SONGBIRD
Nicolle Galyon Leslie Fram the founders of
Song Suffragettes
with stories about
YEP fashion branding
TABLE OF CONTENTS CREDITS - p 3 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - p 5 INDUSTRY Nicolle Galyon / For the Love of Songwriting - p 11 YEP Support - p 17 CMA: Creative Services & Membership - p 25 Leslie Fram / Changing the Conversation - p 29 FASHION Breaking Down Brands - p 35 ARTISTS Song Suffragettes / #LetTheGirlsPlay - p 45 Women In Music Event Review - p 51 Diane Ward / Fighting a Battle in a Beautiful Way - p 53 What We’re Listening To - p 55 Recommendations from the Editor - p 57 FEMINISM Bringing Feminism into the Conversation - p 61
CREDITS
editor // designer // writer // Nina Small thesis director // Dan Johnson all photography // by Nina Small unless otherwise stated artist photos // PR photos album covers // Google images
LETTER
FROM FROM THE THE
EDITOR
Dear Readers, Welcome to the third issue! In this issue I talked with Grammy nominated songwriter Nicolle Galyon about her writing career, balancing work and family life, and what it’s like to be a woman in the music industry. She had a lot of insightful and interesting things to say about writing with and without artists, as well as how women have gotten more ‘savvy’ about writing in Nashville. We look at some of the great, supportive artists that are a part of YEP - a young entertainment professionals group in Nashville. We also talk to some of the employees at CMA, which is one of the most respected organizations in town. We also spoke with Leslie Fram, the Senior VP of Music Strategy at CMT, who is doing a lot to “change the conversation” in the music industry. We explored fashion as a branding tool, and showed you how to get the looks of some of our favorite females. On the artist side, we were lucky enough to get to shoot a Song Suffragettes show recently and talk to the creators of the event. The singer-songwriter series is taking over Nashville and also getting national attention. We also looked at the honorees of Billboard’s Women in Music for 2014, all of whom had interesting speeches. One of my favorite parts of the magazine is putting in some of my own favorites - so instead of just doing “what we’re listening to” this issue, I’ve also added “recommendations from the editor” which includes other music as well as photography and books. I hope you all enjoy seeing some other suggestions besides awesome female artists! For the last section, I explored what feminism means to me and what I think about popular female entertainers using the word “feminist” in the media today. I really enjoyed writing this article, but I also found it somewhat difficult to put my thoughts into words - something that I think a lot of people have trouble with when it comes to this topic. As I continue to make this magazine, I hope that you’ll share any feedback you have. I have a lot of plans for the fourth issue, but I’d love to cover topics that readers suggest. You can tweet me @ninacsmall or send an email to songbirdmag@gmail.com. Nina
INDUSTRY
For the Love of Songwriting
Nicolle Galyon talks to us about her career as a songwriter, her brief time as an artist, and balancing work and family life.
Nicolle Galyon’s list of accomplishments has gotten a lot bigger recently: after years of working as a songwriter, she received her first number one country song with Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert’s “We Were Us,” followed by another with just Lambert for the song “Automatic.” CMA and Grammy nominations followed, along with being named Music Row’s Breakout Songwriter of 2014, all the while raising a toddler with another baby on the way. Galyon’s Nashville story starts with attending Belmont University with intentions of working on the business side of the industry as an artist manager. “I was just completely intrigued with the music business,” she says. “I’m actually pretty type A, so I was wired. I’m really business minded by nature so I thought that I’d make a good manager.” However, that drive to be a manager was quickly over taken by her creative side. “Shortly after getting to Nashville I met a bunch of songwriters and kind of figured out that I was a songwriter even before I wrote a song. I just knew that I was. So I started writing songs.
I was a closet songwriter when I was at Belmont. I wasn’t really out performing a lot.” That didn’t stop her from having the dream of pursuing songwriting as a career, as she wrote all throughout college. About a year after graduating from Belmont in 2006, she landed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell, one of the biggest publishers in town. She spent several years continuously working on her songwriting, unfortunately without any artists cutting her songs. As she worked on her writing she realized that she was also getting better as a singer, describing herself as not a ‘technically great’ singer but one that was believable, something that is even more important. “I got to the point where I exhausted writing songs,” she remembers. “I thought ‘Well maybe I’m just supposed to make the record myself.’ So I started playing some shows, and the word spread that I was trying to get a record deal, [so] I got referred to try out for The Voice.”
She competed on the second season of the singing competition in 2011 and then came right back to Nashville to get to work. “Ironically when I came back from doing The Voice, everything started clicking on the songwriting side. I started getting cuts, [and] that was all I ever wanted from the beginning. Once that started happening I didn’t have any desire to be an artist anymore, and that hasn’t changed since.” When talking about her songwriting process, she says even though she grew playing classical piano, “I’m really more inspired by words than I am anything.” So how does a song start? For Galyon it usually begins with
“a buzz word - something that I think would look good on the back of a record or it just intrigues me. Some of them aren’t even titles, it’s just words that I think fit together that would look cool. Probably 80-90% of the time I’m writing in a studio or [with a person] that already has a bed of music already ready, so I don’t have to think about that part as much, so [the words can lead]. The idea of the song is just crucial to me. Then you paint around that.” However, the process can be different depending on whom she is writing with. When there is an artist as part of the cowrite, there are both positives and negatives to that. “When you have an artist in the room, you’re tailoring the whole thing to them. In some ways you can be more specific, because I like details and a lot of imagery in songs, and when I’m not with an artist sometimes I have to hold back and I can’t say ‘this happened on a Tuesday at 2 o’clock in a red Camaro’ because there might be a lot of artists that can’t relate to that specific experience. But when you’re with an artist you can say ‘this happened on a Tuesday at 2 o’clock in a red Camaro’ if that really happened to them. So you can take some liberties when you are with the artist that you can’t take [otherwise].” Writing without an artist in the room provides its own set of challenges and liberties. “Most of the time I just write I think, and most of my cowriters have this same philosophy, you do what’s
we’re in competition with each other for those limited amount of spaces in the business,’ and that’s false. That’s 100% false. There’s enough to go around for everyone.” She has seen a change in people’s perspectives in Nashville. “What I’ve seen in the past couple years, in my career and in my peers’ careers, is that when women really rally around each other and help each other, it’s not only good for all of us writers but it’s good for the industry because
there are things that need to be said that couldn’t be said if there wasn’t a woman in the room to say it. best for the song, [granted that the song sits in the marketplace you’re writing for]. I’m pretty deliberate when I write about making sure that it’s not just something that I get a kick out of, I really want it to be universal.” She compares the process to making clothing. “It’s like you’re making a pair of jeans, like you just pray that you make a pair as good as possible, and then you hope that there’s somebody out there that those jeans will fit on perfectly,” a process that can be very difficult, as getting a cut on an album goes through a lot of people and has to fit the artist really well. Success as a songwriter, especially recently, is something that she is very grateful for and realizes it doesn’t happen to everyone. She has been a part of the Girls of Summer and Girls of Fall events (discussed in issue 2!) and is happy to see women supporting each other. “When you live in Nashville and look at the music business, it doesn’t take long to figure out that
‘okay out of every ten jobs at a record label one of them is a woman, and [out of] every ten successful songwriters only one of them is a woman’ and no one ever tells you this, but I think you kind of read between the lines and think ‘oh, there’s only a certain number of slots for us girls.’ So then you take it a step further and you think ‘well
I’m just really excited to be in the middle of that. I feel like it’s happening a lot in the last year or two where women are really like ‘let’s just write with each other’ and ‘let’s just help each other’ and be here for each other. I think those relationships are really important and I have so many great writing relationships that transcend writing with these women, and it just makes the whole ride more fun when we’re holding hands and going through it together.” From her perspective it has become more equal and balanced out on the songwriting side, as a result of more women doing just that: supporting each other and going through it together, but she thinks there is also another factor to their success. “I think that women have gotten a lot more savvy, and have gone ‘you know what? I can write that song.’ You can be mad about the fact that it appears like it’s a boys club, or you can be one of the boys and enjoy that success with them. As much as I love writing with all my girl friends, and I’m all about girl power, I really cherish in the writing room bouncing back and forth the perspectives of a man’s perspective on a topic and a woman’s and really fleshing that out [then] seeing where the song ends up. I think women have gotten really savvy about ‘well I can write guy songs too!’ They’re not just going to go cry about it that there aren’t a lot of opportunities for girl cuts, they’re going to show up and they’re going to write guy songs and just go to bat like everybody else. Because at the end of the day,
a writer is a writer is a writer. There’s no saying there’s a girl writer and a guy writer. A writer is a writer. Some of the guy writers are writing female hits and girl writers are writing male hits, so it’s almost a moot point whether a writer is a girl or a guy.” Despite the increasing support for women, there are also times where women are not necessarily treated with as much respect as they deserve. One reader of Songbird was interested in seeing more content on how women are sometimes asked to pretend they don’t have a boyfriend or are married. Luckily for Galyon that has never been a problem for her personally. “I’ve been really blessed because I’ve been married pretty much as long as I’ve had a publishing deal,” she says talking of husband Rodney Clawson who has had an incredibly successful songwriting career. “My husband is in the same industry as I am, so there’s a built in accountability there for me that a lot of other women don’t have. But I do see that. I see where, I have the freedom of getting to say whatever I want to say – I don’t have to worry about a guy misinterpreting. My relationship with him is always going to be purely a working relationship or just a friendship because not only do they know I’m married but they know who I’m married to. A lot of other women don’t have that luxury.”
