Herstory 26: Susan Rogers, The Sound Engineer Responsible For Purple Rain
In this Herstory, we focus on Susan Rogers, a Prince fan who became the sound engineer for some of his most influential works throughout the 1980s.
Herstory 25: How Odetta Holmes Sparked The Revival of Folk Music
Odetta Holmes, a singer, guitarist, writer, actor, lyricist, and a civil and human rights activist became cemented as the “Voice of The Civil Rights Movement” and sparked the folk revival of the 1950s.
Herstory 24: How Daytime Raves Re-Shaped Desi Identity
Predating the Bhangra nights of today, desi youth — often too young to attend night-time events — would attend afternoon club events that to hear new blends of South Asian folks and Western pop. This served as a vehicle to navigate desi identity in the UK. For Herstory 24, we explore the deep history of Daytime Raves in the UK.
Herstory 22: Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" Gives A Voice To The Whistle Register
Minnie Riperton stands as one of the most underrated vocalists in music’s history. The short list of singers that are trained to exercise the whistle register often cites Riperton as their main influence. While we don’t know how high her career would have reached, we do see how far that influence carries forward today.
Herstory 20: How Jazz Pianist Patrice Rushen Evolved for R&B
Patrice Rushen was a classically-trained jazz pianist with aspirations to branch out into a solo R&B career. Not only did she succeed at a solo career, but went on to become a producer, musical director, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist in the process.
Herstory 19: How Estelle Axton Created a Home for Memphis Soul
It will always remain an unlikely story that a middle-aged, white schoolteacher would have such an influence on the musical landscape of Southern Soul.
Herstory 17: Cher Introduces The World to Auto-Tune
With the release of her Believe album in 1998, she went from rock star to pop star. This moment is important for another reason - Cher popularized the new pitch-altering software, auto-tune.
Herstory 15: Samba Legend, Elza Soares, Turns Tragedy and Trauma into Her Muse
Elza Soares is not a name that you hear very often outside of South America, but is one that you should know moving forward. She has become not only one of the most revered names in Samba, but one that has displayed strength and resilience since the 1950s. Surrounded by continually younger musicians and an ever-changing musical landscape, the iconic Brazilian singer, has remained a constant power in our midst. This is her story.
Herstory 14: Michie Mee, The Canadian Rapper Ahead of Her Time
Michie Mee's experimenting with battle rap and dancehall created a new wave of hip hop in Toronto. One that matched its title as the most multicultural city in the world. She was also the fist Canadian rapper to sign a record deal with an major American label.
6 Music Videos That will Make Your Skin Crawl
Our roundup of the creepiest, most otherwordly tracks out there - and the music videos that take them to the next level.
Herstory 13: Sister Rosetta Tharpe Was A Guitar-Shredding Legend
The godmother of rock ‘'n’ roll was a guitar-shredding, queer, womxn of colour. What does a rise to fame look like amidst racial segregation?
Herstory 12: Kym Mazelle's Journey from UK Pirate Radios to Record Deals
The rise of Kym Mazelle demonstrates the power of pirate radios. The US-born singer songwriter found success on illegal radio stations and it led to a bidding war among major record labels.
Herstory 11: Missy Elliott and the Evolution of Music Videos
Missy Elliot didnt fit the industry’s expectations of a female artist so she created a new way of existing in the industry. Her talent and her story of rejection and resourcefulness is a source of inspiration for many.