It’s International Women’s Day – a globally recognised date (8th March) to celebrate women’s achievements while calling for gender equality. Sure, movements to redress gender inequality in the music industry have gathered momentum recently but there’s still a long way to go. To mark International Women’s Day, we asked some of our industry girlfriends – from here in the UAE and around the world – to name their inspirational women in music superstars. Meet an incredible bunch of talented professionals below…
Sara Cooper, Sara Cooper Management & PR, California
My inspirational women in music superstar: Shannon Herber
What does she do? Pop, Dance/Electronic Genre Manager, The Grammys
Why is she so inspiring? I met Shannon when she was Moby’s PA. While running her butt off for Moby, she also kept him in check, which was amazing to witness in real-time. Shannon is a self-made woman, taking on an industry that loves strong men. I admire how Shannon isn’t afraid of her power, nor is she afraid that speaking about issues, politics or her feelings lessens that power. Easy to relate to, Shannon is willing to give advice, lend an ear or just lift you up when you need it most. She embodies everything a leader should be and does it with grace and kindness – rare traits in the music industry.
Biggest lesson learned from her? How we should lift other women up and be proud of our strong, brilliant colleagues around the globe. And, not to take sh** from Moby.
Gill Janssen, Drummer, The Boxtones, Dubai
My inspirational women in music superstar: Louise Peel
What does she do? Singer, lyricist and Operations Manager for The Boxtones
Why is she so inspiring? Louise and I have been friends, family, bandmates and colleagues for 15 years. We formed The Boxtones back in Edinburgh, Scotland. On our first contract gig abroad in Bahrain, Louise brought an extra member on the road – her baby daughter Rosie, who was only just crawling at the time. Now a teenager, Rosie has spent her life travelling the world with the band and has become a talented aspiring singer/songwriter herself. Now that I’m a mother, I have a newfound respect for Louise and how she managed to keep it all together over the years; raising her little girl, prioritising her family despite hectic work schedules and all the while rocking it out front with the band.
Louise showed courage and bravery to follow her dreams of music and travel. I see how our exceptional experiences as a band and Louise’s natural empathy, determination and vivacity have shaped her daughter into the incredible young woman she is today. Louise inspires me to be the best mother I can be, while still following my dreams behind the drums.
Biggest lesson learned from her? “A singer is never late, nor is she early. She arrives precisely when she means to!” A force of nature with a huge heart and a powerhouse voice, Louise is an unwavering source of positivity and comic relief. Amidst the chaos of life she makes you realise what is most important to all of us – family.
Gene Serene, Singer-Songwriter, Berlin
My inspirational women in music superstar: Annie Erin Clark, aka St Vincent
What does she do? Singer, songwriter, composer, musician and producer
Why is she so inspiring? Part of the Polyphonic Spree before she launched her solo career gives Annie special foundations. Her approach and her sound is unique. She has a way of scaping the sound in the room around you. You feel her music. I find her incredibly mysterious. She seems to keep herself to herself rather than plastering her thoughts everywhere on social media. Annie’s generally quite silent, giving her words more power when she does speak out. There’s something refreshing about that in these times that I also admire.
Biggest lesson learned from her? In an article I read, she spoke of her experience at art school and studying music. Being a dropout myself, I was inspired by her opinion of institutions. “While all that is good and has its place, at some point you have to learn all you can and then forget everything that you learned in order to actually start making music.” There are no rules and being true to your unique sound is what differentiates artists from performers and visionaries from storytellers.
DJ Jas, Head DJ, Bla Bla, Dubai
My inspirational women in music superstar: Natalie Brogan
What does she do? Natalie is an award-winning DJ in the UAE.
Why is she so inspiring? I’ve watched Natalie DJ for years, picking up awards, opening for headline acts and loving what she does. Natalie’s energy on stage is transmitted to the audience and that’s something I’d been searching for in life – a way to touch people in a positive way through something I love. Natalie inspired me to follow my passion and become a full-time DJ. It was scary to quit full-time work but I’ve now been DJing full-time for the past six years and have landed some of the best gigs I could have imagined both here in the UAE and internationally.
