Celebrity disk jockey and singer, DJ Cuppy, has revealed that she often compares herself to a female pilot because she believes both professions are male-dominated.
Speaking on Inside Africa, a programme on CNN, the 25-year-old talked about the challenges and the lack of faith female DJs often come across in Africa.
“I often compare myself to a female pilot. DJ-ing and being a pilot are two very male-dominated professions. I do feel like people don’t have a lot of faith. It’s something that we have to constantly fight.
“Not to get cliché, but there is a glass ceiling and a very high one. It does take a lot of time. I do feel like we need more Cuppys, and that’s why I encourage females to believe they can do what they want to do.”
Also speaking on the programme, DJ Switch, who rose to fame after winning The X Factor in 2013, revealed that most of the challenges women in Africa face in the profession is as a result of fear on the part of men.
“A lot of them are just scared, to be honest, of what a woman could potentially do. I am being really frank on this issue. There are very few male DJs that are happy to see you.
“In my experience, I’ve only met one here in Nigeria and I’ve met a lot outside Nigeria who tell you, ‘Wow, what you did is great. I want to learn what you did. Can you show me that?’ They don’t look at [your] gender,” she said.
DJ Cuppy went on to say that she has faith that African women will succeed in breaking barriers: “I feel like women are really taking things to the next level, because of our attention to detail. I will tell you for a fact, I think African women are some of the strongest individuals in the world.
“We just have this spirit [and] our consistency is so commendable. I feel like that’s being reflected in the music. We have amazing women around the continent.
“I love how, in Africa, age, personality, looks, is not used against you. I do feel like the international music industry is a bit hostile.”
