What has Sydney-bred, LA-based producer-performer Anna Lunoe got to do with polarising US pop star Miley Cyrus?
Absolutely nothing, says Lunoe, who has slammed an interviewer’s borderline-sexist approach as a microcosm for the music industry’s reductive view of ‘women in the music industry’.
In a fiery post to her 28,500+ followers on Facebook last Friday, the Aussie musician explained how she “lost it” at an unnamed journalist, “who of all the things I have done in my career, decided that one of his 5 questions should be ‘as a women[sic] in the music industry what I think about Miley’?”
“I was stunned… MILEY? That is relevant to me how?.. cos we are both female?” questions Lunoe, later adding: “You want me to say what exactly?… Something snarky about another woman in the music industry? Or for me to explain her behaviour like I must know what this complete stranger is doing because we both have boobs? Would you ask Tiësto what he thinks about Justin Bieber… cos they are both male?”
The DJ/producer/vocalist has toured with the likes of M.I.A., Disclosure, Diplo, The Weeknd, Calvin Harris, and even Daft Punk, as well as collaborating with fellow Sydneysiders and Future Classic labelmates Flume (on ‘I Met You’) and Touch Sensitive (on ‘Real Talk’) but none of this was seemingly of enough importance to make it into Lunoe’s recent interview. …explain Miley’s behaviour like I must know what this complete stranger is doing because we both have boobs? Would you ask Tiësto what he thinks about Justin Bieber
“To all the bloggers/ journalists out there, if you decide to write a piece about a musician who happens to be female, PLEASE stop writing about ‘women in the music industry’ like it is something novel or new,” urges Lunoe, echoing similar sentiments raised over the Australian music industry and media at the tail-end of last year.
She continues: “Don’t ask me why there are less female producers, we both know that issue is so much bigger than the dance industry. Why are there less women in the upper levels of ALL industries? After all the from the heart and in depth answers I have given to journalist over the years, this conversation NEVER STOPS and It doesn’t seem to help us girls at all.
“Instead it seems to further perpetuate the idea of women as visitors in this industry who should be fighting for their place. Fuck that. Ladies, we deserve to be here, don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise.”
Lunoe concludes her statement by asking “please just focus on who we are as artists and what we have done/are doing and we will all get along just fine.”
To that end, Anna Lunoe has been doing a lot. Last month, an EP of remixes of her breakout track ‘Breathe’ was released through Columbia Records via Fools Gold/Ultra, featuring re-workings by Aussie artists Danny T, Wordlife, and Cosmo’s Midnight plus Vancouver beatmaker Sleepy Tom and US producer Treasure Fingers.
Lunoe is touring through March ahead of her appearance at this year’s Coachella festival (alongside a strong contingent of Aussie artists).
Read Anna Lunoe’s full Facebook post below and view our Coachella Festival Guide here.
So, it finally happened. After 7 yrs of interviews I just lost it at a journalist from a newspaper, who of all the things I have done in my career, decided that one of his 5 questions should be “as a women in the music industry what I think about Miley..”
I was stunned… MILEY? That is relevant to me how?.. cos we are both female?
So let me get this straight Mr Reporter, instead of using your interview to inform your readers of the cool shit I have worked to achieve, you want me to say what exactly?… Something snarky about another woman in the music industry? Or for me to explain her behaviour like I must know what this complete stranger is doing because we both have boobs? Would you ask Tiesto what he thinks about Justin Bieber… cos they are both male?
To all the bloggers/ journalists out there, if you decide to write a piece about a musician who happens to be female, PLEASE stop writing about “women in the music industry” like it is something novel or new. Don’t ask me why there are less female producers, we both know that issue is so much bigger than the dance industry. Why are there less women in the upper levels of ALL industries? After all the from the heart and in depth answers I have given to journalist over the years, this conversation NEVER STOPS and It doesn’t seem to help us girls at all. Instead it seems to further perpetuate the idea of women as visitors in this industry who should be fighting for their place.
Fuck that.
Ladies, we deserve to be here, don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise.
Journalists, please just focus on who we are as artists and what we have done/are doing and we will all get along just fine.
xx Anna
