The USC Annaberg Inclusion Initiative revealed that from 600 songs analysed only 22% were by female artists and even fewer - 12% - had female song writing credits. Worse, in the group studied, male producers outnumbered female producers by 49 to 1.
The aim of the event was to identify strategies that will create pathways for women to develop their skills, raise their profiles as role models and secure greater parity in the music industry.
Our host Baroness Jenkin opened the roundtable with an inspiring welcome and commented that issues of greater female participation were found in all sectors. Anne Jenkin set up Women2Win with Theresa May to address that imbalance in politics. The picture is now far better with Parliament being better balanced than ever but there is still a long way to go.
Helene Martin Gee thanked Lady Jenkin and welcomed our illustrious speakers, women from all areas of the industry. Before the discussion began we heard ‘Queen’ by Elle Exxe which inspired us all - an amazing track with an all-female team, the video highlighting diverse women from across the world and from every culture and sector.
Elle gave us some valuable insights and an honest account of her time in the business and passion for encouraging and supporting more women. We then shared ideas and observations from other important women from throughout the world of music, including Sammy Andrews, Lara Baker, Helen Bousfield, Angie Greaves, Alex Kerr-Wilson and Yvonne Thompson CBE.
The debate was expertly chaired by Sue Lawton MBE and we gained a wide range of knowledge about the sector and some encouraging initiatives from delegates including Sharon Walpole, Marion Fleetwood and Vanessa Reed.
A comprehensive report on the event and its outcomes will be made available by emailing info@pinkshoeclub.com
The Women in Music report will form part of the Pink Shoe ‘Women in the Economy’ White Paper to be published in 2019 when the current series of discussions is complete. All findings from the Pink Shoe Forum are being combined to create a definitive cross-sector report on the current position and future opportunities for women in leadership.
NB: The overall aim of these PS Forum events is to share ideas from those in the sector – male and female - about how women can build their capacity to engage more effectively. The Forum explores ideas that influence, support and encourage that development both within each sector and across the UK economy.