When looking at the increased support and equality shown for women and men in the writing room, it has even more meaning to Galyon for one reason: “It’s really fun [to see women supporting each other] just because
I have a daughter, and I really want her to never hold herself to a different standard than a man. I never want her to be catty with another girl.” Setting a good example for her daughter is something that is very important to her. Part of that comes into play when she looks at how she balances her work and family life. “I can honestly say for a working mother there isn’t a better job in my opinion,” she says. “I call myself a ‘singermom-writer.’ I have the luxury as working as much and as little as I want to. Now what I get in return for that is, if I don’t work then I’m probably not going to get a lot in return on the career front. But I think for me it’s some days I’m going to be a rock star at being a mom and some days I’m going to be a rock star at being a songwriter. The truth is I’m probably not going to be a rock star at both of those things on the same day everyday. I’ve had to give myself a break and do the best that I can and know that for me as long as I’m being true to myself I’m setting a good example for my daughter. If I feel like that’s what I’m supposed to do, that I’m supposed to go make music. As long as I feel that I’m called to do that I have to trust that that’s what’s best for my daughter too. If I’m being true to myself that I’m setting a good example for her. If at some point that changes then the same thing applies. If I don’t feel like I’m supposed to write songs anymore, then I have to trust that too. But that’s not where I am right now. I’m really loving the balance. I think it’s a win-win, when I leave in the morning to write a song I’m going somewhere that I can’t wait to go to. And when I leave and come home, I’m coming home to something I can’t wait to come home to.” Being grateful for the success and life she has was easily one of the reoccurring themes when talking with Galyon. Though most people that are songwriters tend to be very appreciative of
things like the flexibility of their careers and the success they have earned, with Galyon it came off as even more authentic than with most. When asked about how her last year or two has been with the number one parties, award nominations, and increased recognition, she said “Everybody’s songwriting career looks different, and no two look exactly alike. Mine was a very, very slow build for a very long time. I wasn’t getting cuts, and I wasn’t getting accolades, and I wasn’t really getting a lot of validation for what I was doing. So for those first five or six years of writing full time, I had to learn to just love the process of writing songs more than whatever I was going to get in return for writing those songs.
make that happen on your own, and it was truly something bigger than you.” She notes that one of her favorite accomplishments so far was a realization she had when a fellow writer reminded her of what having a Grammy nomination really means.
I had to learn to love the process of showing up and creating. That was such a gift for me, because now whatever comes on top of that is gravy because as long as I get to write songs, I’m in love with that. I’m in love with my life of getting to write songs. I had to get through the really long struggle to get to learn to love that process. Now when there is a number one party or there is an article in a magazine or a banner in front of Warner Chappell, for me, I don’t have to live for that because I’m already so in love with what I get to do today. But I also know that – for me it’s a really spiritual thing because I’ve always felt like this is what I’m supposed to be chasing, and I never thought that I was guaranteed to have success at it, I just knew in my heart that I was supposed to go after it and see what happens. So it’s a really spiritual thing for me to see how God has blessed that, and that’s why with the Grammys and the CMAs and stuff like that, that’s all a God thing for me. That’s not even really part of my career I think sometimes. It’s like God saying ‘See! You weren’t crazy for doing this.’ It really is humbling more than anything. I’ve been overcome with humility when you do find out some incredible news and you’re nominated for a Grammy, because you think about the million and one things that had to go right for that to happen and it feels so much bigger than you. You know that you could have never worked hard enough and you could have never been smart enough to
“Craig Wiseman, whom I’m sure you know – a big hit songwriter - just recently said to me, ‘congratulations on your Grammy nomination,’ and I said ‘oh thank you!’ kind of shrugged it off and
he said ‘you realize you just re-wrote the first line of your obituary.’ I said ‘what do you mean?’ and he said ‘now it will say ‘Grammy nominated songwriter, Nicolle Galyon.’’ And that, for my career, that’s a goal that I never even set for myself. That was beyond my wildest dreams – my goal was to have somebody record my songs – I never dreamed that my peers would think enough of a song that I was a part of to ever give me that gift. I think the Grammy thing is just something that is so timeless and classic that whether we win or not, like Craig said, ‘you re-wrote the first line of your obituary.’ Maybe that won’t be in my obituary, but the point is it’s timeless. And it’s something that no one can take away from you. I’m really excited about that.” We have a feeling this is just the beginning of a long line of awards for Galyon, so get used to the recognition!
If you live or work in Nashville, it’s likely you’ve heard of the Young Entertainment Professionals group - otherwise known as YEP. Started as a Facebook group aimed at connecting young people in the music industry, they have grown tremendously over the past few years. They host at least one event a month, from BMI writers rounds to mixers at places like The Listening Room and other venues around town. They also have a great focus on mentoring college students and others looking to get a start in the music business. Last month I posted the second issue of Songbird magazine in the YEP Facebook group and received an incredible amount of support ranging from people saying they liked the concept to others suggesting artists and songwriters to interview. There were a few people that reached out to me directly to get in contact about being in the magazine or recommending someone. I gave each person a few questions to answer, and you can see their responses in this feature. I also interviewed one of them in person - Michelle Attardi - about her position as a song plugger and an artist herself. YEP is all about what you put into it - they stress that you can’t just post about searching for a job in the group and expect it to fall into your lap. You have to work at it and go to mixers to get the most out of the group. I encourage anyone in the music industry in Nashville to get involved with them, as seen by this feature it can connect you with some great people!
Kamber
blog >> soundcloud Kamber is a singer and songwriter that fronts her own band of the same name. Part of what makes her music so unique is that she is unafraid to tackle difficult topics like women’s rights in her songs. Read below to find out where she gets her inspiration and what her writing process is like.
>> What has your music career been like so far? Why did you get into music and what are your goals with it? Challenging, exciting, and full of adventure. Looking back at the last few years, I feel like my musical career started in 2012 when I studied at The Contemporary Music Center (CMC) in Brentwood, TN. However, I have been writing songs since I was 14 years old, and studying piano classically since I was six years old. At the CMC, it was the first time that I began writing songs that I was truly proud of, and truly began to find my “sound” and my “style”. It’s where I decided to embrace my two musical loves - rock and piano. I’m a classically trained pianist. I grew up on Chopin, Debussy, Beethoven, and Mozart. But I also loved the raw sounds of Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Hole, Soundgarden, Flyleaf, and Underoath. I found myself embracing the two worlds, which is probably where my love for Tori Amos came about. She has always done such an incredible job at unifying those two worlds and showing how they are not that much different from each other. I’ve lived in Nashville for a year and a half now, and the more I learn and grow here, I realize more and more that I am an artist first and foremost. My artistry influences my piano playing, singing, and writing. I absolutely love the writing process, and I love playing and performing with my band. My goal is to continue writing and creating in the context of a band, and continue moving forward!
