FEATURE:
Revolutions and Resolutions
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Phoebe Fox/GRAPHICS: Andreia Lemos
Saluting Sound on Sound’s ‘Change Makers’
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I wanted to briefly…
feature Sound on Sound’s September issue. There are a few reasons why I want to come back to it. For a start, it is an issue that features ‘The Change Makers’. These are women and non-binary talent that are bringing about change and pushing the industry forward. At a time when we are still struggling to see gender parity in professional studio and more women listed as songwriters in the charts and among the most popular singles of the year, here are people who are highlighting their amazing work and inspiring others. Many of them I know already. A super producer and engineer who is right at the middle of this incredible group is Catherine Marks. As someone who has produced some incredible albums – including boygenius’ the record –, she is sone of the most renowned and talented in the industry. In regards the Sound on Sound celebration and its mission statement, Marks highlights those that she stands alongside. Those who are bringing about change and balance. Marks also provides Instagram tags of the brilliant songwriters, producers, engineers and artists who should be on your radar. This is what she said:
“In association with @musicproducersguild we are so excited to have partnered with @soundonsoundmag in this iconic issue to celebrate, highlight and represent those who are pushing things forward in the industry!
@martasalogni @grandjeanmanon @olga.fitzroy @mikasellens @eve_horne @charlieeeeesworld @steph.marziano @rameraaa @katietavini @grace_banks_music @dani_rbs @alexhopemusic @annalaverty @leslie.gaston @anntasticlv @halinarice_music @emilylazarlodge @jenndecilveo @reallindaperry @hannahvofficial @fionatron @isabelgracefield”.
I am including photos from the Sound on Sound issue where we get interviews from and spotlight of some major talent. Those who are bringing about change in male-dominated fields. Apologies for putting these photos and pages in the wrong order, but I want to cover off a lot and bring in some thoughts of what happens now – in terms of the industry reacting and more magazine issues and highlighting of women and non-binary people who are pushing hard and campaigning for the industry to do better. Who are a group united whose work is among the most impressive and important out there. In terms of those who feature in the new edition, here are the illustrious game changers:
“1. Anna Laverty
Anna Laverty is a producer, engineer, mixer and co‑writer whose credits include Camp Cope, Stella Donnelly, Amanda Palmer, Pinch Points and Courtney Barnett. Anna is also founder of the Music Producer and Engineers’ Guild of Australia.
2. Jennifer Decilveo
Jennifer Decilveo is a Grammy Award‑winning producer, songwriter and multi‑instrumentalist who has played a pivotal role in numerous projects across multiple genres.
3. Marta Salogni
Italian‑born, Grammy‑nominated recording engineer, producer and mixer Marta Salogni works from her own Studio Zona, in London. Some of the artists she’s worked with include Björk, Depeche Mode, Sampha, MIA, Bon Iver, Black Midi, Animal Collective and Holly Herndon.
4. Manon Grandjean
Based in London, Manon Grandjean worked for award‑winning songwriter and producer Fraser T Smith before becoming a freelance mix and mastering engineer in 2020. She has worked with a wide range of artists including Stormzy, Nao, Flo, Cat Burns and many more, and has been involved in six UK number ones and 18 top 10s.
IN THIS PHOTO: Halina Rice/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Robert Williams
5. Halina Rice
Halina Rice is an electronic music producer and AV artist working at the intersection of music, art and technology: her sold‑out live shows have been described as “part rave, part art‑happening”. Her performances and installations are frequently presented in spatial sound, both in physical venues as well as metaverse and VR environments.
6. Linda Perry
Beginning her musical journey as the lead singer of 4 Non Blondes, Linda Perry has profoundly impacted pop culture through her work as a producer and songwriter, helping shape the sounds of Pink, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, Adele, Arianna Grande, Celine Dion, Miley Cyrus, James Blunt and many more.
7. Eve Horne
Award‑winning creative mentor and advisor Eve Horne has over 20 years’ experience in the music industry as a singer, songwriter and producer. She is founder of PeakMusicUK and the UNHEARD Campaign, and recently become an Ivors Academy Senator and a Board Director at the MPG.
8. Grace Banks
Grace Banks is a mixer and producer with a background in writing. She has engineered for Robyn, Jamie T, D Double E, Omar Apollo, Hozier, Jockstrap, Black Midi, Kelsey Lu and the Blessed Madonna, and has worked with producers and mixers such as Kid Harpoon, Inflo, Jim Abbiss, Alan Moulder, Catherine Marks, Markus Dravs and Marta Salogni.
