This year, all of the headliners at Austin’s acclaimed music festival, Austin City Limits, are male artists. As communities fight for a gender balance in all industries, remember to join the crowd watching these talented female musicians at ACL.
Story by Laiken Neumann
When the lineup for ACL rolled out, many were disheartened to see a lack of female artists listed at the top in big block letters. Gender imbalance in music is only one of the repercussions of the institutionalized sexism that has been built into society. While the representation of women as headliners at music festivals will not solve these issues, it certainly is a step towards a broader inclusion of women and provides a greater respect to their talents that are so often dismissed.
Leading by example, Coachella, arguably the most publicized music festival in America, gave Beyonce the center stage when she headlined this past April. Her empowering performance included her hits and a surprise cameo from Destiny’s Child. However, even in 2018, this is a rare occurrence, as most music festivals fail to find a gender balance among their featured artists. Some festivals are making strides to solve this issue, making a conscious effort to focus on inclusivity when forming their lineups. While ACL did not make this commitment, it is critical to spotlight the underrepresented women that will be taking the stage at Zilker Park this October.
Noname
After her 2016 album, “Telefone,” rose to success through her smooth, softly clever rap style, Noname released her second album, “Room 25” this September. Through her song, “Blaxploitation,” she makes a political statement on the ceaseless exploitation of black people in world history, culture, politics and economic systems. It is Noname’s existential awareness of both herself and the world that defines her most recent releases and invites listeners to an authentic view of society.
2:45-3:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5 at HomeAway
2:45-3:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12 at HomeAway
Photo courtesy of Chantal Anderson, Fader Magazine.
Japanese Breakfast
Japanese Breakfast immerses listeners into a dreamy, indie-alternative soundscape with her mellow, moaning vocals and melodies that leave you spinning. Her most recent and aptly titled album, “Soft Sounds from Another Planet” was released over a year ago, met with public and critical acclaim. Through her music, she explores ideas varying from issues of non-committal relationships in “Boyish,” to the loss of her mother’s fight to breast cancer on track “In Heaven.” These songs, among others, are like personal anecdotes, effortlessly mapped onto the lives of listeners while releasing sounds that nearly transport them to “Another Planet.”
3:30-4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 at Barton Springs
3:30-4:30 pm. on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Barton Springs
Photo courtesy of Ebru Yildiz, Out Magazine.
Ravyn Lenae
If there is anyone you definitely need to keep a lookout for, it is Ravyn Lenae. At only 19 years old, Lenae has released three solo EPs, toured with both Noname and SZA and collaborated on multiple occasions with The Internet’s Steve Lacy. Her most recent hit, “Sticky,” describes the the inescapable attachment of being in a relationship that won’t seem to end. Her music takes the form of alternative R&B, accompanied by her angelic melodies, topped with infectious beats that are guaranteed to get you dancing.
1:15-2:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5 at Tito’s Handmade Vodka
1:15-2:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12 at Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Photo courtesy of Jingyu Lin.
Bishop Briggs
Bishop Briggs achieved mainstream success through her recent single, “River,” all before she even released her debut album, “Church of Scars.” This English native fuses a variety of genres, generally landing somewhere among pop and alternative, yet her heavy, soulful voice remains a constant in her music. Her unique harmony often contains a vulnerability that is miraculously strengthened by her sound, which, in the case of “The Way I Do,” mimics a call to arms.
1:45-2:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5 at American Express
1:45-2:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12 at American Express
Photo courtesy of W Magazine.
Donna Missal
On her freshly-released debut album, “This Time,” Donna Missal introduced her contemporary-pop sound with R&B tendencies and seemingly effortless vocals that build throughout each song. In “Driving,” Missal’s recollection of love and how it equates to a leisurely drive on a sunny day, is accompanied by atypical percussions, like clinking of glasses, a hopeful bass and good ole’ fashioned hand claps. Relatively new to the music scene, Missal’s music is wildly under-appreciated, but as she has grown relatively quickly since the release of her album, there is no doubt that her musical influence will continue to spread.
12:45 -1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Honda
Photo courtesy of Justin Bettman.
