As part of its Mavericks DXB Program, Glenfiddich has recently enlisted the copious talents and considerable charm of the Dubai-based DJ and longtime star of the London club scene Megatronic for an exclusive, brand-new song entitled “WOMXN”, planned to debut at a who’s-who listening event in the emirate this December that will also celebrate the brand’s world-colliding Grand series.
The seasoned vet of both the DJ booth and the world’s biggest stages, Megatronic spent 10 years touring the world with her band Black Cherry before leaving her front-woman days behind and turning full time to her turntables, relocating to Dubai in 2016 and establishing herself not only as a cultural pillar in her own right, but creating groundbreaking platforms such as Female First Sessions, helping young female creatives to reach new heights that may not have otherwise been possible.
Megatronic speaks to Esquire Middle East about finding the right spirit for the track, her Female First Sessions initiative, and why she’ll never stop fighting to give young women the boost they deserve.
What spirit were you trying to capture with this new song?
To me, Glenfiddich’s Grand Cru is very immediate and in-your-face, and so is the song. That’s pretty much how I am, too. The song grips you straight away. It’s very danceable, but has an undertone of African essence, which is fundamental to everything that I make, whether it’s through the drum production or some other instrument. The words are things I have said over the last five or six years through Female First Sessions, and are geared towards that same mission.
What led you to create the Female First Sessions?
At first, we wanted to create events that could allow aspiring creatives to meet women in business, and it became a space where women could link up, learn from each other, and grow with each other. Since 2018, we’ve elevated over 300 women through our events.
For me, it’s become a lifestyle now. I’ve become a mentor, and I work to share my experience with people on what I went through in the industry, how to navigate yourself, and how to survive.
What kind of help do you find you’re able to give to the young female creatives of the region?
I think what we do is just try to remove doubt. I want to tell these young women, ‘you’ve got this’. You’d be surprised how a little bit of encouragement can really change the whole way you approach what you’re doing. We’ve all got a skill set, we just need to be told that what we’re doing is worthwhile. We have tried to find girls that had a little bit of doubt and needed a little bit of polish, and lift them up and allow them to thrive. I’m so proud that we’ve had the opportunity to do that.
Part of the Glenfiddich ethos is this Maverick spirit. What does being a Maverick mean to you?
To me it’s about being a forward thinker, both having the freedom to create new ideas and challenging yourself to fight for them. I’ve always taken risks and worked outside of the box. I’m not scared to get in trouble, if it’s for the greater good.
I grew up in a society where people told me I ‘can’t’ a lot, and a lot of that was because I was a girl. I had to look inside of myself and see my potential, and fight for it. I’ve always been a rebel, and I want to push other people forward in the same way.