By Monica Kemoli-Savanne – Artist & Label Partnerships Manager, East Africa at Spotify
In a world where female artists like Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Beyonce can have multi-million (and in some cases, billion) dollar empires, it’s natural for some to think that the musical playing field has been leveled. And with all the creative and production tools available to aspiring artists, surely the path to success is as open to female artists as it is to their male counterparts, right?
Not so fast. While big female artists may be more visible than ever, there are still major gender gaps in the music industry. As recently as 2019, male producers outnumbered their female counterparts 47 to 1, women made up less than a quarter of artists, and 12.3% of songwriters. According to the Spotify-funded USC Annenberg study on the representation of women in the music industry, meanwhile, only one in five artists on the charts is a woman.
So, while we might not be in the same place we were between 1940 and 1990, when just a quarter of US number one songs were by female artists, there is very definitely still work to be done. This is especially true when it comes to highlighting up-and-coming female artists.
Crucial in Africa
If anything, it’s even more important to get this right in Africa. The continent has a rich history of female artists making waves internationally, from Miriam Makeba in the 1950s through to the likes of Tems collaborating with Drake today. There are still, however, inequalities that need to be dealt with.
Our own data, for example, shows that the percentage of streams by female artists in Africa’s biggest markets is significantly lower than those by male artists. Nearly all of the markets sit below 25%, with South Africa and Uganda the only two notable countries above that mark. While those numbers aren’t unusual at a global level, they’re a long way off from leading lights such as Hong Kong, where just over 37% of streamed tracks are by female artists.
Small wonder then that major female artists have felt the need to speak out against marginalisation and exploitation in the music industry. In many cases, the women making those noises have decades of experience in the industry, giving them more space to speak out. But that isn’t always the case for young, emerging artists.
Driving change
At Spotify, we recognise this and believe that we have a role to play in elevating female voices in Africa and around the globe. With this commitment in mind, we launched our EQUAL hub a year ago. EQUAL is designed to be a one-stop destination for highlighting the work of women-identifying artists and podcasters.
We additionally launched the EQUAL Music Programme. Through the programme, Spotify has introduced listeners around the world to local playlists (including in Sub-Saharan Africa) as well as a “best-of” flagship EQUAL Global playlist.
The playlists are housed on the platform in the EQUAL hub and spotlight local women artists on the rise in their respective markets. Each month, the hub also features a rotating Artist of the Month takeover, alongside a refreshed tracklist. Among the African artists to have been featured on EQUAL are Kenya’s SSARU and Muthoni Drummer Queen, Nigeria’s Ayra Starr, Ghana’s Amaarae, and South Africa’s DBN Gogo.
For the artists featured on EQUAL, the impact can be massive. Featured artists can triple or even quadruple their streams. Since being featured on EQUAL, Ghanian artists Gyakie and Amaarae have seen their streams jump by 71.65% and 138.66%. Kenyan multi-genre artist Muthoni Drummer Queen has seen an 808% increase in streams and Nigerian Afropop and Azontobeats artist Fave has seen her listens go increase by a massive 46 517.30%
Ultimately, EQUAL doesn’t just highlight emerging female artists. It also fosters a deeper connection between fans and noteworthy women artists and generates new opportunities for visibility.
Raising the volume
There’s clearly a lot of work to be done when it comes to improving equality in the music industry. It’s also clear that closing the gender gap requires commitment across the board. It’s simply untenable that, 162 years after music was first recorded, we find ourselves in a position where there is still such a large disparity between male and female artists.
By raising the volume on women musicians around the globe, we not only help build their visibility and ability to earn but also drive demand for change where it matters most: among listeners. The more aware of female artists listeners are, the more they’ll keep seeking them out. That in turn, will drive promoters, record executives, and others in the industry to fulfill that demand.
As visible as the current crop of high-profile female artists are, there are thousands of other female artists out there who deserve to have their voices heard. We all have a role to play in ensuring that they the world hears them.