“Only 2% of popular music is produced by women.” – Annenberg Inclusion Initiative
This choral arrangement of Alicia Keys’ “Underdog”, beautifully performed by women from Loyola Marymount University’s choir, aims to bring awareness to the gender disparity around women music producers.
The 2% “Underdog” Choir was directed by Mollie Mills and created in collaboration with the Recording Academy (the org behind the GRAMMYs). The song’s lyrics are powerful, as is the choir’s performance. But the campaign this video is promoting leaves us to wonder what the Recording Academy – the world’s leading society of music professionals (performers, songwriters, producers, engineers) – is doing, specifically, to change that abysmal statistic. They say “Support Female Producers”, and issue a call to put #WomenInTheMix through their campaign hashtag. How? Awareness matters, but real change requires concrete actions.
Song Chorus:
“So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at the bus stop
Single mothers waiting on a check to come
Young teachers, student doctors
Sons on the frontline knowing they don’t get to run
This goes out to the underdog
Keep on keeping at what you love
You’ll find that someday soon enough
You will rise up, rise up, yeah”