HOW TO NAVIGATE SEXISM WITHIN THE INDUSTRY WITH POP GIRLZ SCOTLAND

Industry Talk: How to navigate sexism within the industry and the initiatives to ensure more gender balances

Popgirlz Scotland is a support group for female/female-identifying/trans artists in the Scottish music scene, which now has over 150 members. Rachel created the group in late 2019 with the idea of making a safe, motivating space for womxn artists. It includes collaborative Facebook and Instagram pages where members can help and support one another, and Rachel organises social events where members can meet, collaborate and become friends.

In November 2020 Josephine assisted Rachel in the Popgirlz 'Scotify' campaign, where diversity issues were highlighted within Spotify's 'Scotify' playlist. Although more still needs to be done, the campaign lead to an increased percentage of women and ethnicities within the playlist.

Join Rachel Alice Johnson ('Kohla') and Josephine Sillars as they breakdown Vick Bain's 'Counting the Music Industry' research, inequalities within playlisting and spotlight articles published in The Times, The Glasgow Guardian and The Scotsman. Having spoken at leading UK institutions including The University of Edinburgh, The University of the Highlands and Islands, The University of Aberdeen, Leeds Conservatoire, The University of the West of Scotland and the Academy of Music Sound, Popgirlz research has been published by PRS M Magazine, as well as features in The Scots Magazine, The Skinny and Bella Caledonia. Popgirlz Scotland's main objective is friendship-building between members to tackle sexism within the music industry.

Follow them on instagram @popgirlzscotland  | @kohlamusic | Twitter @josephine_here