Platform launched to promote women in music industry

Geneva-born singer Flèche Love, here performing at the Montreux Jazz Festvial in 2018, supports the Music Directory campaign Keystone

Swiss association Helvetiarockt has launched a national “Music DirectoryExternal link” to provide more visibility for women and trans, intersex and non-binary people in the Swiss music industry.

“Only 10%-20% of people on and behind stage are women,” Laurence Desarzens, who has been involved in the Swiss music scene for decades, told Geneva-based radio station Vostok. HelvetiarocktExternal link’s first goal is to reach 1,000 musicians to register by November 20.

“This platform allows us to make ourselves visible, to take our place. It’s a place to exchange information and advice on the best equipment, the representation of artists or the skills needed to break through as a producer, and also a place to launch new projects,” said Elodie Romain, musician and coordinator of the Music Directory campaign for French-speaking Switzerland.

This initiative is supported by many artists such as Flèche Love, Stefanie Heinzmann, Steffe la Cheffe and Msoke.

Women are absent from the stage, but also backstage where there are few female sound technicians, agents and producers. However, the Music Directory platform is not just for professionals: it is for anyone who organises concerts, plays an instrument or makes music in their free time.

Helvetiarockt has been campaigning since 2009 for more women to be represented in the Swiss music industry, particularly in the areas of production and DJing.