#IMIWD: The Pioneering Women Behind Your Favourite Songs
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Tomorrow is International Women’s Day! This day marks a pivotal day of celebration for the Women’s Rights Movement, encouraging conversation and celebration around the world. We stand with all women and female-identifying person in the music industry, from artists to those behind the scenes.
The music business wasn’t always welcoming to women, and many argue it still isn’t. Whilst affirmative action and tackling gender bias has driven more female participation, the statistics speak for themselves. Women represent less than a third of top-selling artists in music today and only 14% of songwriters. However, certain ladies profound in their penmanship have obliterated songwriting stigma. Supreme storytellers such as Patti Smith, Missy Elliott, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, or more recently RAYE are lyrical trail blazers.
Furthermore, recent reports show female and non-binary representation in music engineering or production sectors are pitifully low. Despite the success of producers like Linda Perry, Imogen Heap, or Wondagurl – the lack of diversity behind the boards is evident.
But who are the women penning, producing and perfecting pops biggest hits today? IndustryMe writers Emily Teague, Priyanka Kotak, and Kloe Paton have an answer.
Amy Allen
Songs written include: Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter, ‘greedy‘ by Tate McRae, ‘Adore You‘ by Harry Styles, ‘APT.’ by Rosé and Bruno Mars.
It seems these days if you want a chart-topping hit, you have to turn to Amy Allen. Hot off the heels of her recent Grammy win, this prolific poet is thriving. Astonishingly, she is the first woman to clench the ‘Best Songwriter (Non-Classical)‘ Grammy’s accolade. This history-maker even took time in her acceptance speech to highlight the lack of industry recognition for songwriters. In summary, you may not know her name, but you most definitely know her work.
Starrah
Songs written include: ‘Havana‘ by Camilla Cabello and Young Thug, ‘Fake Love‘ by Drake, ‘Needed Me’ by Rihanna and ‘Girls Like You‘ by Maroon 5 and Cardi B.
Starrah wrote her dream into reality. She hails from humble beginnings in Delaware, US – a youngster working in retail with bigger dreams of working in music. Her incontestable talent and hustle catapulted her to writing alongside Madonna and Nicki Minaj. Today it seems every big name in the industry is desperate for a lyric from the hit-making maestro. Despite being prolific in her output, Starrah prefers to keep a low public profile. She remains one of the industry’s best-kept secrets.
Kristy Marlana Wallace (Poison Ivy)
Songs written and/or produced include: ‘Human Fly’, ‘New Kind of Kick’ and ‘Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love‘ by The Cramps, and later covered by artists such as Queens of the Stone Age and Muse.
While most people instantly think of Lux Interior as the genius behind the legendary band The Cramps, Poison Ivy stands out to me. She wasn’t just an incredible guitarist and performer but a mastermind when it came to creating their tracks. She’s credited as a co-writer as well as arranging and producing some of their iconic albums. There’s no doubt that the band wouldn’t have made it so far and become such a cult classic for so many people who enjoy different genres of music if it weren’t for the huge contributions that she made.
Erika Ender
Songs written include: ‘Despacito‘ by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, ‘100 Ànos‘ by Ha*Ash and Prince Royce, ‘Cinco Minutos’ by Gloria Trevi and ‘Tu Vida en La Mía‘ by Marc Anthony.
Panamanian songwriting extraordinaire Erika Ender has been the secret weapon behind Latin America’s biggest hits. She boasts an extensive catalogue of songs that penetrate the Spanish-speaking world and has global appeal. She can pen tunes that make you want to roll your hips or cry your eyes out. This gift has seen her receive multiple Grammy awards. In addition, she stands out on this shortlist for her longevity. Her career has spanned over thirty years, and she shows no signs of slowing down.
Tayla Parx
Songs written include: ‘thank u next’ by Ariana Grande, ‘Love Lies’ by Khalid and Normani, ‘Got Me Started‘ by Troye Sivan and ‘High Hopes’ by Panic! At The Disco.
Tayla Parx is a kaleidoscope of talent. This Grammy-nominated creative sprinkles her vibrant, glittering aura into pop perfection that sticks to the charts like super glue. The Texas native is a successful solo artist in her own right. However, it’s her collaboration with friends like Ariana Grande that has seen her become a recognised name in the industry. Interestingly, for anyone who has ever seen ‘Hairspray‘ (2007) – Parx played Little Inez. This girl has been a scene-stealer since childhood!
