11 Inspiring Female Artists You Should Know

In celebration of International Women's Day and alignment with Gray Area’s mission to highlight and celebrate fresh up-and-coming talent, we recognize and honor 11 talented queens who are making waves in the dance music industry.

In a field with a glaring and overpowering gender divide, women are still vastly underrepresented in the music industry. We are, however, slowly but surely starting to see a more balanced and openly female-populated environment, and we are striving for this to continue.

Scratching the surface we know, there are simply too many to name, yet these incredible females pave the way towards a more inclusive and diverse industry, whether it be through their powerful productions, awe-inspiring DJ sets, bringing their activist spirit to the dancefloor, or being forthright voices.

1. Eliza Rose

Eliza Rose wears many musical hats including singer, songwriter, expert vinyl DJ, and prolific producer.

In 2022, her victorious breakthrough anthem, "B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All," rose to #1 in the UK charts. and captured the attention of house music fans and artists.

The addictive production honed in on her love of both UKG and house, proving her ability to create something brilliantly cutting-edge. With a vocal swag that works on almost any record, her latest release, "Better Days," is an exciting tease of the future of one of the UK's most buzzed-about artists.

2. Logic1000

After switching between careers she had no true desire in, Sydney-born, London-based producer Samantha Poulter, aka Logic1000, found her true passion in music..

She is an artist known for her ability to create tracks that defy genres. Her unique production process of, in the moment, spontaneous creation has seen her produce stellar tracks that embody deep house laced with abstract percussion jams, euphoric melodies, and ambient experiments.

Elevating career moments for Logic1000 have included the success of her first self-titled EP in 2018 under her previous alias DJ Logic, backing from fellow artists such as Four Tet, and producing coveted remixes for prolific artists like Caribou, Flume, Dusky, and more.

With plans in the works for her debut album, she claims that her logical thinking is not the sharpest (despite her hard-headed moniker), and has no clear idea what it’ll sound like. Either way, we know it’ll be a smash.

3. yunè pinku

Malaysian-Irish producer and songwriter yunè pinku's (yunè means cloudy in Japanese, pinku a nod to her love of Pingu), aka Asha Yunè, productions embody introspective lyricism and hypnotic melodies and have propelled her to become one of the fastest-rising names in electronic music.

Despite not being a fan of "all-out raving," this doesn’t stop the young talent from producing club-ready bangers, which also translate in more intimate environments.

Equally suited to the rave as they are the bedroom, her 2022 debut single "Bluff" nudged at the artist's mental struggles. It was a track about putting on your best poker face when you're feeling anxious or low.

She recently teased her highly-anticipated EP, BABYLON IX out this spring, with her sensual single, "Night Light." While "Bluff" was inspired by real-life situations, "Night Light" took inspiration from AI and the metaverse, proving her unique ability to find originality and make music through a social lense.

4. Chloé Caillet

The stylish French-born DJ Chloé Caillet’s musical journey first started when she took to the piano as a little girl. Now a globe-trotting DJ, she is best known for gracing the decks of some of the most lauded global clubs and festivals, including Hï Ibiza, DC-10, The Brooklyn Mirage, Burning Man, Glastonbury, and she will play at Coachella this Spring.

In 2021, she debuted her XCESS Records imprint with her single, “Love Ain’t Over.” She has since released tracks on Keinemusik and Circoloco Records, He.She.They, and Defected.

Celebrated by the industry’s leading DJ’s, she is also a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world, with a runway after-party roster that includes Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and Miu Miu.

Caillet is set for a massive 2023, including the release of yet another hotly anticipated EP on CircoLoco Records due out the same week as her second Coachella performance.

5. Kitty Amor

Kitty Amor is a DJ, promoter, tastemaker, and most importantly, passionate representative paving the way for the flourishing Afro house scene in the UK and beyond.

Often referencing her day-one inspirations Black Coffee, Culoe De Song, Da Capo, Shimza, and Manoo (to name a few) as pioneers of Afro house, Amor strives to continue their legacy pushing the sounds of South Africa into new domains.

With a clear lack of representation in countries outside of the continent, Amor has worked itrelessly over the years alongside a number of brands, labels, and promoters to create space for the genre.

