Music
Alicia Keys’ She Is The Music Is The Nonprofit Helping Women Enter The ‘Boys Club’ Of Music
The artist’s nonprofit is working to increase diversity and inclusion efforts in the music industry so that women can get hired. …
In January 2019, the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative concluded that two years earlier, the music industry saw a six-year low for female creatives. The contributions of women remain underrepresented in virtually every corner of the field — from singers and songwriters to A&R professionals and marketing mavens. Because of these findings, She Is The Music is a necessary network for women in music to facilitate meaningful change in order to diminish the “boys club” industry mentality, which is why we wanted to showcase them in this debut episode of our new The Show Up series.
Founded by Alicia Keys in 2018, She Is The Music is a non-profit organization aiming to amplify underrepresented individuals in the music industry through networking, resources, and impactful initiatives. In the above video, Michelle Arkuski, executive director of the organization, says that the “overarching” goal of the organization is to “[harness] inclusivity, opportunity and visibility to increase the number of women working in music.”
She Is The Music fosters connections between its members and music industry giants in order to provide support and advice. Like-minded individuals can link up through the organization’s global online database of 7,000 she/her-identifying music industry members. She Is The Music also features programs unifying its members, like their all-female songwriting camp, their partnership with Step Up empowering female high school students, and their newly-implemented virtual mentorship program, Connect TogetHER, whose members launched their own music team after the program ended to help an alumna release her debut album.
Through instilling confidence in established and prospective industry personnel, She Is The Music provides a look into how limitless the field could be for women. “When people put gender into a title, it knocks you down a few steps,” She Is The Music’s songwriting committee co-chair and L.A. chapter head Hannah Babitt notes. “We need all genders involved to push a change and shift the numbers.”
Check out the video above to learn more about the group.
Artist Spotlight
Makk $aucy explores feminine power and emotional connection in “Agressive Woman”
Women are powerful to the people around them, and Makk $aucy explores that dynamic in his new single, “Aggressive Woman.” In this release, Makk $aucy dives into how our personal habits and views are shaped by our relationships and emotional ties, rather than just skimming the surface.
“Aggressive Woman” comes from a relaxed, flowing creative process, captured at Grill Studios in Emeryville, California. You can feel that vibe throughout the track, letting the performance speak real emotion without sounding forced. Much of the vibe comes from Makk $aucy’s vocal delivery, which matches the recording’s chill atmosphere.
Beyond the theme, the release also showcases Makk $aucy’s talents as an artist and producer. He lists R&B, hip-hop, and rap as influences and is still trying to find a musical direction that doesn’t confine him to one genre. His production work is central to this identity, reflecting his desire to shape the whole listening experience, not just his vocal performance.
“Agressive Woman” is another chapter in what Makk $aucy calls the “Makk $aucy Experience,” a larger musical journey based on experimentation and creative findings. It celebrates female power and spotlights an artist who continues to push the limits of his production and genre-bending approach.
Artist Spotlight
C’batch explores love, irony, and poor decisions in “If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many) 1”
“If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many) 1” by C’batch is a classic rock release that explores that complicated side of relationships. Based on a friend’s real-life relationship, the song explores love, bad judgment, and the emotional repercussions from a dark, ironic, and sometimes humorous perspective.
What’s interesting about the release is that it spans different eras, musically and lyrically. C’Batch first recorded the guitar improvisation in 2012, and the words came years later, after the relationship that inspired them was over. He kept the two apart until 2026, when he finally merged them. The unusual creative chronology links an early musical idea to a later observation of human behavior.
The track is steeped in classic rock and soul rock and showcases C’batch’s experience as a guitarist, composer, and producer. To truly appreciate this release, one must understand the creative process behind it, a process that has been touched by a musical history spanning four decades. He returns to an old guitar composition and gives it a new purpose in the telling.
The song is about how people can get so wrapped up in love that they ignore shady decisions and only see the consequences afterward. “If There Was Ever a Fool (One of a Cast of Many) 1” is an interesting intersection of past inspiration and present outlook. It also shows how an unfinished musical idea can be born years later.
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