This week, popular French youth station NRJ crowned Paris Hilton ‘Female DJ Of The Year’ at an award ceremony in Monaco.

I know that there are bigger issues about how women are treated and objectified in the music industry, but I can’t think of anything more demoralising for a highly skilled, hard working, professional female DJ than to find out that Paris Hilton has been rated a better DJ than them. It is highly offensive and an undeserved insult.

I think we’ve always known how much money talks in the music industry, but I believe that the reason Paris Hilton attracts such extreme reactions against her is how blatant she is. No talent, no knowledge, no real interest in Dance music – this is an amusing side show for her. She has chosen ‘DJing’ (or what she thinks is DJing, as she clearly doesn’t know what she is doing behind the decks) as a hobby and sections of the media, certain promoters and clubs are indulging her fantasy, rewarding her with a ridiculous amount of money and attention.

The situation is completely transparent to everyone. It celebrates the cronyism and grotesque fawning of ‘celebrity’, promoting status and wealth over talent and ability.

The above picture holds a mirror up to the music industry and I for one, am appalled at what I see. I have zero respect for anyone involved in the Paris Hilton circus show and I have no intention of working with these people with such a lack of professionalism or self respect.

Next week I will be attending a (comparatively) small club in Cardiff to see one headline DJ performing for the night. I would rather see Will Atkinson at a Journey event in Cardiff on a wet November evening than spend even 5 minutes with Paris Hilton in an exotic location.

Money can buy you many things, but it can’t buy you respect. She may have bought herself some headlines, but she has earned our disgust.

What Others Are Saying

Beatsmedia: “We at Beatsmedia are a little shocked, and express our sincere sympathies to every hard-working female DJ that was just shafted by the station. WE know where the real talent lies, and it ain’t the Hilton heiress” Mixmag: “We’re not really sure what the audience of NRJ were thinking or whether they know about DJs like Maya Jane Coles, Heidi, Nina Kraviz, Steffi, Magda, Annie Mac, Dana Ruh, tINI, Nightwave, Louisahhh!, Hannah Wants, Ellen Allien, Deniz Kurtel, Mary Anne Hobbs, Shanti Celeste, Nina Las Vegas, Tama Sumo and Cassy.” Dancing Astronaut: “Naming Paris Hilton the ‘Female DJ of the Year’ is an insult to every female in the industry. If the NRJ DJ awards carried little weight before — they are now officially irrelevant.”

Paris Hilton ‘DJing’ (with a little help from a friend)