From becoming the first woman to perform at Deep In The City, the superlative Johannesburg night curated by Themba and Black Coffee, to being the first UK Afro house DJ to play Printworks (UK), she is now a mainstay at the events of one of Defected’s newest sub-labels Sondela. She continues to make her mark internationally having played in Ibiza, Dubai, Croatia, Amsterdam, and more in 2022.

6. TSHA

Off the back of her debut album release Capricorn Sun in October 2022, TSHA is getting all the love and respect that she deserves. Small in size but big in talent and energy, the London-born artist is a true talent both behind the decks and in the studio.

Rightfully tipped as one of the most exciting emerging artists from the UK, she’s been the cover artist for Mixmag and won Album of the Year at the DJ Mag Awards in 2022. Quickly becoming an international sensation, she will take the stage at Coachella in April 2023, and perform her first headline gig at Chicago’s Spybar in May.

TSHA recently opened up about her struggles with anxiety and how she manages it amongst a hefty touring schedule. Her openness and honesty stands to reassure other young artists that it is both manageable and worth pursuing.

7. IMOGEN

While many female techno acts emerge from eastern Europe, UK-hailing powerhouse IMOGEN puts her own British stamp on Berlin’s bullish techno sound.

After moving to London at the mere age of 16 to study electronic music, she began to immerse herself in the capital's club scene and radio circuit. Now a respected artist throughout Europe, IMOGEN’s come a long way since first being profiled by Mixmag at the age of 19 in 2019. She has a radio residency at NTS Radio, runs her own label and party WIGS, and has played at iconic dance music venues and festivals like fabric London, HÖR Berlin, De School Amsterdam, Sonar, and ION.

8. Jaguar

With a dedication to the scene like no other, Jaguar has seen nearly every corner of the dance music industry, from journalism to event producer, broadcasting to DJing, advocacy, and podcasting.

Her UTOPIA Talks podcast and charitable organization The Jaguar Foundation go hand in hand with her end goal being to create a free and inclusive workplace that inspires people from minority backgrounds to demand greater opportunities and representation.

Paving the way for the next generation, her commitment to making the industry more diverse and even-handed makes her an irreplaceable figure. We need more Jaguar’s in the world.

9. Elkka

Cardiff-born, London-based Elkka constantly seeks to build a brighter future. The electronic music dynamo is a talented producer, singer, songwriter, DJ, and founder of Femme Culture, a record label and collective she uses as a platform to champion women in the arts and push forward-thinking music that stands for an all-embracing industry amongst every gender, background, and belief.

A jack of all trades, she spent many grueling years behind the scenes, trying to crack the industry as a pop songwriter. Now she finds herself in her own musical lane, producing tracks that have won the hearts of DJ’s such as Four Tet, Floating Points, Caribou, George FitzGerald, SHERELLE, and Annie Mac.

Her latest release "I Just Want To Love You" on Ninja Tune beautifully encompasses her raw, alternative take on house music, that's often built upon melodic lyrics and old-school samples.

10. ALISHA

From humble beginnings in her hometown of Peterborough, the first-rate UK DJ and producer ALISHA has rightfully nestled her way into the music industry through an incredible ear for production and clear determination to do what she loves.

Highly regarded by industry peers and house music fans alike, she has just about conquered every inch of the UK clubbing scene over the last couple of years, dropping sets at pretty much every reputable venue and festival there is.

When she’s not behind the decks, ALISHA is tucked away in her studio, honing her unique dancefloor-ready sound. With booming releases on prolific record labels such as Kaluki, Eastenderz, and Nothing Else Matters, her tracks can often be heard in the sets of some of the world’s leading DJ’s.

11. HoneyLuv

LA-based producer and DJ HoneyLuv rose from basketball player to US Navy aviation mechanic to creating a unique musical niche, producing tech house bangers that ooze with attitude.

Proving boundless aptitudes with her 2022 release "365" on Chris Lake’s famed Black Book Records, she has since gone on to produce a number of groove-filled dancefloor riddims, most notably her most recent "Sway" that's caught huge traction overseas in the UK.

Last year saw her playing festival stages and nightclubs all over North America, and she is now set to embark on her debut headline tour this Spring. With recent sets in Australia, Italy, and Ibiza, don’t be surprised to see her dominating international lineups for years to come.