>>Where do you get inspiration for your songs? My songs usually start as an image in my mind, like some sort of scene or world that I draw ideas from. It usually stems from something I’m thinking about a lot, and my mind tends to express it visually inside my head. In the same vein, a certain word or phrase might come to mind, and I will start pulling from it like a thread and see where it leads me. I like to think that the song is essentially already there, it’s already in existence. I just have to uncover it. >>You write a lot about difficult subjects, including many women’s issues. How are you able to write about such tough subjects and why do you think it’s important to incorporate them with music? As strange as it sounds, I enjoy exploring difficult issues and stories. I think songwriting is the ultimate form of empathy. When somebody’s story inspires me, I start feeling what they feel, and I want to express it in a song. Often times, I find that what they are going through connects with something that I’ve felt as well, whether literally or figuratively. Songwriting has helped me see that we are all connected, even if we haven’t all had the same exact experiences. I think singing about “the deep stuff” or the “dark stuff” is what music is all about. It’s about seeing the world around you. It’s about being a whole person. In the same way, I think it’s important to celebrate joy and healing as well. I think they go hand in hand. One can’t live without the other.
>>What is the story behind “Nobody Asked Me?”
are “truth-seekers,” not “problem-solvers.”
“Nobody Asked Me” came from an assignment from my songwriting teacher at the time, Rick Elias. I was studying at The Contemporary Music Center in Brentwood as a part of my music degree, and part of my studies there were to delve into the world of songwriting. Rick asked us to find some sort of image and write a song about it. I found myself wanting to write about women’s issues. I stumbled upon this photo by the famous street photographer, Henry Cartier-Bresson, taken on the outskirts of Mexico City in 1934 (see the picture to the left).
Meanwhile, as I was exploring and creating this story about someone else, I found my own self inside the lyrics. As a woman, there is always this ever-present expectation to be a certain way. To be presentable, to be easy-going, to be agreeable, pretty, and sweet. I think that’s what the clownfaced woman on the left of the photo represents. There’s this overall sense that we are meant for someone else’s use, someone else’s pleasure, and we don’t have any life or mind of our own. That is the woman on the right. I wanted to tell her story. I wonder what she was thinking and feeling in that moment when Bresson took her photo that day. Was there ever a moment when she was just so sick of it? As I continued working through the song, I wrestled with these thoughts and chose to share their story.
He titled the photo, “Prostitute on Calle Cuauhtemoctzin.” I found the website’s description of the photo fascinating. “The attitudes of the two prostitutes to their calling, and to the photographer, are flip sides of the same coin, like the masks of comedy and tragedy. Neither face alone, nor either half of the picture on its own, would be half as arresting.” I began to research more about the photo and found myself connecting with these women on a very deep level, and it became almost disturbing for me. I went on this journey from confronting my ignorant view towards prostitutes or people in similar situations, like they always “had a choice” and everything they are doing is ultimately “their fault.” I never gave it a second thought. That’s kind of how society depicts the “outcasts” of our culture. Then, I began to stop and think. Something happens when you go outside of your own experiences and start exploring other people’s stories and experiences. Something very emotional and cathartic. As I was writing the song, I found myself feeling a lot of heaviness, because I realized the countless women that have been or are trapped in these dark situations and may never get out. It felt very hopeless, to be quite honest. In my heart I wanted there to be some nice and neat solution at the end of the song to make myself and the listener feel better, and then I realized, that would ruin the song. This was telling a story, a true experience, which is what Rick always stressed with us - that artists
You can listen to “Nobody Asked Me” by clicking here, and you can also download the EP for free. >> Anything else? Since moving to Nashville, I find myself in many male-dominated circles. I end up hanging out and working with men more than women, because men tend to dominate the music scene - whether it’s at a rock club, the local music store, the recording studio. I find myself grappling with my identity a bit. It’s hard not to worry about certain folks seeing me as a “second-rate” musician or a “dumb chick singer” because I am a woman. My own personal wrestling with that continues to push me forward into the current feminist movement. I think I not only can “compete” with my fellow male colleagues, I think I also bring something to the table that other men may not! I’m thankful for my close guy friends that are in my band who respect me and see me as a fellow artist and musician and not a pretty face who can sing. I think that’s why I also look up to strong feminist artists like Tori Amos, Imogen Heap, Bjork, Sia, and Courtney Love, because they make me feel like I can do do this. They’re doing it. So can I.
Michelle Attardi website >> soundcloud
>> You work as a song plugger. How did you get your position? Right after graduation I moved down to Nashville and I got an internship here at Dan [Hodges Music]. He let me do a lot of independent plugging to a lot of independent people, [and] some catalog management. I really tried to do the best job at that that I could because he was somebody that I knew everybody knew in town. He liked my pitch ideas. He thought that I did a good job with my time management. I did the internship for a semester and a half then he hired me part time and I was working in the office doing about the same things [with] a bit more responsibility. I did that for less than a year and then this past December Dan decided to hire me full time. Now my official title is Creative Director here at Dan Hodges Music. It’s awesome. You get to deal with writer relations, more catalog management, and then lots of pitching. That’s been awesome to be able to pitch to major artists from our catalog. It’s been a real eye opening experience because it’s not actually something that I went to school for. I went to school at Berklee for professional music. It wasn’t music business but I got to pick and choose the classes that I wanted to take, so I did take a lot of music business classes but you could do classes that focused on publishing and I hadn’t done those. So that’s kind of why I wanted the internship in publishing because it had been something that I had known about, I was interested in it, but I had never pursued it. It turns out publishing is really cool! >> What are your day to day tasks? The majority of my time as of late has been the writer calendar, the schedule. It’s like a puzzle piece. I have contacts for all of our writers, our staff writers, and outside writers – either at another publishing company or someone that I’ll go out to a writers round and think is super
Michelle works as the Creative Director of Dan Hodges Music. She is also an artist and songwriter. We sat down with her to discuss her job, artist career, and advice she has for fellow writers. talented and be like ‘hey do you want to come write with our writers?’ So I’ve got a list of people like that, and we always try to [book our writers with other writers] we think will work well within their styles. All new songs that we get in from our writers have to be cataloged, [so I do that]. We have a mass database – it takes a bit of time to go in and explain what the song is ‘boy song,’ ‘girl song,’ ‘pop song,’ ‘rock song,’ etc. As far as licensing goes we have another girl on our team who does all the administration side, so when I get a new song I can catalog it and then I send it over to her and she can do Harry Fox registration and put it onto their PRO. Then I also take pitch meetings. So people will come in and say ‘do you have anything for a twenty-two year old rocker girl?’ and I’ll pitch them songs out of our catalog. I also do a lot of pitch meetings at labels like Sony or Universal. I usually go with Dan, my boss, for those so it’s the two of us and we’re able to bounce ideas [each other] even in the room. That’s really cool meeting with the A&R representatives and getting feedback – very little feedback – but getting feedback on ‘well actually that person’s done recording, but we’re starting to look for so and so.’ You can kind of get an inside perspective on what’s going on and who’s recording things. You bring your best shots and hope for the best. We’ve had a couple of holds and we were just on the Swon Brothers album that came out and the Rascal Flatts one that came out last year. >> Do you have any advice for someone that is a songwriter in Nashville looking for a pub deal? Our business model is different. We have staff writers. We also have client writers, people who hire us to pitch their catalog and give consultation and admin them. If there’s something I could recommend to somebody is that the publishing deal that we all learned about in school, just the traditional one, hardly exists anymore.
