Steve Aoki says DJs need to "make room for women DJs".
The EDM icon was speaking following the backlash the Grammys’ president Neil Portnow faces after saying women need to "step up" their game if they want to be nominated for one of the prestigious ceremony’s accolades.
The ‘Night Call’ hitmaker says there needs to be more support for women in the industry so they can get to be on festival line-ups and taken notice of.
In an interview with Channel 4 News, he said: "I think that one thing male DJs have to do is step aside to make room for women DJs and women producers on festivals, on shows and also be an ally and supporter and invite them to play with them."
Pink has hit back at the Recording Academy President Neil Portnow following his comments that women in music need to "step up" if they want to win at the Grammy Awards.
Portnow made his comments following the criticism that male winners dominated the ceremony held at Madison Square Garden in new York City on Sunday night (28.01.18).
He was quoted as saying after the ceremony: "It has to begin with … women who have the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and want to be part of the industry on the executive level. [They need] to step up because I think they would be welcome."
Pink, 38, was furious with Portnow for his alleged slight against all the female recording artists and women working in the music business and posted a handwritten letter on Twitter in response.
The letter read: "WOMEN IN MUSIC don’t need to ‘step up’. Women have been stepping since the beginning of time. Stepping up, and also stepping aside. Women OWNED music this year. They’ve been KILLING IT. And every year before this.
"When we celebrate and honour the talent and accomplishments of women, and how much women STEP UP every year, against all odds, we show the next generation of women and girls and boys and men what it means to be equal, and what it looks like to be fair."
Only one woman, Alessia Cara, who was named Best New Artist, won a major award at the Grammys.
Steve Aoki urges peers to ‘make room for women DJs’
