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SHRILL

EXPLORING HAIM’S NOSTALGIC NEW TRACK BY TRACK

SUMMER 2017 / ISSUE 1 SHRILL:

(adjective) high-pitched and piercing sound; with great intensity

There are a ton of words out there that are only used to describe women, and let’s face it, they’re not great. When was the last time you heard a man be called feisty? What about sassy? Bossy? Shrill?

These words represent a society that constantly obsesses over the way strong, empowered women use their voice. Somewhere over the course of twenty-one centuries, words like ‘bubbly’ and ‘pushy’ have become dirty, misogynistic bullets to aim at women: a way to control just how much, or how little, we speak.

‘Shrill’ in particular is often used to insult powerful women. Case in point: Donald Trump used it to describe Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential race. Yet I don’t see it as a negative term. I want to be loud, intense and passionate. And I definitely want to be heard above all the male voices in the room.

This is the essence of Shrill, a new quarterly music magazine for females, by females.

Growing up, I never saw music as a gendered thing. I listened to and The Boss alongside Britney and Beyoncé. But when I’d show up to school in my band t-shirts with an iPod full of my favourite tunes, I still somehow felt excluded from the club. When I’d chat to fellow fans of bands I liked, most of them men, I’d have to face a series of questions to prove my worth. “Which Beatle wrote this song?” “What year did this B-side come out?” “Name 5 of their songs, but not the hits.” It was a never-ending round of trivia that cast doubt on my ability to like music just because I was a woman.

And it hasn’t gotten any better: Just 30% of senior executives in the music business are female. Things like sexual assault and harassment are still treated unfairly (or not at all) within the industry. And this year, only 14% of US festival acts are women. Think that’s the end of? There’s a complete lack of representation on newsstands, too. As legendary pop critic pointed out on : “Music magazines are men’s magazines.”

Shrill wants to change that. It’s the 21st century. Music magazines need to start acknowledging their female demographics. So I decided to create a space for music-loving women to celebrate other women in the industry. A place for females of all ages and backgrounds to come together and rock out.

This very first issue is packed with loads of material. We chat with Dovetown Record’s Harriet Doveton, WE’RE ONLINE! discover everything you need to know about indie singer- Allison Weiss, and recall the good- ol’-days of The Supremes and the in a feature about the everlasting power of girl groups. There’s a behind-the-scenes look at women in music, plus a playlist packed with your new go-to summer FOR EXCLUSIVE WEB CONTENT (INCLUDING jams. I promise you’ll find something to love about Shrill.

OUR 6 ARTISTS TO WATCH),HEAD OVER TO: Hope you love this first issue as much as I loved creating it.

www.shrillmag.blogspot.com BRI WINK

founder / ed-in-chief

3 Page 46 CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER 3

NEWS 6-9

PROFILE: HARRIET DOVETON 10-13

Q&A WITH ALLISON WEISS 14-15

IT’S A WOMAN’S WORLD 16-19

Page 10 OPINION: TAKE TEEN GIRLS SERIOUSLY

Page 28 21 5 GREAT FEMALE FESTIVALS THAT NEED TO COME BACK 22-27

STOP, IN THE NAME OF GIRLPOWER! 28-39

SONG BY SONG: HAIM’S 40-45

REVIEW: ’S ‘PRAYING’ 46

THE SHRILL LIST: SUMMER SOUNDS 49 Page 14

5 SHRILL MAG // OPINION

But for some fans, an apology NEWS was not enough. NEWS Alisa Apps called the singer “weak & very lazy,” on Twitter, accusing of “playing victim again”. “Looks like her fans have had enough saying selfish girl!” she declared.

Meanwhile, some have chastised the singer for not taking proper care of her voice. “If she was correctly this wouldn’t keep happening,” notes Maggie Moors in a Facebook comment.

“Healthy or not Adele knew about her vocal chords for many years. Why scheduling 4 concerts if you vocally can’t do them all? Gutted,” mentioned a CANCELLED ADELE SHOWS woman called Jess on Twitter. RUIN PLANS FOR LIVE DVD Others are more disappointed in the poor timing of the announcement. dele’s choice to cancel her The 25 singer had originally intended a “What has annoyed me more than AWembley Stadium shows on four-day run at Wembley to close her anything is it has been left this late to July 1 and 2 has supposedly ruined world tour, which lasted 15 months cancel,” exclaimed Sarah Lou Bainbridge, plans for a live concert DVD. across 17 countries. She decided to a fan from Nottingham that had made cancel following medical advice. The “heartbroken” 29-year-old was the trip to especially for the ‘THANKS ADELE’: forced to call off the two remaining “To say I’m heartbroken would be a show. “We can not cancel our hotel London concerts after damaging complete understatement,” Adele booking nor train tickets which for 4 Fans left reeling after Adele cancels last two Wembley Stadium her vocal cords. said in an emotional post on social people is a lot of money!” media. “You know I would not make this shows with some calling the singer ‘weak and very lazy’ According to a report in The Sun, Adele Adele has promised a full refund on decision lightly.” had also planned on filming her final IMAGES: KRISTOPHER HARRIS / FLICKR tickets if the shows are not able shows for a DVD film titled Adele Live “I’m devastated. I love you, I’m so sorry, to be rescheduled. ans are outraged after Adele A man named Thomas had planned The Grammy-award winner even 2017: The Finale. please forgive me.” has cancelled the final two an entire trip around the concert: admitted to being “so desperate” The heartbreaking news comes just Director Matt Askem and a crew The cancellation follows the news shows at Wembley Stadium “Bought tickets 6 months ago. Saved to finish the last two shows she days after Adele suggested she may of over 100 people and cameras that this tour may be her last. In a due to damaged vocal cords. for months. Planned a whole European considered lipsynching “just to be in never tour again. In a handwritten note F were reportedly hired to film the handwritten letter in the concert vacation around it. And she cancelled.” front of” her millions of fans. However, published inside the concert programs, The ‘Skyfall’ singer announced the Grammy-nominated singer’s closing programs, Adele hinted that the “I’ve never done it and I cannot in the singer called touring a “peculiar cancellation in a social media post The announcement came via a heartfelt performances. Askem has previously Wembley performances could possibly a million years do that to you,” she thing,” claiming that “it doesn’t suit [her] late Friday night. But some fans, who note posted on the singer’s social directed successful concert films be her final live shows ever. explained. “That wouldn’t be the real particularly well.” were set to see the pop star perform media pages. “I don’t even know how for bands including A-Ha, Take That, me up there. I’m sorry.” “I wanted my final shows to be in on July 1 and 2, were not pleased to start this,” she wrote in the “It has been hard but an absolute thrill Fatboy Slim, and Muse. London because I don’t know if I’ll with the news. emotional post. “The last two nights The ‘Hello’ crooner expressed regret at and pleasure to have done,” she wrote. According to a source at the paper, an ever tour again.” at Wembley have been the biggest and the disappointment and inconvenience “I wanted my final shows to be in Many would-be concert-goers estimated “million in global sales” were best shows of my life.” she caused fans. “I’m sorry for the London because I don’t know if I’ll tour “It has been hard but an absolute expressed their anger on social media, expected had the film been released. nights you would have had with your again so I want my last time to be at thrill and pleasure to have done. I will with one calling the 29-year-old artist She continued: “On medical advice I loved one and the memories you would home. I will remember all of this for the The source said: “The DVD was a huge remember this for the rest of my life.” “weak and very lazy”. Others have simply am unable to perform over the have made together. I’m sorry for the rest of my life.” production and all the plans were in criticised her for costing them weekend. To say I’m heartbroken Along with the loss in sales from the time and money you’ve spent organizing place for it to go ahead. That extra hundreds of pounds on tickets, travel, would be a complete understatement. Adele has been touring the world for the alleged DVD, the London-born singer your trips. You know I would not make pressure must have been on her mind and accommodation. I’ve considered doing Saturday last 15 months, promoting her latest is also issuing refunds to the 200,000 this decision lightly,” she said. as her voice problem developed.” night’s show but it’s highly unlikely album, 25. Before the cancellation, she fans that had bought tickets to the “Still can’t believe I flew all the way here I’d even make it through the set and I The singer finished the letter with a plea had performed 121 shows across 17 “It’s a big disappointment, but nobody July 1 and 2 shows. It is unknown just to see Adele and she cancelled my simply can’t crumble in front of you all for forgiveness: “I’m sorry. I love you. I’m different countries, including Australia knows at this stage if it will happen at this time if the performances show,” a fan from Israel said on Twitter. and walk out on you all in that way.” so sorry, please forgive me.” ›› and Mexico. r again,” they finished. will be rescheduled. r