9. Katie Tavini
Katie Tavini is a mastering engineer with a rich and diverse client list that is not limited to a particular sound or scene. Her recent credits include Bloc Party, Arlo Parks, Fatherson, Nadine Shah, Hundred Reasons, Emeli Sandé and Ash.
10. Emily Lazar
Grammy Award winner and eight‑time nominee Emily Lazar has mastered more than 4000 albums for the world’s leading artists, from the Beatles to David Bowie. Her studio, The Lodge, offers state‑of‑the‑art mixing, mastering and specialised recording, as well as immersive mixing and mastering for Dolby Atmos. A proponent for gender equity and inclusivity, Lazar founded nonprofit organisation We Are Moving The Needle to help shape the future of the recording industry.
IN THIS PHOTO: Katie Tavini
11. Catherine Marks
Producer and mix engineer Catherine Marks produced and mixed Wolf Alice’s Grammy‑nominated ‘Moaning Lisa Smile’, mixed the Grammy Award‑winning album Masseduction by St Vincent and has production or mix credits on six top‑10 UK albums, including boygenius’ recent number one album the record. Catherine is an Executive Director of the Music Producers Guild.
12. Ramera Abraham
Ramera Abraham is a London‑based vocal producer, recording engineer and songwriter. She frequently works with music distribution and artist services company Platoon across their artist roster. Ramera was also included in SheSaidSo’s Alternative Power 100 List 2021 as one to watch, and is the Music Producers Guild’s Vocal Producer of the Year 2023.
13. Hannah V
Jumping from the Royal Academy of Music into playing stadiums with stars such as Rihanna, Jessie J, Jason Derulo and Taio Cruz, Hannah V soon found her true vocation in production and songwriting, working with artists such as Yola, Stormzy, JP Cooper, Lalah Hathaway and TOBi. In 2018 she scored her first gold‑certified album from producing and co‑writing on JP Cooper’s Raised Under Grey Skies, and in 2021 was part of the writing team for Yola’s Grammy‑nominated album Stand For Myself.
14. Olga FitzRoy
Olga FitzRoy is an award‑winning recording engineer and mixer with credits including Coldplay, The Crown and the London 2012 Olympics. Recording Engineer of the Year in 2016, she served on the board of the Music Producers Guild from 2019‑2022 and has previously stood for the UK parliament for the Labour party in Croydon, South London.
15. Leslie Gaston‑Bird
Leslie Gaston‑Bird began her term as President‑Elect of the Audio Engineering Society in 2023. She is founder and director of Immersive and Inclusive Audio, CIC, which provides training in Avid Pro Tools and Dolby Atmos certification for underrepresented groups. Author of Women In Audio and Math Fundamentals For Audio, Leslie is Lecturer in Sound Recording & Music Production at City University in London.
16. Ann Mincieli
Ann Mincieli is a recording and mix engineer best known for her work with Alicia Keys. Mincieli has three Grammy Awards and five nominations. Ann and Alicia are co‑founders of Jungle City Studios in New York, and partners in She Is the Music, a non‑profit organisation aiming to increase the number of women in the music industry.
17. Steph Marziano
Philadelphia‑born, London‑based Steph Marziano moved to the UK to study at LIPA and later cut her teeth as an engineer recording Kasabian’s UK number one ‘For Crying Out Loud’. She now works as a producer, songwriter and engineer, and her co‑writing credits include Hayley Williams (of Paramore), ODESZA and Bartees Strange.
18. Dani Bennett Spragg
Dani Bennett Spragg is a recording engineer and mixer who started her career as an assistant at Assault & Battery Studios, the home of Flood and Alan Moulder, in 2016. Dani is now freelance and works mainly from her mix room in West London. She was voted Recording Engineer of the Year at the 2021 MPG Awards.
IN THIS PHOTO: Charlie Deakin Davies
19. Mika Sellens
Mika Sellens is a producer, writer, mixer and engineer from London with a background in electroacoustic music and sound art. Mika is a professor of Electronic and Produced Music at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, a Senator for the Ivors Academy, and an Executive Director of the Music Producers Guild.
