Gina Breeze Curates: Femme & NB Artists
Ketia by @nonaduch
DJ, producer, and HomoElectric resident Gina Breeze curates three femme and non-binary artists from the UK and beyond for the Joyride mix series. An icon of the Manchester queer scene, Gina’s moves have paved the way for femme and queer artists.
As we pull up to Joyride’s Manchester launch there was no question who our next Mix Series curator would be. Gina Breeze is a Manchester legend, queer icon and infamous HomoElectric resident.
Fresh from her Lose Control EP release, and ahead of the first mix from Manchester’s Jus’T, Gina shares her thoughts on her curated artists, Manchester’s queer scene and current shifts in club culture.
Hi Gina! <3
You’ve selected 3 femme and non-binary artists to be featured in the Joyride mix series. Can you tell us why you chose these 3 particular djs?
Hey! Of course, so these 3 artists are at different stages in their musical journeys but they are all key players in their local music scenes.
First up, Kim Lana, the queen of Todmordon. Kim is an incredible DJ. We met in the Golden Lion years ago & have played together all over the place. HomoElectric, Wildwood Disco & Kim’s own festival she put on a few years ago which was ace ( Iconoclast ) where they took over Todmordon with a big queer event over a few different venues. Kim is an unsung hero of the scene for sure, can’t wait to hear her mix!
Next up Juliana X. We met at The Warehouse Project Rotterdam when I was playing there & have been in touch since. Juliana is based in the Netherlands & is a driving force around Amsterdam / Rotterdam & beyond. I believe there’s a few exciting plans for 2025 for Juliana & look forward to seeing her thrive!
Last but not least, Jus’T. We actually go way back but Jus’T is relatively new to DJing. She has founded an event that has become really popular & rightly so, Love Hangover. Real community vibe, loads of fun. T is also 1/3 of the DJ collective ‘Decks on Legs’ who are pure queer joy! We love to see it!
The artists are from Manchester and beyond - how do you think the Manchester queer scene compares to others across the UK and internationally?
I think Manchester has a really strong queer scene that is thriving more than ever. Compared to other places in the UK and internationally I feel you can be spoilt for choice with the diversity in the queer events in Manchester. By that I mean the crowd & music taste. There is a real buzz about queer dancers / performers around the city with collectives like Ghetto Fabulous doing the do. You have smaller neighbourhood nights cropping up on the outskirts, the DBA in Manchester is host to a plethora of queer events & you can also see some bigger names in the queer scene at places like HomoElectric. We have HomoBloc of course & I’m even seeing more queer representation on the Warehouse Project lineups. It’s all going in the right direction.
You’re a core part of the nightlife scene in the city; what does that mean to you personally?
I think being a part of something, especially the queer scene, is hugely important to me. I’ve been playing around Manchester since moving here & when I became one of the residents at HomoElectric, that really did feel like home. Playing at underground nights that are in a warehouse, stripped back, raw - is one of the best feelings. I can be free to push boundaries musically but the unity, togetherness and ability to let loose is just essential for us mentally & physically. When I’m somewhere like HomoElectric, I’m bumping into friends that have become like family. As cliché as that sounds. It is something I don’t take for granted.
We’re talking a lot at the moment about shifts in club and nightlife culture - what changes have you seen yourself?
The biggest one for me has been the amount of sober ravers / raves popping up. This is definitely become more of the norm for a lot of people. I think this is a great thing. I am not practicing sobriety personally but I believe balance really is key. It shouldn’t just be about going out and getting as wasted as possible. Which is weird because growing up, I think that was my experience. Being in the moment & not using alcohol etc as a crutch I think is a game changer. It’s difficult though, when I’m travelling to DJ I rarely have much of a drink and it is another type of experience. I feel a lot more vulnerable in those situations but it’s something I’m working on. I feel lucky to be able to dip in & out of the fun stuff. Just trying to keep my feet on the ground.
What do you think is the importance of platforming and uplifting femme and NB artists?
I think this is always important, there are so many more femme & NB artists now which is so good to see, but I think on the bigger festivals / club nights the representation can still be lacking. I would love to see more femme / NB producers. I know they’re out there but still under represented. I will lift up and put femme artists first always. If I was curating my own events, diversity on the line up and elevating my queer honeys first!
What is a standout moment from you from your experiences in queer nightlife?
There’s been a lot over the years, I think playing alongside artists I admire so much has been such an honour. There have been some incredible moments at HomoBloc, Honey Dijon’s set in the Depot & the Blessed Madonna, DJ Paulette B2B in concourse. Also the Saoirse & Job Jobs B2B in concourse this year was mega! I think when you step outside queer clubbing culture, it makes you realise how much of a sacred space we have. Preserve it at all costs!
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
Thank you for inviting me to curate this mix series & for the invite to play your event last year. Such an inclusive space & my first time at Corsica. I loved it!
Excited to hear all the mixes for this & look forward to seeing team Joyride soon! <3
