music news Rina can’t release an album under current conditions, talks about misogyny in music

[EyesOnMe]

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4QzlBxyNQh/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

Quote

It's the first time l've been honest about my past year (or to a level of detail I feel safe to). Honestly my mental health has been awful and though I was able to complete my 2023 commitments I can't say it's been the same this year. I'm sorry if l've let you down, my fans have been the shining light in all this. You're always so supportive of me and I appreciate it so much. I've been lucky to have found ways to keep my business afloat and support myself as well as my team, but when it comes to new music I can't release another album under my current conditions. I feel really trapped and don't know what to do.

Her (along with other female artists) statement on misogyny in the music industry:

Spoiler

Since summer last year, I’ve felt intense racist misogyny in a way that I’ve never felt before. In public and private I feel as though I’ve been repeatedly gaslit, disrespected, ignored, even cyber-bullied for calling out blatant racist and sexist behaviour. It’s horrifying seeing how the forts around men get built overnight and the techniques used to try to discredit and confuse the narrative. It’s been wild to see men and women around me turn.

 

I just want to leave this world a fairer, safer and kinder place for future generations to live in. That’s always been my mission from the start and I’ve always used my voice for this, but time and time again, women are punished for inconveniently holding a mirror up to men who were not willing to be held publicly accountable. My peers and I share stories and it’s clear there are a lot of men working in this industry who continue to get away with awful behaviour.

 

People feel like they can’t speak up. I don’t blame them – we’ve all seen what happens to women who do. But something needs to change.

The industry has improved since the days of Britney Spears and the UK tabloids of the Nineties and Noughties. That’s because of two reasons: powerful people have taken legal action and changed the landscape, and because the public has changed. The public has a much more sympathetic view on artists’ mental health and personal space. However, within the industry, behind closed doors, I’ve noticed how men are now weaponising the language of women’s mental health to masquerade misogyny. It’s unacceptable to say a woman is “crazy”, but I’ve heard phrases like, “I’ve heard she’s going through a really tough time, and she’s not acting like herself”. Often those very men are the ones causing the women distress.

 

Language like this allows misogyny to hide behind seemingly caring words. The problem is not that we are unwell, the problem is that the industry is unwell. I think we need to ask why that woman is unwell, and actively try and change the source of that distress. Often people don’t realise, or see what they are doing as misogyny.

 

Because it usually comes from us having to pretend that everything is ok and that the industry we work in is a fair one. What you might perceive as “acting out” is very likely caused by the fact that, for years, we have been forced to internalise the effects of this distress, instead of speaking out about it. But people are scared to lose their jobs on all levels of the industry, so most choose not to question it or even try to change it. Pretend it isn’t there. But if enough people have their eyes open, and enough people are willing to take the risk and use their voice, then the industry will change.

 

One thing that I want to see changed is this constant competition for relevance and being at the top. Being motivated by those things destroys one of the best bits about being an artist: the community. When you see other women as competition (and of course I’ve been guilty of thinking like that at times too) instead of a source of strength and support, then it fragments collective power and knowledge. Recently I’ve started reaching out to other artists more, and had younger artists reach out to me, and I’ve been loving the support I’ve received and am able to give back. I urge any artist to dedicate a portion of their time to help building that community. Ultimately, it protects us from the wild west of the music industry.

 

I don’t know a single woman in the music industry who has not experienced either misogyny or racism or both. Let’s take a second to digest that. I don’t know a single woman who has not experienced any or some of the following: sexual harassment, sexual assault, abuse of power, grooming, casual or systemic racism, causal or systemic sexism, gaslighting, being taken advantage of, inappropriate touch, unwanted sexual advances. This is just scratching the surface. Remember: this is our workplace. It’s absolutely unacceptable and needs to change for good - and I am determined to use my voice to make this happen.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/misogyny-music-industry-rina-sawayama-self-esteem-interview-b2508677.html

Edited March 8 by EyesOnMe

[Delusional]

4 minutes ago, EyesOnMe said:

I feel really trapped and don’t know what to do.

This is heartbreaking. It really is.

[Saint James]

just clarifying, this is an ethical dilemma not a business dilemma right? she's not actually shelved like some artists are.

