Sri Lanka’s electronic music scene, long dominated by male DJs, is witnessing a transformative wave of female talent. From Colombo’s techno basements to coastal house music havens, Sri Lankan women have stepped up to the decks – both at home and on international stages – proving that DJing isn’t exclusive to any gender.
While anecdotal history notes a “lady called Bernie” spinning records as far back as 1975 at Colombo’s Trip Discotheque, it is the current generation of female DJs that has truly pushed into the underground, progressive, and techno realms.
Today, names like Iman, Tahsha, Nadine and others are “often in the mix” when discussing Sri Lanka’s DJ scene. Below, we dive into some of the most notable Sri Lankan female DJs – past and present, local and diaspora – exploring their biographies, achievements, releases, and contributions to this evolving music landscape.
Iman Cader: From Beauty Queen to International DJ
@iman.cader is a trailblazer of the new generation – a Sri Lankan DJ who rocketed from novice to international act in a matter of months.
A former model and pageant titleholder (she was Miss Planet Sri Lanka 2020), Iman ventured into DJing in 2021 after noticing something troubling at a party: “only men controlled the music… there were no female DJs in Sri Lanka at the time,” she was told.
Determined to change that, Iman immersed herself in the craft and took it as a personal challenge to “break this stereotype in the underground music industry”.
By 2022, just months after starting out, Iman had secured her first gig – playing alongside veteran Sri Lankan DJs and India’s Avantika Bakshi at an event by The Pirates collective. Despite skeptics “wanting to see [her] fail,” she delivered a confident set and “stepped off that stage with so much confidence and happiness” that any doubts were quelled.
From there, Iman’s rise was meteoric. She cultivated a distinctive sound influenced by her multicultural upbringing: her DJ sets blend Afro house rhythms, Middle Eastern and South Asian vocals, and tech-house beats – “music with Sinhala, Hindi, Arabic vocals… something I gravitate toward”, she says of her style.
This eclectic, accessible sound helped Iman cross borders quickly. In 2022 she became one of the first Sri Lankan female DJs to perform in the UAE, making her Dubai debut to much pride. The following year, 2023, saw her make history as the first Sri Lankan female DJ to perform in Japan as well – taking Sri Lankan dance music to yet another new frontier.
She has also performed at resorts in the Maldives and toured parts of Europe and Australia, representing Sri Lanka on global stages.
Iman’s international appearances have been matched by a flurry of studio activity. She has begun releasing original music, collaborating with producers to infuse her cultural flair into tracks.
One notable release is “Mandarame,” a 2023 single she co-wrote with artist DLuka, fusing Sinhala lyrics with electronic pop-house vibes.
Beyond the music itself, Iman Cader’s impact is also symbolic: she has become a role model for aspiring female DJs across Sri Lanka. “When I started out, I faced a lot of criticism and doubt,” she admits, but her success proved what was possible. “Today I see so many beautiful female DJs popping up all around the country, and I feel so honored to have inspired their journey,” Iman told Ceylon Today in 2025.
For Iman, DJing is not just about personal fame – it’s about opening doors. As she proudly states, “this is much bigger than just one person. It’s proof to all Sri Lankan girls to pursue their dreams, no matter how crazy they may seem”.
INIRAH (Harini Silva): DJ-Producer and Industry Changemaker
INIRAH (@inirah.music) – the stage name of Harini Silva (an inversion of her given name) – has quickly become one of Sri Lanka’s most influential female electronic artists. In just a few years, INIRAH has grown into “one of Sri Lanka’s leading female DJs and a rising music producer rooted in progressive and Afro house”, according to a 2025 profile.
Her sound balances the emotional storytelling of progressive house with the earthy, tribal grooves of Afro house – genres she connected with instantly because “they weren’t just genres I discovered, they were sounds I felt,” as she explains.
That dynamic range is reflected in her DJ sets, which can journey from melodic warmth to bold, bass-heavy drops, mirroring what she calls her dual nature: a blend of soft soul and energetic “darker side” drawn to “raw, groovy” synth sounds.
INIRAH’s journey into music has been all about breaking molds. A multi-faceted creative, she was a swimmer who represented Sri Lanka internationally and a high-fashion model (notably First Runner-Up at Top Model of the World 2018) before turning to DJing.
When she first encountered Colombo’s underground party scene, it “was heavily dominated by male artists,” which motivated her even more: “I wanted to challenge the narrative that DJing is only meant for men in Sri Lanka”. She channeled that resolve into honing her craft and, since day one, has “pursued the art with purpose, passion, and authenticity”. The results speak for themselves.
