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Underrepresented, Overworked & Underpaid: 7 Key Learnings From The Newly Published Women In The Mix Study

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Underrepresented, Overworked & Underpaid: 7 Key Learnings From The Newly Published Women In The Mix Study

Released today, on International Women's Day, the Women In The Mix Study explores the employment experiences, job satisfaction, family decisions, and pathways women professionals take in the music industry

GRAMMYs/Mar 8, 2022 - 02:04 pm

It perhaps shouldn't come as a shock that women working in a variety of professional fields face challenges unique to their gender. Those working in the American music industry are no exception.

The newly published Women In The Mix Study — released today by the Recording Academy, Arizona State University (ASU) and Berklee College of Music Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship (BerkleeICE) — explores the experiences and socioeconomic landscape of women and gender-expansive people working in music. Built on data from a 2019 study conducted by the Berklee College of Music, the Women In The Mix Study surveyed more than 1,600 professionals working in various capacities — from behind the scenes to center stage — and at all levels, with all ages, races and ethnicities responding.

The Women In The Mix Study explores demographic characteristics, employment experiences, career challenges, job satisfaction, family decisions, and pathways into the music industry. More than 1,000 respondents also provided suggestions for improving the climate for women in music.

Ultimately, the study is designed to influence advocates, allies and leaders in music to work toward a more inclusive and equitable industry, while amplifying women's voices.  

"The Women In The Mix Study is a groundbreaking account of the realities and decisions that we as women working in music are publicly and privately making each day," Recording Academy Co-President Valeisha Butterfield Jones said. "By centering this study around active listening, learning and building solutions, we've armed the industry with valuable data about the barriers affecting women in music and how we can together take a stand."

"When trying to create meaningful change you have to speak directly to the people who will be most affected by that change and let them be a part of the conversation," Erin Barra, Director of Popular Music at ASU, added; Barra co-authored the study with Mako Fitts Ward, Ph.D.; Lisa M. Anderson, Ph.D.; and Alaysia M. Brown, M.S.  

In celebration of International Women's Day, GRAMMY.com is taking a deep dive into some of the major findings of the Women In The Mix Study. 

Read the Women In The Mix Study in full.

Women are underrepresented, overworked and underpaid

The Women In The Mix Study cites work from the University of Southern California's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, which found that women are severely underrepresented in the music industry, accounting for just 21.6 percent of artists, 12.6 percent of songwriters, and 2.6 percent of producers. The Initiative's annual Inclusion in the Recording Studio report found that there has been no meaningful increase in these numbers over the years.

More than half (57 percent) of Women In The Mix respondents work two or more jobs. Twenty-four percent work between 40-51 hours per week, while an additional 28 percent clock more than 50 hours per week. 

Thirty-six percent of respondents earn less than $40,000 per year, and nearly half of them feel like they should be further along in their careers. Nearly half of the respondents who identify as music creators and/or performers reported making less than $40,000 a year. 

Approximately 57 percent of music creators felt they should be further along in their career, compared to those working in music education (48.5 percent), event/tour production and management/promotion (41.7 percent), music business (37.4 percent), and music media and technology (32.9 percent).

Discrimination is prevalent — especially for gender-expansive respondents and women of color

Across all racial identities, 84 percent of respondents had faced discrimination. Seventy-seven percent felt they had been treated differently in the music industry because of their gender, while more than 56 percent believed their gender had affected their employment. Music creators and performers experienced this the most, with 65 percent experiencing discrimination. Sixty percent of respondents said they had been discriminated against for their age. 

Gender-expansive respondents were less satisfied than those who identified as women by a 16 percent margin. They were twice as likely to make less than $40,000 per year and felt less comfortable in their workplace by a margin of almost 18 percent.

Women of color reported feeling the highest level of discomfort in the workplace and noted less workplace support. More than half of respondents of color felt they should be further along in their careers.

Career advancement is often prioritized over parenthood

Roughly one out of every two respondents said they chose not to have children or had fewer children than they wanted because of their careers. Respondents with children under the age of 18 represent slightly less than two out of every 10 women and gender-expansive people in the music industry.

People who make over $100,000 per year had a 27 percent likelihood of having children. Those earning less than $40,000 a year have a 15 percent likelihood of having children. Women of color are the most likely respondents to have children, though they still reported that their career was a factor in their decision-making around having or rearing children.

Work-life balance development should begin early

While less than half of respondents reported having an internship during their career, 78 percent felt internships contributed to their career. 

