Tag: equalizer

Spotify’s Equalizer Sessions in Germany Help Women Build Lasting Connections

December 15, 2022

women sitting around a dinner table laughing at the spotify equalizer session. photo credit: swetlana holz
Photo Credit: Swetlana Holz

What do you get when you bring an impressive collection of women artists, podcasters, and influencers together for dinner? Magic—and an environment that inspires meaningful connections. 

Spotify has hosted Equalizer events in Europe to combat gender inequality in music for some time. The latest event, our Equalizer Sessions in Germany, was a three-part series in collaboration with the feminist-creation space and network eeden. These sessions took the form of dinners in Hamburg. Each one was hosted by different artists, alongside eeden cofounders Jessica Louis and Nürsen Kaya, with the aim of sparking conversations among women in the audio industry. 

The first event was hosted by artists Shari Hosseini and Maryam.fyi, the second by artists Lia Sahin and Jamie Watson, and the third by artist Antje Schomaker and writer Anastasia Umrik. The events were filled with musical performances and discussions of topics like mental health, equality, diversity, and Spotify’s EQUAL program.

These intimate dinners allowed women to connect, share personal experiences, and get to know others in both a personal and professional manner. For the Record chatted with Conny Zhang, Head of Music for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, about the sessions and how they’re helping support diversity in the audio industry.

What was the goal of the Equalizer Sessions in Germany? 

We wanted to create open and safe spaces for women from various pockets of the media and entertainment industry to connect and share an evening of conversations. While the sessions were meant to be open and without a frame of specific topics, each session was hosted by one to two women who set a tone or a topic of conversation based on their experience working in the industry. Ultimately, the aim was to bring together women to create a long-lasting network. 

What was your favorite moment during the event you attended? 

My favorite part was the immediate connection that I felt with all attendees, spurred by the conversation starters provided by the hosts. It was lovely to see female creators and industry professionals connect on various topics regarding professional and personal issues. 

Why is it important to have creation spaces that are specifically and explicitly feminist? 

Until there is more equality within the industry in regard to network, resourcing, education, and more, it is still important to provide spaces that are targeted specifically for female audiences. Those spaces provide a setting to share experiences with people who have had similar journeys or might have already progressed through. Ideally, the work does not end there as it’s equally important to connect women with decision makers—regardless of gender—to further close the gap. 

As the Head of Music in Germany, you pay close attention to gender equity in music in particular. Where do you see the biggest gaps currently?

On a global scale, only one in five artists is female, and streaming reflects the reality of the industry. We cannot change these structures in single parts, but we have to all work together to do our best to close gaps in education, network, and access to resources. 

What advice do you have for up-and-coming women audio creators?

Given that there are many structural and systemic barriers, it feels almost incomplete to only give advice for women creators as there are many systemic issues that need to be addressed. I would still like to encourage them to keep going and to not give up. Building up a network of supporters and sponsors is vital in anyone’s career. 

Check out photos from the three events below.

Spotify France and shesaid.so Partner To Create Online Directory of Women, Trans, and Nonbinary Music Professionals

May 27, 2022

Spotify has been taking steps to increase the number of women and nonbinary individuals in the music industry for years. From our Equalizer project in the Nordics to our collaborative study with USC Annenberg in the U.S. and our EQUAL program elevating talented women musicians around the world, there’s no shortage of initiatives aimed at creating better gender equity in the industry. But it’s not enough, and much more still must be done. 

Yesterday, at the Nuits Sonores in Lyon, France, Spotify and shesaid.so announced Majeur.e.s., the first inclusive online directory of professional women, trans, and nonbinary individuals within the music industry in France. This directory aims to accelerate change in a music industry that is still deeply unequal.

“As the leading streaming platform, we have a responsibility and a role to play in order to build a more egalitarian music industry,” says Julie Beherec, Artist and Label Partnerships Manager at Spotify France. “Beyond the support we give to women artists through our EQUAL program, we deemed it necessary and in fact urgent to give more space to women and minorities within the music industry by making their profiles more visible when they’re so often overlooked. Which is why we’re extremely proud to support this initiative by helping create and develop the Majeur.e.s. Directory.” 

The site majeures.org functions as a database that will allow professionals within the music industry to find and hire experienced individuals. With this inclusive online directory of women, trans, and nonbinary music professionals in France, there’s a streamlined, clear way to find the technician any production needs. This complimentary tool comes a year after the launch of the EQUAL program in France and numerous other countries around the world, and as Spotify France tackles gender discrimination in collaboration with shesaid.so and other NGOs locally. 

