Despite the statistics revealing the stark reality of female music producer representation, there is hope in the form of organisations and individuals dedicated to fostering inclusivity and providing platforms for aspiring African female music producers to thrive.
By Hope Ibiale
It is an unprecedented time for the African music industry. The Nigerian music industry, for one, is taking centre stage on international and local music charts and finding easier access to slots at some of the biggest stages around the world. There are also more pathways, especially bolstered by the performances of several African artistes like Tems, Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tyla, Bloody Civilian, Rema, and many others, for African music to reach global audiences and bring more attention to our soundscape. Women are also at the forefront of this latest phenomenon — whether as producers, artistes, sound engineers, music video directors, or artiste managers — female creatives are contributing to the rapid expansion of the music industry than ever before.
On the global scene, acts like Tems have risen to become one of the largest music exports from the shores of Africa. Recently, the artiste was awarded the Billboard Women in Music Breakthrough award. Similarly, Ayra Starr’s music, among many other achievements, has earned a Grammy nomination and a spot on Chris Brown’s tour. Last year, South African songstress, Tyla won her first Grammy award for her hit song, “Water”. Alongside these artistes, there is a smaller demographic who also actively inspire inclusion with their work in the music industry — female music producers. These individuals have shown that success as a female music producer is not a pipe dream but a strong vision given the right opportunities.
There is no doubt that women remain critically under-represented behind boards. One study found that less than 3% of music producers operating in the United States of America are women. While Nigeria does not have a specific statistic, a simple look at award shows like The Headies where no female music producer has won in the “Producer of the Year” category hints at the level of exclusion in the music industry. Music streaming platforms also show that the majority of songs are mostly produced by men, and the shortage of information on female music producers indicates that the number of female producers remains abysmally low. While searching for materials for this article, there were recurring patterns in the available information, that female music producers constantly struggle and fight against exclusion. However, few articles shine the spotlight on the opportunities female producers like Dunnie, Bloody Civilian, Tems, Yimeeka, Saszy Afroshii, Loc the Plug, Kay Faith, Kajama, and Milakeyyz, and organisations like Oroko Radio, Femme Africa, and Audio Girl Africa are creating for aspiring female producers. This article does not aim to gloss over the exclusion female producers face on multiple fronts, however, it aims to celebrate female producers and the organisations that strive to nurture the next generation of female music producers, sound engineers, and mixing/mastering creatives.
Established to create more opportunities for women in music with audio technology and music business skills, Audio Girl Africa, a non-profit organisation in Lagos, Nigeria, aims to create a safe space for female creatives interested in music production, sound engineering, and the music business to grow. Since its establishment in 2018, the organisation has created internship opportunities for its students in top music labels and music-focused organisations. Through its mentorship programmes, young female creatives have gotten the privilege of learning from music producers like Dunnie. A few days ago, the organisation announced the Produc-Her Series, a recording boot camp created for female creatives ranging from songwriters, producers, engineers, singers, and music business enthusiasts. The 5-day boot camp will be in partnership with Nigeria’s foremost music label, Mavin Global, and international music group, Warner Music Group. At the end of the boot camp, the participants will have produced a body of work. As one of the organisations that champion inclusion in the music industry, Audio Girl Africa has been instrumental in grooming some of the country’s best female producers, sound engineers, and music business experts. With their help, female creatives have the avenue to grow, learn, and bring their dreams to fruition.
Audio Girl Africa has trained over 600 women and hosted multiple workshops, thereby inspiring inclusion for female creatives. While commenting on the goal of creating Audio Girl Africa in an interview with Native Magazine, one of the co-founders, Phebean Adedamola Oluwagbemi said, “The interesting thing for us is that we are not focused on people already in the industry, we want to train young girls in high schools and at the tertiary level because we believe that’s where we can actually shape minds”, Phebean explains. “It’s where we believe we can effect change the most. We want it to be that more than 1% of those working as engineers or producers are women”.
Another organisation championing the inclusion of female creatives in the music industry in Africa is Oroko Radio, an independent radio station in Ghana. Three years after its launch in 2019, the organisation in partnership with WATWomxn, a collective based in Ghana and the UK, and Pioneer DJ, created the DJ workshop. The workshop was created to inspire more women in Ghana to learn music production and DJing and view these professions as potential career paths irrespective of their gender. The workshop was also created to encourage more women to take on more male-dominated roles in the African music industry. With the success of the first edition, there have been more workshops where female creatives have been trained.
