Hello, nice to have you here.
I’m Zoey Zoley: host, singer, city guide and founder of Her*MusicWorld.
In April 2021, I had the privilege of hosting a 16-day music livestream. There were a remarkable number of female musicians* and let alone noticing this made me think.
However, there was one more moment that made me pause and reveal my own bias. Among others, the charming band Kokokollektiv performed. One band member in particular captivated me, a petite woman with a large tuba.
My first thought was, wow, how impressive, such a large instrument covering half of the enchanting person. My second thought was, wow, I think about a petite woman playing a large tuba and find that special? Why do I do that? Maybe because I’ve just never seen that before? My third thought was, what a shame, that should be perfectly normal!
After the concert, I talked to this particular musician, and she told me how she came to learn the tuba and I also asked her about her experiences in a brass instrument orchestra, which is mostly dominated by men.
After this conversation, it was clear to me that I wanted to give female musicians from all over the world a voice, make them visible, put role models in the deserved spotlight even without Grammy!
How? On an Internet platform with video interviews, a podcast and blog.
That will be a beautiful day sometime in my life, when I see a woman* at a currently still unusual instrument and no longer perceive that it is not a man, but simply an insanely good musician/instrumentalist.
There has to be a jolt through society, a change. And female musicians should be able to show themselves naturally, consciously and in their creative power.