Issue 1 by Songbird Magazine

Table of Contents credits

letter from the editor

Industry

billboard women of the year

interview with Trina Lloyd-Weidner

Fashion

Taylor Swift fashion evolution

Artists

fall previews & predictions profile: Miranda Lambert YouTube favorite

countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s balance

21 23

doors are open: an interview with Lori McKenna lyric look: Birdy & Gabrielle Aplin what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re listening to

Feminism

God made girls in a country song re: who is a feminist now?

CREDITS

editor // designer // writer // Nina Small thesis director // Dan Johnson contributing writer // Kaydee Ecker all photography // by Nina Small unless otherwise stated Lori McKenna photo // coutesy of artist album covers // Google images

NOTE POUR VOUS // A NOTE FOR YOU

Dear Reader The idea for this magazine sprouted from the idea that women in music needed a place to come together - a place to be celebrated, talked about, showcased. Too often I overhear people talking about the lack of women in the industry. It is not that there is a lack of support for women in the industry, it’s lack of implementation or action. You can say you want women to have equality, but unfortunately there is not much being done to see it through. In this issue we explore various topics of importance to Songbird including looking at fashion (doesn’t Taylor Swift always look perfect?) and opinions on feminism (is there any right answer?). We also talk to Trina Lloyd-Weidner, who runs the membership of the Women’s Music Business Association in Nashville. She has a lot to say regarding women in the industry - and also about the problems we face, like automatically imagining men in certain roles. Our main feature is our interview with singer / songwriter Lori McKenna. With her accomplishments including having cuts on Faith Hill and Hunter Hayes’ albums, at the end of the day it’s her songwriting that stands out - for herself too. She talks to us about her own creative process, as well as what female country star she thinks needs to start a campaign for women to advance in the country world. We’re just getting started with this magazine - did I mention it is my senior thesis project for the honors program at Belmont University? You can imagine why I would want to forget that it is part of such a daunting task. Let’s just say I have high hopes for the future of Songbird. We’ll look at more songwriters, artists, feminism opinions, and many other things as the months go on. If you find you enjoy the content, please feel free to share this with someone who might also enjoy it - the more support of and discussion around women in music the better. // Nina Small

INDU 7

USTRY 8

WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY: INSPIRATION

Every fall, Billboard magazine - one of the music industry’s leading sources for

news - puts on their Women In Music event. One female artist is named the “Woman of the Year” as a result of their influence and achievements throughout the year. Previous winners include Fergie, Taylor Swift, and 2013’s winner P!nk. In addition, a Rising Star is crowned for her breakthroughs as an artist. Janelle Monae and Carly Rae Jepsen are among the artists that have recieved that honor in the past few years. Another main focus of the event is the industry honors. Each spring people in the music industry are encouraged to nominate their female colleagues that are doing great work and moving the industry forward. Billboard then selects the top 40 and runs a report in the Billboard Power Players series, as well as recognizes them at the fall event.

WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY: INSPIRATION

Now in its tenth year, the Women In Music event and report has become a great showcase for the talent in the industry. Not only is it a great achievement for the artists honored, but it puts the focus of the industry onto the women that are doing great things to create change and impact the business. Companies included range from publishing - such as Sony/ATV - and concert promotion to agencies and major networks like NBC.

“It puts the focus of the industry onto the women that are doing great things to create change and impact the business.”

Last year’s top executive recognized was Julie Greenwald, Chairman/COO of Atlantic Records Group. As of last year, Greenwald was the highest ranking woman at a record label, and said that her favorite part of the job was discovering new talent. Among the long list of achievements Atlantic had in 2013, some include Ed Sheeran’s success with sales and touring, as well as multiple Grammy awards at the start of the year.

Julie Greenwald // Pink // Photos Source: Billboard Magazine

As we start making Songbird Magazine bigger and better, we look to Billboard and their dedication to women in the industry as a great example of how to increase support and awareness of the talent and ideas women bring to the table. 10

WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY: INTERVIEW

An Interview with Trina Lloyd-Weidner How did you get into the music industry?

