fifty singers gathered in a seminar to restore a place for women in the studios

It is an initiative called “She is the music” that we owe to the American singer Alicia Keys, and which for the first time is declined this week in Paris: fifty French and foreign musicians who write, compose, sing and play together, in a 100% female environment, for a seminar supported by the Universal label.

That day, artists, women, rather young and coming from several places in the world, take their breakfast and discuss, especially in English, in a building in the north of Paris. A new day of the seminar begins.

“In recent years, we have seen that there are many more women than before and that the distribution is much more balanced between men and women, on the posters of festivals or the records that come out”, explains Olivia Cristiani, artistic director at Universal.

“In contrast, she notes, the studios are a bit like one of the last ramparts, where there are more and more men, and very few women who go as far as technical positions in composition, mastering, etc.”

“The idea is to reverse this studio atmosphere which is quite masculine.”

Olivia Cristiani (Universal)

at franceinfo

The recording sessions begin in one of the studios, where the Frenchwoman November Ultra, who has been appointed ambassador for the project, works. “In the studios, it’s still quite rare to have women, she insists. And when you go up, it’s the same thing with the artistic directors, people who are in people’s labels, who choose the programmers and all that.”

“I think that precisely, continues the artist, it goes through the studio to get to know each other, to meet, to work together, to also develop as an artist, as a producer, as a soundwriter. There is change happening, but what we want is to be all on the move!”

At his side for the occasion, the Swedish artist Kerstin Ljungström and another Frenchwoman, Janie. “We have been encouraging women to support each other in music for a few years now. These types of initiatives reinforce and concretize these thoughts”she rejoices.

“It’s not just words or sharing on the networks anymore: it’s really what we all know how to do with: music!”

Kerstin Ljungstrom

at franceinfo

In another cabin, Clémence Gabriel and Sofia are recording a folk song, the songs created this week, let’s be clear, are not destined to end up on a compilation but to “live their lives”, and for the days to come, other guests prestigious like Flore Benguigui, singer of the group L’Impératrice, or Lala & Ce are expected on site.