Tag: women in music

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.  

Girls Make Beats and Spotify Inspire Young Women to Find Their Voices

December 13, 2018

Twelve-year-old Destiny once dreamed of dancing backup for Beyoncé. After participating in Tiffany Miranda’s girl-powered program Girls Make Beats, those dreams have grown. Her new ambition? “Becoming the next Beyoncé.”

Girls Make Beats focuses on empowering and teaching the next generation of women studio engineers, DJs, and producers. With 200 trainees and counting, Girls Make Beats utilizes educational programs, summer camps, networking events, and after-school seminars in cities like L.A. and Miami to educate girls ages 8 to 17 on the ins and outs of the music industry.

Given the underrepresentation of women in music, Miranda’s project is an important one. Spotify has made supporting females in music production a priority. Our EQL Directory and EQL Studio Residency program both work to provide resources and recognition for up-and-coming female producers, our Equalizer project includes a producer camp and podcast to help women navigate the world of production, and our Sound Up Bootcamps provide opportunities for women in the U.S., UK, and Australia to break into the podcasting world.

But, we know inspiring the next generation is critical to continuing to make the industry more inclusive. That’s why we’ve partnered with Girls Make Beats to help provide scholarships for talented young women working toward their dreams.

“I created Girls Make Beats because I started in the music industry at a very early age as a singer. There were very few women that were actually in the creative control positions, and I became passionate about learning how to do it on my own,” Tiffany “Delilah” Miranda, president and founder of Girls Make Beats, says about the program.

In our exclusive video below, meet a few of the girls making beats as they share why being female in this field matters.

Miranda’s advice to young women making music? “Educate yourself as much as possible.”

Join our efforts for equality in the music industry. Click here to help provide a Girls Make Beats scholarship for a talented girl in need.

EQL Resident Roundtable: Meet the Women Behind the Mixers

November 15, 2018

The future of audio engineering and production is female—which is exactly why Spotify’s Social Impact Team is partnering with Berklee College of Music to form the EQL Studio Residency. Women are often underrepresented in the music industry, so by providing three full-time, paid residencies to women and gender non-conforming individuals across the world, we are hoping to help aspiring female engineers gain the experience and mentorship needed to take their careers to the next level.

Spotify and Berklee’s first EQL Residency cohort started in October with three up-and-coming talents: Ramera Abraham, a Filipino-Canadian vocal engineer, producer, and recent Abbey Road Institute graduate based at the Spotify Secret Genius Studio in London, U.K.; Taylor Pollock, a Berklee music production and engineering alumna from the small town of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania currently at the Spotify Studios in Nashville, Tennessee; and Jeanne Montalvo Lucar, a Grammy-nominated producer-engineer with a radio background working out of Spotify Studios and Electric Lady Studios in New York. Heading up the program on the Berklee side is Darla Hanley, the first female academic dean at Berklee College of Music in Boston. In her work, she has spearheaded many music initiatives and programs and is always looking for new ways to promote, engage, and support women in the industry.

We sat down with the residents and Darla to get their takes on finding incredible mentors, the benefits of a residency for women in a male-dominated industry, and their advice to aspiring female engineers.

First off, what does an audio engineer actually do?

Jeanne: If you think of it from beginning to end, the audio engineer works directly with the musician to record an album, or a track. And [as the engineer] you’re in charge of conceiving how the recording is going to shape up; whether in a studio and what microphones you’re using, for example. They take responsibility of recording the sounds, mixing them together, and editing the final product.

Ramera: Audio engineers work across video, film scoring, video games, and podcasting—bringing the technical side of a song to life and making your favorite artist sound so good.

The music industry is a hard field to break into, no matter who you are. Who are some of the mentors who helped you get where you are?

Taylor: My teachers at Berklee were probably the biggest resource for me, because they were people who had established themselves in the industry already. Jonathan Wyner mastered “Bleach” by Nirvana. Matthew Ellard, my favorite teacher, engineered for metal bands in the ’90s. My mentor Leanne Ungar recorded Leonard Cohen in the studio and on tours. She was one of the people that really pushed me to go hard and stand up for myself distinctly from my male classmates. I spent a semester interning in LA, and Eric Rennaker and all of the staff at Bedrock Studios in LA helped push me to be bolder and more confident.

