Ugandan DJ Alisha has pushed back against criticism targeting female deejays, arguing that women should not be judged for using their appearance, dancing and stage presence to attract audiences.
Speaking during an appearance on The Pick Up With Prim, Alisha responded to complaints from some male DJs who question the abilities of their female counterparts.
The criticism centres on claims that some female DJs rely more on twerking, dancing and their physical appearance to secure bookings and entertain crowds than on their technical deejaying skills.
Alisha dismissed the argument, saying women naturally attract a different kind of attention and should be allowed to use that appeal as part of their performances.
“A woman is always going to be a woman. A woman is always going to grab a certain attention that a man won’t. It’s not even about in the deejaying industry, that’s how the world works,” she said.
She further questioned why female DJs should be criticised for bringing different elements of entertainment to their performances.
According to Alisha, male DJs would also embrace similar stage antics if they had the ability to pull them off.
“You can’t be mad that I have brought everything I’ve got. If also the male deejays could twerk, I’m sure they would do it. Some do have bums, don’t they?” she added.
Her comments highlight an ongoing debate about what audiences expect from DJs, particularly women working in an entertainment space where performance, image and musical skills can all contribute to a successful show.
While the criticism raised by some male deejays questions whether dancing and physical presentation receive too much attention, Alisha believes female performers should not be expected to limit how they entertain audiences.
Her remarks also come as more women establish themselves in Uganda’s deejaying scene, a space traditionally dominated by men.
For Alisha, using stage presence to connect with a crowd is part of the entertainment package, and female DJs should not be criticised simply for embracing it.