However, since internships, particularly those in creative fields, are often unpaid, these opportunities may not be feasible for people without sufficient financial and/or supportive resources. Study respondents suggested paid internships as one method of addressing networking, access to opportunity, and work-life balance. 

Respondents — many of whom are working more than 40 hours per week — noted that burnout is a significant challenge. Additional and/or mandatory paid days off would also improve work-life balance throughout the industry. 

Mentorships and advocacy organizations are valuable

Ninety-three percent of respondents felt that mentoring had contributed to their career. These respondents were more likely to feel they were where they should be in their careers and reported feeling satisfied with their jobs. Respondents suggested that providing access to quality mentorship and mentors can have a profoundly positive effect on the careers of women and gender-expansive people.

Forty percent of respondents were members of advocacy organizations, while 35 percent of respondents cited professional or industry-related organizations as crucial factors to their growth and advancement. Roughly 20 percent mentioned advocacy in their recommendations to help improve the climate for women and gender-expansive people.

However, mentorship and networking are both largely built upon a person's interpersonal skill set, as well as their ability to negotiate and advocate for themselves. By bolstering soft skill development, while also building and strengthening institutional programs, support infrastructure, and active education, the music industry can improve business acumen for women and gender-expansive people early in the employment pipeline. 

Organizations should take real action and spend money

Simply saying your business is committed to DEI isn't enough. Women In The Mix Study respondents suggested recruitment pledges — a commitment from hiring managers to recruit diverse and robust candidates — as a means of intentionally addressing access to opportunities and dismantling gatekeeper culture.

Addressing women's representation in music has been a longstanding priority for the Recording Academy. In 2019, the organization launched Women In The Mix, which prompted hundreds of music professionals and organizations to pledge to consider at least two women in the selection process every time a producer or engineer is hired. That same year, the Recording Academy pledged to double the number of women voters in its voting membership by 2025; the organization has reached 60 percent of that goal.

In 2021, the Recording Academy donated a total of $25,000 to five charities and organizations that support the growth of women and girls in production and engineering. Based on the Women In The Mix Study findings, and to help address issues surrounding access to resources and opportunities, the Academy has committed to donating an additional $50,000 to five organizations that support the growth of women and girls in music, including Beats By Girlz, Femme It Forward, Girls Make Beats, She Is The Music, and Women's Audio Mission. 

Career satisfaction and passion for the music industry remain high

Despite the challenges around insufficient earnings, burnout, gatekeeper culture, sexism, and the competing demands of creative vision and generating revenue, 78 percent of Women In The Mix Study respondents reported feeling satisfied in their careers. Even in career categories that seem to face the most obstacles — such as freelancers and music creators and performers — more than 80 percent of respondents said they felt satisfied. Respondents working in event and tour production, management and promotion were the least satisfied, noting a 65 percent satisfaction rate.

Such satisfaction may be the result of inherent passion: Over half of respondents said that their pathway into their careers was through their inherent love for and excitement about the music industry.

10 Ways To Support Women Musicians & Creators Year-Round

212 Quarterfinalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award
Music Educator Award

Photo Courtesy of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum

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212 Quarterfinalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award

The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have announced the quarterfinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, which recognizes educators who have made a significant contribution and demonstrate a commitment to music education.

GRAMMYs/May 8, 2023 - 01:00 pm

Today, the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have announced a total of 212 music teachers as quarterfinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, which recognizes current educators — kindergarten through college across public and private schools — who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The quarterfinalists, who hail from 197 cities, were selected from more than 2,000 initial submitted nominations. In addition to the quarterfinalists, 123 legacy applicants from 2023 will also be eligible to win the Music Educator Award this year.

Semi-finalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award will be announced this September. The ultimate recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2024.

Read More: Meet The 2023 Music Educator Award Recipient: How Pamela Dawson Helps Her Students Achieve Healing And Catharsis

A joint partnership and presentation between the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.

Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The 10th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 2024 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards, as well as a range of GRAMMY Week events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Fifteen semi-finalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

Read More: 8 Artists Who Were Inspired By Their Teachers: Rihanna, Adele, Jay-Z & More

The matching grants provided to the schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Museum’s Education Champion Ford Motor Company Fund. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.

Learn more about the Music Educator Award.