and then after I got to know more people, they started encouraging people to step up into Well I always wanted to work leadership roles. One thing led in the music industry. I picked to another and I’ve been in it for out a college to go to, picked one five years now. that had a good music business program. I started out in What are the goals of the Orlando actually where I went WMBA? to school there for my first few years of college. Then I went to The mission of it is to kind of MTSU, and when I was there advance leadership of women in I volunteered a lot, kept busy, the industry. Help them expand and tried to do anything music their network within the indusindustry. From there I got my try and overall just help them first job at BMI and stuck with advance their careers in differthat for awhile, and it wasn’t ent avenues, whether it be by necessarily what I wanted to do stepping up to different leaderbecause I went to school for au- ship roles that can teach them dio engineering. So when I was new things or give them connecthere I got another job in radio tions that can lead to their next and did that for several years, job. Those are most of our goals and just kind of blossomed from and we’ve gotten some really there to becoming a jack of all good success stories out of that. trades in the music industry. Some people get involved and realize they don’t even want How did you get involved to be involved with the music with the WMBA? industry, so that’s always fun. But those people still want to be From researching online I came a part of WMBA because they across the group and someone else love the network. that had been in it. It was before they had any real social media. I You stated that you would honestly think I found it on a Mys- categorize feminism in the pace page that’s how old it was, and industry into industry vs. applied and got in. I was surprised women, men vs. women, I got in. I’d been working in the in- and women vs. women. dustry maybe a year and a half and Can you explain each of I didn’t know how experienced they those? wanted people at that point. Stayed quiet my first year or so in there, Industry vs. women is every11

thing about the industry is male dominated. If you look at any of the offices, probably there’s no good statistic, but I would guess that 90% of the companies on Music Row [started and owned by men] - which are mostly smaller companies there are very small, a few that are women started and have lasted a long time. They’re starting to grow. And if you look at the staff members of the companies on Music Row, there’s going to be a huge difference in the number of men and women that work there. And it’s changing, which is wonderful, and we don’t want to overtake it by any means. I think there are a lot of women out there that don’t know that there are careers in the music industry, or careers for women in the music industry because it is a fast paced environment and goes against women if you think of the standard home role - that the woman is eventually going to get older, and hit [her] thirties and want to get married and have kids. ‘They’re not going to want to be in the music industry because that’s staying up until three in the morning with a client all the time.’ So that’s kind of the industry view of it, that it’s not really a long term career goal. Even with the artist aspect, I think there’s a point where they think ‘well

WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY: INTERVIEW Trina Lloyd-Weidner has years of experience in the music industry, including recently opening a production planning company and a recording studio. She has also held varoius positions in the Women’s Music Business Association, where she is now the membership chair and presidential adviser. She sat down with us to discuss her opinions on the music industry, and below are some highlights. they’re going to stop touring because they’re going to want to be at home.’ Then I’d say, men vs. women in the industry. There are specific roles, if you want to dive down deep and get into specific industry roles, that people believe are just male dominated. Especially in the engineering field, and that’s something I came up against is that even trying to find internships - I mostly did studio internships because one on one mentorships with very big producers or engineers were all one on one roles in small studios or in their homes, and that’s not a comfortable situation when you have a forty year old man and a college girl. Especially if you throw in any attractive feature, people automatically assumed actually that when I was in school I wanted to be an engineer because I wanted to be an artist and wanted to know how to make my own records.

to be that one in the group. In a way it’s like they themselves favor the attention of men in that aspect of it. Somehow when it comes to anything feminism related, it does come back to the sexes. It’s girls that are trying to impress guys and the get competitive. So that’s been interesting to see those couple that still lean on the men’s attention to get into the industry rather than try to build a really good network of females around them that could boost them. The ones that get boosted by women do tend to go a little bit farther. It’s nice to have people collaborate instead of compete.

definition of feminism is equal rights - what is wrong about that? It really boggles me to think ‘what is wrong about that?’ What do you think are some of the main problems facing women today in the music industry? I think one of the biggest problems is - and I’ve caught myself doing this too - is thinking when you’re picturing hiring someone to do a certain job, so let’s say I’m trying to hire an engineer for an event, the first person that’s going to pop in your mind is some sort of faceless man. Or if you’re doing a songwriters showcase, unless you’re doing a female oriented showcase, you’re probably going to pop up with a bunch of men’s names.

It’s interesting with feminism, because people still don’t always understand the definition a lot of times. Have you found that in the industry, that peoI’ve met several people through ple don’t know what that the WMBA that have started means? their careers as a receptionist, For women vs. women, I’ve and then worked their way up actually noticed a lot of that Yes, I have. Lately I’ve heard to maybe an agent position as from being in the WMBA there people talk about in terms of a booking agent or the director are some people that you get which women are embracing it of a membership department that are just very competitive and which women aren’t and or promotions at a label group. because they know those roles if they’re embracing it for right Those have been great moves are very few and far between for reasons, and if they’re for them in their jobs and their women in the industry. They embracing it for wrong reasons. careers, but how often do you can be their own worst enemy Or if they’re pushing it away run across a guy in the industry because we’re trying to build a saying ‘I don’t want to be a that says ‘I got my first job as network to help each other get feminist’ because they’re afraid a receptionist,’ ‘I started at the ahead, and there’s always going it’s a negative term - the basic front desk’? 12

FASH 13

ION 14

FASHION: CANDIDS

In case you haven’t been following Taylor Swift this past year, she’s had a style transformation of sorts. Since moving to New York City Swift has been seen taking to the streets in everything from Oscar de la Renta to a perfectly matched TopShop outfit - making every fashion magazine pay attention. There is even a Buzzfeed article entitled “Taylor Swift Makes Everyone Around Her Look Like Shit” and a Tumblr post showcasing pictures where passerbys are captured looking in awe of her presense. Seth Meyers even made fun of her for looking far too perfect as she leaves the gym - the perfect red lip, high end outfit, and no sweat in sight. Everyday is just another photoshoot opportunity when you can walk down a city street looking completely effortless.