7 NEWS

Singer Yazzy Chamberlain wowing crowds at Adele Wembley sing-a-long

THIS GROUP OF ADELE FANS HAD THE PERFECT RESPONSE TO THE SINGER’S CANCELLED SHOWS

hen news broke that Before long, Adele admirers The group, led by Yazzy, media. In the note, she Adele was forced were flocking to Wembley launched into some of Adele’s called her two previous Wto cancel her final even though the concert biggest hits, including ‘Hello’, performances at Wembley the performances at Wembley had been cancelled. ‘Someone Like You’ and “best shows of [her] life”. Stadium because of damage ‘’. Some even #SingForAdele was started “To say I’m heartbroken would to her vocal held banners and signs. by Yazzy Chamberlain (left), be an understatement,” she cords, fans were emotional. an 18-year-old singer from The devoted fans, who call wrote. “To not complete this Some were angry, while North Devon who made themselves Daydreamers, milestone in my career is others were just as the trip to London especially shared videos of the event all something I’m struggling to heartbroken as the singer. for the concert. over social media. Some even get my head around and I wish But a group of fans showed urged Adele to go to Wembley that I wasn’t having to write She told the Devon Times support for Adele in the best to watch the magic unfold. this…[sic] It’s as if my whole that at first, she was way: by holding a sing-along. career has been building up to “devastated” about the Yazzy called the experience these 4 shows.” Hundreds of people gathered cancellation. Instead of “so emotional”, explaining that outside of Wembley Stadium letting it get her down, people from all around the The ‘Skyfall’ singer finished on Saturday, July 1 for an though, she knew that she world were there and that the letter with a wholehearted impromptu concert after the could do something special. the music really created a apology, explaining that she’s hashtag #SingForAdele urged community feel. “devastated” by the decision. “I knew that like me, there them to come out and pay “I’m sorry, I love you I’m so would be a lot of people who “[They] told me that I really tribute to the ill pop star. sorry, please forgive me.” wouldn’t know what to do made their trip by being “It’s fair to say that Adele with themselves after making there, which was so special. But most of her fans totally could do with a pick me up massive trips to be there.” We stayed for over three forgive the last-minute right now. She’s just had to hours just singing our hearts cancelation. The support “So I put a status on cancel her last two shows out and the music really Yazzy and the rest of the Facebook and drove and she’s absolutely gutted. brought us together.” DayDreamers showed her around London trying to find I think we should send her during this tough time is so equipment with the mindset some love,” a dedicated Adele broke the news about inspiring. What a great way that if Adele couldn’t sing fan wrote in the Sing For the canceled shows in a to turn a bad situation into for us, then we’ll sing for her.” Adele event on Facebook. heartfelt letter on social something beautiful! r

IMAGE: TOP- YAZZY / FACEBOOK, LEFT- PATRICK VAN LOON TWITTER

9 HARRIET DOVETON

Words: Bri Wink

f you’re a devout follower of the indie-pop/pop-punk scene in the UK, then chances are you’ve probably heard of Dovetown Records and the bands they work with. There’s Colour Me Wednesday, a four-piece “intersectional feminist indie punk band” and The ITuts, a politically charged all-girl punk trio that’s already played Glastonbury and toured with . Plus, there’s newcomer -pop, queer punk band Daniel Versus the World.

A small but impactful “DIY creative collective” based in West London, Dovetown Records was started by Harriet Doveton and her sister, Jen -- the lead singer in Colour Me Wednesday-- after deciding to graduate from performing covers to writing their own music. Now, Dovetown does more than just release and record their own stuff. They collaborate with other bands and labels in London, direct videos and host live sessions, all while promoting safe space gigs across the country.

Dovetown is DIY down to the core; a handmade, home- grown spirit is present in everything from the album cover art to the music videos. Even the songs themselves sound like they were written, and even recorded, in childhood garages and basements.

“We had been brought up to DIY about everything,” Harriet "TORIES DON'T WANT Doveton tells me over the phone from ’ Something Worth Voting For tour. “It’s how my parents were. We YOUNG PEOPLE didn’t have a lot of money so they learnt how to do things INVOLVED" themselves, like cut corners and do things on the cheap.

IMAGE: MATT WHITTOCK / FACEBOOK If you can’t afford to hire someone to do it just learn how to .”

11 When Harriet isn’t playing the alongside her sister in Colour Me Wednesday or plucking the bass in The Tuts, she’s writing songs, recording with her sister in their "WITH EVERYTHING childhood home in West London, researching future gigs, and working behind-the-scenes on the label. GOING ON, HOW

“Since I was a kid I was just obsessed with organising, and I COULD YOU NOT think that kind of feeds into my role in the band,” she says. “Dovetown is a lot of emailing, a lot of it logistics, a lot of HAVE SOMETHING spreadsheets, and stuff like that.” TO SAY?" Everything Harriet does for Dovetown she taught herself. “In 2012 and 2013, I just started researching where you get CD’s made, learning about PRS, using the internet to learn stuff,” she admits. “Since then I’ve been hardcore It’s hard to imagine the outspoken intersectional feminist touring, but learning more and more every month, learning it that is Harriet Doveton not being taken seriously. When she as I go along basically.” talks, you listen. She engages you in every discussion, be it politics (“Politicians purposefully are boring because they But being a woman in a band, trying to release music her don’t want young people to talk about it, Tories don’t want own small label, presented a lot of challenges. In the early young people involved because young people aren’t going days, Harriet describes writing a man’s name at the bottom to vote for them”) or sexual harassment at gigs (“I wanna of emails to people “higher up in the industry” so she would make sure that people know we’re not tolerating anything be taken more seriously. like that, unless you’re prepared to learn something, just please fuck off”). “It’s not an ideal thing and people still knew that I was running things,” she explains, “but it was almost like this She is a force to be reckoned with: even after being told to imaginary man was hired by me. I felt I was almost taking just “stick to the music” and “get out of politics,” she keeps the piss out of these people,” she says with a laugh. “Now I writing politically charged and empowering songs. ‘Purge The Tuts (L-R): Harriet Doveton, Nadia Javed, Beverly Ishmael just put my name and that’s fine.” Your Inner Tory’, an upbeat banger by Colour Me Wednesday, boasts lyrics like “Tory boy...dividing and conquering everything you see/til it’s you and your mates running the country”. Meanwhile The Tut’s single ‘1982’ is a fun but furious letter to the music industry, recounting a story of a "THERE DEFINITELY sleazy manager that wronged them. NEEDS TO BE MORE “Even if celebrities weren’t political a few years ago, now, everything’s so fucked up, how could you not be?” she WOMEN LED LABELS" questions. “How could you not have something to say? I feel like in the future, musicians or celebrities, whether small or big, are going to be, even just a little bit, political. I think people are gonna become more and more outspoken about everything.” When I ask her why she felt she needed to do that - was it because she was a woman in a mostly male-dominated The beating heart of Dovetown Records isn’t just activism industry? - she reasons that while sexism is a huge part and awareness, but group spirit. Harriet calls her sister of it, representing your own band comes across Jen, as well as Nadia Javed and Beverly Ishmael from the as “unprofessional”. Tuts and their illustrator, Akbar Ali, “the strength and the core” of everything Dovetown produces. While she may run “To be honest most labels, if I think about it, are men. Some the admin side of things, it’s people like her parents, who of them are really great, and they have loads of female give them the space to do everything, that things happen. artists on their roster, which is really good. But there It was Nadia and Bev who handled the PR and pledge definitely needs to be more of a rise in it. But also,” she campaign last year when The Tuts released their debut fan- continues, “when you’re in the band, and you’re booking for funded album. Jen shoots the music videos. the band, a lot of people in the industry don’t like that. So that’s partly why I had to pretend I wasn’t in the band. Dovetown fully represents the collective, create lifestyle it They feel it’s unprofessional. So there’s that layer to brands itself as. Harriet says it best at the end of our phone Jen and Harriet Doveton it as well; band members not being taken seriously conversation: Dovetown, more than anything, is about “a about what they want.” group of people, and all the work they put in.” r

