three winners on stage to promote more equal access to the musical world

In Besançon, “Musicians” week is in full swing. A support operation for equal access to musical practice solo or in groups, a highlight around female creation and gender minorities.

Women on stage are not necessarily as common as you might think. So, to move the lines, the Musiciennes system was created three years ago in Besançon. For a week – from April 15 to 20 – female artists work in depth on their artistic project and reflect on their status as female artists. The objective: one week to make a name for yourself.

This year, 225 candidates applied. Around fifty of them were selected by a jury which was also entirely female. And the three 2024 winners are: Allivm (urban pop), Awa (melancholic soul) and Rouge Minnesota (rock). During a week of immersion in the Bastion rooms and at Rodia, they worked on live performance, physicality and strategy, keys to building a musical career.

In this caring circle, artists flourish fully, far from the misogynistic pressures they may face during their young careers.

Here, “they do not have the will to shape us. We are not pushed to become a product that will be successful in the market. On the contrary, there is really a desire to support our sensitivity and energy in a very respectful way.”shares Rouge Minnesota, one of the winners.

Beyond their musical training, the artists participating in the system question their status as women artists. In the region, many people are mobilizing to ensure that gender equality takes place on stage and behind the scenes. A day of meetings with the Féma regional network (association of players in the current music sector) is even set up to debate the question of equality in professional and artistic practices in Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

If music is finally combined with the feminine for these artists, Besançon also stands out for revealing talents, notably during the International Music Festival, which is celebrating its 77th edition this year. Also born under her leadership, will the 59th International Competition for Young Conductors be won by a woman in 2025?