See the full list of the 2024 Music Educator Award quarterfinalists and legacy applicants below:

2024 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD QUARTERFINALISTS

Name School City State
Casie Adams Martinsburg High School Martinsburg West Virginia
Bruce Adams Sam Houston High School San Antonio Texas
Miguel Aguiar Southwest High School San Antonio Texas
Derek Alexander Orville Bright Elementary School Chicago Illinois
Dawn Amthor Wallkill Senior High School Wallkill New York
Jonathan Anderson University High School (Volusia) Orange City Florida
Christopher Andrews Hephzibah High School Hephzibah Georgia
Jeanne Andrews Pauline J. Petway Elementary School Vineland New Jersey
Justin Antos Dwight D. Eisenhower High School Blue Island Illinois
Javier Arau New York Jazz Academy New York New York
Andrea  Armour Christian County Middle School Hopkinsville Kentucky
Timothy Arnold Orono High School Long Lake Minnesota
Shawn Athey Veterans Memorial High School Corpus Christi Texas
Elizabeth Baker Mary Martin Elementary Weatherford Texas
Jeremy Bartunek Greenbriar School Northbrook Illinois
Adem Birson New York University New York New York
Benjamen Blasko Lipscomb University Nashville Tennessee
Amanda  Blevins Tri-Valley High School Dresden Ohio
Susan Boddie Valdosta State University Valdosta Georgia
Adrain  Bonner Lancaster High School Lancaster Texas
Cherie  Bowe Pascagoula High School Pascagoula Mississippi
Andrew Bowerly Tenino High School Tenino Washington
George Bradshaw Dover Area High School Dover Pennsylvania
Gwendolyn Brazier Lathrop High School Fairbanks Alaska
Steve Browne Nashville Community High School Nashville Illinois
Matthew Brusseau Davie County High School Mocksville North Carolina
Ryan Bulgarelli Loyalsock Township High School Williamsport Pennsylvania
Cathryn Burt East Newton High School Granby Missouri
James Byrn, Jr. Maconaquah High School Bunker Hill Indiana
Mary Catherine Campbell Seven Pines Elementary Sandston Virginia
Helen Capehart Bridgeport High School Bridgeport Texas
Marcos Carreras Conservatory of The Arts Springfield Massachusetts
Michael "Patrick" Carte Scott High School Madison West Virginia
Curtis Carver Harlem High School Harlem Georgia
Roger Chagnon III Westfield Academy and Central School Westfield New York
Kristopher Chandler Gautier High School Gautier Mississippi
Jeff Chang Decatur High School Federal Way Washington
Krista Clay West Branch High School Beloit Ohio
Travis Coakley William Carey University Hattiesburg Mississippi
Vanessa Cobb Montgomery Central High School Cunningham Tennessee
Mark Collins John S. Battle High School Bristol Virginia
Trish Conover Community Middle School Plainsboro New Jersey
John Contreras Pueblo High School Tucson Arizona
Kyle Cook Western Branch Middle School Chesapeake Virginia
Travis Cook Plymouth Christian Academy Canton Michigan
Daniel Cook University of North Texas Denton Texas
Andrew Cote Merrimack College North Andover Massachusetts
Drew Cowell Belleville East High School Belleville Illinois
Cory Craig Benton Intermediate School Benton Louisiana
Matthew Cunningham Brockton High School Brockton Massachusetts
Shannon Curtis Zimmerman Middle High School Zimmerman Minnesota
Isaac Daniel Stax Music Academy Memphis Tennessee
Jim Daughters Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau Missouri
Marci DeAmbrose Lincoln Southwest High School Lincoln Nebraska
Jackie Deen Pottsboro High School Pottsboro Texas
Matthew Denman Classen School of Advanced Studies Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Ryan Diefenderfer Paradise Valley High School Phoenix Arizona
Jennifer DiVasto Pennridge High School Perkasie Pennsylvania
Antoine  Dolberry P.S. 103x Hector Fontanez Bronx New York
George Dragoo Stevens High School Rapid City South Dakota
Marisa Drake Patuxent High School Lusby Maryland
Kathleen  Dudley Andrew Cooke Magnet School Waukegan Illinois
Jonathan  Eising James Hubert Blake High School Silver Spring Maryland
Jonathan Eldridge Weston High School Weston Massachusetts
Carol Evans Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley Pennsylvania
Anthony Ferreira Suffield High West Suffield Connecticut
Tamara Frazier North Valleys High School Reno Nevada
J.D. Frizzell Briarcrest Christian School Eads Tennessee
