The DJ is alleged to have said that women are “worse at DJing than men are.”

Konstantin, co-founder of Germany’s Giegling collective and label, has been criticized for sexist comments made during an interview with Groove magazine.

The DJ was quoted as saying in a translated version of the article that has been circulating on social media that it’s “unfair that female DJs are so heavily promoted” and that women are “worse at DJing than men are.”

Konstantin is also alleged to have said that “women who seek careers in male-dominated industries like the DJ business must lose their ‘female qualities’ and become ‘manly’”.

The Black Madonna and all-female dance music collective Discwoman supported the picture painted of Konstantin in the Groove interview with their own testimony, alleging that he had said similar things to them in the past.

A tweet from Discwoman’s account said that Konstantin had said the same to some of their members “verbatim”, while The Black Madonna said that he had referred to himself as a “chauvinist” in one exchange.

In a statement given to RA earlier today (June 22), Konstantin said: “I feel deeply sorry about the words that have been printed. These words are not a direct quote and are in my opinion misleading.

“I actually learned to DJ from my friend Sarah and of course I don’t think women are worse DJs than men. I completely regret what was said in that private conversation with the journalist, where she did not appreciate my bad sense of humour and my habit of taking opposite positions to challenge people, even if it sometimes goes way beyond my own opinion.”

“What was written does not reflect my opinion nor is it at all anything other people from the label would ever say or feel. I accept the journalist’s point on the boy’s club. But we want women to be involved and we were always trying to involve women in our action.”

Giegling launched its vinyl-only record label in 2009 and has released over 50 records across that and its various sub-labels.