IMAGE: TOP - THE TUTS / TWITTER BOTTOM - COLOUR ME WEDNESDAY / FACEBOOK 13 Q&A WITH... ALLISON WEISS

BRI WINK CHATS TO THE ‘RUNAWAY’ HITMAKER ABOUT FINDING A NEW SOUND, COLLABORATING WITH TEGAN QUIN, AND STANDING UP FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY

‘Runaway’ is your first release since 2015’s New Love. You came out to your friends after a Tegan and Sara gig What was the inspiration behind the new track? in NYC. Now, Tegan Quin is a co-writer on ‘Runaway.’ How’d that collaboration happen? A: I was looking for an opportunity to work with my wife Joanna Katcher and guitarist Peter Recine, who recently A: I’ve known Tegan since about 2008 -2009, when she started a production duo called Real Boy. I heard a track responded to a fan letter I sent. Ha! Recently we’d been they produced for my friend Yellowbirddd and was texting about doing some co-writing, so I dug through my obsessed. ‘Runaway’ felt like a good follow-up to New collection of songstarts and ‘Runaway’ felt like a solid fit.

Love, and the perfect track to let Real Boy shine. The The song was almost there, but something was missing, so IMAGE: ALLISON WEISS song itself is inspired by a desire to take a big leap I emailed it to Tegan for her thoughts. She recorded some and step out of your comfort zone. ideas, including the massively catchy chorus, which I loved It’s been one year since the Pulse Nightclub shooting in You recently finished a massive Australian tour. That’s instantly. She’s one of my favorite , so the Orlando. You played a gig there less than 24-hours after got to be draining! What’s your favourite part about Your music and writing has evolved so much over collaboration was really easy! the last decade. Where does this new single fit in the attack. How has that event impacted you over the playing live gigs? your body of work? Will you be continuing with this retro synth style on last year? A: I’m an entertainer at heart. I love to engage the crowd future tracks? A: I’ve always felt compelled to use my minor celebrity to and really feel like we’re all in it together. When the audience A: My goal in songwriting is always to put a feeling to speak out against bigotry, homophobia, transphobia, and music. On the surface, ‘Runaway’ is a simple song about A: Absolutely. I’m not ready to put down my guitar just yet, launches into a group singalong, I’m on top of the world. but I’m ready to move into a new sonic space. I’ve made a the awful acts of violence that are still being committed falling in love and taking risks, but to me it feels bigger Speaking of your fans, we’re very eager for a new lot of records with big chunky and I think it’s time to against the queer community on a daily basis. The fact than that. Everywhere I turn, elected officials are album! Should we be expecting some more new music or let my love of pop music and analog synths take over for a that the Pulse shooting could happen today, after we’ve punishing citizens for being queer, or brown, or poor. another LP to drop soon? while. You can hear it on a couple tracks from New Love like made so many strides towards equality over the past 40 I believe in resistance, and lately I’ve been writing a lot ‘Counting Down’ and ‘Back To Me.’ In making ‘Runaway’, Real years, is devastating. Because of this, I’ve decided I’ll never of resistance anthems disguised as love songs. I can A: Always. Plans are in the works, but it’s too early to give Boy took those ideas to the next level and I can’t wait to just “shut up and sing.” It’s not politics, it’s my life and it’s anything away just yet. Stay tuned! r assure you ‘Runaway’ won’t be the last. do some more exploring. my queer family.

15 IT’S A WOMAN’S WORLD Words: Bri Wink

here’s a staggering gender imbalance in the music industry, and it’s not just affecting our favourite artists onstage. Tons of movements to end sexism in music, led by performers like Halsey, , and Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches, have popped up over the last few years. And while they Tare totally important campaigns, many of them revolve solely around the artists themselves.

Studies reveal that the ladies backstage are also facing their own inequalities: just 30% of senior executives in the UK are female, despite women filling more than half of intern and entry-level roles.

It’s easy to read a festival lineup and see a lack of female performers, especially when year after year, concerts like Reading & consistently make headlines for failing to book women artists in the headlining spots.

What’s not so easy to see, however, are the females working behind the scenes; the ones in the studio, in the sound booth, managing tours, and booking gigs. They’re not as visible to the general public. What about them, the women that keep the industry running while dealing with casual sexism every day?

We spoke to three different UK-based insiders about their journeys and experiences navigating the male-dominated

