Keypoints:
- Women now lead at Nairobi’s SEMA DJ academy
- SEMA offers mentorship, gear and gigs
- Female DJs shift Kenya’s music culture
A NEW wave of Kenyan women are transforming the country’s music culture, reshaping the DJ scene from the decks up. At the heart of this shift is the Santuri Electronic Music Academy (SEMA), an inclusive training hub in Nairobi that is empowering women and marginalised artists to take centre stage in a space long dominated by men.
Founded in 2021 by Santuri East Africa in partnership with the Goethe‑Institut, SEMA has already trained around 150 students — with women and gender-diverse individuals making up over half the cohort. The academy’s ‘DJing 101’ course combines hands-on training, access to professional equipment, and real performance opportunities, helping new artists confidently step into Kenya’s fast-evolving music ecosystem.
From underdogs to headliners
SEMA graduates are making their presence felt. At events like ‘nu.wav’ in Westlands’ Mist nightclub, rising talents such as Marion Muthiani — who performs as nowisgood — are spinning genre-blending sets that mix rap, Afro-electronica, amapiano and more. ‘It’s the most female-heavy course I’ve seen,’ Muthiani said, adding that the inclusive environment gave her space to learn and thrive.
Nabalayo, another SEMA alumna, used her training to sharpen her sound engineering skills and confidently release her debut album. ‘I felt validated and confident,’ she shared. Her journey reflects a broader shift taking place in Nairobi’s creative community.
A system built for inclusivity
SEMA was launched after a 2020 research project with Ableton revealed systemic barriers that left women, queer artists and other marginalised groups excluded from East Africa’s music industry — primarily due to lack of equipment, mentorship and safe creative spaces.
In response, co-founders Gregg Tendwa and David Tinning designed SEMA as a radically inclusive platform. Students receive not just tuition, but also meals, transport stipends, internet access and gear — making professional training truly accessible.
Today, its reach extends beyond the classroom. The academy helped launch the Nairobi Ableton User Group and offers workshops led by prominent artists such as sound designer KMRU and DJ Coco Em.
Culture shift in sound and society
The rise of female DJs in Kenya is not just changing club playlists — it’s reshaping perceptions. ‘I’ve never seen a community where there are so many female sound engineers, producers and DJs,’ said DJ Shock, a former SEMA student now teaching at the academy.
Ugandan DJ Kampire, a regional icon, praised the community-driven energy of Nairobi’s scene: ‘I’m not winning unless all of us are winning,’ she said — underlining the collective nature of the movement.
Sounding the future of African DJ culture
SEMA continues to connect its alumni to international platforms, including a regular radio slot on Ghana’s Oroko Radio. Its holistic model — combining skills, community and visibility — is helping new voices rise and build careers with staying power.
As Kenya’s dancefloors diversify, so too do the stories told through its sound systems. Thanks to SEMA and a growing network of female DJs, the beat has changed — and the rhythm of resistance is unmistakably feminine.