FASHION: CANDIDS

Taylor Swift Candid Outfits

FASHION: RED CARPET

2014 Red Carpet & Event

drawing credit // timeerasingyou.tumblr.com // Judith

FASHION: RED CARPET

Swift has long been known for her sparkly, dazzling gowns she wears when posing down the red carpet. With the exception of her stunning, fairytale-esque ensemble worn to Kensington Palace this past winter (see the middle drawing), she has taken on more color blocked and confident styles. No longer relying on the awe that a jewel covered gown can bring, Swift seems to be taking chances to make a real name for herself in the fashion world.

ART 19

ISTS 20

ARTISTS

FALL PREVIEWS ADELE Though there is yet to be any official confirmation of a release this fall, everyone is expecting 25 to be out in the fourth quarter. Adele took a well deserved break after the massive success of 21 to have a baby and likely just be able to relax after her whirlwind amount of trips accepting awards. Needless to say, we’re very excited to see how she follows up that album, and I doubt we’ll be disappointed.

TAYLOR SWIFT Probably the biggest sales battle to happen this year would be if Adele released an album anywhere near Swift’s planned release of 1989 on October 27th. The two are both known for being able to rack up the sales, which is quite a feat in today’s market. Swift is releasing her first official pop album, a move that has been expected by many since every album since her debut has been moving in that direction. Working a lot with Max Martin and Shellback, it will be very interesting to see if she can keep her songs full of strong lyrics and not lose her core audience. Check out the entertaining video here.

ARTISTS

and

PREDICTIONS

JESSIE WARE Though she has yet to break out in the US, there’s still time before her October 21st album release. The song “Wildest Moments” is what made her popular in the UK back in 2012, but what caught our attention is her song she did with Ed Sheeran - you can listen here. Her voice definitely sets her apart from the crowd, so hopefully her latest singles “Tough Love” & “Say You Love Me” will bring her success in the US.

HILARY DUFF I’m sure when you first saw that the former Disney star was releasing new music, “So Yesterday” started playing in your head - and if you’re a female in college that grew up with Lizzie McGuire, you were likely pretty interested to hear what the older Hilary Duff ’s music sounds like. The lead off single “Chasing The Sun” seems like a relatively safe song, one that hasn’t seemed to spark a lot of discussion.

ARTISTS: COUNTRY PROFILE

MIRANDA LAMBERT a strong competitor in the bro- country world

Source: LoveThisPic

ARTISTS: COUNTRY PROFILE

For Miranda Lambert’s fifth album, she enlisted a group of successful songwriters to help her

continue her streak of chart topping songs throughout the past six years. After all, as the winner of the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year four years in a row and the ACM equivalent for five years in a row, who would want to stop that momentum? A contestant of the now-washed-out Nashville Star, Lambert quickly took ownership of the “hell have no fury like a woman scorned” Southern girl image. Her first big single “Kerosene” included her rattling off “light em’ up and watch them burn, teach them what they need to learn.” Despite the intense power and sass that she eminates, throughout her last few albums she has found a nice balance of emotional connection and girl power energy. One of her most touching songs - “The House That Built Me” - won her a Grammy, and though she did not have a hand in writing it, her performance easily earned her the award. This year’s CMA Award nominees were announced in early September, and as per usual there was only one female in their most coveted category: Entertainer of the Year. However, unlike past years where Taylor Swift fought for the prize among the boys, Lambert made her debut as a nominee. When comparing her year to others in the category, it would be difficult to say she is not deserving of the award. Platinum did extremely well during its first week of sales in June, the first single “Automatic” went to #1 with no problem at all, and her duet with Carrie Underwood brought two of the biggest acts in the game together - not to mention her highly acclaimed tour and charitable work throughout the year.

ARTISTS: YOUTUBE

YouTube

Favorite

Each issue we feature our current favorite YouTube artist. YouTube has become a huge platform for musicians to be discovered over the past few years landing some record deals and helping them start their careers. This issue we are featuring Kina Grannis. Her sweet voice and interesting covers make her stand out. She doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use over the top production or too many visuals. Her original songs perfectly match her personality, and her love of acoustic guitar plays along wonderfully with her beautiful lyrics.

