Jackie Kwenda (ZW)

Jackie Queens is a Zimbabwean-born house music vocalist and cultural worker who aims to challenge the status quo of the music industry’s perspective on the role women play in its success. Notwithstanding a formidable list of credentials as an artist, she is the creator of electronic label Bae Electronica, co-director of shesaid.so South Africa, and a proud member of South African DJ/producer DESIREE's team. Women's creative expression and empowerment are evident throughout Queens’ multifaceted endeavours which include creating the Raise The Bar Mentorship Programme and publishing educational resources such as #MakingMusicTogether, her collaboration guide for producers and vocalists. Jackie’s work spotlights artists who are often underrepresented, and has fulfilled a crucial role in the education of the South African dance music scene at large. Queens has been recognised by Resident Advisor on their 2021 Re-record list celebrating 120 Black artists in the past decade, and appeared on the shesaid.so Top 100 Alternative Power List for her contributions to equality in the music industry. She has written on women in Afro House for Groove Magazine (GER) and has featured in Mixmag, The Guardian UK, 5 Magazine Chicago and OkayAfrica.