“The music industry is in constant evolution, and it’s of the utmost importance that we accompany its actors with the adequate tools,” says Claire Morel, President of shesaid.so France. “It’s majeures.org’s role. Majeur.e.s. is truly an accelerator of equality.”

Check out majeures.org to find a directory of women, trans, and nonbinary music professionals. Then stream our EQUAL France playlist for a taste of the talent there. 

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.

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.

Amplifying Women’s Voices in the Music Business

December 20, 2018

Women are vastly underrepresented in the music business—producers, agents, songwriters, and managers included. In fact, only 13.5 percent of the songwriters behind Sweden’s 50 most played songs in 2017 were women, and all of the producers—yes, 100 percent of them—were men. Our mission is to change that.

“We want women to become better represented, behind the music and on the charts, and at every level in between,” says Jenny Hermanson, Spotify’s Nordic Managing Director.

That’s why we created the Equalizer Project, a progressive initiative devoted to equalizing opportunities for women in the Swedish music industry. The project launched from our Stockholm headquarters in early spring 2017.

“We aim to bridge the gap by bringing women together to build a music industry where everyone can succeed and thrive,” Hermanson says. Our project, which consists of an empowering podcast, meaningful semi-annual networking events, a producer camp and all-women and non-binary meet-ups, stems from a desire to spark conversations around increasing equality and breaking gender barriers in the world of music.

2018 was a busy year for the Equalizer Project. Check out these four ways the initiative is setting the stage for achieving greater representation in the music business.

1. Equalizer Project Networking Events—Breaking Bread and Barriers

The goal of these intimate roundtable networking dinners for five rising talents and five industry professionals—including global pop sensation Katy Perry, Icona Pop, Max Martin, First Aid Kit, Noonie Bao, Tove Styrke, and Shellback—is to create a space where female artists, songwriters, producers, and other music industry professionals can openly share experiences, strength, and hope—without the commitment tied to meeting in a studio for a session. Guests also have the opportunity to learn from each other, all in the name of supporting career development and breaking norms.

During the events, aspiring female creators get a chance to meet industry professionals to pick their brains about their career and ways of working and encourage them to chase their dreams. We’ve also welcomed rising Swedish music standouts Janice Kavander, Thea Gustafsson (aka Becky and the Birds), and many more.

2. Equalizer Producer Camp—Creativity at Work

In the project’s first course in music production, 11 female, transgender, and non-binary artists from diverse backgrounds and music genres received expert instruction from American producer Trakgirl and Swedish producers Jenny and Cecilia Vaz, Charlie Bernardo and Vargas & Lagola, the duo behind major hits for Avicii and Axwell Λ Ingrosso. This unique camp was created to give these underrepresented songwriters and artists a chance to develop their skills and learn more about production. Swedish singer-songwriter Linnea Henriksson participated in the three-weekend long camp alongside fellow artists like Maria Andersson, Naomi Pilgrim, and several others.

“A producer has a lot of power in the creative process, and it’s important we see more diversity in this role,” says Hermanson, who took part in the camp held at both Northbound Studios and Spotify’s Stockholm headquarters. “We wanted to give participants valuable knowledge, inspiration, and fun weekends at Spotify. It’s so exciting to follow their journey.”

3. Equalizer Dinner—Cultivating Connections

During this special meet-up dinner last October at Spotify’s headquarters, 40 of Sweden’s most prominent female artists, songwriters, and producers gathered to celebrate women in music production. We created a space where female and non-binary artists and several other industry professionals could openly connect and share experiences. Guests also enjoyed live performances by hip-hop artist Imenella and Linnea Henriksson. Check out the recap video:

4. Equalizer Podcast Seasons 2 & 3—Sharing Stories of Triumph

This insightful 24-episode Spotify Original podcast highlights female role models in music and brings hosts and guests together to chat about creation, production, and most of all, their biggest passion—music. You’ll hear everything from advice on breaking through from some of Sweden’s most successful female artists, to personal stories of overcoming common industry challenges, to inspiring pep talks and more.

The first season of the podcast was hosted by Henriksson, who was joined for the second and third by writer and DJ Evyn Redar. Season two guests include pop sensations Peg Parnevik and Molly Sandén, R&B singer Cherrie, artist and songwriter Sabina Ddumba, and rapper Silvana Imam. Season three guests include electro pop duo Icona Pop, Imenella, and Canadian pop and R&B singer Alessia Cara. Among past guests are singer Seinabo Sey and singer-songwriters Tove Lo and Zara Larsson. Check out the Swedish-language podcast here:

Stay tuned in 2019 for more about our upcoming activities for female songwriters and artists. We’re just getting started.  

