In collaboration with Sacem (Keychange partner), the series will take a deeper dive into perspectives, insights, and expertise, emphasising gender equity, highlighting intersectional voices alongside unique challenges faced by music artists and professionals.
Across the 10 instalments, we will take a topic from the Keychange Manifesto to better understand how we can apply our learnings whilst mindful of the wide ranging cultural and political contexts of the international music community.
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In our first instalment of the series, we look at Sudan with Ronnie Vitalia, a Sudanese Black feminist, Queer rights activist, and Afropolitan writer. Passionate about advancing African LGBTQIA+ and women’s rights, Ronnie combines a love for the arts with advocacy for social justice.
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In the second instalment of the series, we are in conversation with the iconic French drag artist, La Grande Dame. In this video interview, La Grande Dame takes us her journey and experience of the French and UK drag communities, challenges along the way in these cultural contexts, and of course, tells us a bit more about the importance of music on the scene.
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In our next instalment of the series we have musician, sound designer, and cultural entrepreneur, Beril Sarıaltun, taking us on a journey of insights, territories and practical advice on safer spaces - looking at, and beyond the physical and overt. The Founding Director of Kreşendo, Beril’s work continues to be immersed in the intersection of music and social impact. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed, as Beril has also been recognised as one of our shortlisted nominees for the Keychange Inspiration Award!
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Access is the integral first step, where influence ranging from financial constraints, cultural expectations, geographical barriers, gender representation and all other identity intersections, can facilitate or hinder progress in the music industry. And so we are excited to bring you the latest instalment of International Perspectives with Tia Korpe who brings introspection from a lived professional experience of the DJ world, working with emerging talent across the world. We delve into how working in international networks also provides crucial steps to access, finding collaborations that drive change, and how this interconnects with institutional bodies, policy and advocacy, alongside the music industry.
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In this instalment of the series, we are in conversation with Iranian musician Faravaz.
In a powerful and intimate video interview, Faravaz speaks with host Anna Dushime about growing up as a woman in Iran, where her voice and visibility were treated as provocation, and about being forced into exile for singing in public. She reflects on a life shaped by control, shame and silencing, and on the ongoing process of reclaiming agency through music. This conversation comes at a timely moment given the current political climate and protests in Iran against the Islamic Republic government’s regime, a deepening economic crisis and further erosion of women’s and human rights. This also further calls into question the problematic calls for Western intervention and its imperialist interests.Together, Anna and Faravaz explore music as a form of feminist expression, the transformation of pain, anger and everyday emotions into art, and the freedom that comes with finally being heard. Faravaz also opens up about her creative process, self-worth and the liberating power of provocation — from embracing her body without apology to using humor, kink and playfulness as tools of feminist resistance. At the heart of the conversation is music as a space where Faravaz can say what she once needed to hear herself.
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Within the fast-paced cycles of the music industry, it is inevitable to suffer from burnout, stress and other maladies and difficulties related to the often extractive and high-demand practices expected from artists and professionals. Other not-so-obvious factors include the physical, economic and psychological wellbeing tied into the global politics which are inevitably intertwined with the music industry, its fundings, governments and the oppressive systemic structures many find themselves in. As music artists and professionals navigate the international markets, the (in)direct impact of these cannot be overstated.
Click here to read the sixth instalment
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In this International Perspectives, we look to the recent EU Transparency Directive that has come into effect to further gender pay equity through transparency and stronger enforcement. Practically tackling the gender pay gap will be interrogated further on a national level as we take insights from collecting societies Sacem (France) and PRS for Music (UK), the latter giving us a non-EU perspective. We take a deeper dive with PRS for Music, highlighting their latest Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap Report (headed by Suzanne Hughes, Chief People and Transformation Officer). We then head over to Sacem for an interview with Fabienne Gestin (Human Resources Director), who delves into the French experience whilst reflecting on the complexities and challenges companies may face in enforcing the EU Transparency Directive.