Chesteron Frye St. Helena College & Career Academy Greensburg Louisiana
Nicholas Garofalo Chattahoochee High School Johns Creek Georgia
Matt Gerry Salina South Middle School Salina Kansas
Anna Girling Sebastopol Attendance Center Sebastopol Mississippi
Vivian Gonzalez Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @ Zelda Glazer Miami Florida
Johnathan Gore Sandy Run K8 School Swansea South Carolina
Serena Gorham Weare Middle School Weare New Hampshire
Kylie Griffin Dozier Elementary Erath Louisiana
Jess Gronberg Hawkes Bluff Elementary Davie Florida
Alan Guckian Manor High School Manor Texas
Nathaniel Gunter Greer High School Greer South Carolina
Amy Hannequin Bethel Middle School Bethel Connecticut
Crystal Harding Ypsilanti Community High School Ypsilanti Michigan
Diana  Harrigan Bloom High School Chicago Heights Illinois
Toye Harris Miami High School Miami Oklahoma
Chris Hayslette Bridgeport Middle School Bridgeport West Virginia
Colette Hebert Ella Fitzgerald Academy Yonkers New York
Martha Heise Seventh Street Elementary School Oil City Pennsylvania
Jonathan Helmick Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock Pennsylvania
Corey Hermens Grant County High School Dry Ridge Kentucky
Joel Hill Velma Jackson High School and Shirley D. Simmons Middle School Camden Mississippi
Autumn Danielle Hodges Clarksville- Kraus Middle School Clarksville Arkansas
Elaine Holmes Comsewogue High School Port Jefferson Station New York
Gene Hundley Swainsboro Middle School Swainsboro Georgia
Victor Iapalucci Philip Barbour High School Philippi West Virginia
Devin James Salem High School Conyers Georgia
Heidi Jaye Daniel Webster Elementary School New Rochelle New York
Luke Johnson Ingalls Elementary Ingalls Kansas
Jamie Jones Manzano Day School Albuquerque New Mexico
Tyler Jones Thompson Middle School Alabaster Alabama
Daniel Joosten Edgerton High School Edgerton Wisconsin
Brett Keith Northern Bedford County Middle/High School Loysburg Pennsylvania
Deonte Kennedy Craigmont High School Memphis Tennessee
Matthew Kilby Fort Dorchester HS North Charleston South Carolina
Lou Kitchner Bedford Middle School Westport Connecticut
Michael Kiyoi San Marcos High School Santa Barbara California
Kate Klotz Monarch High School Louisville Colorado
Heidi Kohler Clarence Middle School Clarence New York
Michael Lapomardo Shrewsbury High School Shrewsbury Massachusetts
Michael Lee Jericho Middle School Jericho New York
Morgan Lentino Otter Creek Elementary Elgin Illinois
Joshua Light Soddy-Daisy HS Soddy-Daisy Tennessee
Lisa Linde Newton South High school Newton Massachusetts
Wes Lowe The King's Academy West Palm Beach Florida
Cole Lundquist Gloucester High School Gloucester Massachusetts
Robert Mamminga St. Francis High School Wheaton Illinois
Peter Manzi Carlsbad High School Carlsbad California
Samuel Maran Lake High School Millbury Ohio
Jayson Martinez Arts High School Newark New Jersey
Kevin McDonald Wellesley High School Wellesley Massachusetts
Jill Melchitzky Northwestern Middle School Albion Pennsylvania
Larrian Menifee Ball High School Galveston Texas
Kimberly Mettert East Noble Middle School Kendallville Indiana
Natalie Moore Sullivan High School Sullivan Missouri
Mario Morales Granbury High School Granbury Texas
Coty Raven Morris Portland State University Portland Oregon
Brian Nabors Shelby High School Shelby Ohio
Jenny Neff The University of the Arts Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Cassandra Nelson Mountaineer Middle Morgantown West Virginia
Trevor Nicholas Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School Chicago Illinois
Adam Nobile Big Spring High School Newville Pennsylvania
Sam Noyce Thomas Jefferson Jr. High School Kearns Utah
Tim O'Donnell Ephrata High School Ephrata Washington
John Panella Cottondale High School Cottondale Florida
James Patterson Kingstree High School Kingstree South Carolina
Shakia Paylor City Neighbors High School Baltimore Maryland
Fernando Penaloza Savanna High School Anaheim California
Kathy Perconti Wayne Central High School Ontario Center New York
Jordan Peters Dr. E Alma Flagg School Newark New Jersey
Catherine Plichta Theatre Arts Production Company School Bronx New York
Felix Ponce Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School Chicago Illinois
David Pope Baldwin Wallace University Berea Ohio
