Beyond the Lineup: Steven Braines and the Fight for True Representation in Electronic Music

The debate surrounding representation, inclusivity, and demographic balance within the global electronic music industry has long been a flashpoint for polarized discourse. While social media comment threads and brief panel soundbites often reduce these multifaceted issues to shouting matches, the underlying structural challenges—ranging from equitable studio access and mentorship pipelines to foundational safety and lineup curation—demand rigorous and sustained examination. Seeking to move past superficial talking points, electronic music publication Attack launched an in-depth four-part interview series designed to give industry leaders the platform to dissect these systemic issues thoroughly. At the core of this initiative lies a singular, pressing question: Can the electronic music community finally close its persistent gender and diversity gap?

The Genesis of the Series: Tackling the Industry’s Core Divide

Rather than manufacturing artificial consensus, the series deliberately poses a standardized set of questions to a diverse roster of interviewees, recognizing that ideological uniformity is neither possible nor productive in a global subculture. By opening the floor to unfiltered perspectives and lived experiences, the project aims to construct a comprehensive blueprint for structural reform.

Among the most prominent voices featured in the series is Steven Braines, co-founder of HE.SHE.THEY.—a globally recognized club night, festival series, and cultural platform. For nearly a decade, HE.SHE.THEY. has operated at the vanguard of the electronic music scene, aggressively championing genuine diversity and LGBTQIA+-inclusive lineups across international territories. Known for his candid critiques of institutional complacency, Braines has consistently challenged promoters who rely on lazy rationalizations to justify homogeneous event bills, pushing the dialogue far beyond standard public relations talking points.

Deconstructing the Talent Pool Fallacy

One of the most persistent arguments leveraged by festival bookers and club promoters seeking to defend lack-of-diversity on their lineups is the alleged scarcity of qualified women and gender-diverse talent. Skeptics frequently claim that because fewer women enter the professional DJ circuit, it is statistically unreasonable to expect fully balanced bills. However, industry stakeholders and advocacy groups argue that this reasoning fundamentally misrepresents reality and conveniently ignores the systemic barriers that restrict the talent pool long before an artist is ever considered for a booking.

Addressing this argument directly, Braines dismisses the notion of a depleted talent pool as a falsehood. Pointing to current global statistics indicating that women make up approximately 15 percent of professional DJs worldwide, he emphasizes that this still translates to thousands of active, highly skilled practitioners. Furthermore, Braines notes that the visibility of female superstars acts as a powerful catalyst, inspiring subsequent generations to enter the booth.

"The pool is still huge—there are many, many women to book from, in the thousands," Braines states, pointing to HE.SHE.THEY.’s extensive operational footprint across 30 countries. He maintains that curating balanced lineups is entirely achievable for anyone possessing baseline professional competence and basic curatorial research skills. "If you’re doing your job, and have a good ear and YouTube, you can find a huge amount of diverse talent."

Balancing Commercial Viability with Ethical Responsibility

A perennial point of friction in the commercial nightlife sector involves the tension between artistic curation and the bottom line. Promoters frequently argue that their primary fiduciary duty is to sell tickets and maintain venue solvency, framing inclusivity initiatives as secondary social objectives rather than core business necessities.

Braines rejects the false dichotomy that pits commercial success against ethical curation, arguing that promoters can simultaneously maximize ticket sales and maintain high ethical standards. He points to prominent commercial heavyweights such as Amelie Lens, Honey Dijon, Peggy Gou, and Sara Landry as empirical proof that female artists command massive global audiences and generate substantial revenue.

Moreover, Braines highlights the symbiotic relationship between diverse programming and audience expansion. Incorporating diverse demographics on festival posters naturally attracts a broader, more representative consumer base to the dance floor. Diversity, far from being a commercial liability, functions as an engine for sustainable audience growth.

Historical Erasure and the Psychology of Imposter Syndrome

The structural exclusion of marginalized groups carries profound psychological and professional consequences. Braines draws explicit attention to the pervasive nature of imposter syndrome among women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people of color within the modern music industry—a phenomenon made all the more striking by the historical reality that electronic dance music was pioneered primarily by queer Black and brown communities.

This systemic friction is acutely felt by artists attempting to bridge cultural divides. Braines points to trailblazers such as SYREETA, Maya Jane Coles, and Bradley Skeng, who routinely had to shatter rigid class and demographic ceilings. While these artists successfully paved the way for subsequent generations, they often bore the brunt of institutional resistance without enjoying the smoother pathways afforded to those who followed them. This historical amnesia extends to foundational Black female pioneers like Paulette, Hot Waxxx Hale, Smoking Jo, and Minx, all of whom have had to actively fight to reclaim their rightful place in the historical narrative of the genre they helped build.

Sonic Homogeneity and the Political Dance Floor

Beyond the social and economic imperatives for inclusion, Braines emphasizes the profound artistic cost of maintaining a narrow, homogenous industry. When opportunities are consistently funneled to the same demographic cohorts, the broader musical ecosystem suffers from creative stagnation. Different lived experiences inherently translate into distinct sonic palettes, driving innovation and stylistic evolution.

Furthermore, Braines views the dance floor not merely as a commercial entertainment space, but as a vital social melting pot. The act of sharing a physical space with individuals from varied racial, gender, and sexual backgrounds constitutes an inherently political act, even if undertaken subconsciously by the revellers. A dance floor segregated by demographic lines fundamentally betrays the foundational ethos of club culture.

Redefining Accountability: The Reality Behind the Booking Sheet

Holding industry stakeholders accountable requires moving beyond superficial public relations statements and establishing measurable benchmarks. However, measuring accountability is complicated by logistical and market realities that outsiders rarely witness. Braines cites examples from HE.SHE.THEY.’s own event cycles, noting instances during peak Ibiza seasons where high-profile summer bookings for diverse talent fell through due to scheduling conflicts and market constraints, despite earnest attempts by the promoters.

Evaluating accountability, Braines suggests, requires analyzing long-term operational patterns rather than isolated single-night bills. Recognizing that the modern club promoter operates within a high-risk environment characterized by skyrocketing operational overhead and declining consumer spending power outside of massive arena shows, he advocates for nuance and grace. "There is no manual, and it’s very difficult being a promoter with rising costs and a declining ticket-buying crowd," he observes.

However, accountability cannot rest solely on the shoulders of promoters, venues, and booking agents. Braines stresses that clubbers and consumers must also shoulder their share of responsibility, noting the hypocrisy of community members who lament the closure of underground venues while failing to purchase legitimate tickets or relying exclusively on guest lists and pirated music.

The Funnel Effect: Access, Infrastructure, and the Fan Experience

Ultimately, event lineups represent merely the visible endpoint of a much longer, deeply flawed pipeline. Before an artist ever receives a festival booking, their trajectory is shaped by access to essential infrastructure—including professional gear, dedicated studio spaces, institutional mentorship, physical safety, and industry networking channels.

Braines argues that the responsibility for nurturing this infrastructure must be shared across the entire vertical, from government bodies providing cultural funding to managers, agents, and venue operators. He sharply criticizes the disconnect between top-tier artists commanding six-figure performance fees and the macroeconomic pressures squeezing ordinary clubbers.

By frequently treating clubbers as transactional automated teller machines (ATMs) rather than human participants, the modern commercial nightlife sector risks pricing out working-class and low-income demographics. The resulting sterile environments ultimately drain the vital energy and authentic atmosphere that first defined underground dance music. As the industry grapples with its future, the message from pioneers like Braines remains unequivocal: true representation is not achieved via tokenized poster placement, but through a total, systemic overhaul of how access, value, and community are prioritized across every tier of the global music landscape.