A new Radio documentary about women in music will be broadcast on Newstalk 106-108fm this weekend and next.
We can all look at the music industry and feel it has always been unbalanced. Not only in Ireland but throughout the world, women and female-identifying musicians have had to play second fiddle to men in terms of exposure, gigs, festivals and pay.
Four unique organisations have been established in Ireland over the last few years to encourage and engage women and LGBTQIA+ in the music industry. Gash Collective, Fair Plé, DIAXDEM Collective and Girls Rock Dublin aspire to empower and educate women and female identifying musicians in the music industry and to open up a discussion on gender balance.
‘Equalization’ is a documentary that speaks to the founders and members of these groups about the disparity they have experienced as musicians and how they try to provide equal opportunities and balanced representation for all. The documentary speaks to women and non binary people about the disparity they have experienced as musicians.
Stories of how they began in music, issues with unequal festival lineups, sexual abuse and harassment, internalised misogyny and the effects of covid on their livelihoods are all explored in the documentary. The interviewees give personal accounts of their experiences and hopes for a more balanced music industry.
The programme features music and interviews with Karan Casey, Pauline Scanlon, Ellll, LOLZ, Renn, Ódú and Aoife from Alien She. It is produced by Alan Meaney and narrated by the singer and actor Tracy Bruen.
It BROADCAST TIMES: ‘Equalization’ premieres Sunday 21st August at 7am and will be repeated on Saturday 27th August at 9pm on newstalk radio and is available online at www.newstalk.com
Podcast available at www.newstalk.com/podcasts/newstalk-documentary after the broadcast.
ABOUT THE ORGANISATIONS:
Fair Plé is an organisation that aims to achieve gender balance in the production, performance, promotion, and development of Irish traditional and folk music. They advocate for equal opportunity and balanced representation for all.
Founded in 2016, Girls Rock Dublin is a non-profit group and the 1st girls rock camp organisation in Ireland. They run camps and events aimed at growing girls and women’s self-esteem through music creation and performance. Part of a global movement of rock camps (Girls Rock Camp) they are united by the desire for gender equality in the music industry.
Gash Collective was founded in 2016 to support female-identifying and LGBTQ+ producers and DJs in Irish electronic music. They put on workshops, and events and create a safe space for women and LGBTQ+ to learn and create music of an electronic nature. Here women can learn how to use software such as Ableton, equipment such as CDJs and turntables, and find out how to make beats that will make a crowd go wild. It’s all aimed at helping women break into an industry that can feel overwhelmingly male at times.
DIAXDEM is a Independent Co-Op Music Label.
