The right idea…
January 31st, 2009
On Wednesday night this week I went to the Women In Music Tuned On Music Industry Seminar – hosted by Punch Records.
My neurons had been ignited that afternoon, as Cynthia the General Manager at Punch had phoned to say that Bobbie and I had been successful in getting some funding from the BASS 09 commission to put on an event in June. I will post more about this soon but in short the event we are planning will celebrate Women in Music and music rooted in Africa, using the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for three African women’s charities…
So I was fired up on the Women in Music issue that continues to be well verbalised on here!
The panellists speaking at the seminar were Galaxy DJ Sacha Brooks, top female Hip Hop DJ Sarah Love, Justice Williams Editor of Tru Life magazine and media mogul Reena Combo.
The seminar/discussion started bluntly with Justice Williams proclaiming sex sells! And the discussion getting wedged on the bleak realisation that the corporate music industry is dominated by male decision makers and women who choose the questionable root to quick success by getting their asses out. Promoting their looks sometimes more, and certainly as much as their voices. This made me think of how visual music is these days.
I play Soul, Funk, Latin and Afrobeat and for the most part I have no idea what the artists singing my records look like and I don’t care, but that is not to say that the identity of the artists is unimportant, it is greatly important, just as their values, the message of their music and their remarkable talent. The discussion seemed to conclude that if you are in it to make money then you should be prepared to sell yourself.
Women in the music industry have the power to promote themselves as influential, compelling and resilient. We also have the power of choice; we can stop choosing to support music that promotes women as accessories, just like the chain, the watch and the car.
In short music is a blessing and we should all lead by example.
4 Responses to “The right idea…”
1Chris Moran
January 31st, 2009 @ 11:12 am
Nice writing style. Looking forward to reading more from you.
Chris Moran
2Bobbie D
January 31st, 2009 @ 6:41 pm
I love this post. Reminds me of this http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=406881991&blogID=427425271
3Sister 45
February 1st, 2009 @ 2:17 pm
Blimey that is a thought provoking test…I can’t think of any…
Cheers for the link and the props Bobbie…B. Supreme is the UK’s only female Hip Hop festival…I am going to go this year and report back – watch this space! x
4Dj Mixer
February 7th, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
“The right idea…, Added you to my RSS feed. Thanks for the good times reading your blog.
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