DJ Minx’s (@djminxwomenonwax) remix of Funki Cadets featuring Willy Soul’s “Feelin’ Good Tonight” was released inside a package that already carries a lot of house music history. The release comes through Vega Records, with Louie Vega’s Funki Cadets project built around mentorship, collaboration, and putting newer voices in the studio alongside one of the genre’s most respected figures.
Minx’s contribution brings the package directly back to Detroit. Her remix is a stripped-back, driving interpretation rooted in the city’s underground legacy, which fits the broader release concept well. Across the full remix set, DJ Minx, Kai Alcé, Rimarkable, and Willy Soul each bring a different regional and cultural angle to the original, moving the record between Detroit, Atlanta, Brooklyn, and skate-centered house energy.
That context makes this interview especially relevant because Minx speaks plainly about how bookings really happen, why relationships still shape opportunities, and how lineups have shifted as ticket sales and visibility have grown. Her answers keep returning to the same practical truth: community still matters, but the business around it has changed, and artists need to understand both sides if they want to keep moving.
Interview With DJ Minx
What’s something you wish more people understood about how bookings actually happen from a DJ or artists perspective?
What I can say is, keeping personal relationships with clubs, promoters, labels, etc.. goes such a long way here. Especially for artists who don’t have agents and managers representing them across the globe. Even then, lots of smaller club owners and underground party promoters prefer to communicate directly with artists about bookings, so it’s really important to keep up with anyone in that world who’s following your music.
For any show, unless the headliner is specifically requesting you on the lineup, you’re getting booked because someone from the buying team is a fan of you. Keep that in mind when you show up to the gig and be as friendly to the whole venue team as possible because it’ll pay dividends in the feedback that you get and getting booked again.
Have you ever gotten booked for a reason that had nothing to do with the music, and how did that feel?
Personally, I can’t say I recall this happening to me yet.
However, I know this definitely happens in the industry. I do catch wind of conversations about lineups being majorly white cis male dominated and wanting to be more inclusive of femme and LGBTQIA+ artists. I’m always supportive of initiatives that support inclusivity – I run my own party, House Your Life, that always strives to have incredibly diverse bookings and be approachable to crowds from all walks of life.
Do you think people in the scene are honest about how much social capital plays into opportunities?
Some people may not understand, but in my opinion being socially rich can make or break your advancement.
I’ve experienced this being true during COVID. Before the pandemic, I was booked to play in different states or countries but nothing compares to what was happening during the pandemic.
We all had time to read, listen, check out more – and the impact that social media had on our profession grew. I’m sure networks were checked and colleagues that artists or DJs have in common came into play. I’m positive that it plays a huge role in opportunities so not sure who would not be honest about that. Having a stronger network opens doors to new opportunities every day.
How do you personally decide when to say yes to a booking, and when to pass?
It has to make sense overall.
Who’s on the lineup? Where is the performance to take place? Back to the networking aspect of things – will I meet artists or be able to chat with them there? Have I wanted to do a project with one of the artists? This is all important. Also, it could be the perfect opportunity to mesh with someone new or play for folks that have never experienced me live.
Have you ever had to reframe your idea of success after seeing who gets booked and why?
Absolutely. I thought about how I present myself as opposed to others. Sometimes an individual can look a certain way and not have the actual talent to be a good DJ. They can also be socially popular.
I am happy about the talents that I possess, and I’m not concerned about the reasons that I’m not playing.
What role do managers, agents, or collectives play in shaping a DJ’s visibility today?
The agent, manager or collective consists of people that believe in you. They push to be sure their artist is seen and heard. A team can get you in front of people that may know nothing about you, and can help them believe in you as well. Some managers and agents already have connections to promoters or others that could book you, so with an established relationship, they can influence others to have a look at your career.
It’s very important. Collectives offer visibility because they usually consist of people who share the same interests, so it’s the same as a team of managers. It’s very important to have people around that are actually on your team.
Does who’s on a lineup still feel like a reflection of community, or has it become something else?
Lineups have changed, and I think clubs and festivals have become different when choosing artists.
Ticket sales are important, so DJs that were booked before may not make it on the bill this time. It’s not always about the community – who can bring people in has become more important, in my opinion. It also depends on the promoter(s). If a certain genre is preferred, then they think about who can perform best. That’s old school underground style right there!
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
