Latest news with #WomenInMusic
Malay Mail
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Tia Lee Graces the Cover of ELLE Malaysia: A Journey of Empowerment, Evolution, and Expression
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 3 July 2025 - Global fashion and music icon Tia Lee (Lee Yu Fen) takes center stage on the cover of ELLE Malaysia, where she reflects on her multifaceted journey as an artist, changemaker, and advocate for women's empowerment. The feature comes on the heels of her massive success with "Goodbye Princess," which has surpassed 174 million views on YouTube — a testament to her global resonance and emotional her discography,holds a special place. "This song reflects my emotional journey — from someone who used to hesitate to express herself to someone who can now be more at ease and confident in being who she truly is." Beyond music, the accompanying visuals and campaign became a cornerstone of her #EmpowerHer movement, which supports real-world empowerment for women by providing employment support and helping them rebuild their Tia, music is a powerful vessel to communicate strength and self-discovery. "Right now, I want to express the sense of empowerment girls can find during their growth journey," she said. Her #EmpowerHer initiative, born during the creative process of "Goodbye Princess," channels proceeds and awareness toward tangible support for women facing societal pressures and stereotypes."Small efforts, when multiplied over 365 days, can grow into something significant," she said. "Empowerment begins when we help one another rise — especially during tough times."Beyond music, Tia continues to shape global fashion discourse. Describing her style asshe values timelessness and quality, often opting for classic silhouettes in neutral tones. Her fashion inspiration?— a woman she admires for her strength, elegance, and passion for fashion is on full display in her ELLE Malaysia cover story, where she dons looks from Louis Vuitton, FENDI, Brunello Cucinelli, LOEWE, Ferragamo, Shu Shu Tong, TODS and Versace. This latest cover adds to her impressive roster of features on Vogue, Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar, Rollercoaster, Flaunt Magazine, ICON, tmrw, and today's fast-paced world, Tia prioritizes healing and self-understanding through activities like painting, meditation, and flower arranging. "You have to be honest with yourself and know what you need in order to grow into the person you want to be," she said. "Progress over perfection — that's what I live by."From creating art that touches hearts to advocating for societal change, Tia Lee continues to shape the cultural landscape—on her own terms, and always with a message of strength and #TiaLee #ELLEMalaysia The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About Tia Lee | Lee Yu Fen Tia Lee (李毓芬), born in Taipei, is a global C-pop singer, fashion icon and film and television actress. In addition to her acting roles and musical career, Tia appears frequently at major fashion shows. As a trend-setter, Tia has graced the covers of fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, and shares her beauty and fashion tips through a number of Vogue's social media channels.
Malay Mail
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
How Nairobi's Santuri academy is helping women DJs shatter male-dominated electronic music industry
NAIROBI, June 30 —Headphones on her head, fingers on the controls, eyes fixed on the mixing software, Kwem Kimtai strung together Afro house beats during her DJ training in Nairobi. Kimtai gushed over the skills she learnt on the intensive four-week course at the Santuri Electronic Music Academy (SEMA), which she hopes will help her thrive in a world historically dominated by men. 'I can do everything. I can mix, I can beat-match. I can assess the energy level of music,' said the 32-year-old aspiring DJ. Established in 2021 and named after the Swahili word for vinyl, the academy sees itself as a hub for musical innovation and inclusion. 'Prior to this I was just a lover of music,' said Kimtai, whose stage name is 'But I wanted to be able to fuse different genres—travel across different worlds.' Carving out a place in the electronic scene remains a challenge for Kenyan women. The organisation that runs the academy interviewed dozens of artists in 2020 for a study and found women were gaining visibility as DJs in east Africa. Yet they remained marginalised and paid significantly less than men, while music production was also male-dominated and training costs too high for many. SEMA has since trained hundreds of people in production, mixing, DJing and other elements of the business. Besides encouraging women and minorities to take part, the academy also raises sponsorship funding for those who need it. 'When I started DJing, I would have really liked to have had something like this because the teachers I had were all men,' said DJ Shock, who was leading a class on the commercial side of the business during a visit by AFP. She only knew two other female DJs when she started out 20 years ago, and said the men would 'gatekeep' the art. 