Besides uniting all kinds of people at parties through house and techno music,
HE.SHE.THEY. also uses va- rious platforms to spread their message and music. They recently launched a weekly syndicated radio show, which Sophia presents in 10 different countries.
He.She.They also has its own show on BBC Radio 1. Ad- ditionally, they will be launching their clothing brand in retail stores next year. Steven and Sophia also ma- nage the
HE.SHE.THEY. record label that’s on its 70th release. Steven explains, “We’ve been able to showcase different aspects of what we’re into. For instance, Cakes da Killa has released music under our label, adding a hip-hop flavor. Then there’s Rebekah, who has pro- vided remixes that are heavier and harder, and Maya Jane Coles, whose work is softer and more delicate. It’s been great to see the opportunities that happen when someone has been given the chance to shine with the release.”
THE COLLABORATION
Steven and Sophia are dedicating all their time to
HE.SHE.THEY., achieving remarkable
stage hosting at Dockyard Festival last year was an excellent beginning that has since developed into a fantastic collaboration.
Steven explains, “If you don’t have big parties like Dockyard Festival and the support of people who share a dream and ideal, like the founders of Dockyard, Coen and Tania, you might miss out. We discuss many de- tails, such as: ‘Have you thought about security? What about the dancers and how they’ll get home? Have you considered this and that?’ If someone is committed, they might simply say, ‘I want a diverse night.’ It can be quite exhausting to work with us in that sense. In the past, there were organizations that wanted to work with us but didn’t genuinely want to change. They didn’t really want a diverse night; they just wanted to be able to claim it.
Originally, we started working with Dockyard because they wanted to make their festivals more diverse, and we wanted to help them achieve that. It worked really well because of the mindset of the people at Dockyard. This commitment to diversity and inclusion comes all the way from the top of the organization down. They believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion. The fact that they have a female leader and more women in key po- sitions contributes to this environment. It’s okay not to know everything, and we learn from each other. It’s a collaboration in its truest sense.”
Steve says, “This ADE, we’ve got big acts like Dax J and SPFDJ, and then we also have Chippy Nonstop and Wax Wings. It’s great to have such a real mix on the main stage, with a lot of women—actually more women than men—queer people, and people of different skin colors. You know what the best part is? If we’ve done our job right, when you look at the lineup, you wouldn’t even think about the diversity. You’d just think, ‘Wow, this lineup is amazing.’ Our goal is to make it an incre- dible party, not just a ‘diverse party.’”
HE.SHE.THEY. is not only involved in booking talent for the party; they are committed to ensuring equality, di- versity, and inclusion at every level of the event. Sophia explains, “We designed a Google Form with about 25 questions covering everything we need to know. We prepare a security briefing and create gen- der-neutral toilet signs and downloadable files. We ask the head of security to review the security document and ensure that it’s communicated using inclusive lan- guage, like saying ‘hey everyone’ instead of ‘hey guys.’ Often, Steven and I will present the briefing at a new
Photo: Chiel Eijt -
mixmagnl.com -
mixmagde.com 41 success. The
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