Gallery: Cherchez La Femme (Look for the Woman)

Ashwarya

I’d love to see more women and women of colour in the industry who are crucial to key decision making, from live shows to artists’ teams to organising events, in order to create safe and inclusive spaces for everyone involved. When more women and women of colour are given opportunities to do so, I have no doubt that it can result in tangible benefits that can empower other women and minorities to feel like they’re part of a robust and supportive environment.

Hair: Matthew Ashton Makeup: Kahlii Morrison Ashwarya wears P.A.M dress, Baaqiy Ghazali Jacket, Bye Bambi jeans, Eytys sneakers.

Bumpy

I want to start by acknowledging the incredible voices at the forefront of this movement and those who came before me. The conversation around safety in the industry has been happening for decades. Cultural safety is imperative in ensuring each worker, attendee, artist and their creations are safely supported. Through constant analysis and consultation, I would love to see the industry reflect on how it can ensure the safety of all communities, and support them in diversifying and creating new considered roles. I hope that through this we will see a change in the emotional and financial support, a diversified shift in power and safer spaces to allow all kinds of expression, leading to a safer and more accessible industry.

Hair: Matthew Ashton Makeup: Kahlii Morrison Bumpy wears custom Remuse dress, stylist’s own earrings.

Carla Wehbe

No one should feel unsafe in any environment, but especially in the creative industry which prides itself on being inclusive, supportive and allowing for vulnerability. I think accountability is extremely important in making sure there is always a safe space for everyone, because everyone deserves to feel safe.

Hair: Matthew Ashton, Maddy Robinson Makeup: Amy Chen Carla wears her own jeans, Bonds singlet, stylist’s own custom jacket, vintage jeans, Prada bollo, Doc Martens shoes.

CXLOE

It’s been so encouraging to finally see these issues under review, and we’ve taken some really positive steps towards accountability and industry-wide change. The National Music Industry Review in Australia, and everyone involved in that process, did such a fantastic job of outlining some really achievable steps towards reform. Personally, and on a very practical level, I’d love to see an industry-wide Code of Conduct in place to help prevent sexual harm, harassment, bullying and discrimination. Being vulnerable and open goes hand in hand with our role as an artist and storyteller, and that vulnerability can often be mistaken for weakness, or misused as an opportunity for harmful or inappropriate behaviour. So, something that is clear and simple that we can sign before we get in the studio, attend a photoshoot, agree to a gig, etc, would be a great start. It's also crucial that we understand that First Nations' women and Women of Colour face disadvantage and discrimination because of both their race and gender. Similarly, women with disability and LGBTQIA+ folk face additional challenges and discrimination, and it's up to all of us — women included — to hold the industry accountable to change.

Hair: Matthew Ashton Makeup: Amy Chen CXLOE wears Yousef Akbar dress, own boots.

GRAACE

I would love to see more women and non-binary people in decision-making roles in the industry, from artists at the top of line-ups to producers running sessions, the crew calling the shots on tours, and execs running music companies. By having more women and non-binary people at the top — in roles usually filled by men — we ensure we have more diverse voices speaking on behalf of our industry, which I believe will make more people feel safe and seen. When I started in the music industry in 2017, the #MeToo movement was just beginning to gather steam. Since then, more and more women have come onto my team, which has greatly benefited me and my career, and I feel truly grateful to now be at the first major label in Australia run by a woman, Vanessa Picken. The movement has done a great job of shining the torch on the dark corners of the music industry and making everyone aware of what goes on behind closed doors. However, there is still a long way to go until we have complete equality in the music industry.

Hair & Makeup: Kahlii Morrison Grace wears stylist’s own dresses and boots.

Jaguar Jonze

#MeToo has pushed this issue to the front of minds, which has now put forward the question of what to do about it as an industry? It has taken a lot of sacrifice and energy to establish awareness but it can't stop there. Awareness is just a first step, there is much more work to be done to address specific issues, bring about a cultural shift, and begin to reform. We now require commitment to change and action. I hope that with the achieved momentum the industry will commit and implement recommendations to begin the process of creating safe arts workplaces. My work, and many others' work, in the Music Industry Review and concurrent National Cultural Policy panel will hopefully lead to government commitment, resources and frameworks to support the reform of the industry.

