeed. Brosman has big plans ahead for Support Women DJs, she is getting a small studio up and running in conjunction with a management concept called Delirium. This space will serve as a pop-up venue, a practice studio for DJs to work with concert-grade equipment and a recording space for the ongoing podcast. You can support the creation of this studio by donating to the GoFundMe and ensure that this space becomes a reality.

Brosman is also in the process of expanding Support Women DJs to more cities across the country as soon as possible. There is no question that Denver should join Brosman and her team to further uplift our vibrant EDM community.

Article contributed by Brandon Brooks. Photos courtesy of Support Women DJs, Carson Packer and Darian.