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Monday, February 17, 2020
Women vs. Sexism
Women vs. Sexism
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly Dohner, Jaz Brown
An Unfortunate History
Sexism against women in the music industry is nothing new, and it is not particular to any specific genre. Films like The Girls in the Band even explore this theme the early 1900’s jazz scene, where women were blatantly seen as inferior and were only respected as signers or pianists-- but this disparity in treatment between was alive well before then. According to the New York Times, “in an analysis of the top 600 songs from 2012 to 2017—defined by Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 chart for each of those six years—the study found that of 1,239 performing artists, 22.4 percent of them were women.”
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| Girls in the Band is a documentary directed by Judy Chaikin ©Independent Pictures |
This is one way gender inequality in music is perpetuated, but it is also normalized in many other ways. Genres including, but not limited to, rap, hip-hop and pop contain countless songs that frequently refer to men, women and sex using increasingly derogatory terms. Sexism is also maintained in the industry through the abusive treatment of female artists by powerful figures.
Several artists are coming forward and telling their own stories about how they have been violated and taken advantage of by their record labels. In 2017, the #MeToo movement began after popular artists like Kesha, Lady Gaga, Camilla Cabello, Cyndi Lauper and Andra Day spoke about how several music producers are sexual predators who are getting away with their crimes.
In 2014, Kesha filed a lawsuit against Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, her former mentor at her label. Gottwald allegedly abused Kesha in multiple ways: she stated that he sexually assaulted her and physically, emotionally and mentally abused her. Following Kesha’s decision to file charges, other artists like Lady Gaga (who has referred to the music industry as a “boys club”) stepped forward and shared a similar story involving a record producer when she was only 19 years old.
Later, In 2017, Jessie Reyez—a recording artist who has written songs with Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa and Sam Smith-- came forward and addressed how music producer Noel “Detail” Fisher belittled her for not having sex with him, then suggested it was the only way she would become famous. Once she came forward, more women shared similar experiences with Noel Fisher. More female artists have stepped forward and talked about how many women in the industry are taught that in order to be successful they have to have sex, similar to many actresses related to the Harvey Weinstein case.
Positive Changes
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| Ke$ha is an artist who has come forward about her struggles with her producer ©MTV |
Despite all of the darkness hidden within the industry that is now coming to light, there’s also been a positive shift in the message being sent through music. People are not afraid to speak out as much anymore, and as the voice of younger generations grows louder, there has been an even stronger push for equality for everyone. Today, female artists are able to be more powerful than ever and are continuously entering the industry and topping the charts.
Sources:
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Anyone- Demi Lovato
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Demi Lovato and Addiction
Demi Lovato and Addiction
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly Dohner, Jaz BrownRising Again
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| © Chelsea Lauren/ Shutterstock |
Demi Lovato is far from just a performing artist, she is an advocate for female empowerment and also mental health. In July 2018, Demi had an overdose at her California home and has remained under the radar since, however Demi had the spotlight on her at the January 26, 2020 Grammys! Demi sang her first single since her overdose called ‘Anyone’, written and recorded 4 days before the overdose. In a recent interview conducted by Zane Lowe, Demi opened up about what ‘Anyone’ is about and how it was made for anyone that struggles with mental health and is looking for someone to just help them. .
Addiction
Demi has been very open and transparent with her history of substance abuse. In her 2017 YouTube documentary, Simply Complicated, Demi shares her timeline with substance abuse starting with her time spent on the Disney Channel. The first time Demi had used cocaine was in 2009 at the age of 17, which then led to her turning to other drugs and alcohol. The public has seen Demi check into rehab to seek treatment, which was when her mental health advocacy really began. In November 2016, Demi opened up to Glamour saying,
"Getting sober was difficult… I went into rehab, I came out, and I didn’t stay sober. I still had issues occasionally. Now some days it’s difficult; some days it’s easy. "
In March 2017 Demi celebrated her five years of sobriety with her Instagram followers and would share milestones in her own life with staying sober to try and show her followers that every milestone is worth celebrating and addiction is possible to overcome.