ARTISTS: YOUTUBE

Kina facts: // her career took a huge step when she won the Crash the Super Bowl contest in 2008, earning her a commercial during the game // she released her debut album Stairwells in 2010, and just released her followup Elements this past May Our favorite videos: // last year Grannis married Jesse Epstein (who she also collaborates with) - a video for her song “My Dear” documents their wedding // her “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me” cover shows off her musical talents as she layers vocals // the collaboration with her husband for a cover of “Riptide” by Vance Joy is simple and dreamy Her trademark style: // a perfect combination of collars, oversized sweaters, and dresses Grannis has a style we’re always looking to copy Her vlogs & album updates: // perhaps one of the best parts of her YouTube channel is her willingness to connect with fans, as she posts album updates and video blogs that make you want to be her best friend Currently on tour: // she’s currently on tour in the US and the UK / Europe, so make sure you check out her dates!

ARTISTS: BALANCE

COUNTRY’S BALANCE Top 20 Hot Country Songs - Week of October 4th, 2014 1 - Burnin’ It Down Jason Aldean 2 - Dirt Florida Georgia Line 3 - American Kids Kenny Chesney 4 - Leave The Night On Sam Hunt 5 - Roller Coaster Luke Bryan 6 - Where It’s At (Yep, Yep) Dustin Lynch 7 - Hope You Get Lonely Tonight Cole Swindell 8 - Neon Light Blake Shelton 9 - Bartender Lady Antebellum 10 - Ready Set Roll Chase Rice

The country music industry has been the subject of many discussions lately when it comes to women in music - or lack there of. While there will always be mainstays in the charts such as Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, the boys in the game tend to greatly outnumber the girls in the charts. As you can see in the chart above, there are very few leading ladies present, let alone at the top.

11 - Something’ Bad Miranda Lambert Duet with Carrie Underwood 12 - Gonna Know We Were Here Jason Aldean 13 - Drunk On A Plane Dierks Bentley 14 - Sunshine & Whiskey Frankie Ballard 15 - Girl In A Country Song Maddie & Tae 16 - Meanwhile Back At Mama’s Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill 17 - Small Town Throwdown Brantley Gilbert Featuring Justin Moore & Thomas Rhett 18 - Day Drinking Little Big Town 19 - Somewhere In My Car Keith Urban 20 - Sun Daze Florida Georgia Line Source: Billboard.com

Luckily, when it comes to songwriting there tend to be more women at least getting a portion of the writing credits of the big songs of the year. Names like Natalie Hemby, Sara Buxton, and Nicolle Galyon are regulars in the writing rooms. There are also more female artists establishing themselves such as Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, and Maddie and Tae - all of whom offer unique perspectives when it comes to songwriting.

ARTISTS: BALANCE

As the reigning CMA New Artist of the Year, Kacey Musgraves has made a big name for herself as her first two singles talk about subjects most tend to avoid: the less than perfect aspects of small town life and doing what you want - including loving who you want and even smoking a joint (but you don’t have to). In addition to her own Grammy winning debut album, Musgraves has writing credits that include a number one Miranda Lambert song. Nicolle Galyon has had quite the bucket list year. From getting several cuts on Miranda Lambert’s recent Platinum, she also co-wrote the number one “We Were Us” - one of Keith Urban’s biggest hits in recent years. Though not new to the music industry, as she went to Belmont University and was a contestant on The Voice, Galyon is making a name for herself in the Nashville writing community.

Maddie & Tae picked the perfect time to release “Girl In A Country Song.” The attention grabbing hit pokes fun at many of the most recent chart topping bro-country hits, while also making a serious point about how women should not be so objectified in country music (more on that in our feminism opinion piece!). The duo have real writing talent and this is sure to just be the start of a successful career.

ARTISTS: LORI MCKENNA

Doors Are Open

Lori McKenna tells us about songwriting, women in the industry, and Massachusetts.