20. Charlie Deakin‑Davis
Charlie Deakin‑Davies, aka charlieeeee, is a songwriter, producer and artist based at Ten87 Studios in Tottenham Hale. Having been in‑house writer/producer for Gary Barlow, Charlie has gone on to work with Laura Marling, dodie, MNEK, FRED, James Bay, RAYE, KAMILLE, GIRLI, Ellie Dixon, venbee, piri & tommy and more, and was twice voted NMG’s Producer of the Year.
21. Fiona Cruickshank
Award‑winning engineer, producer and film music editor Fiona Cruickshank has a portfolio that spans film, music and performance arts. In recent months, Fiona has worked with Alicia Keys and Keaton Henson, as well as with the National on their acclaimed album First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, while her film credits include The Little Mermaid, Greatest Days and The Whale.
22. Isabel Gracefield
Isabel is an engineer and mixer based at London’s RAK Studios. She worked on Dua Lipa’s multi‑platinum, Grammy Award‑winning album Future Nostalgia, and other high‑profile credits include PJ Harvey, Razorlight, Jim Abbiss, Lionel Richie and sessions for Hans Zimmer at British Grove.
23. Gili Portal & Stephanie De Angelis
Gili and Stephanie are assistant engineers at RAK Studios in London. Sound On Sound would like to thank RAK and Emma Townsend for making the studio available for our cover photo shoot”.
There are a couple of reasons why Sound and Sound has brought together. Rather than highlighting the fact that they are women/non-binary rather than men is a good step. It is less about gender and highlighting how there are plenty of great women who are killing it in male-focused fields. Less about tackling the gender gap and taking aim at the industry in general: it is a general salute and spotlighting of those making real change and beautiful work in studios and behind the microphone. Also, it is rare that you get magazines or podcasts putting the focus on women/non-binary people. Even in 2023, there is still this massive gulf in terms of gender of those in professional studios and writing those chart-dominated tracks. Many might assume that is because of a lack of talent. Maybe that there is a pipeline problem or some other issue. Whilst it may be true that it is vital that more is done to encourage women especially into the industry and make it a more inclusive environment, then the better. There is still quite a hostile environment in some studios. Comparative little attention given to women and non-binary artists. Look at the amazing female producers like Catherine Marks. Rather than wanting special attention, it is more about giving them their dues. Realising that there is this diversity and incredible wave of studio innovators and exceptional songwriters and pioneers.
It is distressing that so many areas of the music industry accommodates men and spends very little effort to ensure that there is balance and awareness. From festival bills to studio – as I keep saying – there is this division. Those who are united in the Sound on Sound latest edition are trailblazing and showing that there are these phenomenal people in the industry. From amazing women in studios and non-binary artists breaking barriers and showing this immense talent, it is up to the industry to respond to this and recognise. For more money to be made available for education. From grassroot level through to smaller venues, there needs to opportunities for school-aged girls to know that there are options and they can make it in the industry. To redline studios so they are not boys’ clubs. Making it easier for the pool of talent ready to progress to festivals. Ensuring that more female songwriters appear on chart hits and it is not so male-heavy. There is that passion, potential and pool out there. It seems like there are still too many barriers in place. We know the figures regarding songwriters and producers. How the gender breakdown works, and what work still needs to be done. There is still so much misogyny and sexism in the industry.
The narrative has not shifted far. That idea women need to work and compete against each other rather than together. The latest Sound on Sound edition made it very clear that there was this collaborative and supportive crew who wanted to join their voices to show the sheer talent and innovation out there. Going forward, a couple of things need to happen. There do need to be more features that showcase the voices and work of phenomenal and hugely talent women and non-binary people. Rather than making it about gender, it would be another celebration. It is also inspiring for those who want to go into studios or songwriting. Informative and eye-opening getting perspective from the likes of Catherine Marks and Halina Rice. From self-producing artists, incredible engineers, venues bosses and producers, I think it is very much needed. More column inches dedicated to change makers! So much division still persists through the industry. Going forward, there should be more of a concerted effort in light of statistics and the relative lack of opportunity afforded in the industry to women and non-binary people. Ensuring that the likes of The Change Makers we see above lead a revolution of awareness and progression. Recognition of theirs and so many others’ work that might be overlooked. Dedication to tackling gender bias and imbalance. Ensuring we recognise these amazing humans pushing things forward and…
PUTTING them squarely in the frame.