Ær Queen Braddock Elementary School Annandale Virginia
Brian Querry Charles A. Huston Middle School Lower Burrell Pennsylvania
Rebecca Raber University of Mary Bismarck North Dakota
Marc Ratner Mineola High School Garden City Park New York
Lance Rauh Patriot Oaks Academy St Johns Florida
Hoza Redditt MSA East Academy St. Gabriel Louisiana
Heather Rentz St. Mark Westpark Cleveland Ohio
Aaron Rex Mason Middle School Mason Ohio
Angela Rex Riverside Middle School Greer South Carolina
Chris Richard Rogers Heritage High School Rogers Arkansas
Sarah Riechers Thurgood Marshall Elementary School Manassas Virginia
Stephanie Robertson Ponchatoula High School Ponchatoula Louisiana
Bethany Robinson Noblesville High School Noblesville Indiana
Keith Robinson Jefferson Avenue Elementary Seguin Texas
Alberto Rodriguez Mount Vernon High School Alexandria Virginia
Chad Rose Sheridan High School Sheridan Wyoming
Stewart Rosen Walter Reed Middle School North Hollywood California
Shawn Royer Marian University Indianapolis Indiana
Dayshawn Russell North Iberville Elementary Rosedale Louisiana
Hannah Ryan University of Virginia's College at Wise Wise Virginia
Kyle Ryan Turkey Hill School Orange Connecticut
Ashley Sands Kennedy Secondary School Fergus Falls Minnesota
Mark Santos Santa Ana High School Santa Ana California
Danni Schmitt Roland Park Elementary/Middle School Baltimore Maryland
Kevin Schoenbach Oswego High School Oswego Illinois
Eric Schultz Coastal Carolina University Conway South Carolina
Jessica Schwartz Denham Springs High School Denham Springs Louisiana
Josh Settlemyre R.J. Reynolds High School Winston-Salem North Carolina
Jason Shiuan Saratoga High School Saratoga California
Katie Silcott Olentangy Shanahan Middle School Lewis Center Ohio
Kerra Simmons Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts Fort Worth Texas
Joani  Slawson Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Melbourne Florida
Timothy Patrick Sloan Sr. Albright Middle School Houston Texas
Jessie Smith Yes Prep Public Schools Houston Texas
Cathryn Smith Coleman High School Coleman Texas
Patrick Smith Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School New Haven Connecticut
Tony Spano Culver City High School Culver City California
Wes Sparkes Eagleview Middle School Colorado Springs Colorado
Julian Spires Meade Middle School Fort Meade Maryland
Shannon Stem University Academy Panama City Florida
Harold Stephan Stuyvesant High School New York New York
Cassandra Sulbaran Braintree High School Braintree Massachusetts
Lynn Sweet Mount Anthony Union High School Bennington Vermont
Agnes Tech Indian Prairie Elementary School Crystal Lake Illinois
Chris Toomey Mineola High School Garden City Park New York
Tom Torrento Grosse Pointe North High School Grosse Pointe Woods Michigan
Jessica Torres Elmont Memorial Jr. Sr. High School Elmont New York
Michelle Trinidad Sacred Heart School Bronx New York
Alice Tsui New Bridges Elementary Brooklyn New York
Jordan Tupper Episcopal School of Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Louisiana
Martin Urbach Harvest Collegiate High School New York City New York
Johny Vargas Pueblo High School Tucson Arizona
Amy Villanova Canyon Crest Academy San Diego California
Valerie Vinnard Webster Elementary Long Beach California
Kenneth Walker Ralls High School Ralls Texas
Kathy Wallace Willard Elementary Winchester Indiana
Jennifer Walter University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro North Carolina
John Ware Stovall Middle School Houston Texas
Brandon Weeks North Polk High School Alleman Iowa
Lisa Werner St. Bruno Parish School Dousman Wisconsin
Scott Weyman Solanco High School Quarryville Pennsylvania
Elizabeth White Holcomb RIII Holcomb Missouri
Tyler Wigglesworth West Covina High School West Covina California
Derrick Williams Vista Heights Middle School Moreno Valley California
Paula Williams The Ron Clark Academy Atlanta Georgia
Sandi Wilson Franklin School of Innovation Asheville North Carolina
Matthew Wiltshire Lewiston High School Lewiston Maine
Damion Womack The Montgomery Academy Montgomery Alabama
Tammy Yi Chapman University Orange California
Nicholas Young Altus High School Altus Oklahoma
Jason Younts Samuel V. Champion High School Boerne Texas
DeAnna Zecchin Indian River High School Dagsboro Delaware