ARTISTS: LORI MCKENNA

Lori McKenna must rack

The record is a great collaboration between her up the frequent flyer miles. and Erelli. The intention While most songwriters on was to only record four or the Nashville circuit five songs for an EP, but the commute to work from first day in the studio went surrounding areas like so well they kept going and Brentwood or Bellevue, made an entire record. “I’ve McKenna flies down from known Mark since I’ve first her home base of started playing music outStoughton, Massachusetts side of my house, so he’s in whenever she has writing my band and is my musical sessions booked for a few director,” she tells us. “He days at a time. Add in the produced my last record touring in support of each Massachusetts. He’s usually of her CDs released over the the guy when I’m driving in a past ten years, and you’ve rental car through Minnesota got a lot of free flights. somewhere - Mark is with me because he does most of my Her latest record called shows with me. We’re kind Numbered Doors is a record of like siblings in the way we filled with songs about travel together really well. I characters, with the title don’t think we’ve ever been track getting its inspiration in a fight. Musically Mark from being curious about kind of knows my songs the lives of people that stay better than I do. He’s a far at motels. McKenna says more talented musician than it started with “that sort I am, so I’ll write the songs of idea of when you drive and he’ll bring them up a by a seedy motel you kind level for me, and we work of think ‘who stays there? really well together that way. what’s going on there?’” The He’s super patient. He’s song claimed the title of the super conscious of what he album, and she and producer knows I want out of a song, Mark Erelli went through and out of a recording, and how “looked for the songs that I want it to sort of end up were more story songs and sounding in the end.” less personal songs - they could be characters rather One of the story songs entithan from a personal side.” tled “The Time I’ve Wasted” is a beautiful, sad tale of the

end of a relationship the character wishes she hadn’t been in. “I could’ve served five life sentences for a crime I didn’t do / for all the time I’ve wasted on you,” she sings. McKenna’s writing partners for this track include one of her best friends Liz Rose. When describing the co-writing process with Rose, she says, “[W]hen you’re writing with someone you’re that close to, it’s not like you have to edit yourself. It’s almost like you’re alone in the way that you’re so comfortable with that other person you can completely be yourself as a writer. You may say something stupid and they’re not going to be like ‘what are you talking about?’ or they’re not judging you as a person because they know you so well. So you can just be whatever writer you are that day. Liz is just lyrically so strong she just sometimes - I can’t even type as fast as she can say words, beautiful words. Everybody that knows Liz knows that about her. Sometimes it just starts coming out of her so fast that you can’t even type it fast enough.” Another frequent co-writer is songwriter Barry Dean. “In

ARTISTS: LORI MCKENNA

[the cases of Barry and Liz] I’m in a room with a writer that’s way better than me in certain ways,” she says. “So your job that day is to just learn from both of them. I’ve had a lot of times when I get to write with Barry and an artist, and I just try to absorb off of Barry, like he’s so good at pulling things out of people, like pulling emotions out of people that you didn’t know were there, and we kind of tease him about it but he’s just a master at it.”

really helps me as a songwriter.” The weeks McKenna isn’t in Nashville, she usually has someone coming up to her home in Stoughton to write with her. Emily Shackelton and Kelly Archer were the two up in Massachusetts the week that we spoke to McKenna, and she said she was looking forward to some “girl time” with them.

and it’s been like six years of them saying that. So now [I’m inclined to say] ‘well now, surely it’s time,’ you know, but then again I thought that last year and I thought it the year before it.”

So what’s the solution? What could help the women stand out in the country world? “In my brain I start thinking back to the nineties - it was a Talking about girls in the huge thing of women industry, we asked McKensongwriters that started at na about her opinion on the that sort of time - Sarah lack of women on the coun- McLaughlin and Jewel - and Often McKenna does spend try music charts as of late. they all sort of banded toa lot of time in co-writes, “Everybody that I know is gether and went on the road. not just writing by herself. talking about it,” she says. Then there was a huge That’s a situation that she “And it’s not just writers, it’s outpouring of women that didn’t always think would be not just women songwriters, were discovered by that. So a possibility in her career. it’s the guys too, and it’s mu- in my brain I’m literally like I “[I was] really introduced to sic fans. My husband who’s want to start a campaign - it co-writing years ago when I just a fan - he’s not a writer, would probably have to be first started going to Nashhe’s not a musician - but Miranda [Lambert] - Miranda ville, I had never co-written everybody is talking about would have to start doing a song before that.” The it. I think that everybody a summer festival that’s all opportunity to be in a room that likes country music is women country artists. I feel writing songs with other just really missing women like it needs a kick start, like people is something that in that format. Everyone is a kick in the ass.” The idea she is very grateful for, just pushing it at this point.” of needing something to get noting “writing is like that It’s not just really recently everyone’s attention is where you can never be good that this has been happendefinitely one to consider. enough, and you always ing either she notes. “It’s Women have people talking want to get better. So you been about, honestly it’s about the lack of presence never go ‘oh I don’t have been about six years that I on the radio, but something to reach anymore,’ you can can remember everybody has to be done to give it a never reach a ceiling. You saying ‘they’re gonna come kick start as McKenna says. can always keep learning back around, the women are Perhaps Lambert would be and evolving, and co-writing going to come back around’ willing to take her advice and

ARTISTS: LORI MCKENNA

campaign for more women to be heard.