Audio Girl Africa and Oroko Radio recognise the impact of collaborations in their mission of inspiring inclusion in the music industry. Both organisations may have different structures and methods of training, but it is obvious that they have the same mission; to create spaces for women to learn and inspire them to strive to become the next award-winning producers, sound engineers, DJs, and music business experts. In East Africa, female music producers like Namakula Nittie, the East Africa Records, and a handful of female producers are training aspiring female music producers in the Kampala-based studio. With hopes to groom more female music producers, Nittie hopes the workshop benefits female artistes who she believes would be more comfortable working with female music producers and inspires women to produce different genres of music.
Femme Africa is a media company that specialises in empowering African women to take up space in the world. Through its initiative, Femme Fest, organised the “School of Femme”, a partnership between Femme Africa and the Orchard, a music distribution company. This partnership birthed a production boot camp, a songwriting class, and a music business class. The participants were exposed to first-hand lectures from professionals in the various industries. The workshop has provided career opportunities and potential mentors. Their mission to train female music producers also birthed the Sound Lab workshop. A free 5-day boot camp where participants are trained in music production, DJing, and sound engineering.
Aside from the organisations that are fostering inclusivity in the African music industry, individuals are also inspiring inclusion through their work and achievements. One of these female producers is Oladunni “Dunnie” Lawal, who is regarded as one of the best music producers in Nigeria. Her portfolio, ranging from records with Wande Coal, Falz, Focalistic, Yemi Alade, Niniola, LAX, Cassper Nyovest, and many others, shows that the talented producer has an impressive track record. A constant collaborator with the Audio Girl Foundation, Dunnie is invested in inspiring aspiring female creatives interested in the music industry. A few years ago, Dunnie was profiled by Global Citizen as one of the influential Nigerian women in music and recently, she was selected for YouTube’s first-ever Fifty Deep Music Class of 2024, a programme offering grants and support for Black Hip-Hop artistes, songwriters, and producers. All these achievements prove that Dunnie works towards perfection and her work over the years has positioned her as an amazon in the music industry. In an interview with Okay Africa, Dunnie expressed her displeasure over the fact that there were no Nigerian female producers to look up to when she ventured into music production. Years after, she has broken the cycle and has become a role model for aspiring female music producers. She has filled a void through her doggedness.
Similarly, Emose Khamofu, popularly known as, Bloody Civilian, rose to prominence after releasing the self-produced single, “How to Kill a Man”. The artiste and music producer recently became the first Nigerian female music producer to be nominated for a Grammy award for her work on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever compilation album. Through Bloody Civilian’s self-produced records, the artiste is inspiring emerging female music producers and bolstering their confidence to be self-expressive.
Priscilla “Saszy Afroshii” Saszy Duru is another music producer whose impact on the music industry is undeniable. In 2020, she became the first female music producer to be signed to Aristokrat Records. With a discography that is bursting with records from Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, Ceeza Milli, Ria Sean, Ms Vee, Runtown, Chike, and Fave, Saszy is constantly pushing boundaries in music production. Last year, she bagged the Female Producer of the Year award at the 2023 Beatz Award ceremony.
The endeavours of Audio Girl Africa, Oroko Radio, Femme Africa, and notable producers like Dunnie, Bloody Civilian, and Saszy Afroshii highlight a concerted effort towards breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for women in music production. These entities are not only providing education and mentorship but are actively shaping a supportive ecosystem where female creatives can flourish. The success stories of individuals like Dunnie, Bloody Civilian, and Saszy Afroshii serve as beacons of inspiration, demonstrating that talent knows no gender and that perseverance can overcome systemic challenges. Their achievements not only break barriers but also pave the way for future generations of female music producers to follow.
While challenges such as exclusion and gender bias persist, the collective efforts of organisations and individuals dedicated to championing inclusion are gradually reshaping the narrative. As we celebrate the accomplishments of these trailblazers, we also acknowledge the work that lies ahead in ensuring that the music industry becomes a truly equitable and diverse space for all talents to thrive. In essence, the journey towards inclusivity in music production is ongoing, fueled by the determination and resilience of those committed to challenging the status quo. Through their collaborative efforts and groundbreaking achievements, the future looks promising for aspiring female music producers, guided by the path paved by their predecessors.
Hope Ibiale is a writer and journalist. She has a keen interest in music, film, and literature. You can connect with Hope on X @hopeibiale and via email: hopeibiale@afrocritik.com.