While men are allowed to age disgracefully in songs, taking up the mantel of Rockstar, females remain to be commodified, we desire them young, gorgeous, hot however not also attractive, in fact give them to us innocent, however likewise slutty?
All of which was ever much more clear with Megan Thee Stallion and also Cardi B’s brand-new solitary WAP, ladies owning their sexuality is a no go.
Keeping that in mind, we met up with brand new musician Flownn, who is not only female but additionally in her 30s– in a market that prematurely ages females– as well as preparing to launch her very first solo single.
It is 2020 as well as Corona-coaster aside, it is starting to seem like we’re finding our feet; fighting for equal rights across the board, functioning better as communities and also sustaining each various other in what has been among the hardest years we have faced around the world– and three years after the launch of the Me Too movement women are being progressively sustained and also represented throughout all industries, right?
Well … in the music market ladies still just comprise 21.7% of musicians, 12% of songwriters and also terrifyingly only 2.1% of manufacturers. Women musicians in the charts are extremely young– signed young, Mahalia was signed at the age of 13, as well as considered ‘past it’ once they reach their early twenties.
With a music profession spanning 10 years, Flownn’s soon-to-launch solo offering has been long expected as well as seems like a recover of one of the most glorious kind. Though she notes the likes of H.E.R., Amber Mark, Cleo Sol, James Blake, Tom Misch and also Rosalia as her much-loved musicians, her musical style can not be melted down and molded to a single genre and also elements of every one of the previously mentioned can be heard at points.
Flownn’s first single launch– think honeyed vocals lightly distilled over an electro-pop beat– is entitled “Illuminate” as well as was generated at the height of the Covid-19 lockdown through a Zoom with manufacturer Pearse Macintyre … “We laughed at the concept of actually developing something of value through the ‘new regular’ of a computer system screen, let alone producing a piece of music that makes you want to move at a time when we were all so less active.
I was so made use of to working together in reality that I actually battled to make it work on my very own however we maintained it and also to my shock Illuminate was birthed. The track is about the internal representation on love simply exercising as well as the aspects of that literally and emotionally brightening you, however I have discovered that the track does that for me as well.”
Right here she opens up regarding the inspiration behind the music as well as the issues she has faced as a women musician in a man controlled market …
It is infamously difficult to significantly break-through in the music market as a solo artist. What have been several of the obstacles you have come up against?
Absolutely, it’s one of the hardest games around, I always compare it to stand-up comedy, will they like me? Will they like my songs? What side of myself do I need to show to acquire a fully commited target market. There are so many brand-new artists and new releases, being mostly male led as we understand, you have to do everything to be different whilst additionally showing your true genuine self. I have actually maintained my head down, functioning with the manufacturers I enjoy, if the tracks that we write do not work I put them to bed, perhaps I’m as well cut-throat however at this stage as well as age I seem like this needs to be the layout in which I function. I presume you might state my inner obstacles are what I’m up against but fuelled by the industry I’m in as well as what it has ended up being.
What kind of sexism you have experienced has surprised you?
Formerly I was in an all-female band called Paradisia as well as really the sexism and also sexualisation was virtually almost everywhere. One occasion, which I think of typically as the musician in question has currently formally been ‘cancelled’ as a killer, takes me back to 2 years ago. We got on trip with a highly effective, older male solo musician. He DM ‘d us the day before the trip started asking us to fulfill him in his hotel area before soundcheck, amongst some other fairly leading messages.
At the time we were so fired up at the possibility of this impressive possibility and also being messaged by one of our heroes. It is extremely easy to see how you can find on your own in a compromising and possibly hazardous circumstance, everybody were in our late twenties, in dedicated relationships, but additionally felt like we could not really say no. I honestly believe the only point that quit us from getting involved in difficulty over and over again is that there were 3 of us; something I am a lot more aware now that I’m solo.
Today however, I have to state it is a lot far better all round and I do think Me Too has had a massive impact on this– there is a feeling of adjustment within the innovative market, I now function extremely carefully with primarily ladies as well as my administration are extremely protective so I hope I won’t discover myself because setting once more.
Do you believe the sector still subscribes to an age restriction on female musicians?
Definitely, checking out the top 3 women marketing artists, every one of which are under the age of 25 and also started their jobs at 18. Also The X Factor, which at once was the among one of the most viewed shows on British television had an over +25 team (this year this age bracket has actually been lifted to 28) and we all thought about that team as being past it, their stories constantly reflect on this being their swan song.
Not a day passes where I do not consider my age as potentially limiting me, as well as do not let me begin on the concept of having children. I understand there have actually been times where had I have actually strolled right into the workshop 10 years more youthful the energy would certainly have been different. Eventually excellent tracks, great team, whatever age you are should suffice, I still really feel 21 to be straightforward.
What does this song symbolize about you as a musician and a person? Do you feel like you are ultimately controlling the narrative of your profession and also just how liberating has that been for you?
Illuminate symbolises so much for me, my brand-new journey of confidence, feeling like I’m no longer in something that restricts me both on an individual degree and in my career, to be honest I have actually never ever felt extra free. At the start of Flownn I recognized I wished to make a pop record that you can dance to, it’s the songs I listen to and also not allowing the industry to make me feel as though my age wouldn’t sustain this, if anything my writing improved, I understood what I wanted to state and how I wanted it to sound more than ever before.
I signed my very first significant record deal at 20, I was constantly made to feel like I had a voice because large structure when I actually didn’t, I had money coming in for songs I hadn’t written yet, it was wild however I was helpless. Today I am absolutely liberated daily, I am authorized to an independent tag, I own my songs as well as I get to deal with an unbelievable team. We are mainly constantly aligned on things we put out, I have full creative control. It takes a town and my village is banging.