Music Archives – Women's eNews

A feminist music festival in Chile wants to challenge Latin America’s sexy, submissive ideal of women

By Maria Murriel & Por Alison Bowen ● Culture ● March 20, 2016

At this year’s Viña del Mar festival, in Chile last month, the festival queen took a dive into a pool, covered only in rose petals, surrounded by fans and photographers.

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Toshi Reagon Wraps Up 5th Word-Rock-Sword Festival

By Amy Lieberman ● Arts & Culture ● October 2, 2015

The annual weeklong event in New York City is designed to inspire women to “find their strength.” The folk and blues musician started it in 2010, as a reaction to the midterm elections that year and the impending “war on women.”

Pussy Riot Duo Sanitizes Russian Feminist Punk

By Inna Naroditskaya and Rachel Tollett & Por Alison Bowen ● Arts & Culture ● April 1, 2015

Gone are balaclavas, boots, wool stockings, angular fighting gestures, distorting jangling guitars and screaming voices. All that is defining for a group of everyday women transforming themselves into masked underground protesters.

China’s First Female Punk Band Broke Stereotypes

By Jemimah Steinfeld & Por Alison Bowen ● Arts & Culture ● March 15, 2015

Fronted by Gia, the group Hang on the Box embraced their sexuality and spoke in a way that was less demure, a first for China, says Jemimah Steinfeld in this except from the book “Little Emperors and Material Girls: Sex and Youth in Modern China.”

I Made Music in Iran, Defying Laws

By Tooka Zokaie & Por Alison Bowen ● Arts & Culture ● December 12, 2014

When I went to Iran this summer, almost everything I participated in related to music was illegal. I played piano to male audiences, participated in underground concerts and danced without my headscarf to Persian pop music.

Kim Gordon Reflects on Doing-It-All Pressure

By Jessica Bacal ● Uncategorized ● June 20, 2014

The rock icon, best known for her role in the band Sonic Youth, talks about the challenges of being an artist, musician and mother and looks back at her music career in this excerpt from the book of interviews “Mistakes I Made at Work.”

Some Hip Hop Guys See Nothing Lyrical About Rape

By Hajer Naili ● Arts & Culture ● April 27, 2013

Activist group UltraViolet just called out hip hop star Rick Ross for his rape-celebrating lyrics and got Reebok to cancel his lucrative partnership deal. Not all rappers’ attitudes are the same, however. Tyson Amir is spreading the message of peace, love and not being confused “with those other dudes.”