Ramera: The most important musical inspirations in my life will always be my grandfather (a bass-baritone), and my aunt (music teacher and multi-instrumentalist). I owe a lot to teachers from Carleton University in Ottawa, as well as Carlos Lellis from Abbey Road Institute, and my co-writer, AntonioEsposito, for pushing me to continue songwriting and vocal production in the first place. When I first started songwriting and was introduced to the world of music production, I was also really looking up to women like Ali Tamposiand Sarah Aarons, whose podcasts I would listen to all the time. I would just analyze the melodies they’d written, and just kind of think, ‘Wow, I want to write like that’. I also had the pleasure of meeting Sylvia Massy, a fearless engineer, unafraid to experiment with new ideas. So I’d love to find a medium between the two; to merge my creative side with my growing experience as an engineer.

Jeanne: My previous bosses have always served as the biggest mentors for me. Andreas Meyer specifically was always extremely supportive, giving me huge projects and helping me talk through my own projects—never hesitating to recommend me for something big. And my advisor at NYU, Dr. AgnieszkaRoginska, still is a huge mentor for me. As a woman, seeing another woman, who has a family, who is working in audio, and is working to bridge that gender gap to support the future women in the field has always been a great inspiration.

Why is having a residency like EQL so important for female engineers and producers?

Jeanne: I’ve dealt with the feeling that my resume is at the bottom of the pile, and realizing that a man is just going to end up getting the job. So to have been in competition [for the residency] with other women was amazing. I knew I wasn’t going to be turned down because of my sex at the end.

Taylor: In my previous experiences, when I would do sessions, it would be just mostly males. Now I have a group I can talk to, to say, ‘Hey, so this negative experience with a male coworker happened. This isn’t normal, right?’ And then they can let me know, ‘That’s not normal. It’s not something that you should put up with.’

Ramera: Last week [during the mentoring session], it was just a really great … I don’t know, it felt almost like a support group, in the best way possible. I felt the importance of women supporting women. I feel like there are so many important conversations, both about music and not, we can have in a group like this.

Darla: One of the best elements of EQL is our ability to have Berklee women leaders mentor the three recipients. The Berklee Women Chairs Forum group is so impressive and represents many areas of the music industry like production, songwriting, music business, and film scoring. Without EQL, this group would probably not be gathering to talk about supporting women in recording studios in Nashville, London and New York, or offering collective advice. EQL gives us the ability to work together in new ways and go beyond the borders of our campus.

Speaking of women supporting women, what’s your advice for aspiring female engineers, producers, and songwriters?

Jeanne: I’ve always kind of obsessively networked. Whenever there were events, I would just throw myself at them because I knew that it was an uphill battle. Not being afraid to take the plunge and jump into the deep end has been kind of the only way to operate as a woman in this business. If you do good work it will speak for itself. You may have to prove yourself over and over and over again. But at the end of the day, you’re going to earn their respect, and they’re going to want to work with you in the future.

Taylor: If you see a woman doing something that she’s doing well, but there’s a guy behind her, trying to tell her how to do it, say something. Tell them to back off. Usually that opens the door for people to work the best that they can. When that happens to me, I just tell people that I can do it. And to let me do it.

Ramera: My main advice is to never be afraid to ask for help. The only way you’ll learn to do a job well is to continue to make mistakes, ask for clarification on how something works, and never make the same mistake again. Ask for help from fellow engineers—male or female—because at the end of the day, your experience should be less hierarchical and more learning and development-oriented. Work with as many writers and producers as possible. People are there to support you!

But there’s always more to do. What’s next?

Darla: We can keep creating opportunities for women in music and put them in the spotlight as much as possible. We should also focus on teaching children that there are no gender boundaries in music so the industry (and world) of tomorrow will be different. For now, let’s showcase how women are a part of the music industry—in a way that inspires other women to take part. Women contribute as performers, creators, producers, engineers, business leaders and more. We need their voices to be amplified. It isn’t every day that we get to empower women and change lives. Wait—with EQL it is!

Learn more about the EQL residency and new EQL directory.

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.