Beyond the Lineup: Steven Braines on Why Inclusive Booking Starts Years Before the Poster
The debate surrounding representation, diversity, and equity within the global electronic music industry has long been a source of intense division. Across social media comment threads, industry panels, and backstage discussions, core systemic issues—ranging from gender-balanced lineups and studio access to mentorship pipelines and dancefloor safety—are frequently reduced to polarized talking points. To unpack these complex challenges with the nuance they demand, electronic music publication Attack launched an in-depth, four-part interview series designed to interrogate whether the modern music scene can genuinely close its enduring gender gap.
By posing a standardized set of questions to prominent figures across the sector, the series seeks not to manufacture an impossible consensus, but rather to construct a comprehensive mosaic of perspectives based on lived industry experiences. Among the series’ most outspoken voices is Steven Braines, co-founder of HE.SHE.THEY., a globally recognized club night, festival brand, and cultural platform. For nearly a decade, HE.SHE.THEY. has championed unapologetically diverse, LGBTQIA+-inclusive lineups across more than 30 countries. Known for challenging lazy industry excuses and dismantling superficial diversity metrics, Braines offers a critical blueprint for how electronic music can structurally reform its booking practices, nurture marginalized talent, and prioritize the human experience of the clubber over short-term commercial transactions.
Dissecting the Talent Pool Fallacy
One of the most persistent arguments leveraged by festival bookers and promoters failing to achieve gender parity on their posters is the alleged scarcity of qualified women and gender-diverse DJs. Proponents of this view claim that the underlying talent pool simply lacks sufficient candidates, making balanced bills mathematically impractical. Braines firmly rejects this premise, categorizing it as a failure of imagination and professional diligence rather than a reflection of reality.
"The pool is still huge—there are many, many women to book from, in the thousands," Braines states, pointing to industry metrics indicating that approximately 15% of the world’s professional DJs are women. He emphasizes that this percentage is bound to grow as visible female superstars normalize the path for younger generations, creating a compounding effect of experience and dedicated fanbases.
Drawing from the operational reality of HE.SHE.THEY., which has successfully curated balanced lineups across dozens of international territories, Braines argues that booking diverse talent requires nothing more than baseline professional effort. "If you’re doing your job, and have a good ear and YouTube, you can find a huge amount of diverse talent," he notes, dismissing the idea that geographic or demographic constraints make inclusion an insurmountable hurdle.
Balancing Profitability with Accountability
A recurrent defense offered by commercial promoters is that their primary fiduciary responsibility is to sell tickets and maintain financial viability in an increasingly volatile economic climate, rather than act as agents of social change. Braines challenges this dichotomy, arguing that commercial success and social responsibility are not mutually exclusive.
According to Braines, the systemic underexposure of women, non-binary, and transgender artists directly stunts their commercial potential, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of low ticket sales. When promoters actively level the playing field, however, the financial returns speak for themselves. He points to heavyweights such as Amelie Lens, Honey Dijon, Peggy Gou, and Sara Landry as proof that women can command major stages and drive massive ticket sales.
Furthermore, Braines notes that representation serves as a powerful economic driver for audiences. A diverse lineup naturally attracts a diverse crowd, encouraging more women and minority clubbers to participate. "Diversity isn’t a problem; it can be powerful if you embrace it," he explains, underscoring that broader representation expands rather than alienates the market.
The Psychological Toll and Historical Erasure
The lack of systemic inclusion carries heavy psychological consequences for underrepresented artists, manifesting as pervasive imposter syndrome. Braines highlights the historical irony of this phenomenon, noting that it is particularly acute among women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people of color—despite the undeniable reality that queer Black and brown pioneers laid the very foundation of house and techno music.
Throughout his career working with trailblazing artists such as SYREETA, Maya Jane Coles, and Bradley Skeng, Braines has observed firsthand the exhausting effort required to shatter class and demographic ceilings. He draws a direct line between contemporary struggles and the historical erasure faced by foundational Black female pioneers like Paulette, Hot Waxxx Hale, Smoking Jo, and DJ Minx, who have repeatedly had to fight to secure their rightful place in the historical narrative of dance music.
Beyond the individual toll, a homogenous industry suffers creatively. Braines argues that sonic stagnation is an inevitable byproduct of a narrow talent pipeline. When the same demographic profiles receive continuous opportunities, unique sounds, regional scenes, and alternative cultural expressions are stifled. "Different backgrounds give different sounds to the scene," he says, reinforcing the notion that the dance floor is inherently—if subconsciously—a political and social melting pot.
Redefining Accountability and Shared Responsibility
Establishing true accountability in nightlife culture remains a complex endeavor. Braines cautions against reactionary, superficial outrage, noting that even mission-driven promoters face logistical hurdles. During peak seasons, such as the Ibiza summer rush, securing high-profile diverse talent for prime weekend slots can prove difficult despite best intentions, revealing a stark gap between booking offers and actual confirmations.
True accountability, Braines argues, must be evaluated over extended periods by tracking patterns rather than isolating individual events. He acknowledges that the post-pandemic landscape is fraught with rising operational costs, inflation, and declining consumer spending outside of massive, mega-festival productions. Consequently, he advocates for extending a degree of grace to promoters navigating an unwritten manual of structural reform.
However, responsibility cannot rest solely on the shoulders of promoters, agents, and venue owners. Braines issues a direct challenge to audiences and clubbers, criticizing the tendency to mourn the closure of vital independent venues while failing to actively support them in practice. Patronizing local spaces through paid tickets—rather than relying on guest lists—and purchasing music instead of pirating it are essential components of a sustainable ecosystem.
The Funnel Problem: Mentorship, Access, and Economics
Lineups are ultimately the most visible manifestation of a much deeper, systemic funnel. Before an artist is ever considered for a festival poster, access to essential tools—such as professional gear, production software, studio spaces, mentorship networks, and physical safety—is frequently restricted along demographic and socioeconomic lines.
Braines emphasizes that addressing these foundational disparities requires coordinated intervention across all levels of the music industry, including government policy. Given that the electronic music sector generates billions in travel, tourism, and cultural revenue—particularly in markets like the United Kingdom—state-level support for nightlife spaces is long overdue.
Yet, internal industry dynamics must also transform. Braines points to a pervasive diffusion of responsibility, where artists, managers, and promoters pass the blame without enacting internal changes. He reserves particular critique for the commodification of the clubber, lamenting an economic model that prices out working-class and low-income demographics. When nightlife becomes prohibitively expensive, authentic community engagement is replaced by cold financial transactions, ultimately draining the energy and atmosphere from the dance floor.
"Clubbers are often treated as ATMs rather than humans, and that hurts my heart," Braines reflects, recalling his own formative years as a dedicated dancer. For electronic music to successfully preserve its culture while progressing toward a more equitable future, the entire ecosystem—from global superstar DJs commanding six-figure fees to the individual patron on the floor—must recognize that inclusion and community are not optional additions, but the very lifeblood of the culture.