I know that’s awful to hear, but at the same time, there’s so many other ways to get a publishing deal now. It might not be in the traditional sense, but you could still make that work in your favor. You could end up having more control of your songs [such as with] single song agreements, so that way you get people interested in what you’re doing but you’re not signing away your whole catalog if it doesn’t work out. I’ve seen that happen here and a lot of other places. There’s a catch 22 with that, [since you’re only doing one song]. If there’s something I could recommend, it’s get [the traditional pub deal] out of your head so that you’re not constantly disappointed, and strive for something else. Strive to meet somebody who’s going to build your catalog, and then that person’s going to introduce you to somebody, who’s going to introduce you to somebody. That’s going to be how you get something. This town is all about who you know, even as a songwriter. You have to meet the right person at the right time. It’s not knocking down doors anymore. You could be the best writer in the world, but right now those traditional pub deals just aren’t happening. There’s not enough money. If you can find somebody to do your administration, it’s almost more important now to have your administration than a pub deal because there’s so much social media, YouTube, copyright stuff changing everyday. There are pennies out there to be had from putting your music out there. If you don’t have somebody doing your administration as a songwriter, I don’t know how you would get anything or how you would see anything. It’s also somebody out there to protect you. A lot of songwriters don’t know that [business side], so if you do then you’re one step ahead of that songwriter that’s behind you coming through the door. That’s what I did. I had somebody do my administration, and thank god because I can’t do it all myself. >> You’re also a writer and artist yourself. How do you find a balance working in the industry and also trying to be an artist? When Dan hired me I had a very open conversation with him about that. I feel like that’s
all you can do is be open you are both. You get into trouble when you try to hide the fact that you’re an artist and also in the business. Because if you’re open from the beginning about it, really, who’s going to be mad about it because it’s full disclosure. That’s what I did with Dan, I was like ‘I’m really flattered that you knew I was going to be good at this and we both decided to join the team, but just so you know I am an artist and I always will be. I’ll always be a songwriter. So as long as you don’t think that conflicts and you think I can handle both then we’re good.’ I do this 9-5 most days, then I go and write at night. I have shows on the weekends. I also have a bartending job on the weekends just for extra cash because I went to Berklee and Berklee was really expensive! It’s all about time management. I can be in an office setting and still be creative. People are like ‘oh I could never sit at a desk, I could never do that kind of thing.’ Your brain learns to adjust. I’m a very creative person, and yes I’m doing things on a computer. I have an office. I have a desk. I’ll be sitting here and it’s not like I don’t get a song seed. Even if I came down here with the hopes and dreams of being an artist and a songwriter, it seemed silly for me not to take a job in the industry where I was meeting so many people who at the end of the day, if they become a friend they can help you with whatever. Like Dan, he comes to my shows, and he’s also my boss. >> What goals do you have for your music? I just signed with a talent agency. It’s called Elevated Talent Group. They are awesome. The founder, Maggie Lewis, is one of the youngest talent agents in the country. She’s really driven. She’s going to be booking me throughout the year at colleges, as well as maybe some military things and some corporate events. I also hope to travel overseas this summer with my music and go to the UK. It’s a different world over there. I love Nashville and what’s it’s for, and how people are born and raised and things, but over there they’re just a little more accepting of new music – just a little [laughs]. They always crave Americans. It’s crazy. They’ll hear that an American recording artist is coming into town and they’ll flock!
Kylie Odetta website >> soundcloud Kylie is a young singer-songwriter from the Greenville, SC She has written over 200 songs, an impressive feat for anyone regardless of age. Get to know her and her music by reading her responses below.
>>How would you describe your music and sound
>> What are some challenges you’ve faced trying to have a career as a singer songwriter?
Indie/Pop with a little Soul, vulnerable & powerful
I guess the biggest challenge would be the fact that as independent artists and upcoming artists we are often doing all sides of the music business and managing our own careers. So just balancing all of the different tasks that need to be done and staying on top of everything including writing, performing, booking, social media, promotion, emails, events, recording, networking and then also making sure to set time apart to stop what your’e doing, even if it’s just for an hour or a day, and do something else that you love as well. (i.e. read a book, get lunch with friends, go to church, etc.) It’s an incredible, not typical, and beautiful journey to be on and I feel very blessed to be able to create music and share it.
>> Who are some of your musical inspirations? I listen to a lot of upcoming artists as well as popular artists so a few of my favorites would be Corinne Bailey Rae, Bad Suns, Ed Sheeran (the first album), Vance Joy, Lewis Watson, Tenterhook, Colbie Caillat’s older stuff, Ben Rector, Matt Corby, Sara Bareilles - but my main inspiration comes from God and everyday life & emotions. >> What are your goals for your music career? To connect with people through original lyrics, music, and the love of life, and do that successfully enough to have a sustainable career as a performing artist. I would also like to eventually be able to fully produce my own work and projects for other artists, as well write for other artists. Additionally, I’d like to always continue to grow in knowledge of my craft and get better at what I do. I’d love to sell out 1,000+ seat venues.
>> Anything else you’d like to add? I would encourage any fellow young musicians or artists to not let anyone make them feel limited because of their age. Continue to write, develop, grow - play coffee shops and open mics - “write what you know” - plug into your local music scene. Write about things that are relevant to you and your heart because people recognize what’s genuine and connect with what’s real.
Kristen Brassel website >> soundcloud Kristen is a singer-songwriter from Mississippi and now lives in Nashville. Read below to find out more about how she got into music and what she hopes to achieve with it!
>> How did you get started in music? At a young age my mom noticed that I enjoyed music, so she started taking me to dance lessons and choir, and when I was old enough, around 10, I started piano lessons. Then I got bit by the music bug and started taking guitar and voice lessons throughout middle and high school. It wasn’t until after I read Jimmy Webb’s book “Tunesmith” at 17 that I realized I could play and write music as a career. >> Why country music? Country music is what I grew up listening to and feels like home. It’s about the story and the lyric, and I think that’s what draws me to country music more than any other genre. I feel like the bread and butter of my songs, and I add little flavors of me to make it my own. >> What is your songwriting process like? For me, songwriting is a lot of thinking and prewriting. It’s about finding a new perspective or new way of telling a story. After I pre-write and
get all of my ideas on the paper the transition of forming the chords and melody seem to flow easier. >> What are your goals for your music career? The most important goal for me is to form music related charities and give my time and resources on a larger scale. Music has given me such amazing opportunities to connect and share with people, and I want to continue doing that throughout my career. >> Are there any challenges you’ve faced as a female singer songwriter or as a musician in general? I think female singer/songwriters and musicians are often underestimated and that our musicianship and ideas are overlooked. I love being on stage and displaying my hard work, determination, and talent because those are characteristics in society that are commonly associated with female singer/songwriters and musicians, and by being underestimated I’m able to blow that stereotype out of the water.
The Country Music Association is one of the most well known music industry organizations in Nashville. The trade organization promotes country music all over the world. With the CMA Awards every November - winning the coveted Entertainer of the Year award is seen as the highest honor in the country world - and the CMA Music Festival that brings thousands of people to Nashville every summer, looking at the day to day of the organization is what really shows the dedication of the small staff. From focusing on branding materials to bringing in new country acts eager for an audience, Amanda Eckard and Brandi Simms are both integral parts of the CMA team. As part of my internship in the Creative Services department I was able to sit down with both of them to discuss how they got their current positions and how CMA has gained so much respect in the industry.
