Veld, Osheaga promise good parties but few female DJs in rotation

Music festival season is in high gear across the country, with tens of thousands of fans expected to turn out for the third annual VELD Music Festival in Toronto's Downsview Park.

While one can expect half of the crowdin front ofthe stage to be female,you're less likelyto see a women behind the turntables. In fact, save for the one female member of Nero, who is a vocalist, not a DJ, none of the19 acts on VELD's main stage are women. Even the one bigfemale artist on the second stage, Iggy Azalea, isa singer, not a DJ.

Thisweekend'sOsheaga Music Festival in Montrealhas a number of female pop stars on the lineup, but when it comes to spinning records, women aren't stepping up to the decks.

Canadian electronic dance music (EDM) pioneerMisstressBarbara, isspinning this weekend at the Divers/Cit Festival in Montreal.

• OPINION |Dear Canadian music festivals: Show us the women
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In an interview with CBC Arts reporter Deana Sumanac, Misstress Barbara said more women are getting into the business, but not enough to make becoming a female DJ an easy choice:

"I wouldn't be honest if I didn't actually say that fear came through my mind...Maybe they're scared...and theyget discouraged,and that's because obviously there's a majority of men doing this type of career."

Pushing through the fear has rewarded MisstressBarbara with a fulfilling career featuring performances with artists likeBjrk, The Prodigy,Tiesto, Carl Cox, RichieHawtinand JohnDigweed.

• VIDEO |MisstressBarbara on how to reada crowd

Montreal's Osheaga Music Festival and Toronto's VELD Music Festivalrunthrough Aug. 3.

Watch the above video in which MisstressBarbaradescribes why DJing is so fulfilling.

Tune in toThe National on Sunday night for Deana Sumanac'sfull story.