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Welcome to the club: The life and lessons of a Black woman DJ
In Welcome to the club, Manchester legend DJ Paulette shares the highs, lows and lessons of a thirty-year music career, with help from some famous friends.
One of the Haçienda’s first female DJs, Paulette has scaled the heights of the music industry, playing to crowds of thousands all around the world, and descended to the lows of being unceremoniously benched by COVID-19, with no chance of furlough and little support from the government. Here she tells her story, offering a remarkable view of the music industry from a Black woman’s perspective. Behind the core values of peace, love, unity and respect, dance music is a world of exclusion, misogyny, racism and classism. But, as Paulette reveals, it is also a space bursting at the seams with powerful women.
Part personal account, part call to arms, Welcome to the club exposes the exclusivity of the music industry while seeking to do justice to the often invisible women who keep the beat going.
One of the Haçienda’s first female DJs, Paulette has scaled the heights of the music industry, playing to crowds of thousands all around the world, and descended to the lows of being unceremoniously benched by COVID-19, with no chance of furlough and little support from the government. Here she tells her story, offering a remarkable view of the music industry from a Black woman’s perspective. Behind the core values of peace, love, unity and respect, dance music is a world of exclusion, misogyny, racism and classism. But, as Paulette reveals, it is also a space bursting at the seams with powerful women.
Part personal account, part call to arms, Welcome to the club exposes the exclusivity of the music industry while seeking to do justice to the often invisible women who keep the beat going.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
264 pages, Hardcover
Published January 23, 2024
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114 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 7, 2024
Welcome to the Club by DJ Paulette, went too fast for me. It was written by DJ in Britain and I had no clue about most of the names (except Elton John). It was a black woman's venture into the man's world of being a DJ, She faced sexual, racial, and sexual discrimination. I could feel her anger but she also fell into a life of drugs, alcohol, and the loneliness of Covid 19. But I wanted her to go into how she got out of all that in the book. I knew where she had been but, the telling was a blur. It just skipped through the scary parts of her life. I wanted to learn more about how she pulled herself out of a destruction path. I just needed more depth.
August 9, 2025
I initially purchased this book for a colleague who has decided to pursue a midlife career pivot to DJing. After reviewing descriptions of multiple books about women DJs, I settled on this one for several reasons: 1. the reference to the legendary Manchester club that helped launch a new era of electronic dance music: The Hacienda; 2. the perspective of not just a woman but a woman of color in yet another field dominated by white men, and 3. this was the book I most wanted to read myself.
Because I was buying this book for someone else prior to deciding to read it myself, it was a weird coincidence that I had just read a memoir by fellow British DJ Richard Blade, whose unparalleled success proves a lot of the points made here: a cis white man, tall and conventionally attractive, not only has more opportunity but being also suave and naturally charming simply coasts through life on hand-delivered opportunities that a woman of color must struggle to achieve. That said, DJ Paulette's book is much briefer and does not go into great detail about personal inspirations or how she pursued, discovered, and promoted new artists. This is a much shorter book, and given her lesser degree of fame, that's probably appropriate to get it published and read. Her goal is not to brag about the music she's introduced to the world but instead to tell the story of her journey to becoming a well respected and long term DJ, while holding the door open and sharing career advice to follow in her footsteps. Her example is unique, interesting, and admirable.
Still, I wanted to know more about the methodologies behind becoming a successful DJ (not for myself but very much for the person I initially purchased this book for). Yes, the skills of being a self advocate and unapologetic outsider to the industry are extremely important, but so is the role of a DJ in discovering and promoting new artists. I hope DJ Paulette publishes another book that goes into more detail on her DJ technique.
Because I was buying this book for someone else prior to deciding to read it myself, it was a weird coincidence that I had just read a memoir by fellow British DJ Richard Blade, whose unparalleled success proves a lot of the points made here: a cis white man, tall and conventionally attractive, not only has more opportunity but being also suave and naturally charming simply coasts through life on hand-delivered opportunities that a woman of color must struggle to achieve. That said, DJ Paulette's book is much briefer and does not go into great detail about personal inspirations or how she pursued, discovered, and promoted new artists. This is a much shorter book, and given her lesser degree of fame, that's probably appropriate to get it published and read. Her goal is not to brag about the music she's introduced to the world but instead to tell the story of her journey to becoming a well respected and long term DJ, while holding the door open and sharing career advice to follow in her footsteps. Her example is unique, interesting, and admirable.
Still, I wanted to know more about the methodologies behind becoming a successful DJ (not for myself but very much for the person I initially purchased this book for). Yes, the skills of being a self advocate and unapologetic outsider to the industry are extremely important, but so is the role of a DJ in discovering and promoting new artists. I hope DJ Paulette publishes another book that goes into more detail on her DJ technique.
September 20, 2025
A revealing and inspiring read!
The story of house music from its heady 80’s inception to now is already well known.. but to hear it told from the perspective of a woman of colour is a new angle. And one that needs to be listened to. Easy to read with enough juicy stories to keep things interesting, this book is also a manual of how to keep a DJ career - or any career in the music industry - relevant, sustainable and powerful. Essential reading for anyone in the business, Paulette also introduces a whole new cast of players on the scene that you might not have heard of but should have. Can’t emphasise what an achievement that is in itself.
The story of house music from its heady 80’s inception to now is already well known.. but to hear it told from the perspective of a woman of colour is a new angle. And one that needs to be listened to. Easy to read with enough juicy stories to keep things interesting, this book is also a manual of how to keep a DJ career - or any career in the music industry - relevant, sustainable and powerful. Essential reading for anyone in the business, Paulette also introduces a whole new cast of players on the scene that you might not have heard of but should have. Can’t emphasise what an achievement that is in itself.
June 24, 2024
Lacked narrative but lots of good one-liners and loved the last 'manifesto' chapter. More like 3.5 stars
July 2, 2024
I thought working as a DJ was an easy job but after reading this book, I changed my mind, Damn, is harder than I thought and especially back in the day if you were a woman. Very good memoir.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews