Nonprofit She Is The Music To Launch Global Database Of Female Music Creators And Professionals

She Is The Music, a nonprofit launched in 2017 and aimed at supporting equality, inclusivity and diversity in the music industry, is working on building the largest global database of female creators and professionals.

The initiative is led by co-founders and Board Directors Alicia Keys, UMPG’s Jody Gerson, WME’s Samantha Kirby Yoh, and Jungle City Studios/AK-Worldwide’s Ann Mincieli, while the nonprofit’s creative and executive committees are also made of many top music industry professionals, among them artists Maren Morris, Meghan Trainor and Kacey Musgraves, as well as executives including AEG Presents’ Ali Harnell, and Morris’ manager Janet Weir.

The SITM Database, which will be powered by Billboard, will launch early next year, and will incorporate female songwriters, engineers, producers, studio positions and live / touring professionals, with additional positions to be included. Each database profile will be vetted for accuracy; applicant submissions are now open at sheisthemusic.org.

She Is The Music was launched in response to a study released by the University of Southern California, which analyzed the top 600 songs included in Billboard‘s year-end Hot 100 chart from 2012-2017. The study found that of 1,239 recording artists, only 22.4 percent were women. The study also found that of the 2,767 songwriters credited on those top songs, 12.3 percent were women. The results were even lower for female producers, who were credited on two percent of a subset of 300 songs in that same time span.

In addition to the database, SITM aims to launch a mentorship program in partnership with Billboard. This initiative seeks to empower females to join the music industry and to seek leadership roles. Earlier this year, SITM launched its first inclusive, all-female songwriting series, with sessions hosted by Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Loren Gray, and more. The series has earned support from ASCAP and BMI, with songwriting camps hosted by numerous publishers, streaming platforms, management companies and more.