[robattack332]

saying a whole lotta nothing like usual  

[Moloko Plus]

Quote

but when it comes to new music I can't release another album under my current conditions

[Spark]

People in here and on Twitter already making snarky comments about this just cause they didn’t like HTG.  Grow up.
 

This is really heartbreaking to read.

[Stunnah]

Not everyone can handle the commercial, artistic and personal pressures of a public music career. There really is no shame in quitting! 

[ImpressMeMuch]

1 hour ago, Spark said:

People in here and on Twitter already making snarky comments about this just cause they didn’t like HTG.  Grow up.
 

This is really heartbreaking to read.

Gay men continuing to be some of the strongest advocates for misogyny, wbk 

[GentleEarthquake]

Poor queen

[Suilen]

This is a very unfortunate situation, and she has a very good point about the artist community. When everyone is on their own, that allows labels to exploit them. I keep hearing about this need for unions for music artists, and maybe that's something that should happen eventually. I hope that she'll find a way out of this situation and continue releasing music (if she feels like it, of course). 

Edited March 9 by Suilen

[konaa]

all this cos that stick man made a few jokey jokes

[2NE1]

Let’s see if Charli is gonna flap her jaws about this

[Jack!]

3 hours ago, Saint James said:

just clarifying, this is an ethical dilemma not a business dilemma right? she's not actually shelved like some artists are.

Trying to evaluate what she's said, that's what I'm understanding here too. Because, and I say this inoffensively and as someone who enjoys her music, she's not the sort of rostered act who her label will gatekeep into scoring a hit before releasing. Neither of her eras produced a sizeable hits but she has a core audience and can sell out theatre sized tours like she has in the past. I read what she's saying more as like "I can't work under these conditions anymore".

[On The Bound]

im sorry but this girl is so whiny and annoying  and her music isn't even good

[attention]

I also don’t get the vitriol Rina gets? for example like in this thread already 

[LVP]

I’m speechless after reading some comments in here

[ohwow]

the weird "ding ding ding points for everybody behavior" in this thread already, this why none of ur faves like ur asses

[Dolce Vita]

how people can see an asian woman complain about dealing with racism in the industry and their first instinct is to diminish her experience is weird as hell to me 

[KatyPrismSpirit]

this is so sad

[Heirloom]

You  snarky f*ggots are so weird, fine if you don't like her music but that doesn't diminshes her struggle from different aspects. 

 

OT : It's sad that she's trapped this way, esp as the label has strong ties with the person she criticizes. Hopefully she can fight for her contract 

Edited March 9 by Heirloom

[State of Grace.]

55 minutes ago, attention said:

I also don’t get the vitriol Rina gets? for example like in this thread already 

It's simple: misogyny. She was THEE mother in 2020 but then they swiftly switched on because....they didn't like Hold The Girl (which is a good album btw). She's been a punching bag since she dropped that album and it's getting so ******* weird.

[CozySkin]

She is a good woman.

[Polgg48]

quick guess is that taylor ex-pr-boyfriend blocking her and they share same label too. because who else? maybe officers in that building siding against ha.

 

it's on her own decision to counter those antics, best of luck

[attention]

44 minutes ago, State of Grace. said:

It's simple: misogyny. She was THEE mother in 2020 but then they swiftly switched on because....they didn't like Hold The Girl (which is a good album btw). She's been a punching bag since she dropped that album and it's getting so ******* weird.

i’m sensing that and racism. Like no one is forced to like her music at all, but shes been pretty gracious on how she’s outspoken on important subjects. she’s generally an inoffensive person too so the bitterness/resentfulness on the internet + pop Stan world has been uncalled for

 

In terms of the ‘This Hell’ backlash, Marina comes to mind as an artist who was also dogpiled on for her recent songwriting being too corny/weak or whatnot but not to the scale Rina got, who got written off as an artist quick

[SpaceOddity]

Internet **** that waste no tame inhumanizing any female artist just cause of one mediocre album. Imagine an unproblematic small artist earnestly opening up about horrible working conditions and feeling like **** mentally and your first thought being "haha good luck flop". But you make a comment about one of their their untouchable evil shitty billionaire popstars and hell breaks loose.