Spotify and SoundGirls Launch ‘EQL Directory’, a Global Database for Women in Audio and Music Production

November 13, 2018

“In order to make change, everyone has to agree there’s a problem to solve in the first place,” says Anna Ingler, co-founder of the Upfront Producer Network, which represents 100-plus female and gender-nonconforming producers in Sweden.

It’s estimated that less than 5 percent of all audio professionals are women. Many people in the music industry are—and have been—working to solve this issue by providing educational, networking, and community resources to increase diversity in these fields. And yet, the excuse still exists: “We want to hire a woman, but we couldn’t find one.”

Introducing the EQL Directory, powered by SoundGirls—a nonprofit dedicated to expanding opportunities for girls and women in music—and made possible by Spotify. The EQL Directory is a global database of professionals that seeks to amplify the careers and achievements of women working behind the scenes in music and audio. Any person around the world can add their name and claim their space. And, any person looking to hire a more inclusive creative team can find professionals in their area.

“[We] face the myth that there are not very many women or non-conforming people working in audio, and because of this people don’t even bother to look. The EQL Directory proves that this is not true,” says Karrie Keyes, co-founder of SoundGirls and Pearl Jam’s long-time sound engineer.

“This is a great tool to create more opportunities for women,” says TRAKGIRL, a successful producer who has worked with everyone from Jhené Aiko to Belly to Luke James. “We have to continue the work and create more inclusion and diversity in male-dominated spaces; we have a lot of work to do, but this is an awesome start.”

The EQL Directory was made possible through a partnership between Spotify and SoundGirls, which was founded by Keyes and Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato.

“SoundGirls already had this global directory of women in audio and production, and we came together to help them make it more beautiful, more useful, and more visible within the industry,” says Kerry Steib, Spotify’s Director of Social Impact. “We know that increasing equity for women in these fields is a complex problem to solve. We have to work with great partners across the industry and come together to create solutions.”

To guide our commitment to increasing equity in these fields, Spotify and Secret Genius have assembled a team of some of the most talented and in-demand professionals to create a new EQL Advisory Board. TRAKGIRL, along with Lauren D’Elia, Jin Jin, Kesha Lee, and Ali Tamposi will help shape the future of these programs.

The EQL Directory is one of many initiatives Spotify has developed to support equity in the audio industry. In August, we created three full-time residencies in our Secret Genius and Spotify studios to support hands-on career development for female studio engineers, the Equalizer Project’s success has continued with networking dinners and a recent Producer Camp in Sweden, and The SoundUp Bootcamp, an accelerator program for aspiring podcasters in underserved communities has been launched in the U.S., UK, and Australia.

Visitors to the EQL Directory can find resources from initiatives and organizations like the Audio Engineering Society, Beatz By Girlz, Equalizer Project, female:pressure, Gender Amplified, Girls Make Beats, Instituto Criar, Secret Genius, shesaid.so, SoundGirls in Mexico,, The 7% Series, Upfront Producer Network, Yorkshire Sound Women Network, and the Women’s Audio Mission.

Check out the EQL Directory.

Equalizer Producer Camp Seeks to Level The Playing Field

September 14, 2018

Female artists have a strong hold on Spotify’s playlists, but their presence behind the scenes is lacking. In fact, Spotify’s 50 most-played songs of 2017 featured no female producers–that’s right, zero–and nearly 90 percent of songwriters were men. According to statistics from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the number of female songwriters increased by less than 1 percent (to 12.3 percent) from 2012 to 2017, and the number of female producers remained at just 2 percent during the same five-year period. When looking across 300 popular songs, the ratio of male to female producers is a staggering 49-to-1.

We know these stats are not okay. That’s why we founded the Equalizer Project in the spring of 2017, which is an ongoing initiative connecting songwriters and producers with industry professionals (including Katy Perry, Max Martin, First Aid Kit, Icona Pop, and more). Tomorrow, our commitment continues with the start of Equalizer Camp, the project’s first course in music production. The camp is aimed at giving women, transgender, and non-binary artists and songwriters a chance to develop their skills and learn more about production during three weekends at Spotify’s headquarters in Stockholm. The course will mix theory with practical, hands-on learning inside world-class facilities at Spotify and Northbound Studios.

