Spotify supports female recording artists

Spotify’s EQL program focuses on women

Spotify is partnering up with Berklee College of Music and Electric Lady Studios to create a more inclusive and receiving environment for women working in production areas of the music industry. Spotify went on the record on Aug. 15, to make the announcement about the progressive start up, EQL Studio Residency program.

The announcement said, “Spotify’s EQL Studio Residency will help open the door for emerging female producers and engineers while shining a light on the great work already being done by women in the music industry.” The goal of the project is ultimately to get more women involved in the production fields.

Kerry Steib, Director of Cultural Impact at Spotify, said on Spotify, “Women are underrepresented as artists, songwriters, engineers, and producers; we have to use our resources to create opportunities to address this and do it with great partners across the industry. This is just the beginning.”

**Spotify’s EQL program helps women at Berklee College of Music.** Photo courtesy of Berklee School of Music

A woman has yet to win a Grammy in a Non-Classical Production category, making it hard for young girls interested in this side of music to find someone to look up to; along with what Steib said, this is just the beginning of giving young women someone to look up to.

The inaugural program will start in October and offers three residencies in Nashville, New York, and London to three deserving women in production. The residencies are paid and the chosen candidate for New York will split their time between Spotify’s studios in each city and renowned Electric Lady Studios. Nashville and London’s chosen candidates will spend their days in Spotify’s Secret Genius Studios.

Spotify’s EQL program is going to start changing the tune of the industry for the better. For female recording arts majors at CU Denver and beyond, this gives them the ability to work in a more constructive environment in the future. The industry consists of about 93 percent men, give or take a few percent, so providing women with a work environment that is safe and respectful to these producers’ skillsets is incredibly important in changing the way the industry works.

Berklee College of Music is an obvious supporter of women in the industry and is also a partner of the program. Darla Hanley, Dean of the Professional Education Division at Berklee, said online, “This exciting collaboration recognizes the many contributions women make in the music industry; we are happy to support and mentor the recipients of the EQL Studio Residency.”

While applications for the residency program, that is the first of its kind, have recently closed on Aug. 24, it’s probable that the program will continue to give female producers, engineers, and songwriters the support that they need to be successful in a current industry that is lackadaisical in aiding with constructing more diversity.