industry. Is the music industry truly a “man’s world”? ››

IMAGE: ALICE MOORE / UNSPLASH 17 ’ve been in this industry since 1988,” recalls Emma She continues: “As the years have gone by, you hear more Braithwaite notes, women “often have to make sacrifices Scott, a radio plugger who started her own company, and more female voices on the radio and there are lots of that would never be expected of our male peers.” PlugginBaby, just four years ago. She works directly with sound engineers and producers, too. Hopefully the “PEOPLE WERE labels, managers, and even the bands and performers younger generation will think that the music industry “We’re getting a mix of people who are vocally and I professionally supportive of women, but equally I’m SURPRISED TO FIND themselves to get their music played on the radio. She’s is a viable career option.” also the author of two books, If It Was My Band… and experiencing, as well as seeing, quite a bit of hostility OUT I WAS ON THE Break Your Band: A Guide To Getting Radio Play. “You can be and resistance because of it.” treated differently because you’re a woman and yes, I’ve … SOUND CREW” experienced sexist behaviour,” she says. “You learn to “There is actually a remarkable amount of women working rainne Braithwaite, a concert promoter from ignore a lot or toughen up.” in music at a high level. Certainly way more than when I , has faced similar challenges. “I am started, but I think there could be more, for sure.” a woman, so it goes without saying that I run After leaving school at 16, Scott went straight into the into the usual challenges women face from “When I was younger,” recalls Pell, “people were surprised to radio industry where she presented for 25 years. She has G Even though she admits that she’s had to work harder time to time. Sometimes people are surprised I founded find out I was one of the sound crew. They often assumed I work at both of the UK’s biggest radio groups -- Bauer Radio than her male co-workers to get the same opportunities, my company, which I don’t mind,” she remarks. “What I do was in one of the more traditionally female roles on the tour, and Global Radio -- under belt, including time at Kerrang!, Braithwaite’s optimistic it won’t “be that way forever”. find odd is the people who are resistant to believe it. That like wardrobe, caterer, production. I’ve been directed to the Power, Capital FM and Heart. Even after three decades in She cites her experiences visiting universities as an situation bizarrely pops up occasionally. It is strange, but kitchen by well-meaning venue staff a number of times.” the industry, she doesn’t feel as if being a woman has example. “When I go and lecture or give talks at colleges or something I’m sure a lot of women have to deal with. I brush let her down. universities, the younger music business students never it off, who cares what they think?” ask me about my gender anymore. I think that’s a good thing “But,” she explains, “I’ve had many more people come and shake my hand , saying it’s cool than I’ve had be negative “I think [sexism] goes both ways,” she describes. “I’ve also and gives me a lot of hope for the future.” Braithwaite created Synergy Concerts in 2004 after towards me. It actually quite amuses me when people are been able to get work because I’m a woman. I’m a bigger working for a few years as a gig-booker, both locally in surprised, and I’m happy to be breaking down stereotypes. fish in a smaller … and in London. Her day-to-day tasks include I find it exciting that a young girl in the audience might pond as there managing all the moving parts of running a business and ecky Pell, a sound engineer and monitor mixer, had see me behind the desk and see different possibilities for aren’t as putting a show together: budgeting, contacting agents, to work twice as hard as her male colleagues in herself, or a local crew guy might go home and tell his sister many female confirming and arranging shows, and working on marketing the beginning of her career. Now, she can be found ‘hey, guess what I saw today!’” presenters “YOU LEARN and press campaigns. In her spare time, she’s chair of the touring the world, teaching yoga to bands, and about.” Scottish Circle, a charity that raises money for women’s B Pell’s been in the industry for 21 years, and over time she’s TO IGNORE running the soundboards on the Pyramid Stage at the UK’s empowerment and protection, as well as a community witnessed a small but steady change in how it handles Sadly, the favourite festival: Glastonbury. A LOT OR member of the first group dedicated to Women’s Health in sexism. While women are still in the minority, she has been lack of female the Scottish Parliament. “There just weren’t any women in the industry when I started seeing more females on technical crews. “Every woman presenters TOUGHEN UP” out,” she writes, currently touring with the band, Anastacia. who gets involved in the music business breaks down hasn’t really Starting out, Braithwaite was thankful for the successful “It was a leap of faith for people to be the first ones to stereotypes a little more and opens the door a little wider changed, men she worked with. “Something I’ve always been grateful employ a woman in a male-dominated business, and it took for other women to follow her,” she writes. especially for is that when I started out, I was hired by men who had a lot of perseverance on my part to get a foot in the door. in the time created their success on their own. Knowing that they Happily there were a few forward-thinking guys who took a slots with the largest number of listeners: drive time and … wouldn’t have created a role for me unless they know I could chance on me, and it worked out well all round.” breakfast shows. Only 20% of UK radio shows are hosted by deliver was encouraging for me back then, and still is.” oday, artists like HAIM and are using women, according to a 2014 study done by Sound Women, a Pell fell in love with sound engineering after attending an their platforms to push for more females in campaign group dedicated to fighting the genderimbalance “Every woman has some type of negative experience every Aha gig at the Apollo when she was 12. She specialist roles. Allen has teamed up with Beyoncé in radio. single day; these are not one off situations,” she continues. remembers standing behind the front of house engineer and T songwriter, Carla Marie Williams, to hold workshops “It’s finally being brought out into the open for all to see being fascinated by what he was doing. From that moment for aspiring female writers and producers, giving girls an Similarly, salaries for BBC presenters indicate only a third and hear about.” on, she knew she wanted to become a sound engineer. “In a opportunity to pursue their dreams in an encouraging, of the top-earners are women. Claudia Winkleman, co-host nice little full-circle twist, many years later I ended up mixing female-friendly, environment. on Strictly Come Dancing and Radio 2 presenter, earns Age also plays a massive role in the imbalance. While monitors for Aha for five years,” she adds. between £450,000-£500,000, becoming the highest- females between the ages of 25 to 34 make up more than HAIM, meanwhile, want to see more women in the studios. earning woman at the BBC. Meanwhile, Radio 2 DJ Chris half of the music These days, Pell has established herself as a leading “Not just to be in bands but to be producers, engineers, Evans makes between £2.2 and £2.5 million, almost £2 industry, that engineer in the field: “My reputation is based on my technicians, stage managers, tour managers,” the sisters million more than the highest-paid female. number lowers to engineering and interpersonal skills just as it would be for a told BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat. “It would be awesome to 33% for women “WOMEN man,” she assures. But it’s still a somewhat rare position for see that more.” Regardless of pay differences, Scott is just happy that aged 45-64. a female to be in. Women’s Audio Mission, a nonprofit that women are in the industry at all. “When I started getting into HAVE TO MAKE Many attribute supports women in audio, puts professional female audio While the figures haven’t changed much over the last few radio presenting there were hardly any female presenters to the decline to engineers at just 5% - a shocking figure that hasn’t really decades, the fact that more and more attention is being listen to and be inspired by, but now it’s more common.” She SACRIFICES situations like changed. They also point to the “alarming” decline (70%) in brought to the gender disparity could only be a good thing. also mentions female Heads of Music, like Stephanie May at maternity leave THAT MEN the number of girls enrolling in STEM (science, technology, Right now, the music industry may still be a “man’s world” Virgin Radio, as a big step in the right direction. “These roles or women leaving engineering, & math) majors at universities as another but as Scott, Braithwaite, and Pell exclaim, steps towards were usually very male biased There are more women in the their jobs to NEVER DO” issue. It indicates that young women don’t see themselves more diversity are pointing in the right direction. Change is industry now and there’s more acceptance that we’re not raise a family. As in the typical male-dominated roles. coming, it’s just going to take a little time. r just ‘eye candy’ to have on a team.”

19 OPINION he last thing I’d ever expect to exclaims. “Our future doctors, lawyers, as tastemakers or the future do is look to Harry Styles for mothers, presidents, they kind of keep of the industry. Instead, they’re Tguidance on teen girl culture. the world going. Teenage-girl fans - they just living, breathing money bags But here we are, halfway through this don’t lie. If they like you, they’re there. who’ll use their parents cash nightmare year, and the former One They don’t act ‘too cool’. They like you, to buy whatever the industry Direction member-now-turned-feminist and they tell you. Which is sick.” decides to sell next. has become the women’s rights Teenage girls in particular are always But that’s not completely true. It advocate that 2017 needs. LET’S TAKE TEEN criticised for their taste in music. was teenagers that brought the “Who’s to say that young girls who They usually like music that’s played 1975 to the forefront. Girls found like pop music - short for popular on Top 40 radio, which automatically Justin Bieber on YouTube before right? - have worse musical taste disqualifies them from being serious he was even on the industry’s GIRLS SERIOUSLY than a 30-year-old hipster guy? That’s music lovers. But the truth of the radar. Shawn Mendes was not up to you to say,” Styles candidly matter is that their views are important. stealing hearts with his covers tells Cameron Crowe in his May 2017 Without them, what would the music on Vine before he joined Taylor interview in . “Young girls industry even be like? Swift’s squad. And Aleissa Cara like the Beatles. You gonna tell me was brought to the attention of In May, when 22 people lost their they’re not serious? How can you say a after the daughter lives at an Ariana Grande concert in young girls don’t get it?” of music executive Tony Perez, Manchester, it was Grande’s young fans the founder of EP Entertainment, It’s pretty rare to see a male entertainer that brought nothing but love and hope showed him a cover Cara did on readily accept, defend, and respect his to the days after the attack. Nine of YouTube. Try and tell me that girls female fan base. It’s even rarer when the victims were females under the don’t truly have the power. you think about other ex-boybanders, age of 18, and the pop community like Justin Timberlake, Robbie Williams, mourned their loss. But it was teen People like to think that because and past-Directioner Zayn Malik. These girls, who stood tall in the face of girls wear makeup and crush on dudes were more than ready to shed adversity, that inspired the world to boybanders that their opinion their good guy image and earn respect keep an open heart. is somehow less worthy. Teens from the male music critics once they are portrayed as vapid and self- It was because of her fans that Grande went solo. They distanced themselves centered, just fangirls obsessed decided to throw together the One Love as far as possible from the screaming with the thing right now. But they Manchester concert. And it was them, fangirls that made them famous. are also the ones who buy the and their parents and their friends, that merchandise, who pay for meet But Styles doesn’t play that way. When packed it out. The all-star guest list and greets, and who spend a lot Crowe questions him about gaining at that concert was because of them, money to see their faves on tour. attention in the male-dominated rock too. Katy Perry. Miley Cyrus. Little Mix. They keep the industry afloat, and crowd, Styles is quick to shut him Justin Bieber. Niall Horan: these are it’s time that we give them the down. Teenage girls are “our future,” he all performers with a fan base that is credit they deserve. mostly young females. Too often, the voices of young Take one look at the music industry women aren’t taken seriously. and you can see that young girls rule Whether it’s about music, “WITHOUT the pop world. Like Styles says: they’ll politics, bullying: it doesn’t really tell you what they like and what they TEEN GIRLS, matter. Teenage girls have grown don’t. But the industry is run by men up believing that their opinions in suits who believe that they’re in WHAT WOULD don’t matter and that their control. They churn out songs about thoughts are unimportant. THE MUSIC heartbreak filled with sexual innuendos But I think it’s time we stop because that’s what they think overlooking them. Have you met INDUSTRY will sell. These are the people who teen girls? They’re the strongest, believe that teens are just tasteless EVEN BE LIKE?” most open-minded, and resilient consumers. They don’t see them bunch of people I know. 

Words: Bri Wink

IMAGE: AKTIV I .NO VIA FLICKR // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 21 5 GREAT FEMALE FESTIVALS THAT NEED TO COME BACK

Break out your flower crowns, don all the fringe in your closet, and pull on those wellies because festival season is here again. But as you get Glasto-ready, ask yourself this question: where are all the female headliners?

