FAST 10: Baby G
We kick off a new series with DJ, producer, and co-founder of the DJ Club, Baby g…
Three things that our beloved ‘burn city has in overflowing abundance:
1. Good looking baristas 2. Motorcycle stores on Elizabeth street 3. Female DJs.
While all three of these are (debatably) crucial in the flow and function of our concrete metropolis’ cultural ecosystem, one is nowhere near receiving the attention it deserves. I’ll let you decide which of the three applies here… (if you chose 1, or 2… you’re very incorrect).
Yes, I’m talking about the elusive female DJ. It’s pretty common knowledge that the gender divide within the music industry is a tale as old as time, and that the playing field seems to be, slowly but surely, evening out. For this reason, we thought what better a way to speed up the process and showcase the talented women our city has on offer, by starting a new interview series - Fast 10. We will be proposing the same 10 questions to a string of Melbourne’s musically gifted leading ladies, to showcase the diverse and abundant female talent on our doorstep. First up on our list? Baby G.
Known as Georgia to her friends, she’s the multi-faceted creative who has become a regular name at some of our cities busiest venues - Xe54, Glamorama, New Guernica, Ferdydurke and The Gasometer Hotel. As well as being a keen music producer, Baby G is also responsible for DJ Club, an initiative to encourage women to learn DJing and to ultimately promote more inclusive lineups which see Georgia teach a handful of students the tricks of the trade. After recently watching Baby G play a knockout set at Glamorama, we were keen to see what the woman of the moment had to say about gender inclusivity, her guilty pleasure listening habits, and the words of wisdom she lives by…
THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE MY MUSIC:
Chunky, freaky and a little bit…naughty.
2. A FEMALE ARTIST EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW:
Memphis LK. Her involvement in the industry is multi-faceted, it’s so cool to see someone weave between production, live performance and DJing, as well as her work with The Push Inc. Her work is inspiring, particularly for someone like myself who is on the edge of taking Ableton projects from the laptop to the stage, working out the best live set up gear-wise, and building up the confidence to do so. Not to mention, she writes bangers that test the traditions of live electronic music, bangers that make you want to dance and cry simultaneously. So into it.
3. A TRACK I’M EMBARRASSED TO LOVE:
Stevie Nicks - ‘Edge of Seventeen’. Pure karaoke gold.
4. THE LOCAL INDUSTRY NEEDS MORE:
Female, non-binary, queer and culturally diverse representation. This gets thrown around a lot, but it’s up to promoters and bookers to put build an inclusive lineup from bottom to top, not just a token female or POC among a sea of cis dudes and labelling it ‘diverse’. It’s lazy and there are no excuses for it. As a venue booker, I’m aware it’s my responsibility to step up and ask questions if the lineup doesn’t sit right. In saying this, there are some great local collectives who are being proactive and doing amazing things, but there’s still work to be done.
5. MY DRINK OF CHOICE AT A GIG:
Gin & Sodas because I forget to drink water during sets. Two birds, one stone. Kinda…
6. WHAT EMPOWERS ME:
Collaborating on projects with other creatives. An example of this is writing and performing with my band Tuckshop. They are all so ridiculously talented, bouncing ideas off one another in a room for a few hours is as good as it gets. Another example would be ‘DJ Club’, a digital and vinyl DJ workshop that myself and DJ Sarah started up recently. I think empowerment, for me at least, comes from putting my head together with like-minded creatives and watching those ideas begin to take shape.
7. THE BEST GIG I’VE EVER PLAYED:
Tough one. I’d probably say a recent one because god knows what I was playing a few years ago - playing before Harvey Sutherland last month. Aside from being a big Harvey Sutherland fan, feeling the energy in the room build-up was pretty special, had all my favourite people around me and was just a very wholesome night all round.
8. IF I WASN’T IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY I WOULD BE:
Doing literally anything in the visual art and design field, I’ve always been a very visual person. Or you know, maybe a plumber. The other day I worked out how to fix my leaking tap from watching countless YouTube tutorials. That shit is empowering.
9. SOMEONE I LOOK UP TO IS:
Frankie Decaiza Hutchinson, co-founder of Brooklyn based collective, Discwoman. She’s a catalyst for change in the industry, she’s built a platform for minority groups. Her creative process and political ideology resonates with me heavily.
10. THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED:
Look after your ears! Being a drummer this is something I learned earlier rather than later. There are so many good, affordable earplugs out there for DJs and musicians as well as club and live music goers. Ears get fatigued so easily and I still feel there isn’t enough awareness on this.