An update from Coco Solid on Equalise My Vocals, a new project focusing on gender equality in the music community.

Ngā mihi nui!

Firstly I’d like to thank everyone, including The Spinoff, for supporting the Equalise My Vocals crowdfunder to get this mini-summit off the ground. Gender equality in New Zealand music is something we can start addressing as a community. We are now looking to stage a panel event, public talk and afterparty in the first week of May in central Auckland (just in time for NZ Music Month – how bow dat!)

As our small team starts pulling this one-off event together (with some great resources and support now behind us) I do believe the conversation can start now. So I will be doing a supporting interview series for The Spinoff with a wide range of women, transgender and non-binary people, within all sectors of New Zealand music talking about their experiences. Equalise My Vocals is about sharing stories, pooling knowledge and experiences, while building a Rolodex of resources for those who might need them in the future.

I think this project is simply a starting point. The event and this interview series don’t claim to be a solution to the intense issues we raise – I think a ‘catalyst contribution’ is more realistic. It will take a collective effort from local music as a whole if we want to see shit improve for all genders long-term. Now more than ever, we need to be changing the conversation and passing the mic. I hope Equalise My Vocals leads to a lot more mic passing in future, including my own, ha!

More updates to come!

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