‘There’s a stereotype that girls can’t spin,’ says DJ Miso Flamingo, aka Debbie Chia, who’s lined up to host the all-girl DJ BootCAMP on Dempsey Hill this month. ‘And that guys are impatient as teachers. I wanted to offer an alternative, and training an army of women DJs seemed like a good way to start.’ 

As part of the bar’s ever-growing list of activities, Chia’s course will drill enlistees in the fundamentals of electronic music and the basics of practical mixing, along with tips and tricks for buying equipment. Chia, 27, spinning since 2004, says that what started out as a novel idea has evolved into a structured curriculum involving visiting ‘lecturers’ (whose names weren’t disclosed during this interview) and ‘homework’. We have it on good authority, though, that the lecturers will consist mainly of Singapore’s best DJs and producers, including Chia herself. 

‘I want the girls to learn about the history of electronic music,’ she says. ‘They need to know what they’re getting into and that deejaying isn’t a superficial thing that garners supposed “glamour”.’ Those who graduate from the boot camp will automatically be enrolled in Singapore’s first all-girl DJ collective, a group designed to help them continue working at their craft. Class size is limited to ten girls and, so far, the response has been good. But here’s an insider tip: participants are screened via a carefully constructed Q&A form (currently in the works). So if you’re interested, make sure that you’re in it for the right reasons. Brush up on your music knowledge and get up to date with the latest DJ equipment. 

Oh, and if you want to earn some brownie points with Chia, here are her four essential steps to becoming a DJ: ‘Serve the music, serve the crowd, find a balance between serving the music and serving the crowd, and be respectful of other DJs.’  

Organised in collaboration with Pop My Cherry!, the Miso Flamingo Girl DJ BootCAMP runs for three consecutive Saturday sessions, starting 5 April, from 2-5pm, and costs $180 per person. On 26 April the results will be showcased at CAMP