When the music industry is a man’s world, climbing to the top has been harder than ever. With female artists and their fashion choices labelled as provocative, precocious, and peevish, the consistent scrutiny fails its primary purpose and is instead building a generation of fearless feminist artists.
From her behind-the-scenes view, I spoke to Sofia Mills about misogyny, fashion, and personal power. With lockdown pressing pause on the daily tracks of artists at every level, Sofia was based in Boston at the time life as we knew it stopped. “I expected to use the time to write a million songs and come up with ideas for future projects”, she explains, “but after the first few weeks, my brain turned into oatmeal”.
“I always figured my creativity came from myself only; my past experiences, relationships, anxieties – but I’ve now come to realize I depend on the experiences of others, too. I depend on people-watching in Boston, running errands with my friends, and seeing my grandmother every week. Isolation has pushed me into a new type of creativity.”
On the release of her new EP ‘All my Pals’ on August 27th catalysing a new branch of her success, it would be juvenile to assume it’s been a short and easy journey as a female in an industry where men hold 83% of the chart positions.
Misogyny in music has never quite been clearer than the apparent failure of an otherwise incredibly successful ‘Me Too’ movement, with frequent accusations still occurring proving it a tough industry to fracture.
“As long as what you’re wearing makes you happy and doesn’t hurt anyone, I say go for it.
The trend is as follows: male artists grab awards and admiration, whilst female artists grab headlines. “I’ve always been involved in music from a young age –whether it’s writing my own songs or playing at local open mic nights – and I’ve always met a lot of people who think less of me because of my gender identity”, Sofia notes. “Because I am a young girl, men in the industry assume that I don’t know anything.”
The pinnacle of this came when she was just fourteen, being told she would have to ‘physically develop faster’ if she wanted anyone to care about her music. “Being a girl in a room full of older men who don’t believe in you isn’t easy, but I wouldn’t have half the strength I do right now if not for these experiences.”
In an industry so saturated, something so imperative is individual style, both on and off stage. Proven evident by the likes of Bjork, Matty Healy (ie. The 1975) and Cher, style not only creates visual appeal, but paints a visual persona to future listeners.
No statement needs to be as ostentatious as Lady Gaga’s ‘meat dress’ at the 2010 MVA awards, but self-confidence and happiness in your clothing – especially during live performances – translates exceptionally to an audience. “It’s empowering to not feel confined to one style of clothing and experimenting gives me a new confidence and sense of control over my life.” Sofia explains.
To any artist whose audience is of a youthful demographic, it can be incredibly pressuring to feel like a source of authority or inspiration to people so impressionable. “As long as what you’re wearing makes you happy and doesn’t hurt anyone, I say go for it.
“Be experimental and adventurous, be simple and modest, make a statement or don’t. For now, I’m happy dressing in big T-shirts, boxers, socks and sandals – I call it Uncle-Chic.”
Sofia’s new EP ‘All My Pals’ is now available on all streaming platforms.
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