She Was Told Women Don’t DJ. Then Madonna Came Calling
“You’re Too Old For That” is a regular series that explores inspiring activities being pursued by those over 50 years old who feel you’re never too old to do what lights you up.
When Tracy Young told people she wanted to be a DJ, the response was often immediate and dismissive.
“Girls don’t do this.”
For many women, that kind of comment becomes a stopping point. For Young, it became fuel.
Today, Tracy Young is one of the most successful female DJs and remixers in music history. She became the first woman ever to win a Grammy Award for Best Remix Recording, has produced more than 60 Billboard No. 1 Dance Club hits, worked with Madonna, toured with Cyndi Lauper, and continues to create music and perform around the world in her 50s.
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From the Dance Floor to a Dream
But none of that seemed likely when she was a teenager sneaking into Washington, D.C.’s legendary nightclub Tracks.
At just 16 years old, Young was mesmerized by what she saw and heard. The music was unlike anything she had experienced before, and she became fascinated by the art of DJs seamlessly blending songs together. That curiosity quickly turned into an obsession. While in college, Young became fascinated by the DJs she watched perform. As she taught herself the craft, she quickly discovered that mastering the music was only part of the battle. Earning respect in a male-dominated industry proved much harder. People repeatedly told her to find another career because women simply weren’t DJs.
Looking back now, it’s almost impossible to imagine. Today’s music industry has many successful female artists, producers, and performers. But when Young was getting started, she was often the only woman in the room. Rather than allowing rejection to derail her dream, she found another path into the industry. She landed a job at Washington’s iconic WPGC radio station and immersed herself in every aspect of the music business. She worked in programming, learned how records were promoted, studied the business side of music, and eventually became Donnie Simpson’s morning show DJ.
That willingness to keep moving forward, even when the original path was blocked, would become one of the defining themes of her career.
One opportunity led to another, eventually introducing her to Madonna through mutual friends. What followed was the kind of career breakthrough most people only dream about. Young began remixing Madonna’s music and quickly established herself as one of the most respected remixers in the business. She even DJ’d Madonna’s wedding to Guy Ritchie, a moment she still remembers as both exciting and nerve-racking.
Success Is Built on Persistence
Yet what struck me most during our conversation wasn’t the celebrity stories. It was Young’s humility and gratitude. She is quick to credit the people who opened doors for her, including Madonna, radio personality Albie D, and the friends who made key introductions along the way.
She also understands something many women discover as they get older: success isn’t just about talent. It’s about perseverance.
There were plenty of opportunities for Young to quit. Plenty of moments when it would have been easier to believe the critics. Instead, she kept showing up, kept learning, and kept evolving.
That evolution continues today.
Reinvention Doesn’t Have an Expiration Date
After decades of late-night clubs and nonstop touring, Young is embracing a different chapter. She’s focused on creating more original music, taking on projects that excite her creatively, and being intentional about how she spends her time. She’s still performing, still producing, and still finding new ways to grow as an artist.
What I love about her story is that it challenges one of the biggest myths women hear as we age: that there is a point when reinvention is supposed to stop. Too often we’re told that certain dreams belong to younger people. That there is an expiration date on ambition. That after a certain age we should simply maintain what we’ve built instead of creating something new.
Tracy Young never got that memo.
In her 50s, she remains curious, creative, and willing to explore what’s next. The industry has changed dramatically since she started, but her willingness to learn and adapt hasn’t. Her story is a reminder that age doesn’t disqualify us from pursuing our passions. In fact, sometimes experience gives us the confidence to pursue them even more boldly. The next time someone tells you you’re too old to try something new, remember Tracy Young.
After all, the woman who was told “girls don’t do this” went on to make Grammy history.
“You’re Too Old For That” is a regular series that explores inspiring activities being pursued by those over 50 years old who feel you’re never too old to do what lights you up. Are you doing something inspiring? Do you know someone who is pursuing a passion in their older years? If you or someone you know is 50 years old or older and should have their inspiring story told, please email the editors at Nifty 50+
