From Lyrics to Legacy: How Glasgow-based female and non-binary songwriting collective is fighting music industry misogyny
Eilidh Miller
(Image Credit: @Hen_Hoose on Instagram
Glasgow is a city that’s bursting with music. From up-and-coming artists playing intimate first gigs, to global superstars headlining at the Hydro, Glasgow's music scene is full of creativity and collaboration. Nestled within this dynamic landscape is Hen Hoose, an all-female and non-binary songwriting collective that's not just making waves but reshaping the very currents of musical expression. In a city known for its rich cultural offerings, Hen Hoose emerges as a beacon of empowerment and innovation, harnessing the diverse talents of its members to craft melodies that resonate far beyond the studio walls.
Hen Hoose was first founded by CEO Tamara Schlesinger as a lockdown project. Shlesinger initially thought the project could serve as an alternative revenue stream and a way to connect with fellow musicians under lockdown restrictions but Hen Hoose quickly “became so much more than that”.
The collective began as thirteen female and non-binary songwriters, of which only around two to three could produce music. However, this increased to seven by the end of the project.
Speaking to Blether, Tamara told how “there were women and there were non-binary artists who were sitting in these roles but never taking the credit or didn’t know they could do those technical roles, but they were actually doing it”.
On top of pushing for collaboration, Hen Hoose also encourages female and non-binary artists to learn new skills and further develop their musical abilities.
“We’ve empowered a lot of women and non-binary artists, I think people have come in to the collective and have found it a safe space, even just learning the technical roles”.
(Image Credit: Hen Hoose Website)
The first round of collaborative songwriting gained funding from prestigious organisations like the John Lennon Award and Hen Hoose’s debut album, Equaliser, was shortlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year Award.
This success led to the collective expanding even more and looking to offer opportunities for more women and non-binary artists to get involved.
“It’s just creating a community, offering audio courses, offering workshops, panels, social events and then still working with the core collective, they act as mentors and collaborate on projects as well”.
To create tracks like the one above, musicians in the collective are split into pairs or small groups based on their previous work. Schlesinger creates the pairings based on things like genre, experience, and ability but:
“The idea of getting people to work in a different genre and trying to put them in a new genre all together is always fun same with experience and someone who doesn’t have much, fresh ideas can be as important as someone who has experience”.
Hen Hoose’s innovative approach creates a dynamic environment for the musical exploration of new perspectives and pushes the boundaries of creativity in the music scene. However, it's important to acknowledge that the collective emerged partly in response to the ongoing challenges of misogyny in the music industry.
(Image Credit: @Hen_Hoose on Instagram )
In January this year, a report was published which revealed that women in the music industry face ‘endemic’ levels of misogyny. This discrimination is experienced at almost every level, creating a barrier for women wishing to pursue a career in music.
Tamara notes that “it would be hard to find any woman in the music industry that hasn’t suffered because of misogyny in some way… everything needs to change from the top down, there needs to be significant change”.
Her insights highlight the urgency of addressing systemic inequalities and the need for meaningful change from the industry's top tiers down to its grassroots level. Hen Hoose's inclusive and empowering ethos provides a promising model for reshaping the music landscape and shines a light on how collaboration can create opportunities for all.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Hen Hoose or would like to get involved in the collective and their workshops yourself, you can visit their website here.