You and any other music fan can rattle off a roster of your favorite female pop stars. But women represent a smaller fraction of the music industry than you might expect.
Organizations such as We Make Noise (WMN) and its Phoenix chapter help female creatives battle those daunting odds.
“At We Make Noise, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of what we do,” says Marin Wilts, the co-lead of the Phoenix chapter of WMN. “Our community is made up entirely of people from historically marginalized backgrounds: LGBTQ+ folks, non-female but femme-aligned identities, and other groups like women of color and women with disabilities.”
The organization offers artists opportunities to make and perform music, to train on new technologies, and to network. Some of the Phoenix chapter’s recurring events include a songwriting workshop called Rapid Writes and the Noise Exchange, where aspiring and established artists debut new songs for one another.
A study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative looked at 1,300 popular songs from 2012-2014 and found that women and gender-expansive people made up just 37% of artists, 19% of songwriters, and 6% of producers. In 2024, only 5.9% of producers on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Charts were women.
Moreover, the women who are in the music industry often face discrimination. A 2022 study by Erin Barra-Jean, the executive director of We Make Noise, found that 84% of women and gender-expansive people in music face discrimination, and 77% are treated differently because of their gender.
“There’s still a long way to go in making the industry more inclusive,” says Sadie Azersky, the other Phoenix chapter co-lead. “That’s why it’s so important to keep pushing for more opportunities, visibility, and support for women and gender-expansive people in music.”
Barra-Jean, an Arizona State University music educator, established We Make Noise in 2013 to provide support, guidance and opportunities for women musicians and artists. Worldwide, the organization now has some 22 active chapters representing 55 cities in 15 countries. The Phoenix chapter was established in 2023.
“The Phoenix music scene is so vibrant,” Wilts says. “We’re still in the development phase, figuring out what works best for our local community. We’re excited to keep creating spaces where femme and gender expansive musicians can cultivate community.”
Recently, We Make Noise has collaborated with larger organizations and festivals such as Amazon for a Dolby Atmos Mixing Workshop and a showcase at Valley Bar in preview for Arizona’s M3F Music Festival. The organization also works with Femmes of PHX, a local concert series run by singer-songwriter Sarah June that provides platforms for female and gender-non-conforming artists.
"When I encountered WMN, I was immediately drawn to it," June says. "We Make Noise has been such a help for the community and I'm grateful to be part of it in partnership and community. I've loved participating in the Noise Exchange, getting to know other artists, and listening to the M3F panel during the kickoff event."
The Phoenix chapter boasts a roster of some of the Valley’s most distinctive talent, including DJ J-ME-LEE, Mother Tierra, Jules Schubert (Right Rosemary) Lo Wren, Mo, and Sophia Bavishi.
Jamie Barnes, known better by her DJ name J-ME-LEE, joined WMN after Jean-Barra, a teacher of hers at the ASU pop music program, told her about the organization. A year later, Barnes would be directing the WMN's "DJ 101" workshops.
"I like that WMN gives an opportunity for people who are in pursuit of their dreams locally," Barnes says. "It just gives us a space to feel included and it's really a safe space, so I appreciate that aspect."
Additionally, WMN ran a global campaign online, We Make Noise for HER!, which features curated workshop series on their online platform, with notable female leaders in the music industry coming to speak. In March, the organization also launched a special Women’s History Month edition bucket hat and introduced Noisegrams, which can help artists connect with other artists and allow the public to support their favorite artists through donations.
We Make Noise's events provides spaces where the public can get to know musicians, as well as non-music-related public events, such as a self-defense workshop in April held in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness month.
“The public can support us by following us on social media and coming to our events,” Azersky says. “But in general, go to femme shows! Stream femme music! Uplift folks in the community and advocate for them to take up space in the industry."