Amanda Eckard
Senior Director of Creative Services How did you get to your position at CMA and did you always want to work in country music? Right out of college I worked at TNN (The Nashville Network), which doesn’t exist anymore. There I worked with Wendy Pearl who is the VP of Communications here. She left TNN to go to CMA. When I left TNN I went to a web design company and they folded. I temp-ed for a year and then Wendy called me and said there was an opening at CMA for an editorial assistant and she thought I’d be perfect for it. I interviewed for it and got it. That was 13 years ago. I don’t know that I always wanted to work in country. I liked country music in the 90’s in the whole explosion. I read an article in a country music magazine about Belmont and all the stars that went to Belmont, so I read about their music business program. I went to Belmont and after a year I didn’t want to be in music business anymore, and changed to communications. I thought I wanted to be in publicity. I was always interested in writing, so my career took that path in the creative realm. It just so happened that I got this job in country music. Worked out pretty well! I have a lot of friends that started as music business but changed majors. Too much business for me, not enough music. What are some of the challenges of working at a trade organization? There’s a lot of politics because we’re directed by a board of directors and our board is larger than a lot of companies. We have almost 80 members on our board from all facets of the music industry. They all have their companies and their agendas and I think they do a good job of putting on their “board hat” when they need to, but sometimes it’s hard to walk
that fine line of why we’re doing things the way we’re doing them and explaining to the board why we do things. Another challenge is money. It’s hard to get the money you want for the projects you want to do just because we’re not for profit so we don’t get the budgets some corporations get sometimes. So we have to do more with little [money]. I think we do okay! What are your main day to day tasks? It changes from day to day. A lot of the stuff I do is graphic design stuff and there is always approving photos or retouching photos, creating video packages. It’s not the same thing every day, which is good. It keeps it challenging. Most of what I do is under the branding umbrella so brand identity and any kind of design web and social media. What do you think sets CMA apart from other organizations? I think we have a very dedicated and loyal staff - very hardworking. I’ve worked here for a really long time, and I didn’t have many jobs before this, but we all kind of work our butts off to bring country music to the masses. It’s the dedication that’s shown by people that work here and it’s unparalleled in my opinion. How do you think Nashville plays a role in CMA? Nashville’s country music and CMA promotes country music. I think Nashville is now like the “it” town. With the tv show and everything, I think now more than ever we try to incorporate the city in everything we do because it’s important we have synergy with the city of Nashville. We have all of our events here. We represent Nashville in a lot of ways because we have the festival and the awards.
The coveted CMA Awards trophy - awards are given for categories such as Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year.
Miranda Lambert accepts an awaard at the 2013 show. Lambert has had a record setting streak, as she has won Female Vocalist of the Year five years in a row.
Country group Rascal Flatts on the red carpet for the CMA Awards in November.
CMA Music Fest is one of the biggest events Nashville hosts. Bringing thousands of country music fans to the city for four days each June, the festival offers unparalled access to concerts, meet and greets, and other experiences for fans.
Brandi Simms
Senior Director of Membership & Balloting How did you get to your position at CMA and did you always want to work in country music? I went to MTSU and I was a journalism major. My dream in life was to be the editor of a fashion magazine. It was my senior year and I needed an internship, and did not have one. The semester had already started and I did not have an internship. So I went to my next class. Whenever you’re in journalism you have to take classes with people in the recording industry major as well, so I sat next to a guy and I asked him what his major was. He said “communications in the recording industry,” and I said “well do you have an internship?” and he said “yes” and I said “where?” He told me the Country Music Association. I asked if they needed any more interns. He went and talked to the person in the communications department, interviewed the next day, and started the internship two days later. I never left! So no I did not have any intentions of working in the music industry. I always say keep your mind open to things because you never know where you’re going to end up in life. You think you’re supposed to go in one direction and you can end up in a completely different one. But I love it here, I’m meant to be here. What do you think sets CMA apart from other organizations? CMA is so different from everything else in this whole industry. Mainly because we get to work with everyone. If you are in country music we get to work with you. From the legends to the new artists that come out, it’s our job to represent you. Whereas if you’re working with a specific artist you may not get to have a relationship with another artist that works at a different company or is represented by a different company. It’s
just so wonderful because everyone from touring musicians to artists to publishers, I get to work with them. We get to be that organization that represents everyone. It’s really a beautiful thing. What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of my job is I get to work with all the members of the organization. So what my team and I do all the time is we get to go out and meet these people that are just starting their careers in country music, and they’re so eager, they’re so excited on one end. We get to be that organization and that team that awards them whenever they do win one of the highest honors. It’s always really cool to get to watch people develop throughout their careers. For example when I first started working here, my very first artist visit was Rascal Flatts. They were so new I’m totally showing my age here - now to see where they started and to see what they’ve become is really cool. I feel like I get to be a part of that backstage person in so many people’s careers. I love it. How does CMA go about focusing on pulling off 2 major events, while still doing everything else? It’s funny how it does come together, but at the end of the day I think it’s teamwork. Everybody has their own piece of the pie and you dive in and you do it. It’s long days and even longer nights. When you’re in the middle of it you’re not thinking about how much you’re doing, but you get it done. You look back on it like “how did that happen?” but I will say one thing that I’ve noticed – it’s how this organization has been built over the years and the way these events started, they were so small. Every year we’ve been able to add a little element and a little more and a little more. You have these people that know the foundation and what their job is and what we need to do it and do it better the next year. So it’s that teamwork.
Changing the Conversation
Senior VP of Music Strategy at CMT, Leslie Fram, talks about creating the Next Women of Country franchise, her extensive music industry background, and her advice for college students.
Last fall Belmont University’s Curb College started a speaker series entitled “Women in Leadership.” Leslie Fram, the Senior VP of Music Strategy at CMT, was one of the featured guests and did a great talk with interesting stories about her career and offered advice to college students. We were lucky enough to get to sit down with her at her office in downtown Nashville at CMT to discuss how she got into music and what projects she has lined up. Fram’s career started with a love of radio early on in her life. “I was very shy growing up, so listening to the radio was a form of entertainment for me,” she says. “I always envisioned being on the radio because you’re sort of behind a microphone, you don’t really see an audience.” Her fascination with the format lead to many successful years working in Atlanta and then New York. “I’ve had twenty plus years doing radio – programming, on air. I absolutely loved it because I love music and I love the whole architect of putting a radio station together and staff and music. So I did that for over 20 years, getting up at 4am and doing the morning show and then staying at the radio station all day programming. My last station was in New York, and they sold.” When the station was bought, she was left looking for a new job. “I was sort of at a cross roads of ‘do I want to go to another radio station with the possibility of them selling it or changing the format and having to start all over again?’ That’s when I started interviewing outside of radio, which was an eye opener for me. My mentor, who is now my boss, encouraged me to do that. So I started interviewing at a lot of media companies and coincidentally somebody here [at CMT] that was running the music department was about to start their own company, so there was an opening here. I made that leap of faith from radio to television and also from
a completely different format – I was doing rock and alternative – to country. You apply the same basic principles that you do in radio or running any music department. It’s about marketing to a certain audience.” She took all of her music industry experience and applied it to her position at CMT. Her day to day now includes “everything from maintaining relationships with labels and meeting with managers to find out what’s coming up [for their artists]. We love to plan six months to a year in advance. So specifically on my team we deal with music across all platforms. We may be working on video premieres or promotions we do with artists. I spend a lot of time on the phone with our digital franchises booking artists for events and performances.” Not only does she handle all of the music integration for the CMT channel, but she also helps with other promotions across channels. “I’m also the point person for the Viacom music group, so I work a lot with MTV and VH1. We do several cross channel promotions together. We’re doing album streams now with artists, so I book those.” In addition to all of those tasks throughout the day, several times a week she attends showcases around Nashville for artists, and she also gets to the office early each day to get organized before everyone else comes in – likely a habit brought over from her early morning days in radio. Her biggest accomplishments during her time in radio include being the first female to receive the T.J. Martell award, and she also says breaking artists was something she thoroughly enjoyed. Now in her position at CMT, one of her main projects has been the creation of the Next Women of Country franchise. The lack of females on the charts is what spurred the first event, as Fram says “It really started because we’re in this wave right now with the format where women are not getting airplay. It’s in a real party phase
