With our return to the USA fast approaching, we are looking forward to kicking things off at Chicago’s Smartbar on 22nd March, coinciding with their DAPHNE initiative.
This year will mark Smartbar’s fifth instalment of DAPHNE, a month-long showcase celebrating female and non-binary electronic artists, in honour of electronic music pioneer Daphne Oram. DAPHNE aims to unite members of the electronic music community who work outside of theprivileges of the cis-male-dominated industry, and will also offer free workshops for the community.
In honour of the DAPHNE initiative we are bringing three of our favourite female DJs stateside for our showcase at the legendary Chicago venue, Sam Divine, Monki and Jess Bays. Get to know these three artists below...
Get your tickets for Defected at Smartbar here.
Sam Divine
As one of our longest-running residents, Sam Divine is synonymous with the Defected brand. Hosting the Defected radio show, releasing on our labels and playing at our parties all over the world, her uplifting house sets captivate audiences wherever she plays, and have earned her fans across the globe. With her own label DVINE sounds starting to take flight, Sam’s hard work has secured her place as an authority on upfront house music and culture. Check out the latest radio show hosted by Sam here.
Monki
Monki has established herself as an important underground tastemaker from her career beginnings. Having hosted shows on BBC Radio 1, 1xtra and Rinse FM she is also a regular host on our radio show on Defected. Monki has dedicated her career to perfecting her craft, with her passion for championing the best of underground music earning her a reputation as an esteemed selector. Check out on of Monki's shows here.
Jess Bays
Testament to passion, ambition, dedication and hard graft, Jess Bays has been getting the recognition she deserves in the past 12 months. House heads around the world are taking notice, with the instinctive DJ capturing the attention of ravers, peers and tastemakers alike. A proud resident of Defected, she was signed to our roster in 2018 and has all the career indicators of a future star. Check out her latest Kiss Fresh mix here.
