DJ Minx

A veteran presence within Detroit's nightlife landscape, DJ Minx carries the longstanding designation of First Lady of Wax. Both her DJ performances and studio work span the spectrum from restrained minimal textures to energetic, groove-driven selections, earning her esteem across techno and house communities alike. Having begun spinning records in the early 1990s, she established the Women on Wax collective and its associated imprint, issuing her initial productions in the early 2000s and achieving underground acclaim via the 2003 minimal house cut "A Walk in the Park." She persisted in refining her approach across subsequent years, attaining broader visibility throughout the 2010s amid expanded international engagements and additional releases such as 2022's "Do It All Night" and 2023's "The Throne."

Jennifer Witcher entered the world in Detroit during 1967. Her entry into DJing followed an introduction by a friend to Derrick May's performance at the Music Institute in 1989. Performing under the name DJ Minx, she commenced sets at Detroit's Loft venue as well as additional local events. During the mid-1990s she developed a close association with Kevin Saunderson, who offered mentorship and urged her toward an individualized approach. Minx presented the program Deep Space Radio on WGPR and contributed spoken elements to Saunderson's 1997 X-Mix: Transmission from Deep Space Radio compilation, which drew from the broadcast format. She also hosted Steamy Windows on CJAM from the University of Windsor and held a residency at Club Motor in Hamtramck, Michigan, where she supported visiting and local headliners. Her appearances included the inaugural Detroit Electronic Music Festival in 2000, with annual returns through its later evolutions as Movement and Fuse-In.

In late 1996 Minx assembled Women on Wax as a gathering of Detroit-area female DJs and producers, then inaugurated the Women on Wax Recordings label in 2001. That same year saw the white-label 12" release of her debut EP, Introduction, followed by Airborne in 2003. The track "A Walk in the Park" from the latter gained traction among minimal techno selectors, prompting Richie Hawtin to issue a re-release on M_nus featuring reinterpretations from Ricardo Villalobos and Matthew Dear. Further output arrived with the 2004 EP Fuzzy Navel and the Animal Trax collaboration alongside fellow Detroit house artist Pirahnahead. The Midnite Bullet EP surfaced in 2008, and she contributed a brief feature to Andrés' 2009 album II.

After more than twenty years active in clubs, DJ Minx began to receive acknowledgment as a dance music figurehead during the 2010s. Mixmag placed her among the twenty women who shaped dance music history in 2015, while Time Out New York listed her among the top ten house DJs of all time in 2016. The city council bestowed the Spirit of Detroit award upon her in 2018 alongside Stacey Hotwaxx Hale, Underground Resistance's Bridgette Banks, and additional key contributors to Detroit's dance community. She departed her position in the Detroit auto sector to dedicate herself fully to music. Several singles and EPs appeared in the early 2020s, among them Violet Groove, which contained a refreshed rendering of "A Walk in the Park."

Minx disclosed her identity as a lesbian in 2021 during Pride Month. Shortly thereafter her likeness appeared in a mural on Detroit's Ruth Ellis Center honoring the local queer community, coinciding with the release of the single "Purse First," whose proceeds supported the LGBTQ+ center. She also issued the EP Queendom via London-based HE.SHE.THEY. and participated in a split EP with veteran Detroit producer Gari Romalis. In 2022 she delivered her debut Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1. The track "Do It All Night," earlier featured on Carl Craig's 2019 Detroit Love, Vol. 2, received a complete release on Planet E accompanied by remixes from Craig and Honey Dijon. She maintained performances at international venues and festivals, and was invited to program her own stage for the 2022 edition of Movement. "The Throne" appeared on Diplo's Higher Ground imprint in 2023.