Tag: equalizer project

Equalizer Project, Now in Its Fourth Year, Makes Strides in Increasing Female Representation in Music

October 27, 2020

In 2017, Spotify launched the Equalizer Project to highlight the underrepresentation of female and non-binary creators in the Nordic music industry—and provide them with the knowledge and inspiration they need to level the playing field. Since then, Equalizer has supported numerous Nordic creators, including Sarah Dawn Finer, Petra Marklund, Sabina Ddumba, Silvana Imam, and Janice, through networking meetings, producer camps, and more.

Initiatives like Equalizer are still much needed: Behind the 50 most played songs on Spotify in Sweden in 2019, only 4.1% of the producers were women. Among the songwriters, only 20% were women. This shows a marked increase from 2018, when only 0.8% of producers and 10% of songwriters were women, and from 2017, when none of the producers were women—but there remains significant ground to be gained.

“It feels more important than ever to continue working with Equalizer when the year has brought such extensive challenges for the entire music industry, says Jenny Hermanson, Nordic MD, Spotify. “Although the statistics show a small step in the right direction, with more women represented as songwriters and producers behind the most-played songs, gender equality is an issue that must constantly be addressed.”

This year, we’ve continued Equalizer by creating a totally virtual program that will continue to give music creators knowledge and inspiration. From new videos that teach music production to a digital inspiration conversation with British hitmaker Charli XCX, here’s what participants have to look forward to:

Equalizer Project landing page

To make all things Equalizer accessible in one place, we’ve created a new landing page, spotify.com/equalizer. Head there for information about the project, including the networking sessions, producer camps, dinners, and Way Out West Festival Talks we’ve put on so far, and how Nordic creators can apply for Equalizer’s upcoming events.

Equalizer Producer Camp Empowers Women, Non-Binary, and Trans Artists to Take Production Into Their Own Hands

November 27, 2019

Gender inequality continues to be a challenge in the music industry, including in Sweden, where only 10% of the songwriters and 0.8% of the producers behind the 50 most-played songs of 2018 were women. That’s why we created the Equalizer Producer Camp, now in its second year, to provide a safe learning environment for Nordic artists who identify as female, non-binary, or trans. 

Over the course of six days this fall, artists and songwriters got a crash course on the ins-and-outs of music production—including a deep dive on recording, production, beat making, mixing, and more at studios such as Benny Andersson of ABBA’s RMV Publishing, Producers and artists Vincent Pontare and Salem Al Fakir’s Gottefar Studios, and Northbound Studios.  

“We are continuing to build on the Equalizer Project’s mission to empower female and non-binary artists in the studio, by providing the opportunity to learn more about music production, in a safe space, together with handpicked instructors from the music industry,” explains Jenny Hermanson, Nordic MD. 

Participants, including Linda Pira, Petra Marklund, Sarah Dawn Finer, Sabina Ddumba, Frida Öhrn, Amanda Winberg, Molly Hammar, Tiana Salmon, Bishat Araya, and Silvana Imam also got a chance to work with and hear from some of the biggest names in the industry including Selen Özan, who’s worked with Swedish pop stars including Veronica Maggio and Miriam Bryant; Grammy-nominated producer and artist duo Vaz; and producer, songwriter, and musician Oskar Görres, who has worked with Maroon 5, Britney Spears, and Adam Lambert.

Spotify’s Equalizer Project Raises the Volume at Way Out West

August 14, 2019

The Way Out West festival in Sweden is about much more than music—it’s a three-day celebration of several sustainability- and equality-focused efforts. The artist lineup has been split 50-50 male-female for three years running, and this year’s edition, held August 8-10, amped up its commitment to equal opportunity in the music industry by teaming up with Spotify’s Equalizer Project.

Since it began two years ago in Sweden, Spotify’s Equalizer Project has expanded throughout the Nordic countries in the form of podcasts, workshops, networking events, career tools, and more. Equalizer was a perfect match for sustainability-minded Way Out West (the festival has long been meat- and dairy-free), with their combined power advancing equality in music in exciting new ways.

First, fans at Way Out West could visit the Equalizer Pop-Up Studio, a music studio created jointly by Spotify and Soundtrap. There, some of Sweden’s most talented producers and songwriters spent time recording and perfecting new tracks in plain sight. Second, artist, songwriter, and producer Linnea Henriksson presided over Equalizer Talks, a live version of the Equalizer podcast. She led a series of vibrant panel discussions and interviews on the importance of equal representation and participation in music.

Way Out West also featured 100 Live, the live-show version of the flagship Swedish hip-hop playlist 100. This was the first time the playlist had been staged as a live show. It included memorable performances by several Swedish hip-hop luminaries, among them Aden x Asme, who were invited to join Stormzy on stage during his set.

From an inside look at the music-making process to lively discussions to a landmark hip-hop showcase, check out our Way Out West recap below for all the happenings over the three days.

Day 1: International flavor in studio sessions

Thursday kicked off with several exciting performances from Swedish and international artists alike, including Silvana Imam, Zara Larsson, Spiritualized, James Blake, Blood Orange, and more. Fans also got a first look at the Equalizer Pop-Up Studio, where  Nadia Tehran, Pure Shores, Icona Pop, Selen Özan, and several talented producers got to work laying new tracks. 

“It’s very rare we see a female producer,” said Aino Jawo of Icona Pop. “That’s why it’s so much fun to be here and make music and meet other women in the music industry. We are so proud to be able to contribute a little to increased equality.” 

The studio also got a much appreciated visit from one of the festival’s headliners, Jorja Smith, to show her support for equality in the music industry. 

“Male and female producers/songwriters are equally as important,” Jorja told us. “But I do think it’s important for female artists like myself to emphasize and showcase other females we work with, as well as ourselves. Everyone on the scene supports each other, and I think as females we should encourage that more. As of yet I have never worked with [another] female producer. That’s something I’d like to change.”

Equalizer Project Opens Opportunities for Women in the Nordic Music Industry

March 4, 2019

Of the 200+ songwriters behind the fifty most-streamed songs in Norway in 2018, only 11 percent were women, and only one of the eighty-three producers was female—and Norway isn’t alone. While the majority of songwriters and producers around the world have historically been male, we believe Spotify has a unique opportunity to support and fuel the change in this dynamic as it spreads across the industry and, specifically, in the markets where we operate.

“The Norwegian music scene is insanely vibrant right now with the international success of so many artists, songwriters, and producers,” explains our Nordic Managing Director Jenny Hermanson. That’s why we’re bringing our Sweden-based Equalizer Project to Norway: “To highlight the fantastic female role models of the industry and inspire even more women to write and produce.”

In early spring 2017, we launched Equalizer Project, an initiative devoted to creating opportunities for women, transgender, and non-binary professionals in the Nordic music industry. With the support of Swedish singer-songwriter-producer Max Martin, we’ve held several subsequent events in Stockholm aimed at connecting women and non-binary creators in the beginning of their careers with professionals they might not have gotten the opportunity to meet with elsewhere, including Martin himself, Katy Perry, and Shellback, among others. We’ve also hosted a seminar, producer camp, podcast, and more programs and events.

Our most recent Equalizer event took place last Wednesday in Oslo with industry professionals such as world renowned DJ, artist, and producer Kygo; acclaimed songwriter and artist Ina Wroldsen; and singer-songwriter Julie Bergan in attendance. These three talents met with five up-and-coming creators, MYRA (Regina Tucker), Amanda Tenfjord, SKAAR (Hilde Skaar), Lil Halima (Lillian Anderssen), and Margrete Hjelle, to share their knowledge and experience. Keep an eye—and ear—out for our participating newcomers.