Everyone's a Winner: Reflections on ten years of Miss World

At the beginning of this year, female-led club night and DJ collective Miss World announced that the time had come to hang up the headphones, take down their purple banner and move on to pastures new. Their Instagram announcement was met with a deluge of admiration for the collective’s decade-long stint on the Cowgate. Julia, Feena and miira came together one last time for the collective’s swan song at Sneaky Pete’s – leaving the underground scene an altogether different landscape to the one Miss World first emerged in.

Founded in 2015 by a cohort of students attending the Edinburgh College of Art, Miss World was one of a scarce few female-led nights in Scotland’s capital. Like the Ship of Theseus or the Sugababes, the collective’s constituents have evolved over time, with new members taking up the mantle where others left off. Despite the numerous incarnations of Miss World, platforming local female and non-binary talent has remained a constant.

Julia joined shortly after Miss World’s formation. “I wasn't there for the original genesis of Miss World,” she says, “One of [my friends] was leaving so they asked if I would take their place. I had never DJed before… I think I had one go on the decks then immediately [played my] first Miss World night at the Mash House.” Julia reflects on her nine years in the collective: “It [has] always felt so relaxed…. [it's] just such a nice space to grow and to learn.”

In 2019, Feena came aboard, at which point Miss World had been granted a coveted Friday night slot at Sneaky Pete’s. “[I] was given the space to find what I wanted to do,” she says, “Gradually over time we would share more of the responsibilities; it was maybe a couple years ago that I took over the bookings.” The collective’s thoughtful approach to programming proved to be hugely rewarding. “I really enjoyed curating lineups of all local people,” she says. “I just love seeing really talented people in your community absolutely smash it.”

Miss World’s practice of mentorship was realised again when miira joined in Spring of 2024. “Miss World is such an established and respected night, so to be able to jump in has been sick,” miira says. “The programming is very similar to my taste… It's really fun to support all these artists that I look up to.” Miss World’s headline acts have set a precedent, with the likes of Ila Brugal, Jamz Supernova and Mantra topping the bill.

The collective’s approach to mentorship extended beyond Miss World’s members. Julia made it a mission to demystify the skills behind DJing. “A really big objective for me was to try and multiply how many women there were DJing in Edinburgh”, she says. “We ran some workshops at the art college [and] I made a booklet about DJing which I put online for free.” The legacy of these grassroots ventures resurfaced after their recent announcement. “We got quite a few messages from people being like, ‘I had my first ever gig because of you’ [or] ‘I learned to DJ because of you’”, says Julia.

The need for women and non-binary representation in the UK’s electronic music industry remains as vital as it was a decade ago. The Musicians’ Census (published in March 2024) found women make up just 29% of DJs, 24% of producers, and only 12% of studio/​mastering engineers. As miira puts it, “Everyone keeps making the joke that we don't need more DJs, we need plumbers. [But] we need more non-male DJs!”

“I want to see more women making music,” Feena adds, “I want to see more women in promoting and in higher positions in the music industry.”

There’s no doubt that being part of a female-led collective comes with challenges. “It is very limiting sometimes to just be defined by your identity”, says Julia. “It does make it quite hard to find [a] voice in an artistic way. In the early days, it seemed like a blessing and a curse. It would be like, ‘I'm only here because I'm a woman and they have to fill a quota… but hey, it’s a gig!’” Collaboration between DJs in the form of collectives is often a necessity. “It’s a male dominated scene, you often have to start your own night to have regular slots,” says miira.

Responsibility lies with all involved in the music industry to redress the gender imbalance – from local promoters to major labels. For a decade, Miss World’s members have led the way in fostering an inclusive, forgiving and carefree space for all to enjoy. As their motto goes – everyone’s a winner at Miss World.

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Miss World recommends FEMMERGY, The Biscuit Factory, Fri 21 Mar, £5.50