Where Are All The Women?

Okay so this is a rant of sorts... Not really a rant so much as a statement of fact. Where are all the female artists? Artists with substance.. the serious troubadours..? Is this a reflection of us as consumers, or the industry at large? Why is a 30 something stubbly male singer/songwriter palatable, whereas a woman isn't? (without the stubble of course...).. The UK seems to tolerate indie bands, 'serious' male singer/songwriters, young pretty girls, or kooky yes KOOKY females. To succeed as a female artist in this country in the mainstream it seems you have to be kooky.. although I applaud KT Tunstall and Amy Winehouse for managing to break through.. But this is not enough.. And sure enough a twatty fashion band won the Mercury Music Prize when Amy's album was blatantly the best of the year... *sigh*..

I took the liberty of looking at the Columbia UK roster. I counted 5, yes 5 females out of 53 acts (including the ones in bands)... This is not a dig at you Columbia - like I said, this is a statement of fact. This is the sad truth about commercial music. I honestly cannot say whether it's because people wouldn't buy records by moaning 30 year old women like me, or because people just buy what they're given. Who can say...?

Anidifranco

So female artists keep working away in the background, gigging, selling, doing whatever they can, and working 10 times harder. But perhaps this inevitably leads to greater freedom and more fulfilling success. Check out Ani DiFranco. I idolise this woman. She's done everything herself, comes to the UK, sells out venues like the Shepherds Bush Empire, and yet I am amazed at how few people have heard of her. A perfect example of a brilliant, talented artist who would never be signed by a major label, and yet her talent has got her to where she is. It is possible ladies, so keep on working...