where a lot of the males are getting played and it’s very hard for the females to get played on the radio. So this was a chance for CMT to play and expose a lot of female artists, not only playing their videos but getting content from them.” Another way they are helping women in the format is with “a couple of events throughout the year, and we’re about to kick off a tour. We’re taking it to the next level. So I’m really proud of that.” Though she sees hope for the format, she recognizes the present moment is very difficult for females. “I think the tide will change, but right now it’s scarce,” she notes. They are currently in the beginning stages of putting together the Next Women of Country tour, looking at artists’ schedules to see who is available. As far as where she sees the franchise going, she says “we’ll start out small with club dates – I would love for it to get bigger next year to where we could add more dates, do bigger venues, bring along more women,” she hopes. “So I’d love to be able to grow it. I think once you kick anything off it’s always hard the first year, but then when it gets exposure and more people know about
it, it gets easier the next time around. We also have a fall tour that CMT has been doing for years and I would like to be able to have some women on that tour as well.” Fram recognizes that the inequality seen in the artist world is not isolated to that area – CMT has a lot of females in VP roles, but not all companies in the business can claim to have that many women in high positions. She is part of the early stages of a grassroots campaign called Change the Conversation which aims to “support women in all industries. I think it’s about changing the conversation, that’s why we started this campaign, with not just women but men are involved too, to help that. We had a meeting this week, and [at] the second meeting we’re going to have our vision goals of ‘what do we want this to be in a year? What do we want to accomplish? How can we get there? How can we mentor?’” When asked about her thoughts on feminism, Fram said she likes to put a lot of time into mentoring young girls that are looking to get into the industry. “I’ve always felt like I have
been not just pro-women, but pro-anyone that can get the job done [with the talent]. I feel like my best job is at mentoring because there are so many women that right out of college get into the media world and they have their sights set on doing one thing and I’d like to mentor them to see that there’s so many possibilities of what they can do out there if they just believe in themselves. So in that sense absolutely [I’m a feminist], I really want to help younger women getting in because it’s scary now. The landscape is so different.” Her talents and interests extend beyond the media world, as she also is very interested in fashion. Luckily she has found a way to incorporate that into a side project. “I started this company called Four Bags with some friends of mine,” Fram says, “and we wanted to rep boutique handbag designers that weren’t the Kate Spades of the world, these were people that were smaller and they just sold to boutiques and not department stores. Then that turned into opening up a boutique with my sister because I really like trend spotting, so we have a little boutique
in Alabama that sells accessories and some clothing. I do all the buying, that way I can fulfill another one of my passions which is fashion.” With Fram’s incredibly successful career in different aspects of the music industry, it was great to hear her advice about trying different parts of the business. “Now more than ever the internships are so important, and I love what Belmont does because by the time you graduate you can intern anywhere in this town and a lot of interns end up getting hired. We’ve hired many interns for full time jobs because we’ve had that day-to-day interaction with them and how passionate they are and how quickly they learn. But being in Nashville, which to me is the center of the music business right now you don’t have to be in New York or Los Angeles, to be able to go from one industry to another – a CAA to a management company or a record label or a media company like CMT – to be able to intern and get this well rounded vision of what’s available is incredible.”
FASHION
BREAKING DOWN BRANDS
WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST’S STYLE UNIQUE & HOW TO COPY THEM
Haim’s album cover very accurately depicts
their perfected monochrome, edgy style. You’ll hardly ever see the three of them without at least one biker jacket or black ensemble between them. Their ankle boots are always on point, and their long, flowy hair is always just the right amount of messy. Perhaps what makes their style so great is that they make it look incredibly effortless, as if they were each born with tiny leather jackets and a striped shirt on. When looking at fashion as a way to be creative, you can also look at it as a part of an artist’s brand. Haim’s edgy, biker look pairs perfectly with their all girl band rocker vibe, their love of summer festivals, and their pop-punk music. It makes sense when you think about it - when there is no one dictating your fashion choices or musical direction, your personality bleeds through all of them, as it should. It is easy to tell they all take part
in the creation of their music, and they all have a unique style that reflects a similar aesthetic. When searching for an outfit that represented Haim’s style, look no further than the British staple store TopShop. Known for their combinations of feminine but bold pieces and edgy, rocker selections, they offer just the right mix for Haim. Personally we were already huge fans of their ankle boots and skinny jeans, so this was the perfect opportunity to showcase them. To recreate a look like the album cover, it is best to keep it simple but effortlessly put together. The striped shirt offers a nice contrast to the leather and the high waisted jeans, while the ankle boots accentuate the legs and are an easy everyday staple. This monochrome look would look great with messy hair like one of the sisters, or some bright lipstick to offer some contrast.
click on each of the pieces to purchase it
One of the best parts of Taylor Swift’s candid
style in the fall and winter months is her use of color. She embraces the maroons, tans, and navys that always creep into the seasons’ collections. We’ve already discussed how she steps out of her New York apartment looking flawless (and Seth Myers has made fun of her for how she does the same coming out of the gym). Here we want to point out how she goes about putting together her best candid outfits. The best way to start is to look for a color palette that compliments each other - probably around three colors that can work together. On the right we have chosen to go with black, maroon, and camel for the most part. Of course if you’re going for Taylor’s look you have to have a great structured bag preferably in the maroon color, followed by a great coat that is either a solid or plaid version. Top it off with some great ankle
boots, a sweater, colored jeans, and add a hat if you’re feeling a bit daring or just have a bad hair day. There are many stores you can visit to recreate these looks, but some good places to start are TopShop, Zara, and Free People - all places that she shops herself. Unfortunately you’ll also find a lot of her accessories come from brands like Prada or Dolce & Gabanna, so if you’re a broke college student like me you’ll have to look around for similar but cheaper alternatives. Taylor does this better than most people - but even she adds too much to one outfit sometimes, so don’t be afraid to stick to the absolute basics when you’re starting out. As far as branding, she focuses a lot on her performance outfits looking similar (crop tops gallore this album cycle!), but even the simplicity and put together-ness of her street style is unmistakeably her own creation and inspiration.
One of the main things that makes Jessie Ware’s
style stand out is her ability to combine masculine, tailored pieces with feminine silhouettes and styles. Her album artwork includes stunning black and white photography that looks polished but elegant at the same time. For an outfit that is inspired by Ware’s signature style, we went with a basic monochrome color palette to start - what better way to get that effortlessly styled look she has? There are many ways to incorporate this style without using the whole outfit shown, so simply adding the oxfords to some jeans and a t-shirt is just another way to get Ware’s look but in a more understated way. If you’re looking to get the full look, combining all of the pieces on the right is a great way to try it out. The blazer is a feminine version of a classic menswear piece, and the same thing goes for the white shirt underneath which is updated with a
lace panel down the middle. Both pieces would make great additions to a professional wardrobe, as they would be great for an office setting but can easily be dressed down if needed. The black and white pants are more of a statement piece than the rest, as they are a bit more bold and different. The oxfords also stand out with their patent gray color. Both are great ways of making the outfit stand out. Ware’s look is all about looking put together with masculine pieces that have a feminine edge, so any combination of pieces that have those accents would be a great way to try out her style. Her tendency to rely on monochrome looks also makes her style seem very polished, so try your own spin on it with just using black and white pieces you already own.
ARTISTS
#LetTheGirlsPlay
We’ve featured the Song Suffragette series before - it’s a weekly show at The Listening Room in Nashville centered around the idea that female singer-songwriters aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. We sat down with Todd Cassetty and Helena Capps to discuss how the show was started and what they hope to see happen as a result.
How did Song Suffragettes start? Todd Cassetty: We were talking with the office a few times about how there don’t seem to be any women on the radio anymore, and we started looking at it constructively – ‘well what can you do to help that situation?’ and thought ‘why is there not a singer-songwriter event that’s just tailored to females?’ We knew a couple of singer-songwriter girls and they had complained to us about not having a lot of places to play. I called my friend Blake McDaniel at CAA and he hooked us up with 3rd and Lindsley. [It] has a backstage room where we started it; it’s a real small place. In about two months we’d already outgrown that, and then The Listening Room invited us to bring it over here. How do you go about choosing who to book for shows?
