Houston’s night life is heating up and with it are the men and women who supply its soundtrack. Meet six of the female DJs who are on fire.
First and foremost, I am actually very annoyed that it took me this long to find six female DJs in Houston. This city is huge, and I have legitimately been scouring the city to find the hottest lady spinners, but it seemed as if it were either the same women at every event, or dudes. Luckily, the past few weeks have turned up some super dope acts that I get the pleasure of writing about – and hopefully getting hired for your next event. Again with this list, I’m not talking about your legends like Gracie Chavez or your DJ Supastar. These ladies, though at all different levels, are swiftly on the comeup, so here they are, in no particular order:
DJ Shanté came up in the Houston music scene like a tsunami – little stirrings everywhere then a flood of bookings and appearances. None of this was a coincidence: Shanté has been working her butt off as a model, a personality, and has quickly become a “Jill of all trades” in the Houston party scene. You can catch DJ Shanté spinning anywhere from restaurants to parties to your favorite Saturday night spot, and more recently, in a mix on which she collaborated with fellow DJ MentoZFresh.
DJ 4.0 | IG: @djshante | Twitter: @djshante
2. Kay Illah
I first heard Kay Illah at her set at Boondock’s for their Nah Mean event, and I was extra impressed. Not only is she one of the chillest people you will ever meet, she holds her own among mostly male DJs at every event where she spins. Illah finds a way to mix all your favorite current songs seamlessly with those songs from your high school days that you still sing in the shower. As the host DJ at Samo Productions’ Give Back to the City Mixer, Kay Illah ran the booth while DJs 9th Sage and Mxrgan Mxrgan followed. Sounds like they might need to add a lil’ girl power to the Open Source parties…
Kay Illah | IG: @the_kay_illah | Twitter: @funkwithyomind
3. DJ 4.0
Speaking of holding her own, DJ 4.0 is the definition of a boss. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing her spin at several different events, and she always comes in as a professional, with a “Let’s do this” face that is only softened by her signature kitty ears headphones. It’s no wonder her demeanor gives off an air of professionalism – according to her Web site, she has spun for big name clients like Ashley Stewart, Topshop, Microsoft, Red Bull, MTVu, and artists like Kirko Bangz, Waka Flocka, Kid Ink, Just Brittany, and many more. If you want to hear a ton of your favorite songs from your favorite artists as well as some that you’ve never heard before, 4.0 is your DJ.
DJ 4.0 | IG: @dj4.0| Twitter: @FourPointOhh
4. Atracta
This Nigerian queen is for all the people who love international music. Her afrobeats mixes are all you need for any house party or just getting ready to leave the house. Versatility is the difference between DJs and people who have can just play music off their laptop, and Atracta is the perfect example. Her mixes range from popular hip-hop songs to afrobeats to rhythm and blues, there’s no telling what you’ll find on an Atracta mix. Atracta is one of the few DJs who have ventured beyond just playing music and made the statement through her mixes that music should transcend cultures. She says on her SoundCloud page for her Äyę Títun mix, “Music is not supposed to box you. Music is supposed to free you.” Atracta’s transitions are flawless, showing her ability to hear music across genres to create an experience everyone can enjoy.
Atracta | IG: @atracta | Twitter: @xatracta
5. Orange Calderón
Arguably the most successful of the bunch, Orange Calderon was born and raised in Houston and is now doing her thing in Los Angeles. When you hear her mixes, you understand why she’s been so successful. There are several times listening to her when I don’t even realize the song has changed because I’m just vibing so hard. The first woman to be named winner of McDonald’s and Complex Media’s annual “Flavor Battle” DJ competition, she is also the first female champion of a National DJ Competition in America. Calderon is also the resident DJ on VH1 “Hip Hop Squares,” further proving (as if we didn’t already know) that when Houston women go out and get it, there’s no limit to what they will accomplish.
Orange Calderón | IG: @orangecalderon | Twitter: @orangecalderon
Although she doesn’t have many mixes available, I could not have a conversation about lady DJs from Houston without mentioning DJ Havin’ Thangs. First of all, her name alone shows how dedicated she is to Houston music. Havin’ Thangs is at just about every Houston-centered music event there is, and usually has had some part in throwing it, including her own monthly Bounce & Turn events that focus on bringing light to the underground local rap scene and promote the city’s up-and-coming artists. She is also the host of 96.1 FM KTRU Rice Radio’s “The Vinyl Frontier” hip hop show, where she spins and has special guests from the Houston hip hop scene come and talk about their projects and relevant issues in the community. We’re still waiting on more mixes from Havin’ Thangs, but still super appreciative for the work she continues to do to promote local artists and further Houston culture.
DJ Havin Thangs | IG: @putsomesouthinyomouth | Twitter: @feelinonyobooty
Again, I’m anticipating the outrage some readers will have at which DJs I “slept on.” But that’s what the comments section is for – let’s talk about it! Let me know who I left off or who should be on the next list! Nice comments are welcomed 
The post 6 Houston DJs to Look Out For: The Ladies | @DJShante @funkwithyomind @FourPointOhh @xatractax @orangecalderon @feelinonyobooty appeared first on Day & A Dream.