She Creates Noise spotlights the stories of women across the entire music business. Here, host Sarah Nagourney delves into her mission to reframe the conversation around women’s accomplishments and explores the biggest challenges facing creatives today...
PHOTO: Blair Reinlie
How do you hope She Creates Noise will contribute to the broader conversation on gender equality across the industry?
“It’s like the old saying – you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I wanted to create something that celebrates the remarkable women I’ve had the honour to interview. While the challenges are very real, each of these women embodies strength, creativity, fortitude and out-of-the-box thinking. Instead of focusing on hardships, She Creates Noise highlights what they’ve achieved, often by rising from entry-level roles to leadership positions. The music industry is tough for anyone, but women still face disproportionate barriers. The goal of the podcast is to contribute to the larger conversation on women by reframing the narrative and centring their voices not as underserved, but as those who serve brilliantly. My inspiration was knowing so many women in the business and wanting to help get their voices heard and do my small part. Fortunately, many wonderful organisations are invested in addressing inequalities and creating more opportunities. Groups like We Are Moving The Needle, She Is The Music, and Women In Music are helping move the dial. By giving listeners a rare behind-the-scenes look, woman to woman, I hope the podcast empowers others and ensures these stories are told on their own terms.”
As a platinum-selling songwriter and producer, what have been the biggest changes you’ve witnessed in the industry over the years?
“I started as a singer-songwriter with high hopes and experienced plenty of challenges, but I was driven to create, overcome obstacles and keep doing the work I love. As a manager, songwriter and artist development strategist, I still experience sexism, but I just keep moving forward. Overall, I do think it’s better for female artists than it used to be. More women are in the charts – 35% in the Hot 100 in 2023, though very few producers – less than 1%, per the USC Annenberg study – and more songwriters are women. According to the same study, ‘For CEOs and presidents, women were most likely to lead companies in music distribution (28.6%), followed by publishing (21.4%).’ But few labels or streaming companies had women at the top. I am seeing more women in senior roles, but as the study points out, it’s still a white, male-dominated industry. And Nashville is especially slow to change. For women artists, it’s actually getting worse – less than 9% of artists on country radio now are women, down from 29% in 2000.”
What do you see as the most urgent or pressing challenges facing creatives today?
“Well, of course, AI. I just read that Timbaland is signing an AI ‘artist’. Someone joked that AI would handle chores so creatives could focus on art, but now the roles feel reversed. It’s concerning, and no one knows how it will play out. Also, another major challenge: streaming and bundling – it’s harder for artists to make a living.”
You’ve featured a range of voices on the podcast – from artists and producers to managers, label executives, spokespeople and more. Have any conversations shifted your perspective on the business at all?
“While my perspective hasn’t drastically changed, I’ve been impressed by each podcast guest’s journey. One woman was Madonna’s roommate, another worked in prison reform and one was a close friend of David Bowie. Hearing their stories – and how they each found their way into music – has been truly inspiring.”
Finally, one of the podcast’s goals is to demystify how the music industry works. What aspects do you think remain most misunderstood and are there any topics you want to explore that you haven’t yet?
“With such a wide range of guests, I hope that listeners of the podcast will come away with a deeper understanding of the complexity of the industry. I’ve never had a career outside of the music business, and in my experience, when people hear that, they are always intrigued and mystified. For those in the business, I hope this podcast is informative. And for those outside it, maybe the takeaway is that we’re all just people trying to express ourselves and create something meaningful. Hopefully that will help demystify it a bit. I’m still new to this role and learning how to get the most out of each interview. I’m excited to expand into musical theatre – and maybe even the broader arts – as the series evolves. I’ve got some dream guests in mind as well, like Annie Lennox, Florence Welch, Tracy Chapman, Alicia Keys, Lizzy McAlpine, Phoebe Bridgers, Patti Smith and a few label presidents, too.”