Take one look at the lineups across the UK this year and it’s not hard to see that music festivals have a problem with signing women. While Lorde and Katy Perry may be in the big font on the 1. Glastonbury bill, they’re not headlining. This is despite the fact that Lorde blew Coachella away last month and Katy Perry’s 2015 Super Bowl halftime show raked in a record-breaking number of viewers. Coincidentally, more than half of the nine major acts at Reading & Leeds this year are 1997 - 1999, 2010 white dudes. What a shock. Founded by Sarah McLachlan Lilith Fair, one of the most influential women’s festivals in history, just turned 20 this year. So as after she became frustrated with yet another festival season rolls by without adequate female representation, let’s take a look concert promoters, this all-female back at some of the best fem-fests in history in the hope that they can help us towards a better, traveling festival was one of the

more lady friendly, future. ›› first to showcase girl-only talent. Featuring alt-rock heavyweights like Sheryl Crow, Paula Cole, Jewel, and Tracey Chapman, McLachlan and Words: Bri Wink her fellow #girlpower crew spent the backend of the 90’s (plus one ill-fated revival in 2010) touring the USA and inspiring women of all ages to rock on. Oh, and they also raised over £7.8 million for charity.

Joan Osborne lets loose at Lilith Fair in 1997 IMAGE: RICH RIGGINS / FACEBOOK

23 3. PANDORAFEST 2016

The first of it’s kind for Scotland, Pandorafest had one glorious year showcasing female artists across a range of different genres. From pop-y Erin Bennet to rockers Courtesans, this all-women festival debuted in 2016 to enthusiastic praise. It was privately funded by the organisers and, sadly, it appears that the funding for 2017 fell through. But keep your eyes open because there’s a big chance Scottish singer-songwriter PandoraFest could return in Caroline Gilmour in 2016 the future!

4. C.L.I.T.FEST 2. 2004-2013

Yes, it doubles as a pun for the MICHFEST female anatomy, but C.L.I.T.Fest 1976-2015 actually stands for Combating Latent Inequality Together Fest. Running in various cities Called the ultimate ‘Womyn’s across the US, this fem-friendly Woodstock’, the Michigan weekender not only featured music Womyn’s Music Festival spent performances by the likes of Fell 40 impressive years honouring Types and Trophy Wife, but also lesbian culture and history. Built, discussions, workshops and film staffed, and ran entirely by women, screenings. Created to celebrate MichFest was an a-female affair. diversity in the punk, alternative, With past performers like Tracey and DIY scenes, C.L.I.T.Fest Chapman (again), Laura Nyro, promoted a safe space for , and even Sia “women, trans, genderqueer, taking the stage, the Michigan and people of color and all shapes Womyn’s Music Festival remains and sizes,” while raising money Womyn gathering at Michfest’s one of the most influential feminist for charity. opening night concert in 2013 and lesbian festivals in history. The Breeders jam out at New Brunswick C.L.I.T.FEST in 2012 IMAGE: MICHFEST / FACEBOOK TOP: FIONA HORNE / TWITTER BOTTOM: C.L.I.T.FEST NEW BRUNSWICK FACEBOOK

25 5.

BURGER-A-GO-GO 2015-2016

Coordinated by OC’s Burger Records, Burger A-Go-Go spent two excellent years honouring women in punk with a lineup consisting of entirely female- fronted acts. The ultimate “grrrl” fest saw punk faves Kathleen Hanna, Kim Gordon, and Kimya Dawson take the stage alongside big names like Kate Nash and Cat Power, proving that women in the music industry are powerful and aren’t afraid of a little riot. The Aquadolls tearing it up in 2015 IMAGE: COOL-TITLE / FACEBOOK

27 STOP, NAME OF IN THE GIRL POWER!

21 YEARS AFTER ‘’, THE SPICE GIRLS ARE STILL CONSIDERED FEMINIST ICONS, BUT ARE GIRL GROUPS REALLY MADE OF ‘GIRL POWER’? ››

Words & images: Bri Wink

29 t’s almost impossible to talk about empowering female musicians without mentioning The Spice Girls. The British girl-group took the world by storm in 1996 with their I cheeky sense of humor, posh accents, and of course, their hit song ‘Wannabe’, which turns 21 this year.

Growing up in a small town, The Spice Girls were a big deal “WE WERE THE STARS, to me. I owned each album on cassette, collected books, AND THEY HAD TO BE magazines, and newspaper articles, and watched Spice World on VHS so much I almost broke it. By four years old, I believed BACKGROUND MUSIC that girls were awesome because they told me they were. FOR US” Obviously, many girl groups came before and after those fab five. were boogie-woogieing back in the - MAXENE ANDREWS 1940s, and groups like The Supremes were slaying the charts in the 1960s. Now, groups like Fifth Harmony and Little Mix have their turn in the spotlight.

Over the years, The Spice Girl’s rallying calls of female positivity have become a cultural stepping stone for . It was those five beautiful ladies in thigh-high platform heels that taught me to respect and believe in women. In hindsight, they are a huge reason why I’m a feminist.

But peeking back at girl groups across the decades, from The Supremes to The Spice Girls, it’s hard not to question the feminist angle we look back on them with. Can a group be empowering while singing lyrics about heartbreak and the importance of a man’s love? Did these women really see themselves, and their music, as feminist? Or was it just a trick to appeal to new listeners? ...

ow, it wasn’t unusual for women’s voices to be heard on the radio during the first half of the twentieth century. Jazz heavyweights like Ella N Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, and Billie Holiday garnered national attention, while cinematic darlings like Judy Garland and post-war pop stars like Jo Stafford received mainstream success. Girl groups, however, were relatively rare.

One of the first reported girl groups was The Three X Sisters, an American trio that regularly toured the globe and received radio play as early as the 1920s. They were known for their close, three-part harmonies, a style of singing that was later adopted by groups like and The Chordettes.

Then, of course, came The Andrews Sisters. Arguably the most influential of the early-style girl groups, the three sisters have inspired entertainers from Christina Aguilera to Bette Midler. They were beloved by the American public; it was their hits like ‘Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy’ and ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ that boosted soldier’s morale during the second world war. By the 1940s, they had become the most profitable singers in the US, with as many as 113 of their singles entering the charts. ››

31 The Andrews Sisters didn’t want their voices to get lost in the band behind them, so they developed a loud and distinct vocal blend that emulated blaring trumpets and other instruments. Bandleaders, including Artie Shaw and Stan Kenton, didn’t like the fact that the trio took attention away from them, forcing their bands to play back-up and “GIRL GROUPS FINALLY share the stage with women. According to the Andrews Sisters biography, Maxene Andrews once said that Shaw’s GAVE A VOICE TO band would purposefully play certain passages out of tune, THOSE WHO WERE LEFT and sometimes even miss them completely, because they hated that “we were the stars, and they had to be background UNHEARD: YOUNG, music for us.” When Kenton first met the trio, he told them he “couldn’t stand their singing”. Maxene’s response? “It’s nice BLACK WOMEN” to know you, but I can’t stand your music.” …

y the time the mid-1950’s rolled around, there wasn’t anything left in mainstream culture like the harmonious, all-female trios that were popular a B few decades before. The doo-wap craze took over instead; a style of R&B that still featured close harmonies, but instead were performed by male ensembles.

“This is now the baby boom generation, so there’s a huge demographic bump,” explains Jacqueline Warwick, author of Girl Groups Girl Culture: Popular Music and Identity in the 1960s. “During the sixties, they’re all teenagers. Suddenly we get a lot of focus on teen culture and teen experience in mainstream mass media.”

The distinct style developed out of the doo-wop sound, offering a female counterpoint to the all-male groups. The movement was spearheaded by groups of young African- American women, most of whom were teenagers themselves. Their harmonies were soft and innocent, with one singer usually taking the lead. The style blended the simple melody and dulcet tones of doo-wop with the strong beat and attitude of emerging soul music.

The Shirelles’ ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ was the first girl-group song to hit #1, flying to the top of the pop chart in 1961. It paved the way for other groups, including The Ronettes, The Supremes, and Martha and the Vandellas, who finally gave a voice to an audience that had never been given the chance to speak before: young, mostly black, women.

“Throughout history there haven’t been that many moments where teenage and young pre-adult female voices and concerns were at the forefront,” says Warwick. “The importance of what it was like for listeners to just hear teenage girls voices singing together and having dialogue together and being the spokespersons of their own stories was huge.”