2024 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD LEGACY APPLICANTS

Name School City State
Phil Aguglia Kenmore East High School Tonawanda New York
Heather Akers Central Middle School Dover Delaware
Eric Allen Western Middle School for the Arts Louisville Kentucky
Calandria Allen Zachary Community Schools Zachary Louisiana
Abigail Alwin Clague Middle School Ann Arbor Public Schools Michigan
David Amos Heritage Middle School Painesville Ohio
Luke Aumann Appleton North High School Appleton Wisconsin
Elizabeth Baker Ilima Intermediate School Ewa Beach Hawaiʻi
Andre Barnes Science Park High School Newark New Jersey
Conesha Barron Lanier High School Jackson Mississippi
Lyndra Bastian Creekside Middle School and Woodstock High School Woodstock Illinois
William Bennett Cane Bay High School Summerville South Carolina
Heather Bice Ridgeview High School Orange Park Florida
Charlie Bradberry Iowa Park High School Iowa Park Texas
Justin Britt Kingston Public Schools Kingston Oklahoma
Shantavia Burchette East Side High School Newark New Jersey
John Burn Homestead High School Cupertino California
Alexander Busby Oviedo High School Oviedo Florida
Aaron Bush Foxborough High School Foxborough Massachusetts
Meg Byrne Pleasant Valley High School Bettendorf Iowa
Philip Carter O'Fallon Township High School O'Fallon Illinois
Elizabeth Carter Snowden School Memphis Tennessee
Francis Cathlina University of Memphis Memphis Tennessee
Tiffany Chiang Mark Twain I.S. 239 Brooklyn New York
Ernesta Chicklowski Roosevelt Elementary Tampa Florida
Michael Coelho Ipswich Middle School and Ipswich High School Ipswich Massachusetts
Christine Cumberledge Central Junior High School Euless Texas
Heather Dipasquale Todd County Middle School Elkton Kentucky
Jack A. Eaddy, Jr. Western Carolina University Cullowhee North Carolina
Dominique Eade New England Conservatory of Music Boston Massachusetts
Cuauhtemoc Escobedo Eckstein Middle School Seattle Washington
Jasmine Faulkner Polaris Expeditionary Learning School Fort Collins Colorado
Daniel James Felton Tartan High School Oakdale Minnesota
Nicholas Fernandez Bentonville Schools Bentonville Arkansas
Cathryn Fowler Health Careers High School San Antonio Texas
Marisa Frank Explore! Community School Nashville Tennessee
Jasmine Fripp KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School Nashville Tennessee
Jacob Garcia Tennyson Middle School Waco Texas
Jorge L. Garcia Elias Herrera Middle School Laredo Texas
Tina Gibson Jefferson County Traditional Middle School Louisville Kentucky
Alex Gittelman Haverford Middle School Havertown Pennsylvania
Guillermo Gonzalez James A. Garfield High School Los Angeles California
Mansa Gory Denzel Washington School of the Arts Mount Vernon New York
Deanna Grandstaff Cecil Intermediate School McDonald Pennsylvania
Amanda Hanzlik E.O. Smith High School Storrs Connecticut
Marvin Haywood John Ehret High School Marrero Louisiana
Kristin Howell Syosset High School Syosset New York
Emmanuel Hudson Booker T. Washington High School Shreveport Louisiana
Karla Hulne Blair-Taylor Middle/High School Blair Wisconsin
Mia Ibrahim Health Opportunities High School Bronx New York
Luis Ingels Candor Elementary School Candor New York
Justin Janer Pinewood School Middle Campus Los Altos California
Daryl Jessen Dakota Valley School North Sioux City South Dakota
De'Evin Johnson Duncanville High School Duncanville Texas
Amir Jones Harvey High School Painesville Ohio
Allison Kline Blue Mountain Area School Orwigsburg Pennsylvania
Kenneth Kosterman Rockwall-Heath High School Heath Texas
Joshua Krohn Brent Elementary School Washington District of Columbia
Sarah Labovitz Arkansas State University Jonesboro Arkansas
Heather Leppard Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA) Los Angeles California
Hope Lewis Charles O. Dickerson HS Trumansburg New York
Meredith Lord Burncoat High School Worcester Massachusetts
Brendon Lucas Nyack High School Nyack New York