Hair & Makeup: Marlene Olsson Jaguar Jonze wears Cinnamon Kingsland jacket, dress and boots.

June Jones

I think that the #MeToo movement has been effective in shining a light on a particular kind of power dynamic rife in both the music industry and our society as a whole. This is a moment in time when we are thinking more than ever about safety in the workplace and the ability to speak truth to power and abuse without fear of sabotaging our careers and livelihoods. I would love to see this collective denunciation of power expand to include actions leading to more stable forms of income, housing, and safety for everybody struggling to make ends meet between pitiful streaming royalties, precarious employment, oppressive record contracts, and devalued labour due to the arts being seen as the domain of hobbyists, not workers. I believe that the ability to call out abuse in our industries is dependent on the knowledge that we will still have a job, an income, and a home to go back to at the end of the day.

Hair: Matthew Ashton Makeup: Kahlii Morrison June wears stylist’s own faux fur coat, dress and jewelry.

Kita Alexander

I feel so fortunate that I haven’t experienced any moments that are too bad in the music industry. I’ve had one session when I was a fresh eighteen-year-old when I had an older producer making uncomfortable comments about my body when I would lean over to pick up a guitar for example. I think in order to protect young women and underage girls there should be a protocol when working with men in a closed off studio. Unfortunately the studio/songwriting space is heavily male dominated. I believe there should be a personal email sent out from the girls’ team explicitly explaining what the guidelines are around the session and how to make the studio a safe place. I think an artist's team should also really strive to always place a female songwriter, topliner or producer in the room if there is another male present to make young women feel more at ease. And I also feel like there should be a conversation around when the young artist feels like she is confident and capable of handling herself in an all-male environment. Sadly the odd chauvinistic male ruins it for the majority of other professional working men in the industry. Teams really need to have these discussions with young females who are entering the industry.

Hair: Matthew Ashton, Maddy Robinson Makeup: Amy Chen Kita wears Yousef Akbar dress, stylist’s own gloves.

MAY-A

There needs to be more of a spotlight on women and gender diverse people to help shape the future of the music industry. Making sure these people feel included, celebrated and NEEDED. The percentage of female producers compared to male producers is still insufferably low. Women working in lighting, as engineers, as session musicians, tour managers, anything behind the scenes, have to work so much harder to be taken as seriously as their male counterparts. In an ideal world women and non-binary people wouldn't have to ask themselves if the reason they’re not getting recognition or opportunities is because of who they are and how they're perceived.

Hair: Matthew Ashton, Maddy Robinson Makeup: Amy Chen MAY-A wears vintage suit and shirt, her own Vans and rings.

Robinson

When I envision a safe place for people to exist in the music industry, I want to see a space where each person entering the industry understands exactly what abuse is and what it looks like. Many of us entering the music industry for the first time often have no idea what ‘normal’ is. We can fall into the belief that the fear tactics, abuse of power, and disregard for who we are as human beings is just the way things are. There will be abusers everywhere we go in life… In the past, many have gone undetected. However, if we are able to understand what abuse looks and sounds like, perhaps we stand more of a chance at protecting ourselves and ridding this toxicity from the industry.

Hair & Makeup: Kahlii Morrison Robinson wears Kaliver suit and blouse, Prada bollo, own boots. Special thanks to Matt, Marlene, Amy, Kahlii, Maddie and Epic Studios.

The Veronicas

We would love to see people respected, acknowledged and valued for their talent and work, rather than projected upon as a personal commodity — in any room, stage or meeting they walk into. That means all of society needs to help re-establish feminine energy as one of possible and equal leadership within all power structures. Not just because they are women, but because they are the best in the field at what they do.

Hair: Matthew Ashton Makeup: Marlene Olsson Lisa wears Caroline Reznik diamonte crop, Yamaha pants. Jess wears vintage Yamaha jacket, own singlet.

Women in music represent hope for the destruction of gender rigidities and for an industry that is safe and empowering for those who follow in the footsteps of torchbearers. Now that the #MeToo movement has well and truly reached the local music industry, Rolling Stone asked eleven artists what outcomes they would like to see for a better, safer music community.

Photography, styling and interviews were conducted by the award-winning She is Aphrodite.