Women run the decks — inside ‘Chicas Spin’

MIAMI — Miami runs on rhythm, with more women helping shape it.

“Chicas Spin” brings them together.

It’s part network, part sisterhood — made for women who shake the room.

“Being able to shapeshift a room and control the vibe of a room. That’s the best part of DJing,” said Chicas Spin founder, Lilyana Fonte.

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But Chicas Spin is not just about who can throw down the hardest. It’s about who has your back when the set is over.

“It really started out as almost just a little group chat of girls who could tell each other when they were home and catch each other’s sets and maybe have a buddy who could go with them to their set that knew what was happening and could support,” Fonte said.

The Miami-based group launched in 2024 to give female DJs a place to connect, network, trade opportunities and build friendships in an industry long-dominated by men across the country.

Click the following links for more on the member DJs:

Manu Magick

Natalie Siriani

L ilyAna

“There’s always another show. There’s so many opportunities,” said Chicas Spin community leader, Natalie Siriani.

This club group is not always about spinning either. Sometimes, the point is to step away from the decks completely.

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“It’s almost a little break from the spinning … The goal is always to step away for the deck for a second and just get a moment with other girls who are usually behind the e decks,” Fonte said.

At a recent Chicas Spin gathering at Lion’s Den in Miami, members gathered to “Pass the Aux” — an event to share music, get creative and meditate.

For women who are usually the ones setting the vibe, this was a chance to just be in one.

That space matters in an industry that can be difficult to navigate.

“Five to six years ago when I started DJing, it was a little bit weirder to see girls getting the late night gigs or the headlining gigs, and I wanted a space where we could, like, bond and realistically talk about our goals without their being maybe other energies,” said Fonte. “This collective helps you get your foot in the door just a little bit more than if you came to Miami and tried to DJ on your own.”

“It is very collaborative… in Miami it is very powerful and the women are very on their ball here,” Siriani said.

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