With a deep-rooted love for storytelling through sound, Doreen van Steen is carving out a name in Belgium’s progressive and melodic house scene — not just as a DJ, but as a community builder and cultural voice. From organising youth centre events to finally stepping behind the decks post-pandemic, her journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and rhythm.
Whether she’s playing emotionally charged club sets, mentoring with purpose, or building the Loud Ladies movement, Doreen brings a grounded yet passionate energy that’s hard to ignore. In this interview, she opens up about how it all started, the sounds that shaped her, the emotional architecture of her sets, and the future she’s helping to build — one track, one conversation, and one collective shift at a time.
Connect with Doreen van Steen on Soundcloud / Instagram / Facebook
Connect with Loud Ladies on Instagram / Facebook
About your beginnings and sound
Can you take us back to how your journey into electronic music began? What sparked your first connection with progressive and melodic house?
My journey into electronic music actually started long before I ever stood behind the decks. I’ve been active in the scene since 2005. It started with organising events in youth centres. The first truly great electronic party where I fell in love with the scene was “Pressure”, a local event in Waasmunster. Many of my friends weren’t into electronic music at the time, so it took me another seven or eight years to have my real aha moment — during a Paul Kalkbrenner set at Pukkelpop.
From there, everything became natural: discovering clubs like Culture Club, Fuse, Kompass and Ampere, exploring festivals such as Extrema, Paradise City, Ostend Beach and Tomorrowland, and developing a strong love for Thé Dansant.
Being a DJ was something I wanted to do for almost ten years, but I never had the opportunity. Life just happened: I got a partner, a house, and three kids, and somewhere along the way, you just put that dream aside. Then Covid hit. I went through a breakup, a personal crisis, and a period of questioning who I was and what I truly wanted. That’s when everything shifted. For the first time, I dared to follow the dream I had been carrying for so long, and I let music be the answer.
Who or what were the biggest influences shaping your sound early on as Doreen van Steen, and how have they evolved?
In the early days, I was guided much more by atmosphere than by specific artists. Long, warm blends, hypnotic grooves, and tracks that build tension without ever rushing. As I grew more confident, certain artists began to shape my direction: people who balance depth with dancefloor energy, producers who treat melodies almost like a conversation.
Over time, my influences evolved more towards storytelling DJs, artists who take people somewhere instead of playing the obvious peak-time tracks. That philosophy still defines my sound today: warm, emotional, rhythmic, and intentional.
I also have a deep love for house music and the old-school ’90s sound. Belgium has an incredible musical heritage, and I feel very connected to that history.
The biggest influence on my musical identity is definitely Innellea — his sound design, the drama, the emotion… it resonates with me on every level. Charlotte de Witte and Amelie Lens played a different but important role: they shaped my belief that I belonged in this world, too. Seeing them succeed made me think, if they can do it, I can do it as well.
Maxim Lany inspires me most techically. The build-ups, the teasing and the mixes themselves are always an inspiration.
Currently, Amare is a real mentor to me. She has been in the scene for so long, and the love she carries for the music, the community, and the culture is something I can hardly put into words. I wish every upcoming artist could have a mentor like her.
Alongside her is Red D. I followed his DJ course at the academy in Lede, where I didn’t just learn how to DJ — I also learned about the roots and history of electronic music, especially where techno comes from. That foundation still shapes how I approach music today.
How do you approach creating or selecting music for your sets? What emotions or stories do you aim to convey?
I always start from emotion. I search for tracks that feel like a journey. When I prepare a set, I think in chapters — where do I want to begin, how do I want people to feel halfway through, and what energy do I want to leave them with?
My goal is to create moments of connection: moments where someone looks up, feels something shift, or gets completely lost in the groove. Whether it’s warmth, nostalgia, empowerment or quiet intensity, I want the set to feel like it grows, breathes and speaks.
It also depends on the context — the venue, the crowd, the timing. You can’t play peak-time energy at 8 PM in a small local bar, just like you can’t play a warm-up set at 3 AM in a packed club. Reading the room is as much a part of the craft as selecting the music itself.
Progressive and melodic house can be deeply emotional genres. What draws you to that balance between rhythm and melody?
What draws me in is the duality. The rhythm keeps your body moving; the melody speaks to your heart. It’s that space in between — where emotion meets energy — that I find the most powerful.
Career growth and artistry
How has the Belgian electronic scene influenced you as an artist? Do you feel your environment plays a role in shaping your creativity?
Belgium boasts a rich electronic music heritage, spanning from the New Beat movement to the 90s rave and house to the techno clubs of today. Growing up surrounded by this culture — the clubs, the festivals, and the energy of the scene — deeply shaped my musical identity. The environment here encourages experimentation, storytelling, and a balance between emotion and rhythm, which I carry into every set I play. Being part of this community has given me both inspiration and a sense of belonging, and I feel that creativity grows when the people, the venues, and the shared love for music constantly influence you.