“We’ve invited 10 artists from different backgrounds and music genres with the purpose of providing tools for greater influence in the studio,” says Jenny Hermanson, Nordic Managing Director of Spotify. “A producer has a lot of power in the creative process and it’s important we see more diversity in this role. We want to give the participants valuable knowledge, inspiration and fun weekends at Spotify. It’s going to be so exciting to follow their journey.”

On the first day of the course, Swedish producer duo Jenny and Cecilia Vaz will offer instruction, and American producer Trakgirl (whose previous work includes collaborations with Jhene Aiko and Timbaland) will visit the camp. Throughout the program, Equalizer podcast host Linnea Henriksson will participate with an impressive array of fellow artists: Janice Kavander, Fatima Jelassi, Iman Conta Hultén, Maria Andersson, Naomi Pilgrim, Isaac Toll Wood, Naomi Namasenda, Svea Kågemark and Beri Gerwise.

“I’ve always been very involved in all parts of what happens in the studio, from writing my music to producing, but I’ve felt an urge to become even more technical and self-reliable,” Linnea Henriksson says about the camp. “What I look forward to the most is to meet new colleagues to bounce ideas with, everyone with different music in them. It feels incredibly inspiring and fun to get started!”

But that’s not all we’re up to. The Equalizer podcast, hosted by Linnea and Evyn Redar, will premiere its third season September 24. Like its accompanying program, the Equalizer podcast works to amplify the voices of women in music. This season, Linnea and Evyn will chat about the industry with such accomplished guests as Miriam Bryant, Cleo, Alessia Cara, and more.

Looks like the Equalizer Project is shaping up for a busy fall season–and that’s a big step forward for underrepresented people in music in Sweden.

Cover photo from Equalizer Networking Event held June 9, 2018 in Stockholm. L-R: Janice, GRANT, KIDDO and Becky and the Birds.

Equalizer Project Networking Dinner – Get to Know the Rising Female Stars of Swedish Music

June 15, 2018

On her “Witness” World Tour stop in Stockholm this weekend, pop megastar Katy Perry did more than perform. Before entertaining the thousands of fans in her audience, Spotify invited her to sit down with the next generation of Swedish female music professionals to network, provide advice, and encourage them to follow their dreams.

Katy was invited to be a part of the third Equalizer Project networking event and dinner, during which five up-and-coming female creators (artists, songwriters and producers) met with industry professionals including Katy, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, and Swedish songwriter and record producer Max Martin—one of the most awarded producers globally—to share their experience and learn from each other.

The Equalizer Project was initiated last year in our Stockholm office. The project, which currently includes a podcast and networking events, comes out of a desire to fuel discussions about equality and breaking norms in the music industry, and music studios in particular. The goal of these discussions is to drive change and increase the prevalence of women in the music industry.

Other guests included Spotify’s Nordic Managing Director Jenny Hermanson, as well as some of the world’s most prominent producers and songwriters – Shellback, Noonie Bao and Tove Styrke. The group welcomed five rising Swedish talents to the dinner on Saturday.

The five rising stars included names such as Janice Kavander, whose debut album “Fallin Up” was released in the beginning of 2018. Another attendee, Caroline Cederlöf aka GRANT made her 2018 debut with three critically acclaimed singles. Triple threat producers, songwriters and artists Thea Gustafsson aka Becky and the Birds, Bishat Araya joined the crew along with Emma Bertilsson aka KIDDO, who has co-written for Icona Pop, Soleima, Alan Walker, and SHY Martin.

Equalizing the Music Industry

May 25, 2018

A Conversation Between Swedish Songwriter Linnea Henriksson and Spotify Nordic Managing Director Jenny Hermanson

All music creators, regardless of gender, should be able to enjoy equal conditions in which they can not only succeed, but thrive. Yet in 2017, only 13.5% of the songwriters behind the 50 most played songs in Sweden were women. As for female producers, that number was even smaller – zero. With all of that in mind, Spotify launched Equalizer Project in Sweden in 2017, with the goal of increasing gender equality in the music studio through building networks and creating opportunities for up and coming talent.

“Our goal is a music industry where all people, regardless of gender, enjoy equal conditions in which to succeed,” said Spotify’s Nordic Managing Director, Jenny Hermanson, who helped to create Equalizer Project out of Spotify’s Stockholm headquarters. “We want to inspire the industry and help women become better represented, both on the charts and behind the music.”

