The music industry doesn’t just seem to have a gender imbalance, it is male dominated. As a young woman that can be a scary thing to try and break into. While it is recently becoming more mainstream, female musicians with ‘loud’ opinions are commonly seen as obstructive or difficult because of their gender identity and are simply not taken as seriously as men in similar positions. It is much easier for women like Taylor Swift who are already established to make their opinions known. While being established helps to pave the way, it is still much different for women who have not yet become regular and respected household names.
It is important that more media touches on some of the thoughts and struggles of women in the industry but also offers a hopeful view that both men and women in the industry are moving towards a better gender balance. Women both struggle with facing career-related obstacles for being a woman and with not acting the ideal way women are ‘supposed’ to act. On the other hand, women always face the risk of being sexualized and placed on a pedestal but never recognized for their musical skills. One woman discusses her experience sharing her music anonymously to avoid being seen by her gender and rather seen for her music:
“There I was, July 2013, with a freshly-made Tumblr page, a few social media links, and a couple of carefully crafted blog pieces, but the most significant thing about this process was that all traces of my personal identity had been left out. There was no indication of my age or gender, and that’s quite literally because I wanted my work to be accepted and recognised for its merit alone, and not its source.”
Social media is a ‘safe’ way that women can get their creations out there behind a veil of anonymity, although that comes with setbacks like (usually) being less known and/or having your work more easily stolen and someone else taking the credit. In an ideal future for the industry, it would be nice if women didn’t have to open up themselves to these risks just to avoid the risks that come with being a woman.
For more information on this women’s role in the music industry, visit the source information at the HumanHuman website.
Girl Pow-R is a group of young women breaking into the music industry at and through Canyon Entertainment Group that have what some may consider as ‘loud’ opinions and will continue to never shy away from their opportunity to have a voice in the industry, and in the world. They have seen the struggles young women face in the music industry first-hand. Rather than slowing down, they are picking up speed and becoming louder than ever. Contact us today for more information at info(at)girlpow-r.com.