'It was a bit of a struggle to get them to share information equally,' she said. A learner at Disc-jockey (DJ) academy, The Santuri Salon, reacts as he receives his Certificate of Completion from his instructors that follows a four-week intensive DJ101 course held in the basement of a shopping mall in the heart of the Kenyan capital Nairobi on June 20, 2025. — AFP pic 'Equal dopeness' At the back of the classroom, speakers were stacked behind a turntable, while trainees tapped away on mixing software in preparation for an imminent final presentation. 'We're the people who are going to make spaces get safer for everyone,' said Daisy Nduta, 28, a recent sound engineering graduate. She was excited to be DJing live soon under her stage name Naniwho. Santuri organises frequent events for the students to test their skills. 'We welcome everybody the same... We put anybody prime time who we feel can do the spot well,' said DJ Shock, denouncing the way clubs often relegate women to play the opening slots when audiences are sparse. Things are rapidly improving for women who DJ in Nairobi, however. Women are earning headline slots at major clubs while collectives like 'Sirens' organise women-centric events. That success is part of a global pattern. Industry network 'female:pressure' says the number of women performing at electronic music festivals rose from just over nine percent in 2012 to 30 percent in 2023. In Kenya, 'there are more and more female DJs coming up... They're getting more confident, which I love,' said Tina Ardor, who regularly performs at Muze, a Nairobi electro mecca. She said there was still a widespread, often unconscious, favouritism toward men. But the SEMA course, which she did two years ago, is helping to change attitudes. 'I'm not a fan of pulling the gender card,' said Ardor, hoping the scene soon gets to a point where there is 'equal opportunity and equal dopeness' for everyone. — AFP
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Vogue
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Solange Brought Intentional Style—and Several Outfits—to Her Eldorado Ballroom Series
Knowing the special history of the venue, Solange wanted to create a series that continued its legacy of spotlighting and uplifting Black artists—especially women—across categories. 'I always say anything new that you think you have done, a Black woman probably did it before you a century ago,' says Solange. 'That reflects in so much of the reason Saint Heron created this series. As a curator, I am constantly thinking of all these themes and nuances through connections we share as Black women artists, and how that carries through generationally. I'm also thinking about voices and stories who I feel deserve to be amplified.' To do so, the Eldorado Ballroom included over seven nights of programming, and featured a variety of different artists include organist Dominique Johnson, DJ Crystal Mess, saxophonist Angela Christie, and pianist Artisan Cain—among many other impressive talents. 'We started with 'On Dissonance,' which celebrated Black women composers in classical music,' says Solange. From there, other evenings included 'Paper in My Shoe,' a night focused on Black women in folk and Zydeco; and 'Monuments Are Here,' a film night that explored Black films 'that hone in on Black domesticity and our collection of sacred objects.' A personal favorite of Solange's, meanwhile, was 'Glory to Glory'—an evening that featured 'women from all facets of expression who devote their work to god and spirituality.' Wearing Ferragamo Photo: Kobe Wagstaff Wearing Ferragamo, with son Julez Smith Photo: Kobe Wagstaff Wearing Ferragamo, with son Julez Smith Photo: Kobe Wagstaff Naturally, as a musician herself, Solange also performed as part of the ongoing series. The star presented two of her own classical works, 'Villanelle For Times'—her score for The New York City Ballet's Playtime—and 'Not Necessarily in Arms Reach,' her orchestral piece for two tubas. 'It was really beautiful to experience people's connection to these works,' says Solange. 'I've always been a composer, and have written music for brass and piano in my more contemporary and pop work—but the evolution into more classical orchestral works has been both some of the most proud, yet vulnerable work I've ever created. To not have the distraction of lyrics, or the voice, and dance. It's taken me a while to stand firmly in that this is who I am right now, who I want to express, and be unapologetic about that.' Equally as intentional as the programming, was Solange's approach to fashion. Given she had several nights to dress up for as the host and lead visionary, she brought in a stellar team to dream up a thoughtful and striking wardrobe. She worked with stylist Danielle Goldberg and creative director Akeem Smith on her sleek, sculptural looks—by labels such as Ferragamo (a main supporter of the event), Calvin Klein, Mowalola, Gabriela Hearst, Loewe, and Comme des Garçons. 'They are both artists in their own right in different ways, but both so valuable,' says Solange of her team. 'It was really beautiful to work with them.'