Equalizer, which consists of both a podcast and networking program, gives women in music careers a chance to connect with established industry professionals and amplify their voices. The podcast brings hosts and guests together to talk about music creation, production, and more. Past guests have included Tove Lo, Zara Larsson, and Seinabo Sey. This season’s guests include artist and songwriter Sabina Ddumba, rapper Silvana Imam, R&B singer Cherrie, and pop sensations Peg Parnevik and Molly Sandén. The semi-annual networking events invite five aspiring female creators to meet with industry professionals—past professionals have included First Aid Kit, Icona Pop, Max Martin, and Shellback—and get career advice.

In the conversation below, Spotify’s Hermanson and Linnea Henriksson, a top female Swedish artist, songwriter and producer (and Equalizer podcast host) discuss what the industry can do to support female and minority artists.

Linnea Henriksson, left, talks with Jenny Hermanson about Equalizer Podcast. Photo credit: Alma Vestlund/Studio Emma Svensson

Linnea Henriksson: What are some ways that Spotify supports young people interested in entering the music industry, especially women and other minorities?

Jenny Hermanson: Spotify is working with a lot of different initiatives and partners on this, both globally and on a local level. It all starts with having the right structures in place to make the industry more accessible from the top down. We launched the Equalizer Project in Sweden, which is focusing on inspiring young women to be a part of the music industry. Most songs are written and produced by men. Music fans aren’t simply hearing enough female stories and viewpoints, which is why we’re working to fuel innovation and diversify the industry.

LH: Why did you start the Equalizer Project? What are your goals for the project?

JH: Women are still hugely underrepresented in the music industry. Sure, there are exceptions, but generally you won’t find many female producers, agents or artist managers. And that’s because in the past, women weren’t expected or encouraged to succeed in these positions. What’s more, the vast majority of songwriters and composers are also men. More women are starting to emerge in these fields, but they remain massively outnumbered—in fact, no songs in the Top 50 Global Spotify Chart 2017 were produced by a woman. Hence the need to equalize, and that’s why we initiated Equalizer Project in collaboration with MXM Music and Musikförläggarna (Swedish Music Publishers Association).

JH: So, from your point of view as an artist, are we doing our part? How can we help make entrance into the music industry more accessible? Especially for women, minorities, and people from lower incomes?

LH: First off, equality is a mutual responsibility, because it will make everyone winners. We must look to ourselves, even female artists, to make change. We all need to be more willing to try new stuff. We can’t just talk about being curious about new music makers; we need to actually give them a chance to work and prove themselves. We can’t keep making excuses like “we don’t have the time, we don’t have money,” ”but he’s so good, he worked with blah blah blah…”

A concrete example is during an interview situation. Female songwriters end up focusing their interviews on other stuff rather than talking about their music to a larger extent than male writers. Interview a female artist like you would interview a man, let her be exactly as nerdy about her creation. Ask her about which guitar plugin she couldn’t be without, or whether she writes lyrics and music at the same time, and have the men talk about their lyrics, emotions and relationships, their views on equality and how they handle their private life with their busy schedule. It’s a structural problem that we treat men and women differently. The voice and work of a man is worth more. We must smash our own prejudices based on outdated traditions and structures, and start valuing other things.

JH: It’s so important to establish that anyone – regardless of gender – is able to enjoy equal conditions in which to succeed. We need to clear up the misconception that it’s a man’s world or industry. We need to fuel discussion of the current situation and encourage everyone to question industry norms—who can become a leader and how do they become one? We also need to encourage people to look for talent outside their personal networks and force the music industry to diversify. We also need to pay attention to the number of men and women behind the songs on the charts.

LH: Charts, streams—it’s exciting, I really feel that as a musician and a fan. Charts show trends, but it’s a tool that started out as a fun thing for the listeners and has come to dictate too much in the industry. Labels promote their artists with numbers and the media creates news on “these artists have streamed x amount of times.” The charts are fronted as the most important numbers, and artists work with the songwriters on the charts to get there themselves. There aren’t any efforts to include new writers and producers.

JH: What are the biggest pieces of advice you have for those in the music industry looking to support female artists, musicians, and songwriters?

LH: Support female writers and producers prior to sessions. Help her own her title as an artist. Speak up if you hear someone say something degrading. Exterminate the phrase “girl band,” or the “female drummer” when referring to a band or a drummer that happens to female. Don’t ask musicians IF they write their own music, but HOW they do it. Reward vulnerability and consideration in both men and women and kill the macho culture. Stop laughing at bad jokes, stop making excuses, and understand that this is the future. Because the future is female.

Listen to the Equalizer Podcast on Spotify.