FEATURE:
2019: A Year Dominated by Female Artists
IN THIS PHOTO: FKA twigs has released one of this year’s best and most memorable albums, MAGDALENE/PHOTO CREDIT: FKA twigs
Looking Ahead to a Brighter, More Equal Year
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I know I have written about gender inequality and…
IN THIS PHOTO: Julia Jacklin’s second album, Crushing, is among 2019’s best-received and finest albums/PHOTO CREDIT: Julia Jacklin
sexism in music quite a few times this year, but I want to sort of round off with a look at the incredible work being done by female artists. Beyond those releasing music, there are so many great women working at venues and at labels; they are in radio studios and making the industry stronger and more astonishing. Sexism and inequality, unfortunately, are not going to go away in the coming years, but I’d like to think there have been moves in the right direction this year and, as we look forward to big festivals like Glastonbury in 2020, the fantastic output from women this year needs to be reflected. In fact, Glastonbury’s Emily Eavis has revealed how she wants to make next year’s festival as close to fifty-fifty as possible:
“Emily Eavis has said she’s aiming to ensure that Glastonbury Festival‘s line-up for 2020 is “as close to” 50/50 gender-balanced as possible.
The iconic festival’s 50th anniversary next year will see Diana Ross performing the coveted Sunday afternoon Legends slot, and Eavis says that there will be plenty of other prolific female acts on the bill too.
“It’s important we go as close to 50-50 as we can. It’s as important to have females on the bill as much as men but the pool – certainly on the headliner front – is not as big,” she told MusicWeek.
“So we have to work on that as an industry and nurture all these women coming through.”
It comes after Eavis previously admitted that she and father Michael, who founded the festival, were passionate about improving the gender imbalance on the Pyramid Stage.
PHOTO CREDIT: @michaelbenz/Unsplash
“Every booking Glastonbury make is conscious, we’re trying to address the imbalance,” she said.
“We’ve got a way to go, there are areas of the festival that have 50/50 (gender representation) like The Park last year.
“But The Pyramid obviously isn’t and we’re working on it”.
There are rumours Taylor Swift will headline next year’s Glastonbury but, with most festivals in the country struggling to get to a fifty-fifty gender balance quickly, many could learn from Glastonbury. Regardless, I do feel like this year has been one dominated by female artists. From Rapsody, Liz Lawrence and Sudan Archives through to Greentea Peng, Jamila Woods and Girl Ray…in every corner of music, there are fantastic women slaying it. I have loved albums by Billie Marten (Feeding Seahorses by Hand), Little Simz (GREY Area) and Brittany Howard (Jaime); but I have just touched the tip of the iceberg with those names. New artists like Hannah Cohen and Sofia Portanet are exciting, whilst FKA twigs (with MAGDALENE), Sharon Van Etten (Remind Me Tomorrow) and Lana Del Rey (Norman Fucking Rockwell!) have crafted three of this year’s best albums. Seemingly, with every month that passes, another year-defining album is released by a female artist. In years past, the scene has been male-dominated, but one can see and feel the change. From brilliant female-fronted bands like Amyl and The Sniffers to brilliant solo artists such as Lizzo, 2020 looks like a year where things can change when it comes to redressing gender balance.
I suspect festivals will not all fall into line next year and create a fifty-fifty split, even if the wealth of female talent this year gives them ample inspiration regarding spaces. Not only would it be easy to have a fifty-fifty split further down the bill; I think there are female artists out there who could headline – one of the biggest issues with festivals if the fact they do not put women in headline slots. Maybe it will take a few more years for some of 2019’s brightest female artists to command a headline show, yet there are artists like Anna Calvi and FKA twigs who, I think, are ready and would kill it! Anyone who argues against the assertion women are dominating this year have either not been listening hard enough or they are being naive. From Anna Meredith to Holly Herndon through to Julia Jacklin and Weyes Blood, there is astonishing variation to select from. One can argue who has released the finest album of 2019 – Michael Kiwanuka’s KIWANUKA and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ Ghosteen will top a lot of end-of-year polls -, but there is no denying that 2019 has seen an embarrassment of riches from female artists. I think there will be a big push regarding the line-ups at festivals and we will see greater representation on radio playlists. In terms of general sexist attitudes, it will be harder to make strides there because I think social media is making things worse and it is hard to police.
This year has been magnificent in terms of music, and it has been made so much richer because of women. I am looking forward to seeing which new female artists arrive next year and, with 2019 nearly done, I think we will see shift and progression occur. I don’t think we can continue as things are regarding imbalance and inequality. With women still subjected to catcalling and abuse on the stage, I think venues and festivals need to get tougher when it comes to cracking down and dealing with those found guilty. It will take a bit of time, but I do see things getting better and brighter in 2020. This year has been a really fascinating and good one, with so many new and established female artists/bands leaving their mark. I am not naïve enough to think sexism and inequality will go given the quality of female-led music this year. Things do take time and 2020 will not erase and correct ever problem. I feel the brilliance and consistency of 2019 (and female artists) will continue into next year and there will be real changes. Diana Ross is already confirmed for Glastonbury, and I cannot wait to see how the festivals shape up next year. What a 2019 it has been and, with a few weeks remaining, there is still time for surprise and more gems from women in music. 2020 will be a year where reaction occurs and there is a greater inclusion of women throughout the industry. Whilst some areas will be slower to evolve than others, big steps will occur. I have discussed the brilliance of female artists in 2019 and the promise of 2020 a couple of times previously, but I think it is important to keep the theme alive and present – as, with every month, there are some truly fantastic albums being released by women. Progressive steps are, I feel, just around the corner; a sense of justice and balance women have been waiting…
IN THIS PHOTO: Few artists have made as a big an impact this year than Little Simz and her album, GREY Area/PHOTO CREDIT: Evening Standard
SO long for.