Kalie Shorr performs at The Listening Room
There is a lot of discussion about the lack of female artists on the country Helena Capps: We have a form you can fill out charts. Do you think there is just as online to send in your stuff – YouTube videos, much a lack of female country writers? SoundCloud websites, MP3s – and then from there it all comes into our office and we go H: I don’t think there’s a lack of female through it all. Then you have to come in and writers, but I think it’s hard to get your song play for us in person to get on the show. You cut because there aren’t many female artists. definitely have to play your own guitar or Unless you’re a female writing male songs, it’s instrument – we’ve had a mandolin. hard to get your song cut. T: The key thing in this is it’s not an open T: Which honestly, most of the successful mic scenario. We want to make sure the female songwriters are writing for men. H: Heather Morgan, she came and played and level we’re trying to accomplish is high. The she has a Brett Elderidge cut – talent caliber is high so that we can represent females who love to perform T: a number one. So for better or for worse, I think a lot of the female songwriters out there country music in the best possible light. feel the need to write more for male voices So everybody has to come through the office because that has a better chance of getting cut and play a couple of songs. and earning them some money so they can H: Unless you’re a special guest. keep doing it. T: Yeah, we didn’t make RaeLynn come H: I don’t think there’s a lack of female through. When somebody plays they songwriters though. recommend somebody, and it’s a very T: Just a lack of female songwriter positive, nurturing environment so everybody opportunities. is trying to help everybody out.
How’d that happen?’ It [will happen] because What are some of the main problems facing female singer-songwriters today, a lot of people decided to rage against the machine and force things to happen. even in Nashville? T: Record labels aren’t signing enough of them and radio isn’t playing enough of them. That’s it. As soon as record labels sign more, push them to radio, radio starts playing them, then the opportunities will start opening up for young women in this town. But until that happens opportunities are going to be scarce like they are now. I think this town is now self-conscious about it, which is a good thing. There’s been a lot of talk about it in the past six months. So
there’s a self-consciousness about it, which is a good start as long as they start doing something about it. What we preach a lot is it’s going to take all of us to turn the ship. It’s not just going to
be Song Suffragettes, and it’s not just going to be Mickey Guyton doing well with her first single. It’s going to be a collective of efforts, [until] people wake up and go ‘oh, there’s three girls in the top ten of the charts!
It seems like there has been a pretty good reception for the show. Have you seen a lot of positive feedback from the Nashville community? T: We really wanted it to be organic from the start, so we did grassroots [marketing] because we wanted it to feel authentic and real, and it’s grown that way. In the last few months we’ve taken some big steps forward in growing the awareness. Getting our first sponsor was a big deal. Country Outfitter sponsors the show now and gives away a pair of boots at every show. That’s a big stepping stone I think. Then Billboard did a big article on us before Christmas, and that was a big stepping stone just to get out the awareness. How many submissions would you say you’ve gotten just on the submission form? H: We’ve gotten around 200 submissions. I think the songwriters too, they look forward to coming – at least we hope. They are
writing together, which makes it better as an audience member to see two girls up there that wrote a song together and they’re singing each other’s harmonies.
Maddie Larkin performs
Even if they didn’t write a song together, they’ve been playing together so much that they can sing each other’s harmonies. It’s a friendship thing now for some of our girls. T: One of the most fun things is somehow now we’ve made people learn what a suffragette is. That was one of the funniest things that people were like ‘what’s a suffragette?’ Like come on, people should know this! We were here the other night and I heard some young women at a table like ‘what’s a suffragette?’ and one was explaining it to the other, and they had to look it up. That’s kind of a cool
Check out the Song Suffragettes YouTube channel for videos from each of the Monday nightshows, as well as profiles on many of the writers.
thing because the reason for the name
is the suffrage movement was women fighting for the right to vote, and Song Suffragettes is women fighting for the right for their music to be heard. Even the yellow flowers up there [on stage] were a symbol of the suffrage movement of the early 1900’s. There’s a little bit of symbolism floating around here.
there’s a lot more comradery with the girls. They’ve been writing together. There’s been a lot of positivity by virtue of us doing this every Monday night. You have to keep banging the drum and hopefully word will get out. We need that big story that someone got discovered from Song Suffragettes. One girl got to try out for a major label because someone saw her on the show. So we need that big story, and I think that will happen this year. We all win.
What are the goals for the series and what do you hope to achieve with it? T: The main goal is just for it to continue to grow – to bring awareness of the lack of females in the country format. We had our first sell out a week after Christmas, and we very regularly have over 100 people here every week. We’ve made so much progress we just want to keep it going. Getting it more on a national stage would be a next big step. Getting a national sponsor and getting coverage in Billboard were steps in that direction, but really opening it up so people, not just in this community know what Song Suffragettes is, but nationally know what it is. The ultimate hope is that some of the females that play on the show, it helps them get discovered and get record deals and be successful. [We want to] help rebuild the momentum of females in country music. H: Tonight there’s a girl that got a Sony publishing deal. We just hope that more girls will get that kind of recognition, and hopefully label deals. T: So it’s two goals: the ultimate goal is for the girls to get opportunities, and under that umbrella is growing the actual event so the higher the profile the greater the opportunities. H: They help each other out. T: I think you’ll see [during the performance],
Alex Masters performs for Song Suffragettes
Last December one of our favorite events of the year took place in New York - the Billboard Women in Music event. The luncheon included speeches from the award recipients, special covers of some of their songs such as Ingrid Michaelson performing Swift’s Clean, and a roundtable discussion with all of the women and Matt Laurer. You can check out the video by clicking the picture below, and find more from each of the lady’s speeches by going to Billboard’s website.
photo source: billboard.com
For 2014 Billboard honored (with some highlights of their acceptance speeches):
Taylor Swift as the Woman of the Year
“I’ve taken this year to stand up for my value as a songwriter, as a businesswoman and a content creator,” she explained. “I’m very well aware the music industry is changing, and it will continue to change. I’m open to that change and progress. I’m not open to the financial model that is currently in place. I really believe that we in the music industry can work together to bond technology with integrity.”
Aretha Franklin as the Icon of the Year
Clive Davis said, “In 1980, she cooked dinner with me and we spent hours in her kitchen, trading music experiences and exploring whether we could collaborate to make future recordings. We hit it off, and we’ve been making records ever since.”
Ariana Grande for the Rising Star Honor
“I want to thank my mama for teaching me to work hard -- and that behind every successful woman is herself.”
Idina Menzel as Breakthrough of the Year
“I know I’m a cool chick, hard worker, good mom, pretty talented singer. It has taken me this long to realize that if you’re easily able to categorize yourself you’re probably [shaping into] someone else’s opinion of you.”
Charli XCX for the Hitmaker Honor
“To be recognized for my work as a songwriter is really incredible because that’s something i care about so much.”
Hayley Williams as the Trailblazer of the Year
“This the greatest honor I could receive, because this is the legacy I want to leave. To be in a band with my two best friends and never do anything that was something we didn’t want to do. It’s an amazing and powerful thing to be celebrated for who you are. There are a lot of girls who never feel that way, and I want to spend my life making them seen and heard.”
Iggy Azalea for the Chart-Topper Honor
Talking about manager Sarah Sennett, “Without her, I would probably have no career at all. She single-handedly convinced everyone in this room to take a chance on me.”
& Jessie J for the Powerhouse Honor
“I never thought i would have this moment in America. This is one of the most incredible moments of my career so far. And thank you for listening to me sing. It’s all I want to do.”
The event also honored the Women in Music list of female music industry leaders - Michelle Anthony (Universal Music Group) was named number one this year, with previous frontrunner Julie Greenwald (Atlantic Records) in second. You can view the full list here.
