Last month, they joined forces for a unique International Women’s Day event to raise money for Teen’s Key, an NGO that provides “safe spaces for vulnerable young women”, at Terrible Baby of Eaton HK. The sold-out initiative included a “DJ mixing” workshop, which Subez and Mengzy co-instructed with fellow DJs Just Bee and DJ Fu. The event successfully raised HK$6,700 for the charity. 

“Helping someone do their very first mix on the decks and seeing the joy and excitement it brings is extremely powerful,” says Mengzy. “I got into DJing because of an impromptu jam session. In a way, it was like an informal workshop. I was so inspired by that session that I embarked on the journey of learning to DJ and [produce music].”

During the workshop at Terrible Baby, they also shared with their students the unspoken rules and etiquette of DJing, and explained how DJs mix on decks. For Subez and Mengzy, these first steps are necessary to invite more women into the scene, which doesn’t see a lot of interest from either gender as it is, and Mengzy says it's because “from an outsider’s perspective [DJing] can perhaps seem intimidating”. 

“Many women and gender minorities all over the world want to DJ and actively participate in the music industry,” says Subez. “However, some don’t have the support, technical knowledge or equipment and that’s what we strive to make possible for women and gender minorities in Hong Kong.”

James Acey, Eaton HK’s director of music and radio, believes that venues such as Terrible Baby can diversify the local scene and help artists cultivate and refine their craft by “providing the space and helping make things possible for people and groups we believe in.”

It’s not the first time the venue has donated its space for causes that reflect its values, as seen at the Hong Kong Ethnically Diverse Social Workers dinner organised last week. The bar also frequently invites contemporary artists from all over the world, such as Rainbow Chan, Riar Rizaldi and Natasha Tontey, for residencies.

“Electronic music is absolutely a male-dominated field, rampant with gatekeepers and sexism,” he adds. “So, seeing an infusion of women and women-led workshops and talks in this space is very refreshing.”

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Subez and Mengzy say that they zeroed in on Teen’s Key because the NGO’s mission to provide support for young women “at risk of being further marginalised, unseen, and misled” resonates deeply with their own beliefs.

Both musicians are driven by the need to “pass down knowledge, and allow generation after generation to succeed,” Subez says. This very message was also highlighted at the event’s afterparty, which featured rising stars Farrah, Shanda and Angelika—all fresh from Clockenflap performances—and offered a glimpse into the future of Hong Kong’s electronic music scene.

“I think there are more and more female DJs in both the commercial and underground music scenes,” Shanda says. “Having said that, the proportion of female DJs is still much lower than [their] male [counterparts] but it is picking up. There’s definitely room for improvement.”

“[But I was] super proud to be part of this initiative,” she adds. “Seeing students at workshops reminded me of my early days of learning. We need more passionate music lovers to play/make electronic music out there, so this event definitely opened doors for that.”

Besides looking to the future, the goal is also about finding ways to honour the past. Subez wants to continue the Mean Gurls Club to educate others about musical culture; and Mengzy has similar plans for Feed the Dragon, where they are “committed to educating our community about electronic dance music culture and Hong Kong’s dance music history.

“We are already working on various [kinds of] content that we will share via our Instagram and other social [media platforms] over the coming year. It will be about musical education and culture, and Hong Kong’s electronic [music] scene history,” Mengzy says.

Why are they so adamant about teaching others about their industry? Because it is understanding and awareness of the city’s electronic scene that could allow it grow into a more inclusive space, which would make it far more interesting.

“If one were to look at the history of even just popular music, the absence of women—as well as LGBTQ+ voices—makes for a very boring musical conversation and environment,” Acey says. 

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