According to a 2022 report examining Inclusion In The Recording Studio, women make up 23% of the music creation process, showing that the goal of gender parity in the music industry still needs some heavy lifting. This is why initiatives like Platoon’s She Runs The Boards ring extra important in today’s climate, creating a direct pipeline for women in the music industry to be discovered, seen and heard. 

She Runs The Boards is a global music programme created to challenge the status quo and provide the tools, time and opportunity for women in music to create and connect with each other. The programme was created by Linda Ayoola (Head Of Music, Africa) and Grace Hsiu (Senior Manager of Artist Strategy) with the aim of challenging the lack of racial and gender diversity in the global music industry. 

For Women’s History Month, She Runs The Boards partnered with Apple Music Publishing to curate a women-led writing camp at Platoon Studios in London. The writing camp featured Platoon artists, Izabel, Sarah Phenom and other female and non-binary songwriters, artists and creators. The camp was a key part of their commitment  to shifting the often male-dominated culture of the music industry, and creating spaces to celebrate and help develop the talent that women in the industry have to offer. 

 

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In addition to the writing camp, Platoon also hosted a production masterclass, held to equip women from diverse communities with the skills they need to thrive in the industry. Findings from the Inclusion In The Recording Studio study showed that 6.5% of the producers credited on songs in the Billboard Hot 100 chart throughout 2022 were women, which surpassed the previous record of 4.9% in 2019. This small, yet notable increase can be attributed, in part at least, to the efforts made by women-centred initiatives such as She Runs The Boards, who are well positioned to keep creating space for women in today’s music industry.  

In an interview with Music Week back in 2023, Hsiu stated: 

“We’re focused on two things: a curated roster of amazing artists; and building a strong community around this roster that encourages each of them to tell their individual story, not be afraid to experiment and take risks, and ultimately build their brand. Our studios were built with that ethos in mind.” 

This year’s edition of She Runs The Boards took this goal a step further, launching the first Selecta, a DJ mix series spotlighting upcoming DJ talent across all genres. The first two mixes were released last week to celebrate Women’s History Month and featured mixes from DJ Charisse C and DJ Lora. 

Last year, Platoon launched She Runs The Boards in Nigeria in collaboration with our friends at Femme Africa, with a day-long production masterclass. This year, the partnership has continued with a women-led recording camp, held in Lagos last week. 

Speaking to the NATIVE about She Runs The Boards, Ayoola says:

“We believe in the transformative power of music to break barriers and build bridges across continents. By creating a music camps and initiatives exclusively for women, we aim to foster a supportive and inclusive environment where diverse voices can shine, collaborate, and inspire.”

Featured Image Credits/Platoon

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