It wasn’t always easy being in an all-female ensemble. “They faced incredible obstacles to go out on tour, to perform in public, and to pursue a career, which was often much more difficult for those girls than it was for anybody born in the 90s or later,” she adds. ››

33 Girl groups had to constantly maneuver around issues like a girl falling in love with a boy that her friends hate. In ‘Back In civil rights and feminism. Betty Friedan’s groundbreaking My Arms Again’, friends call up Diana Ross and offer her some feminist text, The Feminine Mystique, was published in advice on the guy she’s dating, essentially telling her he’s TO HEAR ALL THE 1963, right at the height of the era. Just a few years prior in sleazy and not worth the trouble. She ignores them, and that SONGS (AND MORE!) 1960, coincidentally only a year before ‘Will You Still Love Me dude ends up back in her arms. Even more worrying is ‘Run, MENTIONED IN THE Tomorrow’ swept the nation, the birth control pill was made Run, Run’, where the friends literally describe her boyfriend as ARTICLE, HEAD OVER a legal form of contraceptive. By the mid-sixties, the sexual “the devil in disguise”. Yet she heads their warnings and run TO OUR SPOTIFY! revolution was in full-swing and the civil rights movement was to, instead of away, from him and vows to never let him go. gaining momentum. But for every ‘Run, Run, Run’ and ‘Baby Love’, with lyrics For some, these movements skyrocketed them to fame. pleading and begging their boyfriend to stay or blaming Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ 1964 song ‘Dancing In themselves for the downfalls of their relationships, there’s The Street’ became an unexpected protest anthem. While a track like ‘Stop! In The Name Of Love’. This time, Ross and the lyrics and upbeat tempo were meant as a cheerful dance co. tell that cheating bastard to get out. Over and over again, tune, many saw the youthful mood and rebellious nature as they assert just how good they’ve treated him, fully realizing a cry for change. Their second hit, ‘Heat Wave’, was a saucy, their self-worth. Similarly, in ‘You Keep Me Hangin On’, the sex-positive metaphor about desiring a lover. ladies beg their ex to get out of their lives. “Why don’t you be a man about it,” they exclaim, “and set me free.” In both, Out of all the girl groups, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas the girls know that they deserve so much more than shoddy could be considered the most empowering. Not only did they relationships, which is an exciting departure from the usual consistently sing about sexuality, other singles like ‘Come lovesick lyrics that plagued the radio. And Get These Memories’ and ‘You’ve Been In Love Too Long’ saw pro-female narratives take shape. In the former, the It’s easy to look back on the popular songs that emerged group tell their lover to come and collect their things, like a during the girl group era and question the integrity. The ladies breakup box come to life, because they’ve found someone rarely performed music they had written themselves, they new. In the latter, Martha and the ladies detail the struggles didn’t play their own instruments, and many of the tracks of an abusive relationship. Both are empowering and focused on solely on men. Did they have no self-respect? groundbreaking songs that indicate a coming change. Did the songwriters hate females? How could these girls stand up on the stage and sing about taking back cheating boyfriends? Worse, the narratives painted by the lyrics shifted the spotlight from the women on the stage to the “DON’T BE FOOLED imaginary guy they were singing about, moving the focus off BY THE SHYNESS I females and onto males once again. “A lot of songs are about boys and fairly conventional N HIS EYES, feminine topics,” agrees Warwick. “Sometimes the lyrics can be trite or even kind of retrograde, but the fact that these DON’T YOU KNOW groups had girls talking together and working together was HE’S JUST A DEVIL very significant.” More than words, a group’s actions can also say a lot. For IN DISGUISE, instance, no track in The Andrews Sisters discography is SO YOU BETTER RUN” particularly feminist or empowering, but Maxene’s brazen responses to the jealous bandleaders paint a whole new - RUN, RUN, RUN picture. Now, you can see the saucy, empowered female underneath and become privy to a new side of the performers that might not be shown on stage.

The Supremes work the same way. Sure, their songs are a bit artificial, but their attitude’s aren’t. After they were told they Another group to reach mainstream acclaim are The were ‘too young’ to be a band by Barry Gordy, they didn’t give Supremes, arguably the most successful girl group of the up. Instead, they kept visiting his recording studio at era. Their hits, including ‘Baby Love and ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ Records every day after school in an effort to convince him are defining tracks of the genre, yet neither are feminist to sign them. Eventually, they wore him down into letting anthems. In fact, most of The Supremes’ collection revolves them background on a few other Motown tracks, but they still around heartbreak (‘Come See About Me’, ‘Ask Any Girl’, didn’t see the spotlight themselves until a few years later. ‘Where Did Our Love Go’), how great being in love is (‘Honey That determination and never give up spirit, one which The Boy’, ‘I Hear A Symphony’) or essentially just needing a man (‘I Spice Girls also possessed at the start of their careers, can Want A Guy’). There’s also a surprising amount of songs about be just as empowering as lyrics in a song. ››

35 hen The Spice Girls burst onto the scene in 1996, there was nothing else like them. They were a new era of pop, combining the energy W of the sixties girl groups with a do-it-yourself, “IT WAS OBVIOUS TO almost punk, attitude and easy poppy vocals. America had already pumped out En Vouge, an R&B group US THAT THE ONLY that dominated the charts in the early nineties, while another group, TLC, were just starting to make waves. Boy bands like WAY FORWARD WAS the Backstreet Boys and Boyz II Men were stealing hearts TO CELEBRATE OUR around the world. INDIVIDUALITY” Then came The Spice Girls, igniting another British Invasion in the states. Their onstage personas represented five - GERI HALLIWELL (GINGER SPICE) very different types of women, each one appealing to a completely new set of girls. But further than that, each ‘spice’ represented their own personalities; just heightened.

“It was also obvious that the only way forward was to celebrate our individuality and let everyone be herself,” wrote Geri Halliwell (now Horner) in a letter for Marie Claire. “So we did.”

Sporty (Melanie C) who was strong and athletic. She liked football, always wore pants or a chic tracksuit, and didn’t conform to the typical feminine stereotype. She could probably kick you in the face if she wanted, and that was very cool if you were a tomboy like me. Then there was Baby (Emma Bunton) the sentimental one. She rocked babydoll dresses and sucked on lollipops. Her collection of stuffed animals rivaled my own and she always talked about loving her mom, which was proof that being soft and sweet was ok, too. Posh (Victoria Beckham) was the token fashionista. She was tall, dark, and beautiful. Scary (Melanie B) was loud, and proud of it. She didn’t let anyone put her down, and Ginger (Geri Halliwell) was the saucy, sexy one. She threw up the peace sign, pinched Prince Charles’ bum, and told me “girl power” was real. And while Halliwell didn’t coin the term ‘girl power’ herself, it was still an inspiring wake-up call to millions of girls around the world.

It’s true that the group was put together by a record company in a situation not unlike Little Mix, Fifth Harmony, or being manufactured as a group on The X Factor, but it’s not the whole story. They may have met each other because of an ad in the paper, but after a few short months of being bossed around by the label and pressured to sign a contract, they decided to split and do it on their own.

‘Wannabe’, their first single, was also co-written by the group. This was a big deal at the time. The groups in the sixties didn’t write their own music, nor did the boy bands.

It came together randomly in the studio in a few short hours, and they instantly fell in love with it. But everyone hated it: the critics, the producers, even some members of the public. But those five girls refused to let the producers get their way. Wannabe was going to be their first single, simply because they, as a group, liked it. That was that. ››

37 Even the for ‘Wannabe’ was their idea. Halliwell says they didn’t want anything “too choreographed” or “too controlled”; instead, they wanted to “capture the madness” and their real personalities. Even after executives asked them to make a different video for the American audience, they refused. “This was our video,” she explains, “and this was what we wanted.”

“From the minute I met the other girls, I knew I had found my “MESSAGES OF tribe,” pens Halliwell. “My passion for music and success was ignited and amplified; it was unified and strengthened EMPOWERMENT COME with four other girls into world domination. We all had IN MANY DIFFERENT different strong points and personalities, yet we were so similar. This must be what girl power feels like.” FORMS”

By rebranding feminism -- a term that’s often considered a dirty word and the kiss of death to a pop star-- to “girl power”, The Spice Girls gave a new life to a once-scary movement. They made it popular, and yes, commercialized, but it brought a once-novel idea to the masses. You could argue that it’s because of these five sassy, saucy girls that Beyonce could unravel the now-iconic FEMINIST banner at the MTV VMAs.