Kittie (Group)
Songs written include: ‘Brackish‘, ‘Spit‘ and ‘Charlotte‘.
When Kittie released their first album ‘Spit‘, back in 2000, its members were still teenagers. All of the tracks on this debut are credited to its original line-up of four young women – Mercedes Lander, Fallon Bowman, Morgan Lander, and Tanya Candler. The lyrics were shocking, raw and gritty. The girls were able to create an album that fits brilliantly into the Nu Metal canon whilst standing out so much. I’m consistently in awe of how young they were and yet were able to create a record that stands up against their counterparts. Most of their peers were much older men, with a lot more experience and money.
Nija Charles
Songs written include: ‘Rain On Me’ by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, ‘No Guidance’ by Chris Brown and Drake, ‘Sweetest Pie’ by Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion and ‘KEHLANI‘ by Jordan Adentunji.
Nija Charles is one of the most sought-after songwriters in music today. The LA-based artist is an alumnus of the prestigious Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU and has proven she is no one-hit wonder. She champions fellow female creatives, collaborating with R&B’s leading ladies, including Beyoncé and Tierra Whack. In addition to her accolades, she has appeared on the Forbes ’30 Under 30′ list, advocating for better representation of young Black women in the music business.
Julia Michaels
Songs written include: ‘Sorry’ by Justin Bieber, ‘Lose You To Love Me’ by Selena Gomez, ‘Make Me Feel’ by Janelle Monáe and ‘2002‘ by Anne-Marie.
Julia Michaels knows how to write sexy, cheeky, fun pop. The American songstress has been penning ear-pleasing tunes for others since her teens. Furthermore, she has managed to keep enough hits for herself to enjoy a thriving solo career. From writing for film and TV to leveling up her lyrics for mainstream artists – she is no stranger to top-ten hits. Her edgy hooks are supremely addictive. She has cited her songwriting inspirations as Fiona Apple and Paramore – acts unsurprisingly fronted by bold ladies like herself.
Suzy Shinn
Los Angeles-based Suzy Shinn is one of the most exciting producers and engineers in modern rock. She has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy, and Dua Lipa, but her production work with Weezer has solidified her reputation as a behind-the-scenes powerhouse. Suzy produced Weezer’s 2021 album ‘Van Weezer‘. This record pays homage to ’70s and ’80s hard rock giants like Van Halen and Metallica.
As a massive fan of the album, I love how her production keeps the sound punchy and polished while letting the riffs shine. It balances high-energy guitar heroics with Weezer’s signature catchy melodies. What makes this particular production credit stand out is that it’s still rare to see a female producer singlehandedly take the reins on an album like ‘Van Weezer‘, especially in the rock genre where production roles remain overwhelmingly male-dominated.
She has been open about the challenges she faced breaking into the industry as a female, from the discouragement and differential treatment she experienced as a music production student at Berklee College of Music to the uphill battle of proving herself as an engineer. But rather than letting those barriers define her, she’s pushed forward with undeniable skill and determination. As she told Rolling Stone in 2021, she “doesn’t want to be hired to fix a broken statistic” but rather because she’s the best person for the job. This mindset makes her success all the more inspiring.
Beyond her work in production, Shinn is also a talented songwriter in her own right. Her one-off 2022 solo track ‘Junk Food‘ is a grungy, ’90s-inspired jam that sounds like Liz Phair mixed with early Weezer. The single’s artwork, with its retro aesthetic, is also highly reminiscent of ‘The Smile Sessions‘ by The Beach Boys, adding another layer of charm to the track. Despite often working behind the scenes, Shinn’s success is proof that women belong at the forefront of modern rock music production.
Conclusion
The music industry needs women. It needs us in all our variety, colours, and constructs. Females and female-identifying people are the lifeblood of a myriad of creative fields including songwriting, engineering, and production. We need more opportunities for women to get behind the boards. There is so much more to the music industry than being the star – as the women highlighted above have proven. This International Women’s Day, delve into these ladies’ catalogues and get inspired. Barriers are made to be broken.
Find more articles celebrating International Women’s Day here.
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