Women have always faced significant difficulties in controlling their own rise through the music industry – just as in many other walks of life. However, as one recent ABC News profile of Rihanna highlighted, the fact that female stars can come from nothing and become billionaires is a signal that perhaps things are starting to change. As it happens, a new generation of music, created by women, is showing that, yes, women can control their own path in the music industry, and that they can do from a much broader range of backgrounds than ever before. Bringing together self-empowerment and diversity will help the music industry to embrace artists in a way never seen before.
Cindy Blackman Santana
Women are often pigeonholed into singing – but Cindy Blackman Santana has broken this mold. Famous not for crooning but for her drumming skills, she is arguably one of the greatest drummers of all time, performing with the likes of Lenny Kravitiz and Joss Stone. What defines Cindy, however, is not her relationship with other performers, but her own music.
A recent profile of Cindy Blackman Santana by the San Diego Herald Tribune focused on her latest release, Give The Drummer Some. While Cindy sang on some of the tracks on the album, the focus was, as ever, on her drumming. As a musical talent, drumming is an overwhelmingly male-dominated arena; just as it is with other instruments in the band setting. Cindy has broken this mold, leading a generation forward in showing just how women, and women of color, can lead bands and make music without having to default to singing.
Anitta – breaking America?
Singing remains the key talent of many female artists, however, and for good reason – most of the greatest singers in history are female, and it’s a source of easy inspiration. One such pop star is Anitta, who has made waves in Brazil, yet hasn’t broken into the USA just yet – though she has performed with Miley Cyrus, among others. As the New York Times highlights, breaking into the USA market is not exactly easy for performers who are foreign-language first. This is especially true for non-European, and non-white stars – like Anitta. Anitta’s music is pop, but it’s also a fearless combination of her own cultural tradition, female empowerment, and frank discussions about race – all needed in the modern time, and of crucial importance.
Changing Country
One of the most all-American and least progressive genres, Country is all about old traditions and a sense of the wild west and southern cultures that defines much of the USA. They aren’t very welcoming of women or people of culture, typically, but change is afoot. A recent highlight by Billboard of some of the most exciting up-and-coming country stars centered on a group that are breaking that mold. Of most interest is perhaps Miko Marks, who harnessed the pain of 2020s national reckoning with inequality. Her album, Our Country, was a huge hit, and cut across several social issues in addition to being genuinely great country music. If country music artists can break the ceiling, anyone can.
For music to continue its progressive, boundary-cutting mission, diverse artists from a range of backgrounds are needed. Trauma sometimes opens up the opportunity for those artists to start making more of an impact – and the pandemic and events of 2020 have shown just that. There’s greater space than ever before for music to be truly genre-defining, and to set the tone for a new era – and long may it continue.
Image by instagram.com/taylorbryantisjustdust
Article by Jane Turner
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