More than their music and lyrics, The Spice Girls were girl power. They walked out on their management agency (stealing their demo on the way!) to conquer the world on their own. They knew they deserved better, and their ideas of female empowerment helped opened doors for their listeners that before were closed. …

oday, Fifth Harmony and Little Mix are following the route set out by The Andrews Sisters, The Supremes, and The Spice Girls before them. They’re the only two girl groups on the market, and both receive massive radio play and T dominate the charts. Fifth Harmony’s hit ‘That’s My Girl’ is a female-anthem akin to Beyonce’s ‘Run The World’. Little Mix’s sexy ‘Power’ demonstrates that ladies can take control, too. Off the stage, they preach that their often controversial outfit choices aren’t an invitation for sexual harassment. Meanwhile, Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui pens op-eds criticising Donald Trump, writes open letters about being a bisexual Latina, and urges her legion of young fans to read feminist texts, keep up with the news, and use their voice for good.

Messages of empowerment come in my different forms: it could be lyrics in a song, a music video, or a post on social media. For some teenagers, just hearing female voices on the radio is enough. While lyrics may not preach about gender equality, or even be feminist at all, each group’s off- stage determination to get what they want has made these women so empowering today. It was the attitude and the behavior more than the songs themselves, and that, more than anything else, is what’s left their impact. r

39 SONG BY SONG: HAIM - SOMETHING TO TELL YOU

THE LA TRIO ARE BACK WITH A SOPHOMORE ALBUM THAT’S JUST AS NOSTALGIC AS THEIR DEBUT. FOLLOW ALONG AS WE GO SONG-BY-SONG THROUGH THE NEW RELEASE ››

Words: Bri Wink

(L-R): Danielle, Este, and Alana Haim

IMAGE: HAIM / FACEBOOK 41 hen you talk about HAIM, there’s three things that are bound to come up: their penchant for -inspired songs, their musical upbringing, and their 90’s mom-jeans and band tees W inspired wardrobe. The Haim Sisters -- Danielle (lead vocals, guitar), Este (bass, vocals) and Alana (keyboards, guitar, percussion, vocals) -- ooze retro sentimentality in everything they do. Even their Instagram accounts look like stills out of a Cameron Crowe film, be it the grungy Singles or the glam of rock-n-roll in Almost Famous.

Born and raised in San Fernando Valley, the Haim sisters rocketed onto the scene after their debut release, , in 2013. Fans and critics alike have not-so-patiently waited for over four years for this follow-up, needing more nostalgia sprinkled music to transport them back to the good-ol-days.

That’s the thing about HAIM: they make you recall events that never happened. Listening to their songs bring back memories that don’t actually exist of a sun-soaked California. Depending on which song it is, the decade changes, but regardless; their music feels as if you’ve been there, transported into polaroids of the past, all with just a single breath or guitar flick. “ THEY ARE A They are a giant nostalgia cocktail, shaken, not stirred. A shot of 70’s rock. A dash of 80’s synths. A pinch of 90’s R&B GIANT NOSTALGIA for flavour. Some early 2000’s pop music thrown in for good measure. Finished with harmonies reminiscent of 1960’s COCKTAIL, SHAKEN girl groups and topped with a garnish of sleek 21st century production. NOT STIRRED.”

Something To Tell You is that cocktail in album form. It’s every bit as genre-bending, wistful, and glossy as their first. Yet this one is somehow every bit more. Some boot-stompin country shows up. Danielle’s voice hits notes she never has before. At one point, the harmonies sound like a dead ringer for

Destiny’s Child. It’s a music mix-and-match, but if anyone can IMAGE: HAIM / TWITTER make it work, it’s these three sisters. that can effortlessly squeeze itself into any time, place, or listener completely suspended, waiting for what’s next, until 04. READY FOR YOU Read on as we go through their sophomore release, song by decade. It’s got production frills to make it more modern, but some vocal modulations kick in. It’s the perfect soundtrack Hello, 90’s R&B! ‘Ready For You’ doesn’t even sound like a song, dissecting the lyrics, sound, and musical influences. at the heart is the classic, Fleetwood Mac meets Wilson- to a late-90’s rom-com, all that’s missing is Sandra Bullock. Phillips style music that made HAIM a household name. HAIM song. In fact, it could easily work as a groovier Fifth Harmony or Little Mix single. A trendy raindrop-like effect and 01. WANT YOU BACK 03. key-changing layered harmonies on the phrase “For you” in the 02. NOTHING’S WRONG breakdown give it a modern edge. It’s got this cool funky vibe, Unlike some of the other tracks, where the fussing in the This track was the lead single from the album, and it’s already and at one point, Danielle hits some breathy high-notes that Out of all the tracks on Something To Tell You, ‘Nothing’s studio really adds something, it doesn’t work here. ‘Little become the anthem of the summer. If you were to compare sound straight out of Mariah Carey’s ‘Always Be My Baby’. Days Are Gone to this album side-by-side, then this would be Wrong’ borrows the most from other genres. It also sounds Of Your Love’ is like leaving the house with one too many the ‘Forever’ equivalent: punchy, smooth, and unbelievably the most similar to something out there, as if Fleetwood accessories on. They need to pick: are they going for the vibe catchy. This is a song that’s meant to played in any situation, Mac’s Tango in Night (a huge inspiration on Something To Tell of Tom Petty’s Wildflowers, like Danielle’s vocals suggest, 05. SOMETHING TO TELL YOU throughout the history of time, ever. You can picture it just You) was sung by Sheryl Crow. It starts out a little twangy until or 1950’s doo-wop, which you can hear in the piano? Throw Those of you looking for the Fleetwood Mac rip-off, here it is. as easily blasting on the radio as you can imagine someone the beat kicks on the chorus, where the beaming percussion in some more auto-tuned bits and it becomes too much. It’s You could probably add ‘Something To Tell You’ to Tango In The requesting it at the pub. At the beach, at the mall, walking and stacto-backup vocals really elevate it. Then comes the chirpy and catchy, of course, but not as relaxed or as fun as down the street (it helps that they strut down Ventura refrain, where producer ’s work really gets some of the other tunes in HAIM’s discography. Night and never realize it’s not a Mac song. ›› Boulevard in the music video): ‘Want You Back’ is a tune to shine. There’s a pulsing, breathy moment that leaves the

