Kate Miller-Heidke Says Ageism Is ‘Deeply Entrenched’ in Australian Music

Kate Miller-Heidke has called out the “deeply entrenched” ageism facing women in the Australian music industry, as she and Tina Arena reflect on the challenges they have encountered throughout their careers.

The two Australian artists sat down together for the latest episode of Glow Stories, reflecting on their respective careers and the treatment of women across decades in the entertainment industry.

“I think it’s safe to say the Me Too movement kinda didn’t really work in Australia. Australia is a very patriarchal society,” Arena said. “It has been a sector where people have been able to misbehave very badly for a long period of time.”

The conversation also turned to recent legal proceedings involving Australian music manager Ralph Carr, Arena's ex-husband, with Arena addressing what she sees as broader issues around accountability within the industry. “I think what happened to Mr Carr a couple of weeks ago is the culmination of very, very inappropriate behaviour that has been going on for a very long time,” she said.

Arena, who entered the entertainment industry as a child on Young Talent Time, spoke about the power dynamics she encountered while trying to establish herself as an adult recording artist. “I was still defiant in, ‘This is what I want to do.’ And they hated that. They hated it,” she recalled. “They wanted me to be just a little submissive pop star that doesn’t really have anything to say.”

She said young women pursuing careers in entertainment should still chase their ambitions, but stressed the importance of understanding the people and power structures around them. “We can no longer be seduced by the fantasy of show business, because we will be fucked by the reality of it,” she explained, recalling advice given to her by her older sister.

“Love what you do. Have your dream. Go for it. But make sure you’re safe with the people around you, make sure you’re honest with yourself, and make sure that you don’t allow that kind of behaviour to take place.”

Miller-Heidke, meanwhile, raised another issue she believes remains entrenched in the music industry. “Music is very ageist. I feel like it’s potentially getting less sexist than it was. But the ageism is deeply, deeply entrenched,” she said. “In this country, we don’t respect female artists who have really, really studied their craft and been at it for a long time.”

Both artists reflected on being underestimated earlier in their careers. Miller-Heidke recalled arriving at venues and being mistaken for someone working at the merchandise desk rather than the performer, while Arena discussed the difficulty of moving beyond the public perception established during her childhood fame.

After leaving Young Talent Time, Arena said she struggled to convince parts of the industry to take her seriously as an adult artist, including labels that responded positively to her music before discovering her identity. “Being a kid in the spotlight is a brutal way to grow up."

Despite those experiences, the pair also discussed how their relationships with their careers have evolved. Arena, who is preparing to release her first new album in six years, said time away from music was important to her creative process.

“I have to live so I can find the things that I think I want to say,” she explained.

Miller-Heidke also spoke about continuing to reinvent her sound, with her recently released album, The Kiss and the Abyss, drawing on gothic folk influences.

Episode six of Glow Stories, featuring Tina Arena and Kate Miller-Heidke, is available now.

From Rolling Stone AU/NZ