What have been some defining moments or milestones in your journey so far, either on stage or in the studio?
There have been so many moments that have defined me, both personally and artistically. My first aha moment at Paul Kalkbrenner at Pukkelpop reminded me why I fell in love with electronic music in the first place. Starting to DJ again after years of putting the dream aside — especially after Covid and a period of personal transformation — was another major turning point.
I’ll never forget my very first gig: a small café in Ghent. It was a complete nightmare. I played on a mixer I had never seen before and went into total panic — we had a “point zero,” haha.
Performing at small venues like Clues Deinze, Cfou, and Sous Sol Oostende, but also getting opportunities at festivals like Intens and Thé Dansant, are moments that truly build you as a DJ. Performing at Charlatan in front of a full house was a milestone that taught me the true power of connecting with a crowd.
In the studio with Luminate Productions — which I would recommend to every starting producer — I create music that reflects my personal journey: emotive, melodic, and rhythmic tracks that allow me to express myself beyond the decks. That process has been significant and continues to shape who I am as an artist.
When performing, what does an ideal crowd or atmosphere feel like for you?
For me, the ideal crowd is present and open to the journey. It’s not about who dances the most, but about people letting themselves feel, moving with the music, and creating a shared energy in the room. I love moments when the room collectively pauses, when someone looks around, and you can see that connection, that shift in mood. A warm, responsive, and emotionally engaged crowd allows the set to breathe and grow, and that is the atmosphere I always strive to create.
Loud Ladies and empowerment
Loud Ladies is an incredible initiative—what inspired you to start it, and what kind of change do you hope it will bring to the Belgian (and global) scene?
Loud Ladies started from a very simple but powerful idea: women supporting women in the electronic music scene. I had been in the industry for years, and several female DJs shared with me the challenges they had faced — it was eye-opening. When I started DJing myself, I went through similar experiences, and I realised that nothing was being done to change the system. That’s why I wanted to be the change and created a charter. This charter now guides us in creating a platform where women can connect, share knowledge, inspire each other, and have a collective voice.
Loud Ladies started from a very simple but powerful idea: women supporting women in the electronic music scene.
(You can find the charter on our website in ENG, NL and FR : https://loudladiesbelgium.be)
The goal is not only to empower individual women, but also to shift the culture of the scene itself — to make it more inclusive, diverse, and supportive. I hope Loud Ladies can help break stereotypes, open doors, and show that women belong everywhere in the electronic music ecosystem — from the decks to the studio to the festival stages. While it originated in Belgium, the vision is global: to create a network of inspiration and opportunity for women in electronic music worldwide.
What challenges do women still face in the electronic music industry today, and how can collectives like Loud Ladies make a difference?
It’s difficult to name just one challenge, because the obstacles women face in the electronic music scene are layered. Sometimes it shows up in the smallest things — like not having a backstage toilet for a female artist, being called a diva for waiting in line with the crowd, or being labelled a bitch for asking people to leave the booth so you can actually do your job. Even on a technical level, I’ve watched sound engineers explain everything in detail to my boyfriend — who is also a DJ — while barely acknowledging me. These moments all stem from the same place: a society that still sees women through a limited lens and expects us to just accept it.
Women in electronic music face a mix of structural and cultural barriers: underrepresentation, unconscious bias, and sometimes outright scepticism about their skills. Comments like “you’re only here because you’re a woman” or the constant pressure to prove yourself are still very real.
This is exactly why Loud Ladies exists. We want to demonstrate the difference by creating visible role models, offering mentorship, and providing real opportunities through collaborations and performance slots. Community and visibility are powerful tools. When women see other women thrive, it normalises their presence and reminds everyone that talent, passion, and artistry have nothing to do with gender.
Looking ahead
What’s next for Doreen van Steen—new music, collaborations, or events we should look forward to in the coming months?
The next months are looking really exciting. I’m working on new music for both my own DJ sets and future releases, experimenting with progressive and melodic house while weaving my personal story into the tracks.
We’re also launching the Loud Ladies Label in 2026, so I’m super hyped about that.
On the event side: mark March 7 in your calendar. We’re teaming up with Audacious again at Charlatan Ghent. Our first edition in September was a full house, and this time we get the opportunity to host both rooms — so I’m really looking forward to this one. It also happens to take place right before International Women’s Day on March 8.
I’m continuing my work with Loud Ladies. We have a podcast coming up, and we’re still looking for partnerships — if you’re interested, feel free to reach out via the contact page on our website or at loud.ladies.belgium@gmail.com.
There will also be more events throughout the year.
So yes — 2026, bring it on!