in that way - and they really do in that town. They really nurture and support one When it comes to women another, and that’s one of songwriters, the balance the reasons I love Nashville seems to be a bit different. because I’m so non-competWriters like Natalie Hemitive. It’s great to see that. by and Nicolle Galyon earn It’s great to see the friendplaces for themselves in ships that come together the writing rooms and find from two people on the their hits on top of the chart. [same co-write] together.” McKenna has always written with a lot of women, saying Besides her love for Nash“as long as I’ve been writing ville, her life in Stoughton in Nashville there’s always has also been influential in been, in my eyes, this great her songwriting. “I think it’s community of writers that been important mostly besupport each other. I nevcause I’ve stayed here more er remember a time where than anything. You just it was just all dudes that become part of the fabric you were writing with.” “In of where you’ve been if you Nashville you’ve got Nicolle live there long enough.” Galyon, you’ve got Liz Rose, Even though her latest reyou’ve got Natalie Hemby, cord doesn’t delve into the these amazing women that personal stories of her life, write their asses off and the fact that she’s stayed in they can just write anything her town so long still plays for anybody - for a women, a part in it. “I [have] always for a man, they can do anybeen drawn to those ordithing. So there’s always been nary stories, people with a great community of those ordinary stories. I love pickwomen, so it just makes ing that stuff apart and just sense that they’re songs are looking at a regular house making more of a splash and figuring out what the dyright now. Natalie has been namics are relationship wise on such a run, but since or life wise because - I think I’ve known her she’s been that’s how it translates to the one of my favorite writers, whole Numbered Doors thing so it’s always great to see because - it’s sort of looking that. It’s always great to see at a motel and thinking ‘why women support each other are they here?’”

Quick Facts What has been your biggest accomplishment in your career? “I think just the fact that I get to have a career. I’m always amazed. I know that sounds corny or whatever, but I am always fully amazed that I don’t work at Dunkin’ Donuts and I get to write songs everyday. Like I have to remind myself, I don’t know other than my songwriting friends and my musician friends, I don’t know many people in the regular world that get to do what their creative passion is [for a job]. And I’ve never really counted on it.” What are some artists you’re currently listening to? “I’m waiting to dig into [the new Ryan Adams record]. My friend Mark Erelli has a new record that just came out. It’s sort of a tribute album to Bill Morrissey. There’s a new one from a woman named Rose Cousin that’s from Canada. She has a new record that’s not out yet called Stray Birds that’s just gorgeous, and I’m waiting for the world to hear it.

ARTISTS: LYRIC LOOK

Salvation - GABRIELLE APLIN You are the avalanche One world away My make believing While I’m wide awake Just a trick of light To bring me back around again Those wild eyes A psychedelic silhouette I never meant to fall for you but I Was buried underneath and All that I could see was white My salvation My, my My salvation My, my You are the snowstorm I’m purified The darkest fairytale In the dead of night Let the band play out As I’m making my way home again Glorious we transcend Into a psychedelic silhouette I never meant to fall for you but I Was buried underneath and All that I could see was white My salvation My, my My salvation My, my My salvation My, my My salvation My, my (x2)

ARTISTS: LYRIC LOOK

Words As Weapons - BIRDY I feel your knife as it goes right in Cut to my core but I’m not bleeding All that you say tryin’ to make me small Well the bigger you get the harder you fall You use your words as a weapon, dear But your blades don’t hurt when you have no fear You think that you’re deep under my skin You’re tryin’ to keep me suffering If you use your words as a weapon Then as a weapon, I’ll shed no tears You have my heart but I lock it up This burning flame has been burnt enough My window’s cracked they can be replaced But your arm will tire throwing stones my way You use your words as a weapon, dear But your blades don’t hurt when you have no fear You think that you’re deep under my skin You’re tryin’ to keep me suffering If you use your words as a weapon Then as a weapon, I’ll shed no tears You use your words as a weapon, dear But your blades don’t hurt when you have no fear You think that you’re deep under my skin You’re tryin’ to keep me suffering If you use your words as a weapon Then as a weapon, I’ll shed no tears I’ll shed no tears

