Sound footing: campaign promotes female DJs at Notting Hill carnival | Notting Hill carnival

A Notting Hill carnival pioneer has launched a campaign to bring more women into the festival’s soundsystem scene with a new grassroots mentoring programme.

Linett Kamala, who at 14 became one of the first female DJs at carnival, has partnered with Guinness to support up-and-coming soundsystem operators, DJs and producers hoping to break into the scene.

The mentorship programme, called Original Sounds Collective, will include bespoke training, experiences and access to new equipment. The mentor lineup includes the carnival legends Dubplate Pearl and Ella Davidson-Smith. The mentees for the first round have been selected, but the programme will open soon for prospective applicants to apply.

Kamala did her groundbreaking set in 1985. She has since been reflecting on how much has changed for women in carnival since then and how the festival can be more inclusive.

“Women have always been around and part of soundsystem culture. It’s just not always been as visible,” she said. “So me stepping into the fore as a young woman back then was bringing more visibility to the females who were around, but not as prominent and taking on some of those roles like DJ or MC.”

Kamala added that, while there are now plenty of female DJs, there is still an issue around access and lack of support. “People feel like they’re perhaps in isolation. They’re feeling like they’re the only ones doing this or feeling this way, and really want to learn more about it. The first step is about connecting and having that courage.

“Everyone brings different skills, but it’s a collective and everyone’s going to have different facets to different qualities and personalities that they’ll bring to it as well. So that’s what’s quite exciting, to hopefully find that and connect with other people and other women out there.”

Notting Hill carnival returned last year after a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. For Kamala, the importance of carnival goes back to its founding.

“It came out of a racist murder. It actually has the very tragic beginning of [the death of] Kelso Cochrane, but with Rhaune Laslett’s [a principal organiser of the carnival] incredible response in terms of bringing the community together from all different backgrounds and saying, ‘You know what we’re going to stand up against? Hatred, racism and indifference, and we’re going to come together as a community.’ So for me, it’s a real, incredible demonstration of the best of humanity.”

Neil Shah, the head of Guinness GB, said: “From the traditional Guinness punch drink to soundsystem sponsorship, Guinness has been part of Notting Hill carnival for many years and is connected within Caribbean communities in the UK and beyond.

“We developed the Guinness Original Sounds Collective by working closely with carnival leaders such as Linett Kamala with the aim to make a real difference to the community, by championing women who are looking to push carnival culture forward.

“Through championing this new generation of women, we hope to inspire others and fulfil our long-term ambition of supporting even more women who are trying to make a name for themselves in this space and beyond.”