Fighting a Battle in a Beautiful Way Diane Ward is an accomplished artist and songwriter from Florida. Her powerful voice and personal writing help tell the stories on her latest album Beautiful Ways. We talked to Ward about her musical journey, including her inspirational story of surviving breast cancer - she recorded the album even though she was going through chemo and radiation at the same time. You can find out more about Diane and her music on her website.
How did you get started in music? I was a school drummer. I started in the 7th grade playing drums. My brother-in-law had started a band that used to practice in the garage, and I would hang out. The instrument that [interested] me the most was the drums. My mother [auctioned] her wedding ring and bought me a drum set and got me lessons.
Your latest album is called Beautiful Ways, and how is that different from your previous work? It’s probably more mature. On this particular album I have a tendency to get really personal, and I explore what it is to be human quite a bit. So there’s a lot of storytelling, but it definitely explores the human element quite a bit.
What’s your songwriting process usually like? It could be a lot of different things for me. What I naturally gravitate towards is starting with a melody and structure. Occasionally I’ll start a song with lyrics, but I’d say about 80% of the time I’ll start with the tune first and then build the lyric around the structure.
What was one of your favorite songs on this album? The title track I love, and I think turned out great. They’re all different and unique in so many different ways. There’s this one track, the single “Satellite,” that’s a throw back to my early stuff so that one’s a fun tune as well.
Who are some of your favorite cowriters or people to work with musically? I’m based out of south Florida and there’s a few artists down here that are pretty amazing. One in particular, his name is Ryan Franklin, and he’s an incredible singer-songwriter. I just recently worked with Bryan Hamlin from Ireland, and he’s pretty amazing too. I look forward to continuing with that. Who are some of your major influences? In general I’m a big McCartney fan. Overall I tend to gravitate towards melodies, and stylistically the way he constructs a tune is amazing. The Beatles in general had an incredible way of structuring their production with melody in mind that I tend to gravitate towards. What has been your favorite accomplishment so far in your career?
In my career? Personally it would be getting through breast cancer, but for my career I’d say this album because I was diagnosed when we were recording the album. It was quite challenging going through chemo and radiation while recording. So I’d say my biggest accomplishment is coming on the other side of that and actually finishing this album. I’m really, really proud of it. Did the recording process end up being a coping mechanism or help you through it in any way? Absolutely. It was quite a wonderful distraction. I can’t begin to tell you. It was hard because your body goes through so much when you’re going through that, that to actually get in there and sing and perform was challenging. We had to be very gentle and take our time, so that’s why this album took a little longer to get done because of all of the things we were going through at the same time.
listening to Lee Ann Womack The Way I’m Livin’
Beyonce Beyonce
Joni Mitchell Blue
Brandy Clark 12 Stories Gabrielle Aplin English Rain
Jillian Jacqueline Overdue
Recommendations from the Editor Tiny, Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed You may recognize the author of this book since her recent bestseller was made into a movie called Wild starring Reese Witherspoon. Tiny Beautiful Thngs is a collection of some of her columns as “Dear Sugar,” her anonymous advice column. My favorite part of this book is that Strayed continuously brings in her own life experiences to make sense of her readers’ problems. She does not claim to have all the right answers or be a therapist, but she offers interesting insights into issues that a lot of people struggle with.
Gallery 5.9.1974 Gallery 5.9.1974 showcases the amazing photograph of Bruce Springsteen from the Harvard Square Theater show in 1974 where Jon Landau proclaimed he “saw rock and roll future.” It was a historic night, and photographer Barry Schneier captured some incredible moments during the show.
Ben Howard: I Forget Where We Were To say Ben Howard is an underrated and overlooked artist (especially in the US) is an understatement. He has won several awards in the UK where he is from, but has yet to reach the mainstream here. What impresses me most is his live performance. When I saw him at the Ryman in Nashville I was blown away by his ability to bring his songs to life and his guitar playing was probably the best I’ve seen. I highly recommend both of his albums, but the second one - I Forget Where We Were - showcases his unique songwriting style.
James Bay Another Brit, James Bay, was recently the winner of the Brit’s Critic’s Choice award - previously won by artists like Sam Smith and Adele. Bay’s singersongwriter style earned him an opening slot on Hozier’s recent US tour. He has also been played in heavy rotation on Nashville’s Lightning 100 radio station. Right now he only has a couple of EPs out (both on Spotify), and he is due for his debut album to come out this year.
FEMINISM
bringing feminism We live in a day and age where Beyonce tells us to be a feminist is to “believe in the equality of the sexes” while she stands on stage in a less than normal amount of clothes covered in sparkles. Last year two of the biggest movies of the year were created in large part due to Reese Witherspoon, who started her own production company in order to fund and find more interesting roles for leading women in film. Emma Watson started a movement online with her campaign called “He For She” to get more men involved with bringing equality to the forefront, which caught on like wildfire but then quickly died down like most hashtags on Twitter. What all of these examples have in common is that though they may not be perfect or long-lasting campaigns for feminism, they have brought it into the conversation for the entertainment industry and the world. The way I see it, this can only help. There are so many varying perceptions and definitions of feminism out there today, but the more it begins to be brought into people’s everyday conversations as something that is based purely on equality, the better.
I suppose the best way to start is to define where I stand on the topic. To me feminism is pretty simple and is about what I just stated: equality. It is looking at a list of top CEOs of companies and having the percentage be more than the current figure of 5%. It is finding ways to support women within media, so instead of criticizing their every fashion choice they get asked about their careers (the way men normally do). It is wearing makeup whenever you feel like it or dressing up for no reason at all, both things that can be expressions of your personality or creativity, not things that lower your credibility as a feminist. It is looking at other women in whatever industry you’re in as people to support and work together with, not as competition for spots that are far and few between for females. It is saying a musician can wear what she wants and dance how she wants as long as it’s her decision and not an executive’s new marketing plan. It is looking at the 77 cents a woman makes to every dollar a man does and wanting to make a change.
Throughout my time working on this magazine so far I have become firm in my beliefs I just listed. I’m not saying that is the But why is it important to use the word only way to look at feminism or the way I in the entertainment industry and why just described is the “correct” way. I’m a collegeuse a simple definition of equality? aged female that has become fascinated by
into the conversation fascinated by the inequality of women, so perhaps I do think I have it figured out, but I very much understand that I do not know all there is to know about the history of the movement or even the word – both things that should not be ignored. What has really influenced my ideas about feminism these past six months has been seeing people’s reactions to my questions about being a feminist. I don’t want to call anyone out by any means, but let’s just say I’ve received a few concerning looks and confused answers in response to “do you identify as a feminist?” Sometimes I’ve even been afraid to ask the question in fear of getting an outright “NO!” or stirring up trouble. It can be a tricky line to walk and an even trickier thing to talk about. It is difficult to tell the reasoning behind each person’s less than happy reaction to the word “feminist,” but I have a few guesses as to why they respond that way: some people have such a bad connotation with the word due to seeing somewhat ‘radical’ feminists bashing men and wanting to be viewed as superior, some people don’t know what to think of the word because there are so many differing definitions out there, and some people simply don’t want to stir
up any drama by giving a straight answer to the question because they know it can be controversial. What I have found is that the more people hear about feminism in a clear, calm context, the less likely they will react harshly to the idea – this doesn’t mean it is widely accepted, but the more people challenge the stereotypical “man hating, no makeup wearing, angry” feminist, the more the opinion of feminism will shift to one that is based purely on equality and supporting women. All of this to say, I think women like Beyonce, Reese Witherspoon, and Emma Watson are doing great things by bringing feminism into the conversation. Sure, each of their campaigns or uses of feminism in a PR context could be improved, but to young women that look up to them and look to the entertainment industry for role models, the three women mentioned are trying to introduce feminism to people in a confident and positive way - as are other women in the industry, which is a step in the right direction for feminism and entertainment to take together.
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