ARTISTS: LISTENING

Ingrid Michaelson

Lori McKenna

ZZ Ward

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO

ARTISTS: LISTENING Daughter

Joni Mitchell

Little Green Cars

FEMI 37

INISM 38

FEMINISM: OPINION

GOD MADE GIRLS IN A COUNTRY SONG by Kaydee Ecker

Has country music taken two steps back or two steps forward in the fight for gender equality? Listen to “Girl in a Country Song” by Maddie & Tae and the answer will probably be that it’s headed in the right direction, but give “God Made Girls” by RaeLynn a listen and suddenly it’s 1950 again. The artistic differences between these girls is quite amusing given their strikingly similar backgrounds. Maddie Marlow and Taylor Elizabeth Dye are both nineteen-years-young, and Racheal Lynn Woodward (also known as RaeLynn) turned twenty this year. All three blonde newcomers are from Texas or Oklahoma, and each ventured into music at a young age. Their rise in the business happened quickly over the past two years, and they are all signed to labels within Big Machine Label Group. Despite their similarities, the messages they articulate in their debut singles could not be more contradictory (which is why I find it so comical seeing their singles promoted side by side on the BMLG website). On one end of the spectrum we have “God Made Girls” by RaeLynn, and this is certainly not the southern woman’s liberation anthem. The song’s innocent presentation and RaeLynn’s youthful, girlish voice makes the tune seem harmless. Still, the first time the song made its way through my car radio, I was exceedingly wary. The single can be summed up as a proclamation of how women were put on the earth (by God) to serve men. It’s not too far of a stretch before we’re singing about a woman’s place being barefoot, pregnant, and cleaning the kitchen.

For now, though, RaeLynn wants girls to know that their purpose in life is to wear pretty skirts, be flirtatious, and hold hands with boys. The song lets us know that girls need to be soft, loud, sweet, and proud – all at the same time. They need to be tough, but not so tough that they’re no longer beautiful for the boys. Girls also need to make sure that they make life quite frustrating and burdensome for men by putting up fights, making them wait on you, forcing them to go to church with you, and being overall difficult to handle. Most important, however, is that girls remember that they are fragile, breakable beings that exist just to entertain men. A great message to send young girls? Not so much. You’d think men would have much more to say about “God Made Girls,” considering the fact that it makes them sound like incompetent children: Somebody’s gotta make him get dressed up Give him a reason to wash that truck Somebody’s gotta teach him how to dance So God made girls What I’m gathering here is that men are a breed of filthy creatures that lack the ability to clothe themselves and have little, if any, innate motor coordination. If this were true (which it is obviously not), one might be able presume that men are also incapable of washing clothes, cleaning dishes, cooking food, or helping their son or daughter rehearse for a school play. In 2014, you’d think the lines between male and female gender roles would be a little more blurred, but that might be an unfortunate overestimation. 40

FEMINISM: OPINION Speaking of gender roles, this song does a phenomenal job of making both women and men slaves to their own femininity/masculinity: Somebody’s gotta be the one to cry Somebody’s gotta let him drive Give him a reason to hold that door So God made girls Here is yet another song portraying women as overly emotional and men as emotionless beings. One more example of a woman handing her power over to a man in order to build up his ego and maintain his perception of himself as a superior, masculine, “guys-guy.” Of course, let us not forget this song’s affirmation of men holding the door open for women – because they don’t do it out of common courtesy for a fellow human being, they hold that door because you are a woman. It truly is shocking that we still live in a world where women are told they would make a bad president because they are too emotional, and little boys and grown men alike are told to suck it up when they cry. Jokes are still made about bad women drivers, and men still procure validation of their masculinity by driving big trucks and belittling women. And as mentioned earlier, some men still hold doors open for women purely because they are women. With oppressive beliefs and behaviors like that, so no wonder this song is such a mess. RaeLynn may be of the group of young women who have yet to discover feminism, but Maddie & Tae are certainly apart of the growing number of girls who are beginning to see the light for themselves and take a stand. Their single “Girl in a Country Song” is sure to go down in the books as a tide-turning tune for feminism. The song speaks out about the chronic objectification of women in country songs today. This trend is frequently found in what is now called “bro-country” – the subset of country music made by men that focuses its content on trucks, beer, partying, and women’s bodies. The chorus of the song hits the issue right on the nail:

Girl in a country song How in the world did it go so wrong? Like all we’re good for Is looking good for you and your friends on the weekend Nothing more We used to get a little respect Now we’re lucky if we even get To climb up in your truck, keep our mouths shut and ride along And be the girl in a country song Maddie & Tae don’t just express their disdain for the genre, but they call out popular male artists by weaving their lyrics in with their own. Names like Luke Bryan (“Shakin’ my moneymaker ain’t ever made me a dime” [Country Girl (Shake It For Me)]), Blake Shelton (“It’s drivin’ me red-red-red-red-red-red-red neck crazy” [Boys ‘Round Here]), Florida Georgia Line (“Climb up in your truck, keep our mouths shut and ride along” [Cruise]), and Jason Aldean (“I ain’t your tan-legged Juliet” [My Kinda Party]) are among those “featured” in the song. This is exactly the kind of song country music needs right now, especially in a world where just 18 of the top 200 country songs on iTunes are by female artists (eight of those being pop-country songs by Taylor Swift, and the vast majority of the others being released in 2013 or earlier). The single message currently making it across the radio waves is that women really are toys for men to indulge in. Yet somehow, these young girls have managed to squeeze their way through the suffocating crowd of country “bros” to voice a message that needs to be heard – one that has so clearly been embraced by female country music listeners. They may not realize it yet, but these girls might very well have set off a ripple effect that could change Nashville forever. Already, social media outlets are being flooded with words of support for the song. Women and girls are publicly proclaiming that listening to it makes them feel empowered. Someone has long been needing to take a stand and give female listeners a voice, and Maddie & Tae are just the girls to do it.

