Electronic music is a world dominated by males. Mostly white males to be exact. Sure, there are a handful of women working in the EDM world behind-the-scenes as executives, producers, engineers, managers and songwriters, but there are only a handful of high-profile female DJs. Crave is hoping to change that with a #WCW series that puts the spotlight on female musicians who’re looking to break down walls by blasting through them.
Our first feature focuses on Jessica Audiffred, a Mexico City-based DJ/producer who has crafted remixes of Jack U and entertained crowds at Fashion Week for Revlon, Salvatore Ferragamo and Chloe.
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Along with making and producing her own music, the entrepreneurial Audiffred, has started her own record imprint, A-Records, which is set to release her new single, “Higher,” heard exclusively on Crave (see below).
We got a chance to ask Audiffred a few questions via email about her new single and what it’s like to be a breakout female DJ in Mexico City.
Crave: What does “Higher” mean to you?
Jessica Audiffred: “Higher” is wanting to explore that future bass side of me. I used to play my future bass songs at the end of my set just because I felt that it gives the audience the ‘epic type of moment’ they all want. Plus, to me it’s nice to play with all genres in one set.
Take us through your creative process for it.
It started when I realized that no matter what genre I’m working on, I’ve always ended up doing something like future bass because that’s just what I love to do in the studio every time I find a lead, a pad or a synth, I start to shape it in a way that fits the melody I have in my mind and that inevitably leads me to future bass, except when I’m working on a really wacky trap song.
What’s it like being a DJ/producer in the male-dominated world of EDM?
I don’t think it’s hard to get inside the EDM world as a female. What is hard is to maintain yourself and gain the respect of other female and males producers, there’s always a doubt when it comes to female producers, but once you pass that, I think it’s easy, but you have to keep on working, that’s the most important thing. Constant work, innovation and originality.
What’s the Mexico City dance scene like?
There’s not a lot of bass culture there. I am trying to open up those doors for all of us who produce trap music, future bass, dubstep, moombah, cause it’s a big room (house) dominated scene and people are not that open minded like in other countries, but I don’t worry about that. If you play what you love people will start to follow you everywhere cause we can’t stop producing what we love to produce just because there’s not much of a scene here.
You’re very active on social media. How important is that to artists today?
I try to post only what I think is important, but sometimes I end up buying a really cool pair of sneakers and I feel the need to post stuff like that — hahaha. But I keep it real 100%. It’s important to share new releases, podcast, new remixes, collabs, stuff like that, but sometimes people just want to see a selfie, like the raw side of yourself. I don’t know how, but they know when you’re real or not.
What’s something people don’t know about you that they wouldn’t find on social media?
I’m really quiet when I don’t know someone. I’m not much of a social person, but maybe I’m just shy. I don’t know. I like Pokemon a lot, and also I’m a psychologist. I like to read about mental illness and I love playing Mario Kart. I’m half-Spanish and half-Mexican. I don’t eat food without lemon and hot sauce, but you can mostly find me in the studio trying to come out with a banger.
Check out the Crave exclusive premiere of Jessica’s new single “Higher.”