Sydney Morning Herald
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Thirty-something and newly single? Haim know exactly how you feel
Haim, I Quit There's no doubt that pop music is a woman's world right now, and more specifically a solo woman's world, belonging to the likes of Taylor, Olivia, Charli, Chappell, Billie and many more. But the three sisters of Haim are proving to be a unique threat. 'They could all certainly have been in Fleetwood Mac,' Stevie Nicks recently said about the band. It was no idle claim. Over the space of three previous albums, the LA trio – Danielle, Este and Alana Haim – have become a force to be reckoned with, crafting soaring, radio-friendly pop with close harmonies honed from years of sibling revelry. And much like the Mac, they're not afraid of airing dirty laundry and working out personal dramas in their songs. The band's last album, 2020's Women In Music, Pt III, was particularly close to the bone, delving into grief, sadness and depression, reportedly after they were working out a lot of issues via therapy. Throughout it all they've presented a united front, a gang of three precociously talented musicians who are undoubtedly cool, but also relatable and a little goofy. It's no coincidence that they come from the San Fernando Valley, like their frequent artwork and music video collaborator, film director Paul Thomas Anderson. Like him, they grew up in 'the Valley', where Hollywood studios meet the 'burbs, and they mine regular human hopes, dreams, foibles and failures to do their thing. The title of their fourth album, I Quit, might at first sound like a shoulder-shrugging statement of resignation. But, in fact, it's the opposite. They've quit giving a shit, they're embracing life and they sound positively dizzy about it. It's telling that this is the first album they wrote and recorded while all three sisters, who are all in their thirties, were single. And for Danielle, who ended a long-term relationship with their regular producer Ariel Rechtshaid, it sounds like a new beginning of sorts. 'Now I own the mud that I'm standing in,' she declares in the closing track, Now It's Time. Over the previous 14 songs there is plenty of mud, but Haim aren't wallowing in it. Instead, they're acknowledging it and then shaking it off. As Stevie once sang, 'When the rain washes you clean, you'll know.' Listen to the opening track, Gone. Over a stripped-back shuffle, Danielle lays down the law: 'I'll do whatever I want, I'll see who I want to see, I'll f--- off whenever I want, I'll be whatever I need.' Oh, did I mention that the song features a joyous sample of George Michael's Freedom! '90 and that Danielle rips out a guitar solo that cosies up to Keith Richard's famous stinging riffs from Sympathy for the Devil?
The Age
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Thirty-something and newly single? Haim know exactly how you feel
Haim, I Quit There's no doubt that pop music is a woman's world right now, and more specifically a solo woman's world, belonging to the likes of Taylor, Olivia, Charli, Chappell, Billie and many more. But the three sisters of Haim are proving to be a unique threat. 'They could all certainly have been in Fleetwood Mac,' Stevie Nicks recently said about the band. It was no idle claim. Over the space of three previous albums, the LA trio – Danielle, Este and Alana Haim – have become a force to be reckoned with, crafting soaring, radio-friendly pop with close harmonies honed from years of sibling revelry. And much like the Mac, they're not afraid of airing dirty laundry and working out personal dramas in their songs. The band's last album, 2020's Women In Music, Pt III, was particularly close to the bone, delving into grief, sadness and depression, reportedly after they were working out a lot of issues via therapy. Throughout it all they've presented a united front, a gang of three precociously talented musicians who are undoubtedly cool, but also relatable and a little goofy. It's no coincidence that they come from the San Fernando Valley, like their frequent artwork and music video collaborator, film director Paul Thomas Anderson. Like him, they grew up in 'the Valley', where Hollywood studios meet the 'burbs, and they mine regular human hopes, dreams, foibles and failures to do their thing. The title of their fourth album, I Quit, might at first sound like a shoulder-shrugging statement of resignation. But, in fact, it's the opposite. They've quit giving a shit, they're embracing life and they sound positively dizzy about it. It's telling that this is the first album they wrote and recorded while all three sisters, who are all in their thirties, were single. And for Danielle, who ended a long-term relationship with their regular producer Ariel Rechtshaid, it sounds like a new beginning of sorts. 'Now I own the mud that I'm standing in,' she declares in the closing track, Now It's Time. Over the previous 14 songs there is plenty of mud, but Haim aren't wallowing in it. Instead, they're acknowledging it and then shaking it off. As Stevie once sang, 'When the rain washes you clean, you'll know.' Listen to the opening track, Gone. Over a stripped-back shuffle, Danielle lays down the law: 'I'll do whatever I want, I'll see who I want to see, I'll f--- off whenever I want, I'll be whatever I need.' Oh, did I mention that the song features a joyous sample of George Michael's Freedom! '90 and that Danielle rips out a guitar solo that cosies up to Keith Richard's famous stinging riffs from Sympathy for the Devil?
