Last week's revelations of sexual
harassment and exploitation in Aotearoa's music industry have resulted in a number of high profile sackings, including at Warner Music and CRS Management. It has prompted a open letter calling for some much-needed significant change.
The following, which has been published in a number of media outlets was written
by Anna Coddington and signed by Bic Runga, Anika Moa,
Lorde, Tami Neilson, Hollie Smith and Mel Parsons. The letter below was originally published here.
“Music is a powerful force, capable of moving us
impressionable humans in all directions. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to
make moving art without allowing yourself to be vulnerable and emotional
sometimes. It is part of an artist’s job to feel deeply in all directions in
order to create something worth listening to.
People in the engine room of the music industry – studios,
venues, festivals, any place where music is being made – are working in
conditions where emotions may be high, hours may be long, green rooms may be
small, and alcohol is often used as a social lubricant or a way to pass the
time. These are the conditions of the workplace.
To everyone working in the industry – you know the
conditions. We’re all passionate about music and regularly in awe of the talent
around us. But if the artist’s job is to feel deeply and be vulnerable enough
to create moving music, yours must be to help them professionally and
personally, without crossing boundaries and taking advantage of them.
Right now is an opportunity to assess yourself honestly and
reflect on how you conduct yourself in those environments. If you can’t work in
those conditions while preserving the dignity of those around you, now is the
time to either find another work environment that you can handle yourself in,
or make use of the various resources and procedures being put in place
by SoundCheck Aotearoa and other initiatives to educate yourself and
change behaviours. This goes for everyone, industry-wide.
Men in the music industry have been operating in a
safety-in-numbers scenario since forever. Young women, takatāpui, and other
minorities stepping fresh into the music industry do not have that safety. Yes
it’s a hard knocks career choice. Everyone needs to be ready to have their ego
checked and confidence crushed, or the opposite – great success, fans at their
feet, whatever. Either way artists are up for some head-messing times and need
to learn to deal with that, hopefully with good support around them. What
nobody should have to deal with ever – under any circumstance – is sexual
harassment.
We need better behaviour from those who hold power now, but
ultimately we need more diversity in those positions of power so that the music
industry as a whole can thrive and reap the benefits of different perspectives.
Innovation in both business and creativity will follow – there is plenty of
research to back this up. It requires active and conscious change, and the
transfer of some power from the restricted group who hold it now to others who
don’t look or think like them. We’ve been talking about this and failing to
affect change for a very long time, but it can and must be done.
• Learn about boundaries and consent. If you can’t operate
within those boundaries don’t operate.
• Do not accept the transgression of those boundaries from
anyone you work with. If you see or hear something don’t let it slide.
• Check on people. If you suspect someone is being made to
feel uncomfortable – ask them if they’re ok.
• Do your best to be in the right, but always be ready to be
wrong. If someone tells you a behaviour is not acceptable to them, no matter
how small, don't get defensive – learn from it.
• Diversify your workplace. If you need another person,
actively seek candidates from different backgrounds, with different
perspectives.
• Speak to professionals who can help you achieve these
goals – there are plenty. Do not rely on musicians and others in your own
industry to teach you. That is unpaid labour and surprise – we aren’t
psychologists or HR pros and probably don’t even have the tools you really
need.
• Don’t make public statements without taking private
action.
Imagine a music industry without women, non-binary, rainbow
community, differently-abled, Māori, and other ethnic minorities. Imagine if
the artists demographically reflected the “industry”. No one wants that. It’s
boring. You could say goodbye to most of the acts we’ve all been enjoying at
festivals this summer for starters – the ones who have been helping EVERYONE in
the industry recover the losses of last year. Without an interesting array of
people the music suffers. Make it safe for them. Safety – it’s the very minimum
every human being deserves.
The onus for change can’t sit with those of us who don’t
hold that power. Everyone should want a better, safer, more productive
industry. Artists are not here to help you make these changes. We don’t want to
be writing open letters and talking to the media about the inappropriate
behaviour of others. We want to be working on our music.”
– Anna Coddington, Bic Runga, Anika Moa, Lorde, Tami
Neilson, Hollie Smith and Mel Parsons
Groove supports this and condones sexual harassment of any kind. We support all music workers and artists, no matter who they are. If you are a music worker in Aotearoa and you need crisis or
counselling support, the MusicHelps Wellbeing Service is available
24/7 online here, on the phone (toll free 0508MUSICHELPS) and in-person
for free, fully funded by MusicHelps.
www.musichelps.org.nz/backline/wellbeing
www.soundcheckaotearoa.co.nz