FEMINISM: OPINION Between the traditional gender norms of “God Made Girls” and the fiercely feminist “Girl in a Country Song,” where does this leave country music? I predict that a feminist uprising is just around the corner, not only for country music, but for all genres of music. Women are going to be the driving force in getting their stories and voices back on the radio in the coming years. Both RaeLynn and Maddie & Tae are representative of the dichotomy that exists between young women today: those untouched by feminist theory, and those carrying the torch for a brand new generation of feminists. Will Maddie & Tae be iced out and replaced by the more customary tunes of RaeLynn and those like her? Or is their message only the beginning of a revolution in Nashville?

FEMINISM: ARTICLE RESPONSE

RE: WHO IS A FEMINIST NOW?

A RESPONSE ESSAY TO “WHO IS A FEMINST NOW?” - A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE BY MARISA MELTZER ESSAY BY NINA SMALL

I came across this NYTimes article on Twitter and immediately knew that it could be used to start a discussion. Feminism is a particularly popular topic right now, especially when it comes to celebrities and how they identify or don’t with the word. Overall I found this article very well put together, as it offered opinions from the female celebrities themselves and also people that study the field of feminism or other women in business. (When looking up other articles the author Marisa Meltzer wrote I came across a profile of Lorde and girls supporting or dissing each other and one on whether dieting and feminism can co-exist – both articles worth reading)

well known feminists today among females in their twenties. It is a good mix of young females in the entertainment industry.

“do we need to check off boxes and make a list for every celebrity that is a feminist?”

When looking at the music industry specifically, Taylor Swift and Beyonce are two figures that are very interesting. Both are powerful, stadium playing, business decision making women. Both are role models. Both receive criticism for some aspects of their career – The main subjects of the article include Shailene though it seems like it is more popular to Woodley – who’s surprising dismissal of femihate Taylor Swift for her love of writing about nism was not received well, Taylor Swift – who relationships. For the most part it would be does not associate with feminism, Beyonce – easy to say that both women are feminists who’s new found love of feminism is inspiring purely based on their influence and standing many but possibly not convincing everyone, – whether they publicly identify with the term and Lena Dunham – probably one of the most or not. 43

FEMINISM: ARTICLE RESPONSE So why would Swift shy away from it? As stated in the article, being in the public eye especially in the music industry can make people afraid of using such a strong term. Though that gives Swift a reason to be cautious, part of me hopes her friendship with Dunham will convince her of the advantages of being a public feminist figure.

after, which is equality, at its most basic level, seems to be the best way to move forward. The second and third points of his response just go to show how misunderstood and misused the word can be.

From my perspective there is nothing in the definition of the word that promotes hating men or blaming them for our ‘own failings.’ To get a better idea of how people were reacting The real problem I have with this comment to this article, I read through the “NYT Picks” is that I don’t think how attractive the movecomments – ones that were recommended by ment makes women is part of the equation at other readers. Overall there was a lot of support all. The fact that if a woman simply wants to for the discussion of feminism and the need for get equal pay for equal work or to be given the it today by both men and women. A few peosame respect as a man, it is seen as threatenple sympathized with the young women in the ing to men is missing the point. article that pushed away from the label, noting it may not be until later in life that they will So do we need to check off boxes and make a face harsher differences between them and their list for every celebrity that is a feminist? Does male counterparts, which would likely change everyone in the public eye need to tweet their their opinions. In between notes of support, dedication? Is it okay to run from the label? one male reader left a comment that essentially Particularly in the music industry, I think said the chances of women getting a date would that it is more important to look at how womgo down significantly if they said they are a en are treated by the media and their peers. feminist, women are “difficult enough to deal Perhaps the way to approach the topic is to with,” and all feminists are either women that ask more about equal rights, how feminism “had bad experiences in the past with men” or affects people’s lives, and other less black and “want someone to blame for their own failings.” white questions like Roxane Gay suggests in the article. Maybe it’s not the time for TayThe first point that this commenter made plays lor Swift and Lady Gaga to state their beliefs right into the main problem that feminism regarding feminism, but if the discussion faces – there is such a stigma surrounding it continues to grow and define feminism while that it is largely looked at as the ‘crazy left wing supporting women and equality, maybe it will not-shaving no makeup men hating’ women reach them. trying to get more power. So yes, may some women in the public eye be afraid of others’ photos via // NY Times reactions to using the word? Certainly. Having the discussion about what feminism is truly 44

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