Spotify backs global database for women in audio production

Spotify has got behind SoundGirls’ EQL Directory, a free global database for women in audio production.

SoundGirls is a non-profit wants to expand opportunities for female and gender-nonconforming music professionals with EQL Directory.

Less than 5% of all audio professionals are female.

It was set up in 2013 by Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato and Pearl Jam’s long time sound engineer Karrie Keyes.

Keyes pointed out: “[We] face the myth that there are not very many women or non-conforming people working in audio, and because of this people don’t even bother to look.”

Kerry Steib, Spotify’s director of social impact added: “SoundGirls already had this global directory of women in audio and production, and we came together to help them make it more beautiful, more useful, and more visible within the industry.

“We know that increasing equity for women in these fields is a complex problem to solve.

“We have to work with great partners across the industry and come together to create solutions.”

Spotify and Secret Genius have also assembled a team of professionals to create a new EQL advisory board, including producer TRAKGIRL, Lauren D’Elia, Jin Jin, Kesha Lee and Ali Tamposi.

The EQL Directory features resources from initiatives and organizations like the Audio Engineering Society, Beatz By Girlz, Equalizer Project, female:pressure, Gender Amplified, Girls Make Beats, Instituto Criar, Secret Genius, shesaid.so, SoundGirls in Mexico, The 7% Series, Upfront Producer Network, Yorkshire Sound Women Network, and the Women’s Audio Mission.

The directory lists names according to audio, live, front of house, studio, recording engineer, mix engineer, monitors and sound design.

The database includes Melbourne’s Ana Paula Gargantini (broadcast engineer), Emma Burt (field recording) and Luana Moreno (assistant engineer) and Byron Bay’s Tamara Palacios (broadcast engineer).

To be added to the database, head to the official website.