INIRAH has performed at major festivals alongside international DJs, and she co-founded Island Inc., now one of Sri Lanka’s most influential underground music collectives and booking agencies. Through Island Inc., she not only manages artists (over 20, as of 2025) but also helps curate safe, inclusive events that push the scene forward.
By wearing multiple hats – DJ, producer, event organizer, and label manager – INIRAH is reshaping Sri Lanka’s creative scene from within. She emphasizes building a local rave culture “where women feel safe, seen, and celebrated…free to enjoy music without fear or judgement,” and leads by example.
Whether behind the decks or behind the scenes, INIRAH’s influence is profound: she’s opening doors for other women and proving that Sri Lankan women can excel not just on stage but as leaders in the industry. As she puts it, her goal is that one day we won’t need to label anyone “female DJs” or “male DJs” – they’ll all just be DJs, judged on their talent alone.
Kahli: Building Bridges and Redefining Bass Culture in Sri Lanka
@kahli_theselecta is one of the most forward-thinking voices in Sri Lanka’s underground electronic music community. A Sri Lankan/American DJ and creative curator with a truly global perspective.
Since growing up on the island, Kahli has performed and lived across China, the Netherlands, and the U.S., but proudly calls Colombo home. Her sets are known for fusing hypnotic techno, breakbeat, bass, electro, and experimental club sounds into high-energy, genre-fluid journeys – often described as “deep, experimental, and playful.”
Beyond the decks, Kahli has made a lasting impact through her experiential event series, KAHLAJ. The project, celebrated by the @observermuse as “layered, textured, and eclectic”, serves as a creative platform bridging artists and audiences across South Asia.
Under KAHLAJ, she co-created the pioneering event “Bass Bridges” in collaboration with Sick Leave (@thisissickleave), the first Sri Lankan event dedicated to bass-driven genres such as Dubstep, Drum & Bass, Dub, and other left-field sounds.
The event also brought down three international artists – two from India and one from Bangladesh – marking a milestone moment for Sri Lanka’s alternative electronic community.
Importantly, KAHLAJ events are the only fully plastic-free music events in the country, reflecting Kahli’s commitment to sustainability and responsible cultural production.
Through these efforts, Kahli has deepened the island’s connection to cutting-edge electronic sounds and fostered stronger regional collaboration within Asia’s underground circuit.
She has played alongside notable South Asian and international artists at events in Colombo, and her contribution to platforms such as Boiler Room Sri Lanka(@boilerroom) positioned her among the key figures introducing global audiences to the island’s evolving sound. As one commenter praised, Kahli is among the “Sri Lankan women pursuing the craft of DJing with passion and integrity”, helping elevate the scene’s standards.
Kahli is also stepping into music production. Citing inspiration from forward-thinking labels (e.g. Melbourne’s Animalia and others), she has been crafting original tracks that blend her myriad influences.
She is set to embark on an upcoming tour across Thailand and India in November and December 2025, and her debut production release is now scheduled for early 2026.
With her innovative vision and deep respect for community-driven culture, Kahli stands as a vital connector – helping shape the next chapter of Sri Lanka’s underground music movement.
Sunara Jayamanne: Colombo’s Underground Pioneer
@sunaraz stands as one of Sri Lanka’s pioneering female DJs in the underground circuit. A visual artist turned DJ from Colombo, Sunara began DJing in 2011 when the local scene for non-commercial electronic music was virtually in its infancy.
At a time when local clubs favored commercial dance and beach parties stuck to mainstream house/tech-house, Sunara and a handful of peers dared to play more avant-garde sounds. She became a fixture at alternative events like the Pettah Interchange art-rave series, which gave artists like her a platform to play “the music we love… and not conform to being commercial”.
Sunara’s curation evolved from eclectic hip-hop and funk-infused beats into a signature style of minimal techno and microhouse – a “European sound” she helped cultivate in Sri Lanka’s scene.
Sunara’s talent soon gained recognition beyond Sri Lanka. Through cultural initiatives like the Goethe-Institut’s Border Movement, she took part in international DJ residencies and performances abroad. In 2019, she traveled to Norway to play at the Oslo World Festival, where she impressed audiences with her immersive approach to DJing.
By immersing herself in sound systems and crowd energy, Sunara delivered finely tuned sets – an approach she says “extends way beyond mixing two tracks together”, treating each gig as an “energy-based” experience. In December 2024, Sunara was featured in Boiler Room’s first-ever Sri Lanka showcase (in Colombo’s historic Rio cinema), sharing the bill with other local trailblazers.
