As a young music journalist for the weekly print music paper Melody Maker, my personal professional agenda was to help normalise women in bands. I wrote my own secret manifesto, a sort of agenda and ethical framework influenced by Judith Butler’s understanding of gender as a construct, not always natural and with the aim to find my tribe. I was searching for a narrative that disrupted hegemonic gender relations, with the viewpoint of Stuart Hall’s deconstructionist concept of language: it is not just the text (lyrics) but visuals in the form of icons, symbols, gestures, staging that are part of an artist or band’s creative narrative. Each pointer in that Manifesto is a title for my book in progress, which can be found at Substack. Some archive material such as interviews with P. J. Harvey (her first) and Bjork, between leaving Sugarcubes and becoming a solo artist, will also be available on this platform for a limited period – before moving to rocksbackpages. Sign up for an occasional newsletter to stay in the loop.
Now I want to support the same for women in production. I also want more women in popular music songwriting because
Women songwriters have consistently seen little to no growth. In 2022, 14% of songwriters were women, roughly equal to 2021. In total, women comprised only 12.8% of the songwriters evaluated from the past 11 years–a ratio of 6.8 men to every 1 woman songwriter.” (Annerberg Inclusion Initiative 2022)
Women and non-binary people claimed less than 5% of producer and engineer credits across the top 50 streamed songs of last year (FixMix 2023)
I have over 30 years of experience in the music industry and am well known for my creative non fiction under the byline Ngaire and Ngaire Ruth. As an academic, cultural journalist and feminist, my current focus ison supporting the conversation around the disposability and interchangeability of female vocalists and one of the solutions: more women and non binary producers. My criteria:
- Research, reading and going to conferences that are beneficial to critical thinking and outcomes that are steps towards solutions. Write papers and give talks. Review newly published academic books related to my specialisms and interests.
- Listen to what women songwriters, vocalists and producers have to say.
- Provide mentoring and masterclasses as well as workshops for creative writing skills/support song writing.
- Seven lessons package – Seven Deadly Sins by Taking Control
- One off online workshops – under the moniker Taking Control
Leave a Reply