Celebrating Women in Music: She Is the Music Honors Gracie Abrams
This March, She Is the Music will host a special evening at the Peppermint Club in Los Angeles to celebrate the accomplishments of Gracie Abrams, alongside honoring 50 exceptional women in the music industry. This event, dedicated to fostering a supportive community for aspiring female artists, aims to pave the way for the next generation of women in the sector.
Event Details: Women Sharing the Spotlight
Slated for March 27, the event, titled Women Sharing the Spotlight, is presented in collaboration with Live Nation Women and TuneCore, with support from The Hollywood Reporter as the media partner. Dr. Stacy Smith from USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative will present the key findings of this year’s Inclusion in the Music Business report, accompanied by TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson.
Empowering Women Through Networking
In a move to enrich the networks of emerging talent, She Is the Music encourages the 50 honorees to invite a woman in the early stages of her career. This initiative aims to enhance connections and create pathways for career development among women in the industry.
“Our ethos is women supporting women. We asked our honorees to bring women they see as rising stars—the next generation of women,” said Jody Gerson, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group and a co-founder of She Is the Music. “When women create sisterhood, we’re going to see real change.”
Gracie Abrams: A Champion for Women
As part of the celebration, Abrams and her predominantly female team will be recognized for their contributions and commitment to advancing the cause of women in music. Jody Gerson lauds Abrams as “an artist who walks the walk” in embodying the values fostered by the organization.
In her statement, Abrams expressed gratitude for her team, highlighting, “Being surrounded by such an incredible team of women has changed the way I see everything. I’m deeply honored to be recognized by She Is the Music, an organization that has done so much to acknowledge and uplift women in this industry.”
Alicia Keys: A Commitment to Change
Co-founder Alicia Keys will also honor Abrams during the event, emphasizing the significance of female collaboration in the industry. “Gracie Abrams and her incredible team are living proof of what happens when women uplift each other—when we step into our power, we change the game,” Keys stated. She further stressed the need for female representation, asserting that successful female-led teams should be the norm rather than the exception.
Current State of Female Representation in the Industry
This event follows a stark report from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, which reveals a troubling stagnation in female leadership within the music industry. Analyzing 37 music companies, the report found that only 13% of CEOs or presidents are women—a figure unchanged over the last four years.
Gerson, one of the very few women serving as CEO in the music industry, addressed the slow progress and highlighted the importance of elevating women rather than undermining men. “It’s about creating opportunities for women,” she stated, believing that an increase in women leaders will lead to a more inclusive environment for upcoming generations.
The Call for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
As the Annenberg report calls for urgent improvements, the music industry finds itself navigating a challenging landscape, notably influenced by the current political atmosphere, which has seen a decline in support for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Gerson underscored the need for the music business to remain dedicated to cultivating a diverse workforce that mirrors its vast array of artists, regardless of external pressures.
“It’s not merely about meeting DEI mandates. Music is a unifier, and our ranks should reflect the diversity of our artists,” Gerson remarked. “We must proactively hire diverse teams to truly represent the varied cultural landscape our music emerges from.”
As the music industry continues to grapple with these challenges, events like Women Sharing the Spotlight signal a hopeful commitment to fostering an environment where women can thrive and take an active role in shaping the sound of the future.