We are excited to announce our fifth Ambassador on the ARMC program for 2022 – Jamiie. Welcome on board! JAMIIE is an international DJ and producer based in Berlin. She sees herself as a selector who loves to bring music to the people, using it as a cross-cultural language.
The groove and power of her eclectic sets, her Watergate residency and part in the RISE collective made her an internationally demanded artist, having her played on renowned festivals and clubs across Europe, Africa, South America and the Ukraine.
Jamiie has taken over and added some tunes to our ARMC Playlist on Spotify. You can read our interview with her, in preparation for the Conference. We hope you enjoy it!
Q: Please take us through your journey in the music industry so far. What keeps you inspired and motivated to push forward?
A: I started just for fun with a group of female friends. We self taught us how to DJ. At first I played Hip Hop, Afrobeats, Dance Hall, Jersey, Afro House and we even had a little event series. After 3 years, each of us went on different paths and I was more and more drawn to electronic music. I joined the RISE collective and got signed to the Watergate Agency. It has been an exciting journey. I learned so much in the past years and I am indulging into producing, I guess a quite natural step. I already have a few remixes out and original tracks released. My first EP will be out on April 22nd on Monaberry and I am beyond excited. What keeps me motivated is that I found something in my life that I really love to do and that I am good at.
Q: What drives your passion through the work that you are doing, especially being a part of the expert curation team at Beatport?
A: My passion is the love for electronic music. And this is not tight to any specific genre because that would limit myself in expression and creativity. My taste is quite broad as I am a rave kid from the 1990s and the contact with early Techno music shaped my taste. But what especially drives me as a curator for Afro House at Beatport is that I can give African artists and artists of the African diaspora more visibility to support them.
Q: What does the slogan “Africa Your Time Is Now” mean to you when you hear it?
A: This is a simple but yet very powerful slogan! We all know the history of the African continent, its exploitation of resources, its people as slaves. With the rise of the powerful African music and fashion industry and the interest of the world in it , Africa finally receives the long overdue acknowledgement and the power to create new income streams and to feel confident as a global player on various levels.
Q: Do you think that women are being represented enough within the music scene both locally and internationally, especially in the producer space? And if not how can we help change this?
A: There has definitely been a disparity with gender in the electronic music space for a very long time. Luckily, the gap is finally starting to become smaller. There are many successful female DJs / producers especially in the Techno scene. Only a handful of female artists rise to the top. The industry still is pretty much a boys club. You need lot’s of stamina and tenacity. Female artists are definitely not enough represented and have to work twice as hard as their male colleagues to be taken seriously and respected. The bizarre thing is that women are often questioned how they could get this far if they are successful. In general there are more male Djs compared to female Djs. This gender gap is a phenomenon in many professions. The reasons are multi-layered. From social norms to gender bias. I think first of all female artists need to be better represented in the public eye. Clubs and festivals should put the effort into building line-ups with the goal to have 50% female and 50% male artists. There are enough amazing female DJs out there to make this happen. Second, I think it is important to encourage and empower women and young girls to produce and DJ by providing safe spaces like Beatz By Girlz.
Q: Why do you think an event like ARMC is an important one for the African / EU market as a whole?
A: I think an event like ARMC is important to bring Africa and the EU market closer together, to connect artists and provide a space for fruitful interactions and to create new opportunities. It caters to empower African artists and to promote the African music scene.
Q: Who is your favorite African artist currently and why?
A: Tough question as there are in fact a few. The “why” can be answered with that each of them is talented, hard working, ambitious & unique. Some of my current favorites are Thandi Draai, Drega, Lizwi, Thakzin, Sun El Musician, Atmos Blaq, Saint Evo, DBN Gogo, Tina Ardor, FKA Mash, Hypaphonik and many more!
Q: Please leave us with a motivational quote for anyone who might be struggling to get their music career off the ground or someone who’s interested in pursuing a career within the music industry as a beginner.
A: Never compare yourself to others. You are unique. Have faith in yourself and follow your own path. Be humble, step out of your comfort zone, do the work and give your all!
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