Biggest lesson learned from her? Follow what you love and it will beam out of you to others and when your job is what you love, it is really not a job.
Sara G, DJ, Dubai
My inspirational women in music superstar: Feiruza Mudessir
What does she do? Feiruza owns her own clothing label called Finchitua and also makes amazing costumes for music videos.
Why is she so inspiring? Have you ever walked into a room and the first thing you noticed was someone’s smile? Well, that’s the first thing I noticed about Feiruza, followed by her edgy wardrobe and her flaming red hair that complements it perfectly. The past year hasn’t been easy for any of us, irrespective of which country you live in or what you do for a living. It’s been especially hard for us creatives though. When the world feels like it’s falling apart, how do you find the fire to create? It’s simple. It takes courage. After all, if you wish to move mountains tomorrow, you must start by lifting stones today, right? That’s exactly what Feiruza has been doing!
While the rest of the world was thrown off balance, she dug deep and started creating a whole new collection of edgy, modern streetwear featuring designs inspired by tribal Ethiopia. The label’s name is derived from the Ethiopian word ‘finchit’, which means ‘the girl with a gap between her teeth’. Like the label, a ‘finchit’ is unique, distinctly African and considered a mark of beauty for the bearer.
Biggest lesson learned from her? Courage and creativity go hand in hand. You need to dig deep and find the courage to always express your creativity irrespective of the circumstances.
Lina Kotzian, Artist Booking & Management, Titan, Vienna
My inspirational women in music superstar: Mari Malek
What does she do? DJ, model, actress and humanitarian
Why is she so inspiring? Born in South Sudan, Mari came to New York as a refugee and very quickly built a career as DJ, producer, model and actress. Now she’s using all her leverage to give back to her motherland through her charity foundation Stand4education. The charity is building a school in South Sudan to provide education to women who don’t currently have that privilege. Mari is an active humanitarian. She has spoken in front of the UN Foundation and Barack Obama in the White House. Furthermore, she plays leading roles in movies, including the Sundance award-winning Nile Hilton Incident.
What sounds like a one woman-show is the work of a team and a family that stands behind Mari. Her enthusiasm, warm-heart, ability to think as a tribe rather than an individual and her attentive sight to the overall situation inspires me, as well as many others.
Biggest lesson learned from her? “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, move together.” Mari told me this African proverb and it resonates with me. I’d love to see more people, especially woman, working together in our industry rather than working against each other. A shift and movement is happening but I’m sure if we work together even more, we have the potential to build a new legacy for future generations.
E.M.A., DJ, Dubai
My inspirational women in music superstar: Lisa Lashes
What does she do? DJ, Producer, Founder of the Lisa Lashes School of Music
Why is she so inspiring? Lisa was the first female DJ I ever saw live back in my hardcore raving days when I was 16 years old. I was blown away by this beautiful and super cool DJ completely rocking the decks. Thirteen years later, I travelled to Lisa’s home to interview her for VIVA magazine in the UK. I was excited to meet her in person. Hanging out with Lisa that day was so inspiring. I had only just got in to DJing but after listening to Lisa’s achievements, I decided to take up DJing professionally and not just as a hobby.
Lisa has been on the scene for over 20 years, with the likes of Carl Cox playing her music across the world. Not only is Lisa the original Queen of Dance Music, she’s an ambassador for the Night Time Industries Association and is on a mission to save the clubbing world.
Launched in 2018, the Lisa Lashes School of Music is a free DJ academy fully funded by the government. That same year, it was my absolute honour to collaborate with Lisa on a track called Power of Dance, which was a tribute to our good friend Howard Marks (aka Mr Nice).
Biggest lesson learned from her? Be good at your job – practice, practice, practice. Don’t let anyone put you down. Don’t follow any trends, do the opposite and just play what you want to play.
Also read: La Come Di Co-Founder Elisa Arienti Wants to Brighten Up Your Wardrobe
