Perfectly, (Im)perfect
Lauren “KITTENS” Abedini
By Zoe Verelli
Hope you’re sitting down because we’re about to dive deep into spinmaster Lauren “Kittens” Abedini’s life. As a female DJ, producer, and founder of a non-profit organization, there was A LOT to chat about. From discussing her impressive career in a male-dominated industry to praising her efforts in revolutionizing the DJ industry for feminists and LGBTIQ+ members alike, Chloe Wilde, host of REAL TALK by Dynamite, left no questions unasked.
Venturing first into LA’s night scene while finishing up her business degree, Abedini caught the attention of influential artists like Kid Cudi before hitting the main stages of Coachella and EDC. But the road to achieving this level of success was no simple feat.
“You show up to the door to get in to DJ and the security is like ‘you’re just a groupie trying to sneak in’ […]. I’ve had to call promoters and be like I’m outside, they’re not letting me in.” After experiencing firsthand what’s it like being a woman in a male-dominated industry that continues to perpetuate sexist narratives, she explained how she has learned to navigate certain situations, whether it be overcompensating to avoid the “bitch” label or having to combat the default assumption that all female DJs pre-mix their sets.
Abedini has made it her mission to empower and arm women with the knowledge and skill sets they need to become a female DJ. How does she do it? Through PWR, a non profit organization she founded that hosts a series of DJ workshops for women where all the proceeds are donated to local women’s shelters and LGBTIQ+ centres.
But her inspiring initiatives don’t stop there. Abedini also started a series called SHE/HER/THEY where she invites special guests who she describes as “transcending identity expectations” by embracing, accepting, and loving their authentic selves. She expressed that it can be “helpful for people to maybe see and hear conversations with people who are very unapologetic about who they are and in a lane that is different than what society tells you you should be, from identity perspectives to career choices.”
In honour of Pride month, we asked her to share some valuable advice on owning your truth. “I think owning your truth looks very different to everybody. For some people, one thing that I really think about is the people who can’t come out, who it’s not safe, it isn’t really a choice. Whether it’s their family, their living situation, their government, for a lot of people, they can’t be out and proud.” One thing is certain, there will always be people who don’t accept you but she believes that the most important thing is “accepting yourself and being okay with who you are… and being gentle and compassionate with yourself.”
We couldn’t agree more. Happy Pride to all of our LGBTIQ+ friends! We love you <3