Her appearance – streamed to global audiences – underscored her status as a key player bringing Sri Lanka’s “hybrid club underground” to the world stage. More than a decade since she started, Sunara remains a revered figure for her continually evolving yet deeply authentic sets, which she delivers with “passion and integrity”.
Tahsha St. Patrick: Progressive Beats and Breaking Boundaries
Tahsha St. Patrick (often stylized as TAH:SHA – @tahsha.stpatrick) has emerged in recent years as one of Sri Lanka’s leading female DJs, known for her driving progressive house and techno sets. Based in Colombo, Tahsha built a reputation for “spinning magic and bringing the vibe to life” with groovy, bass-heavy mixes that eschew mainstream EDM fluff in favor of tribal, afro and indie dance influences.
She has become a regular name on club line-ups and is passionate that it’s “ONLY about the music”, as her motto goes. Tahsha’s rise also coincided with the growth of local DJ training grounds – she’s been spotted inspiring newcomers at the DJ Academy Sri Lanka, signaling her role in nurturing the next generation.
On the performance front, Tahsha hasn’t shied away from making history. In September 2025 she was part of Sri Lanka’s first-ever all-female B3B (back-to-back-to-back) DJ set, a high-energy triple act featuring herself alongside fellow “queens” INIRAH and Faz One in Colombo. “Let’s make history together,” the event promo proclaimed – and they did, proving that women can not only hold their own individually but also collaboratively in the scene. Internationally, Tahsha has begun to break boundaries as well.
In 2025, she toured New Zealand to bring Sri Lankan underground flavors to expat audiences. She also set her sights on Japan’s club circuit – being billed as possibly the first Sri Lankan female DJ to perform in Japan – and by mid-2025 had indeed “debuted in Japan” with a club gig in Tokyo.
As her overseas appearances multiply, Tahsha is helping put Sri Lanka’s female DJs on the global map. Back home, her high-profile sets (and polished image as a producer/DJ with Island Inc. management) continue to open minds. Tahsha’s message is simply that talent and vibe come first – and she’s backing it up, one dancefloor at a time.
The Road Ahead: Emerging Voices and Collaborative Futures
The rise of Sri Lanka’s female DJs is a story still unfolding. Beyond the trailblazers above, a number of other noteworthy women have begun making their mark in niches around the country.
Nadine, for example, hails from the island’s vibrant surf-town party scene in Arugam Bay and has quickly become known for her deep, driving progressive house sets. Recent festival line-ups like Arugam Days 2024 featured Nadine’s tech-house grooves, showcasing how female talent is spreading even to Sri Lanka’s coastal dancefloors.
And on social media, names like Vini and Rave Dee are occasionally cited by local partygoers as up-and-coming “DJ girls” to watch.
Crucially, Sri Lanka’s female DJs are not only pursuing individual success but also uplifting each other through collaboration. The all-female B3B set in 2025 featuring Tahsha, INIRAH, and Faz One was one such milestone, billed as “three queens, endless energy” on a main-stage lineup. Collaborative events and crews are forming, sometimes led by the artists themselves – INIRAH’s @islandinc.music collective being a prime example of women taking the reins behind the scenes.
As the scene matures, it’s starting to receive more global exposure and support. The fact that an international platform like Boiler Room chose Colombo (with two female acts on the bill) speaks volumes.
Festivals in Sri Lanka are increasingly open to booking female DJs – some events have even featured majority-female lineups for the first time. All these developments hint at a future where female DJs are a normal, integral part of Sri Lanka’s electronic music fabric rather than a rarity or novelty.
In the words of INIRAH, these artists are focused on “creating safe, inclusive spaces where sound speaks louder than stereotypes”. And in the words of Iman Cader, they are proving that “girls too can rock a crowd”. From underground club nights in Colombo to beach raves and overseas tours, Sri Lanka’s female DJs are charting new territory.
They are not only elevating the music with their unique sonic perspectives, but also inspiring a cultural shift. What was once essentially “no scene” for female DJs is now a growing sisterhood of talent – one that’s poised to drive Sri Lanka’s electronic music to greater heights in the years to come.
Sources:
· Personal interview with Iman Cader, Ceylon Today (May 2025)
· “In the Booth with Sunara” – Jæger Oslo (2019)
· Reddit discussion on Sri Lankan female DJs (2025)
· The Morning feature: “Breaking boundaries with INIRAH” (July 2025)
· ABC Triple J Mixup – Artist bio for Kahli (Oct 2025)
· Elephas Magazine: “Boiler Room Sri Lanka series released” (July 2025)· Social media and event sources (Facebook/Instagram) for Tahsha and Nadine