'I just want to push the message that we're here': Local musicians mark Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month and to celebrate it, we've been profiling several local musicians and their journey through the music industry. Today, we hear from Carys Dixon, a 23- year-old, multi-instrumental engineer and producer from the Bronx.

The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

I would consider myself under hip hop trap genre if I had to. But I really couldn't put myself into a category. I make all types of music, electronic, drum and bass, jazz. It goes on. The first time I became interested in music, I give credit to my late dad. I remember him putting me on to piano at like three-years old. Then my grandparents got me a toy guitar when I was like nine. I started and my dad was like, "no, you have to get put in lessons. We're gonna do this for real."  I find probably the dream teacher that was like my second father at the time. He really taught me anything you can think of musically, and that really jump started my music career. 

Around 2016, 2017, I started producing and I felt like it was something special to me that I'm gonna spend my time doing and kind of got obsessed with women in the field because I'm like, I wanna see somebody that looks like me doing this.

In 2018, I found a musical partner [RUNITUPDAY!]. I consider him my brother at this point. We've had music throughout our entire lives, and that's what really bonded us together. Also, he just really wants to highlight the fact that I am a female producer in the field and that female producers are very much here. Being a woman in the field, a young woman of color at that is not easy to come by, and I've been through a lot with some males in the industry, not believing what I can do, not believing that I belong here.

So, I'm all for female encouragement, mentorships. You know, my earlier mentor, LaFrae, she's put me into a lot of spaces and there are more female producers than you know. And I feel like it's my job to get that word out there, whether you hear. A tag or a beat of a female producer, like I just want to push the message that we're here.