A new sound is rising from Kenya’s dancefloors — and it’s being led by women who are rewriting the rules of the game. At the heart of this transformation is the Santuri Electronic Music Academy (SEMA) in Nairobi, a space that’s not just teaching people how to DJ — it’s helping them take up space in a male-dominated music industry.
Founded in 2021 by Santuri East Africa in partnership with the Goethe-Institut, the academy has already trained around 150 students, and more than half of them are women and gender-diverse artists. Their popular ‘DJing 101’course isn’t just about spinning tracks — it’s about building confidence, community, and careers.
From the Shadows to the Spotlight
In clubs like Mist in Westlands, Nairobi’s nightlife is already feeling the shift. One of the rising stars is Marion Muthiani, better known as nowisgood, who brings her own flavour of rap, amapiano, and Afro-electronica to the decks.
“This is the most female-heavy music course I’ve seen,” Muthiani says. “It gave me space to grow without fear or judgement.”
Another graduate, Nabalayo, used her time at SEMA to sharpen her production and engineering skills — and later dropped her debut album. “It gave me the validation I needed,” she shared.
Their stories are now part of a larger movement redefining what it means to be a DJ in Kenya.
Breaking Barriers, One Beat at a Time
SEMA was born after a 2020 report — co-published with Ableton — exposed deep inequalities in East Africa’s music scene. Many artists, especially women and LGBTQ+ creatives, were sidelined due to lack of gear, mentors, or safe spaces to express themselves.
Co-founders Gregg Tendwa and David Tinning knew that changing this required more than lessons. That’s why SEMA offers transport stipends, meals, internet, equipment, and — most importantly — an open, supportive community.
The academy also runs workshops with heavyweights like DJ Coco Em and sound artist KMRU, and helped set up the Nairobi Ableton User Group, giving alumni opportunities beyond the classroom.
Not Just Music — A Movement
Ask DJ Shock, a former student who now teaches at SEMA, what makes it special, and she doesn’t hesitate: “I’ve never seen so many female producers and engineers in one space.”
And this energy isn’t just staying in Nairobi. Uganda’s DJ Kampire, one of East Africa’s most respected DJs, says it best: “I’m not winning unless all of us are winning.” That’s the spirit pushing this movement forward — it’s collective, it’s supportive, and it’s loud.
The Future Sounds Like This
SEMA’s model — one that fuses skills with support, and training with visibility — is creating ripples far beyond Kenya. Their graduates now feature on Oroko Radio in Ghana and are finding their way to global stages.
What’s happening in Nairobi is bigger than the music — it’s a cultural reset. The turntables aren’t just spinning records anymore; they’re turning the tide for women, queer artists, and underrepresented voices across the continent.
And the beat? It’s unmistakably female — and here to stay.