Relapse and Recovery
Lovato is open with the public surrounding her struggles with mental health issues, including an eating disorder and bipolar disorder which has symptoms of mania and depression. A month before a relapse in 2018, Lovato released the song Sober which has lines about her promising to seek help and apologizing for relapsing. It’s clear that her addiction heavily influences her music and her ability to reach out to others. She’s openly admitted that when she feels like she’s about to relapse it’s difficult for her to seek help because it’s going back on saying she’s “cured”, but experts agree that addiction is not a case of victory, but rather a case of management. Demi Lovato continues her journey with addiction management with support from her fans.
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| © Demi Lovato/ Instagram |
Sources:
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Bille Eilish and Female Empowerment
Bille Eilish and Female Empowerment
Written by Helen Freitas, Carly DohnerA New Kind of Pop Star
Billie Eilish is nowhere near the typical, teen pop-star. In fact, it is her bold courage to deviate so far from the norm that empowers women of all ages and quite possibly makes it an insult to consider her to be anything less than a remarkably iconic inspiration. In a world of inundated images on social media where standing out is painstakingly difficult and “sex sells” more than ever, she manages to do exactly the opposite of most everyone else and draws massive attention to her refreshingly distinctive look, sound and vibe.
Inspire and Be Inspired
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| Eilish's outfits always draw the eye while avoiding sexualiztion © Matt Baron/ Shutterstock |
The young pop-icon is an inspiration to women around the world and sends an exemplary message of female empowerment. From her commitment to being herself, to her ability to drown out the dizzying buzz of criticism that accompanies her new-found stardom, she proves that you must be yourself at all times. Her success also confirms that pure authenticity far surpasses conformity.
Mental Health
Not only does the star encompass female empowerment in her music, but she also highlights the importance of mental health awareness and accepting every part of yourself. In the song Everything I Wanted, she writes about her own struggles with depression and the tremendous support she has received from her friends and family, especially her big brother, Finneas. Eilish is able to avoid feeling isolated by sharing her journey with her audience and letting them know that they are not alone in any struggles they may be experiencing.
Female Empowerment
Billie Eilish serves as an important representation of female empowerment in music. The 18-year-old star continuously breaks records and achieves impressive successes (most recently, 5 Grammy Awards). Her relentless expression of originality and determination to be an artist on her own terms sends an inspiring message to women around the world, and none of us here at Social Music Movement can wait to see what comes next for her! |
| Eilish at the Grammy Awards 2020 © Chirs Pizello/ AP Photo |
Sources
https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/billie-eilish-people-underestimate-power-young-mind
https://www.popbuzz.com/music/artists/billie-eilish/news/everything-i-wanted-lyrics-meaning-finneas-suicide/
https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2018/01/who-is-billie-eilish
Everything I Wanted- Billie Eilish
Featured Songs
Want to hear what songs we're talking about?
Check back here after the publication of each new article
About Us
Carly Dohner
Carly has found a lot of inspiration in the music she listens to. She grew up listening to a lot of classic rock, and she now enjoys listening to alternative rock, pop and country. Music has always been a big part of her life and has helped shape her beliefs and attitudes towards different topics.
Helen Freitas
Helen was raised in Boston amongst a family of Brazilian musicians, and grew up with a love of singing and performing. She found inspiration in a variety of music, including traditional samba music as well as American rock, hip-hop, jazz and pop. Today, her taste in music has only expanded and she listens to a variety of American, Latin and Brazilian artists and genres. Music is one of the most important aspects of her life.Jaz Jordan
Jaz has a deep love for listening to, playing, and writing music. She has experience with a wide range of instruments from piano to cello and has since developed a strong affinity for classical music. She is interesting in the meaning behind music and loves to analyzed structure, lyricism, and musical trends. She finds music to be a universal language.