Christian Lucas Mariners Christian School Costa Mesa California
Alison McCarrey Romig Middle School Anchorage Alaska
Angie McDaniel Forest Creek Elementary Round Rock Texas
Ashleigh McDaniel Spatz Burgess Peterson Academy Atlanta Georgia
Matthew McKagan Lindero Canyon Middle School Agoura Hills California
Brian McMath Northwest Guilford High School Greensboro     North Carolina
Phillip McMullen Silver Creek Central Schools Silver Creek New York
Tracy Meldrum Verrado High School Buckeye Arizona
Xochilt Melendez Munguia Gainesville Middle School for the Arts and Sciences Gainesville Virginia
Kris Milby Greenup County High School Greenup Kentucky
Dana Monteiro Frederick Douglass Academy New York New York
Shelby Montgomery George Jenkins High School Lakeland Florida
David Moore Inspire Charter Academy Baton Rouge Louisiana
Ryan Moseley Appoquinimink High School Middletown Delaware
David Moss West Hopkins School Nebo Kentucky
Deborah Muhlenbruck-Fleischer Gunderson Middle School Las Vegas Nevada
Vicki Nichols Grandview Elementary Grandview Texas
Jeremy Overbeck Century High School Bismarck North Dakota
John Pachence Penn State Abington Abington Pennsylvania
Jennifer Page Niles North High School Skokie Illinois
Matthew Pitts Robert JC Rice Elementary School Gilbert Arizona
Courtney Powers Muhammad Ali School 23 Passaic New Jersey
Natalie Pratt Brentwood High School Brentwood Tennessee
William Rank Oak Prairie Junior High School Lockport Illinois
Brett Rankin Wilde Lake High School Columbia Maryland
Annie Ray Annandale High School Annandale Virginia
Tracy Resseguie Staley High School Kansas City Missouri
Giovanni Santos La Sierra University Riverside California
Ruth Schwartz Chugiak High School and Mirror Lake Middle School Chugiak Alaska
Laura Shapovalov Walden III Middle and High School Racine Wisconsin
James Sheffer Medford Memorial Middle School and Haines Sixth Grade Center Medford New Jersey
Matthew Shephard Meridian Early College High School Sanford Michigan
Dylan Sims York Middle School York South Carolina
Thomas Slater Chestnut Oaks Middle School Sumter South Carolina
Michele Slone Urbana Elementary and Jr. High School Urbana Ohio
Tony Small St. Vincent Pallotti Arts Academy Laurel Maryland
Andrew Smith Charlotte Central School Charlotte Vermont
Wayne Splettstoeszer Torrington High School Torrington Connecticut
Elizabeth Steege Cass High School Racine Wisconsin
Lawrence Stoffel California State University, Northridge Los Angeles California
Tyler Swick Robert and Sandy Ellis Elementary Henderson Nevada
Elizabeth Taylor La Crosse Elementary School La Crosse Virginia
Cami Tedoldi Foxborough High School Foxborough Massachusetts
Kylie Teston Leonardtown High School Leonardtown Maryland
Jonathan Todd Palisades High School Charlotte North Carolina
Matthew Trevino Roan Forest Elementary San Antonio Texas
Alexis True Thomas Downey High School Modesto California
Gregory Urban Dunedin Highland Middle School Dunedin Florida
Jon Usher Hidden Springs Elementary Moreno Valley California
Michael Vasquez Charles L. Kuentz Jr. Elementary Helotes Texas
Aaron Vogel Mountain Ridge High School Glendale Arizona
Bryen Warfield Homestead High School Fort Wayne Indiana
Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio Waukesha South High School Waukesha Wisconsin
Christopher White Hickory Ridge High School Harrisburg North Carolina
Tammy White Kiser Middle School Greensboro North Carolina
Tyron Williams New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities IV Far Rockaway New York
Krista Williams Floretta P. Carson Visual and Performing Arts Academy Mobile Alabama
Kelly Winovich Northgate Middle/Senior High School Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Hayley Winslow Snow Canyon Middle School Saint George Utah
Ronnie Ziccardi Avonworth Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Working For Students: How Music Industry Professionals Find Fulfillment In Education

