Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaye Hunnie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Jaye thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
The Women of House Music Collective’s mission is to spotlight women in the House Music community for the world to see that they are just as talented and dedicated as their male peers. Another mission of The Collective, is to provide sisterhood and a network for women that genuinely love the music and culture. The Collective has led to connections for women to plan and projects together. The Women of House Music Collective is not about excluding men, it’s more about empowering women.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Jaye Hunnie and the organization that I founded is called Women of House Music Collective. Originally, I am from Baltimore, Maryland, a city with a long history of Dance Music and nightlife. Over the years, I became immersed in the underground House Music scene and I regularly attended parties/events in various cities. While exploring the scene in different cities, I felt House Music’s universal spirit but I also noticed a void. Women were often underrepresented. The House Music community is known for embracing everyone but it was male-dominated. Women DJs were rarely headliners, regardless of their skills or how many years they played. Women are such an important part of keeping the House Music scene thriving, but we aren’t taken seriously as music enthusiasts. Our input wasn’t considered and our contributions weren’t appreciated. I have met some great women in the House Music community. This led to me founding the Women of House Music Collective in 2021.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
It’s never completely smooth sailing when dealing with different types of people but, thankfully, everything within The Collective has gone on without a hitch. I’m lucky to also have a great group of women who serve on our Collective Board of Directors. We have good communication and we all get along very well.
When it comes to business and morale, I try to be professional and fair. For instance, if I have an event that I am charging tickets or admission for I believe in paying the people that I am working with. That’s the fair thing to do. I have organized a few events in Atlanta and Miami that were ticketed and I made sure to pay everyone involved. From the DJs, to the caterers, to the hosts. Everyone got paid. They didn’t make a fortune but it didn’t feel right not compensating them. I often hear DJs playing gigs for free while the promoters/organizers charge hefty cover charges at the door. If people are paying to party, the DJ should get paid something! The same thing applies to hosts that actively promote the parties in advance and maintain the vibe during the event. If done correctly, that’s hard work. Pay them! I understand wanting to turn a profit but there wouldn’t be a party/event without DJs and hosts. They deserve a piece of that pie, not just for the “exposure”.
Now, if the event has no cover charge that’s a different story. If no money is coming in, everyone involved is doing it for the love of it. That’s understandable.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The Women of House Music Collective is still growing and it seems our best source for reaching people has been social media. That’s the case with almost everything nowadays. Social media is the new way of life. I love it though. Social media is the reason people have heard about The Collective in other states and even other countries. In 2024, we plan to launch new projects online so be on the lookout for that.
The other source has been word of mouth and being active in the House Music scene. The House Music community is very connected. Everybody knows everybody. On several different occasions, I have had people come up to me and say our mutual friend told them to introduce themselves because of The Collective’s mission. That always makes me smile.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/womenofhousemusiccollective
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenofhousemusiccollective/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenofhousemusiccollective
Image Credits
John Crooms