43 The pre-chorus, which has the kick on Jepsen’s ‘Call Me Maybe’, and even like a choir singing hymns in a cathedral. the two and four count, Clean Bandit’s ‘Rather Be’. Strings were Oh, and Danielle sounds exactly like Cher. makes your feet stomp and your head inescapable, and suddenly, playing the The sisters told NPR that this track had nod. More extra bits can be found, such in your high school orchestra was actually been written a while ago, but as spoken voice overs, but they work cool again. ‘Found It In Silence’ is another they never finished it. When they were here. It’s cinematic; Danielle’s diction on one to add to the list. It’s a little rushed, looking for an album closer, it came up “HAIM MAKE THEIR the verses, plus her signature grunts, are especially the chorus, but the song is and they used it even though they never out in full force. Este’s bass shimmers, just so big for HAIM that it’s hard not to found an ending. ‘Night So Long’ brings FANS BELIEVE IN and the percussion is out-of-this world. love it. It’s over-the-top, it’s grand, and the listener back to a very real, heartfelt Close your eyes and tell me you can’t it’s a huge undertaking. They should be place: church on Sundays. Church is a SONIC TIME TRAVEL” see Christine McVie banging on the applauded for taking the risk. How telling place where many hear music for the keyboard and smashing the that the song called ‘Found It In Silence’ first time, and even more widely, it’s the tambourine during this track. is one of the loudest on the record. place where music basically began. To end an album that borrows so heavily from HAIM’s influence with such a plain 06. YOU NEVER KNEW 09. WALKING AWAY yet harmonious song is risky, but it Inspired by having relationships on the Excuse me, but when did the Haim works. road, this track is all about those George sisters turn into Destiny’s Child? This omething To Tell You is Harrison lute-like guitar scales. “Go track is atmospheric and very trippy, definitely a solid release; on and say it / Was my love too much partially due to those really fast high- one that grows on you the for you to take?” Danielle questions in notes that make an appearance on ‘Song more you listen. Once you the chorus. “I guess you never knew Number 5’. This is the most modern of all stop looking for the next what was good for you.” Those are the new stuff, with the breathy, ethereal S‘The Wire’, you’ll start to appreciate the pretty empowering lyrics for a track production blending right in on Top 40 little things, such as the glass bottle that’s pretty low-key tempo wise. radio. At one point (around the 2:30 on ‘Walking Away’, the ‘1, 2, 3, 4’ in the But instead of anger, it’s asked with mark) Danielle’s voice is a dead-ringer background of ‘Nothing’s Wrong’, and a quiet softness that’s much more for Pink, a big departure from her usual the George Michael inspired handclaps resigned than authoritative. Out of all delivery. It’s nice to see this groovier, on ‘Ready For You’. There’s small bits of the lyrics on the record, these are the sexier side to them. studio magic everywhere, some good most aggressive and in your face, but and some bad, but regardless, the band’s they’re not delivered that way, which signature nostalgia is back in full force. is disappointing. For an album called 10. RIGHT NOW Something To Tell You, the trio don’t The live take they released earlier this Something To Tell You sounds like road actually say anything new at all. year is mind-blowing, but this album trips, distressed denim, and rewound version is much more produced. Este’s cassettes. It’s feel good music at it’s finest, even when the lyrics are about 07. KEPT ME CRYING brilliant background vocals are hidden underneath some reverb that doesn’t heartbreak. But above all, this album is With some more , a quite fit. There’s also some more airy the perfect backing track to twenty- Southern drawl, a cowboy hat, and a voice-overs present like the remixes something life in any decade. It has the quicker pace, this could easily be an Bastille (a previous HAIM collaborator) glitz and glam of 1970’s and 1980’s impressive Shania Twain song. The did on their Other People’s Heartache rock, the twangy tone of Americana, and chorus here definitely borrows from the . On the plus side, when Alana’s the attitude of 90’s R&B. The tracks refrain on ‘The Wire’, with the echoing guitar kicks in a minute into the song, effortlessly glide in and out of every harmonies by Este and Alana. This it’s much more epic than in the video. It’s genre, showcasing not only each sister’s track is a bit fuzzier, which stands out harsh, and discordant, and completely talent, but also their sheer love and considering all the previous songs are takes you by surprise. Yet by the end, knowledge of music. They borrow across so crisp, you can hear every breath. But that anger is all but lost to the extra five decades and merge it into one it’s welcome because that distortion layers added in production. As a result, perfectly polished album, making their elevates ‘Kept Me Crying’ from country the track spends a lot of time building up fans believe in sonic time travel. r line dance to early rock-n-roll. to a moment that doesn’t come; it’s a lot of work with little payoff.

08. FOUND IT IN SILENCE 11. NIGHT SO LONG ‘SOMETHING TO Remember that time when every song TELL YOU’ IS OUT NOW ON on the radio had a string section? There This is just a beautiful song, plain and was Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’, Carly Rae simple. It’s so raw, so uncomplicated,

IMAGE: HAIM / TWITTER 45 REVIEW KESHA HAS SOMETHING TO PRAY ABOUT

While Kesha has won over social media, Listening to the track, it feels as if you the court is a different story. Earlier go through the grieving process with this year, her motion to file an amended her. The beginning starts out slow and complaint against him was rejected. steady, almost detached. That disbelief builds into anger and pain by the They also ruled in 2016 that she second verse, and when the second couldn’t break her contract, even chorus kicks in, the background choir is though Dr. Luke had verbally abused, out in full-force. It’s loud, it’s beautiful, drugged, and raped her during the it feels angry. It’s not about melancholy course of their work together. or fear now, but about acceptance. It But Kesha is still fighting. ‘Praying’ happened, she’s angry, and she just KESHA: may still be released under Kemosabe wants to move on. Records, but man, does this song point ‘PRAYING’ And then comes the high-note, the the finger at Dr. Luke, making him look literal culmination of both the song (and feel) like the abusive jerk he is. and her fight. It’s less of a high-note and more of a scream, sending chills What strikes me the most about down my body when I first heard it. That “Well, you almost had me fooled, told ‘Praying’ are the conflicting ideas she’s single sound is a release of so much me that I was nothing without you.” working through. During the chorus, she sings: “I hope you’re somewhere praying raw emotion: Grief. Fury. Fear. Misery. Those are the opening lines to Kesha’s / I hope your soul is changing”. These Freedom. It’s as if she’s freeing herself newest single, ‘Praying’, her first song lyrics, as well as the refrain (“Some from the decade of legal battles, in almost four years. In an emotional say in life you gonna get what you abuse, and self-doubt she endured. She letter published on Lenny, Kesha give / But some things, only God can believed that she might never make describes the track as “coming to forgive”) are both an acceptance and music again! And now, in one perfectly- feel empathy for someone else even an admonishment. pitched shriek, she’s letting that tangle if they hurt or scare you”. It’s about of emotions unravel, putting it out “healing”, “finding peace”, and She’s saying “hey, I hope you’re there and letting it go. Now, she can “learning to let go”. But above all, somewhere praying and learning to be move on. Now, she can find peace. ‘Praying’ touches on the long, long a better human” while simultaneously Now, she can hope that Dr. Luke road to forgiveness. telling him that he better be praying finds peace, too. because he really screwed up and only It’s no surprise that the first release God can forgive him now. She thanks If you were hoping for another from her upcoming album, Rainbow, him for making her stronger, but then drunk anthem, blazing with raunchy directly references her still ongoing tears him down again for putting her metaphors and lyrics about brushing battle with her ex-producer and through hell in the first place. your teeth with Jack Daniels, look again. (alleged) abuser, Dr. Luke. Her highly ‘Praying’ isn’t that. This is a brand new publicised legal fight has swept It’s a contradictory and confusing Kesha. Actually, this is the Kesha she’s headlines over the last few years. response, but it’s perfect. You don’t always been. She’s just finally free from Everyone from Taylor Swift to Lady come out of an abusive situation the chains that bound her to the party Gaga has shown support for the feeling one or the other: you can be girl the world mistook her for. r singer, who has been trying to break happy that you found a new strength or Rainbow is out August 11. her contract with Dr. Luke’s record resolve within yourself, but you can still label, Kemosabe Records, since 2014. resent the person who did it to you. Words: Bri Wink

IMAGE: KESHA / FACEBOOK 47 SILVER BEAUTIFUL QUEER FOR THUNDER GO TO VELVET PEOPLE, THE SUMMER THIGHS HELL

THE COURTNEYS BEAUTIFUL COLOUR ME MISS EAVES EMPRESS OF Crank the PROBLEMS WEDNESDAY THE Rock your thick We’ve been trio’s LANA DEL REY FEAT. You didn’t know thighs with pride waiting over a new song on your STEVIE NICKS you needed this this summer year for some next sunny day, pro-LGBT punk because Miss new Empress and let the fuzzy The pop cover in your life Eaves’ ode to Of tunes, and guitars and retro enchantress until now. Grab chub rub is the this sharp sound take you teams up with the it for free on body-positive and scathing back a Fleetwood Mac Bandcamp and jam anthem that puts single doesn’t SHRILL few decades. legend for the out all season. disappoint. most important even ‘Anaconda’ to shame. GIRLS collaboration in GIRLS history. Probably. IN BABY EDGE OF ICONA POP UNDERTOW WHO TOWN REAL ALVVAYS MIDDLE KIDS The Swedish LOVE THE ACES duo are back Our fave Canadian Sir Elton John’s LIST with another JAGARA indie band have Go on, send that a fan of this one last text to empowering yet Killer beats and smashed it yet Australian trio, your ex. Then blast playful banger lush vocals make again with this who’ve already ‘Baby Who’ and let fit for the up this moody, shimmery, dreamy made it big down the groovy synth dancefloor. captivating track hit perfect for under. ‘Edge of be the backing from the London- your evening Town’ is a bright track to your based sisters. commutes. and booming break-up. smash that will have you on your feet in no time.

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IMAGE: THE ACES / FACEBOOK 49 SHRILL

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