Mayor Of Los Angeles Karen Bass To Give Keynote Address At 25th Annual Entertainment Law Initiative During 2023 GRAMMY Week Event
(L to R): Peter Paterno, Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass, and Aron Lichtshein

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Mayor Of Los Angeles Karen Bass To Give Keynote Address At 25th Annual Entertainment Law Initiative During 2023 GRAMMY Week Event

The Recording Academy Entertainment Law Initiative will welcome Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as the keynote speaker for its annual GRAMMY Week Event.

GRAMMYs/Jan 20, 2023 - 02:00 pm

Ahead of the 2023 GRAMMYs, the Recording Academy Entertainment Law Initiative will welcome Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as the keynote speaker for its annual GRAMMY Week Event. Mayor Bass will join leaders in the legal and creative communities at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Fri, Feb. 3, as they celebrate the work of their peers and the year-round efforts of the Entertainment Law Initiative, which aims to encourage discussion and debate around the impact of legal affairs on the music industry.

"We are honored to welcome Mayor Karen Bass to the ELI GRAMMY Week Event as we gather and celebrate with the trailblazing professionals and students who are paving the way forward in the entertainment law industry," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said. "Mayor Bass has been a longtime supporter of music creators' rights in her legislative roles, and she has a unique understanding of how the creative industries intersect with law and policy that we look forward to hearing at this year's event."

"I'm proud to support GRAMMY Week because of the role that our entertainment industry plays in powering our local economy and to encourage efforts to increase equity and opportunities for Angelenos to break into the music business," Mayor Bass said.

Mayor Bass was sworn in as L.A.'s mayor on Dec. 11, 2022, after representing California's 33rd Congressional District from 2011 to 2013 and its 37th Congressional District from 2013 to 2022 in the U.S. House of Representatives. Between 2004 and 2010, she served in the California State Assembly and was elected as Speaker in 2008. 

The event will also honor the winner and runners-up of the Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Contest, co-sponsored by the American Bar Association (ABA). The contest challenges students in Juris Doctorate and Master of Laws programs at U.S. law schools to research a pressing legal issue facing the modern music industry and outline a proposed solution in a 3,000-word essay. The winner of this year's Writing Contest is Aron Lichtschein, a JD student at NYU School of Law, for his essay, "Tickets to Ride: NFTs and the Future of Concert Ticketing." Lichtschein will receive a $10,000 scholarship as well as tickets to the 2023 GRAMMY Awards and other GRAMMY Week events. As well, his essay will be published in the ABA's journal Entertainment & Sports Lawyer. Runners-up Gina Maeng and Amanda Sharp, students at Georgetown Law School and University of San Diego School of Law, respectively, will each receive $2,500 scholarships for their essays.

The Recording Academy announced last month that Peter T. Paterno, Partner at King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLP, will receive the 2023 Entertainment Law Initiative Service Award at the ELI GRAMMY Week Event; the award is presented each year to an attorney who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing and supporting the music community through service. 

Where, What Channel & How To Watch The Full 2023 Grammys

10 Finalists Announced For The 2023 Music Educator Award
2023 Music Educator Award Finalists

Graphic by the GRAMMY Museum

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10 Finalists Announced For The 2023 Music Educator Award

A total of 10 music teachers have been selected as finalists for the the 2023 Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, which recognizes educators who have made a significant contribution to the music education field.

GRAMMYs/Dec 19, 2022 - 02:00 pm

A total of 10 music teachers have been announced as finalists for the 2023 Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. The finalists, who come from 10 cities across eight states, were selected from more than 1,205 initial nominations, which were submitted from 47 states. Semifinalists were announced in October and quarterfinalists were announced in June.

The annual Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2023, which takes place ahead of the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards.

Read More: Meet The 2022 Music Educator Award Recipient: Stephen Cox On His Philosophies & Strategies For Teaching

Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The final honoree will receive a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for their school's music program. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

The Music Educator Award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators; teachers are also able to nominate themselves. Nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.

The matching grants provided to the schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Museum's Education Champion Ford Motor Company Fund. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.

Nominations for the 2024 Music Educator Award are now open.

Learn more about the Music Educator Award. 

See the full list of the 2023 Music Educator Award finalists below:

Name School Name City State
Phil Aguglia Kenmore East High School Tonawanda New York
Ernesta Chicklowski Roosevelt Elementary Tampa Florida
Pamela Dawson DeSoto High School DeSoto Texas
Antoine Dolberry P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez School Bronx New York
Jack A. Eaddy, Jr. Western Carolina University Cullowhee North Carolina
Marisa Frank Explore! Community School Nashville Tennessee
Trevor Nicholas Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School Chicago Illinois
Matthew Shephard Meridian Early College High School Sanford Michigan
Tony Small Pallotti Arts Academy Laurel  Maryland
Alice Tsui New Bridges Elementary Brooklyn New York

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A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea
Franc Moody

Photo: Rachel Kupfer 

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A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea

James Brown changed the sound of popular music when he found the power of the one and unleashed the funk with "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." Today, funk lives on in many forms, including these exciting bands from across the world.

GRAMMYs/Nov 25, 2022 - 04:23 pm

It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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