DJ Paulette announces debut book, Welcome To The Club: The Life and Lessons of a Black Woman DJ

DJ Paulette has announced the release of her first book, Welcome To the Club: The Life and Lessons of a Black Woman DJ. 

The work will give a candid insight into the 30-year career of DJ Paulette, confronting the exclusion, misogyny, racism and classism she has had to battle along the way as a Black woman in the dance music industry. 

The book will include contributions from other influential names including Sonique, Smokin Jo, Norman Jay MBE, Gilles Peterson MBE, Dave Haslam, Jaguar and Jamz Supernova.

Speaking about the book, DJ Paulette said, “I tell my story with authenticity and humour, gathering together a stellar array of the electronic music industry’s icons, gatekeepers and fierce future forces who have joined me in this fantastic voyage to put the wider, underlying issues into perspective. It’s an epic and inspirational journey that I am excited to share with the world.”

DJ Paulette was one of two women to have a residency at Manchester’s legendary The Haçienda. She later went on to have residencies at London’s Heaven and Ministry of Sound.

In an interview with DJ Mag in 2020 the award-winning DJ explained that racism is still deep-rooted in the music industry. She said: “When I was making my 2020 plans, I knew I had to seek out the Black parties because, otherwise, I might be erased.” She hopes her book will inspire a new generation of black DJs to help secure a more diverse future for dance music. 

Welcome to the Club: The Life and Lessons of a Black Woman DJ will be published by Manchester University Press and is set for release in 2023.  

Revisit DJ Mag’s list of the 11 essential books about electronic music for more good reads. 

You can watch DJ Paulette’s set from DJ Mag’s Alternative Top 100 DJs virtual festival below.