TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson Named Keychange US Ambassador
Keychange is the international initiative whose mission is to transform the music industry by achieving parity for women and gender minorities across festivals and organizations
TuneCore and Believe sponsor music industry’s first Gender Equality Hub, created in partnership with Keychange and shesaid.so, taking place during Reeperbahn Festival, September 22-25
BROOKLYN, September 16, 2021 – Leading independent digital music distributor TuneCore today announced the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Andreea Gleeson has been named US Ambassador for Keychange, the international initiative whose mission is to transform the music industry by achieving 50% women and gender minority representation across festivals and organizations. TuneCore and parent company, global digital music company Believe, have committed to the Keychange global gender pledge for parity.
Said Gleeson, “Keychange’s mission aligns with TuneCore and Believe’s fierce commitment to gender parity across our artist and employee communities. While the discrepancy that exists currently in the music industry has become more recognized, the challenges and barriers facing female creators are still there and remain poorly understood and unsolved. We all need to be aware and ask ourselves what we can do to move the needle. I’m looking forward to working alongside my fellow Keychange ambassadors to break down unnecessary barriers in the industry and incite real change.”
Earlier this year, TuneCore, partnered with entertainment industry leader MIDiA Research to execute the study BE THE CHANGE: Women Making Music 2021, examining the reasons why females continue to be underrepresented in the music industry. The study gained major traction, spotlighting the challenges female creators face, and led TuneCore and Gleeson to Keychange.
BE THE CHANGE… gathered responses from 401 women creators from around the world, 81% of which felt it was harder for female artists to get recognition than male artists. Taking steps to remedy this is an area of focus for Gleeson, as 34% asked for female-friendly resources and safe workspaces, while 35% of female creators want more change to come from learning and shared experiences, in the form of coaching and mentoring. Gleeson turned these requests into action items, resulting in her first activation on behalf of Keychange, the Gender Equality Hub, sponsored by TuneCore and Believe, at the 16th Annual Reeperbahn Festival taking place from 22-25 September in Hamburg, Germany.
The Gender Equality Hub, curated by Gleeson, will be located at the Hamburger Ding throughout the week and will host networking, mentoring sessions and workshops with organizations such as TikTok, Nuclear Blast, Groove Attack, Sentric Music, SongTrust, Native Instruments, Beatport, FL Studio, and Groover. Female and gender minority advocacy community shesaid.so will run the speed mentoring program. Today’s press release announcing the Gender Equality Hub can be found here.
Mark Mulligan, managing director at MIDiA Research added, “When Andreea and TuneCore came to MIDiA with the impetus that drove the BE THE CHANGE..study, we saw it as an opportunity to incite real change, but only if the conversation continues beyond the study, and only if we understand that the blockers to gender parity are not “women’s problems” to be solved just by women. Men, women and gender minorities must join together with all the music industry’s organisations and constituents to activate a sea change. Andreea’s work in creating the Gender Equality Hub and her appointment as Keychange Ambassador are important steps in furthering the mission on a worldwide scale.”
The program will pilot at Reeperbahn Festival with expansion to other conferences planned for next year. By bringing together experts and resources from across all areas of the music industry, the Gender Equity Hub aims to provide women and gender minorities access to the tools they need to grow their careers in order to increase their participation and representation in the music industry and ultimately achieve parity.
About TuneCore
TuneCore is the global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and careers – with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Tencent and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta, and Austin, and operates globally through local teams based in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Japan and Singapore across 5 continents. www.tunecore.com
About Believe
Believe is one of the world’s leading digital music companies. Believe’s mission is to develop independent artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career and development. Believe’s passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Group’s global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music. Its 1,270 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including TuneCore, Believe, Nuclear Blast, Naïve, Groove Attack and AllPoints.
Believe is listed on compartment A of the Euronext Paris stock exchange (Ticker: BLV.PA, ISIN : FR0014003FE9)
About Keychange
Keychange is a pioneering international initiative which transforms the future of music by encouraging festivals and music organisations to achieve at least 50% women and under-represented genders in their programming, staffing and beyond. 74 emerging artists and innovators each year from across Europe and Canada will take part in international festivals, showcase events, collaborations and a programme of creative labs. Keychange aims to accelerate change and create a better, more inclusive music industry for present and future generations.
Keychange encourages all music organisations, festivals, venues, broadcasters, agencies and beyond to take the Keychange Pledge and to work towards a representative music industry. Join the Keychange Pledge at keychange.eu.
Keychange is led by Reeperbahn Festival, PRS Foundation and Musikcentrum Öst, supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, in partnership with Tallinn Music Week, Iceland Airwaves, BIME, Oslo World, Linecheck/Music Innovation Hub, Ireland Music Week, SACEM, Sound City, Way Out West, MaMA Festival, MUTEK, Breakout West and Different Sounds.
Keychange is sponsored by FACTOR, Fundación SGAE, GEMA, Gorwelion Horizons, IMRO, the Musicians’ Union, Norsk Tipping, Roskilde Festival, SOCAN Foundation, Songtrust, SoundCloud, STEF, STIM, and Talent Norge.
Keychange Ambassadors are Shirley Manson, Imogen Heap, Tony Visconti, Alexa Feser, Dermot O’Leary, Hinds, Emily Eavis, Nadine Shah, Paulette Long OBE, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, iskwē, Corinne Bailey Rae, Joy Denalane, Kate Nash, Sara Potente, Ave Tölpt, planningtorock, Jess Partridge, Carla Marie Williams, Claire Edwardes, Avtomat, Karolina Czarnecka, Darcy Proper, Tones and I, Tegan and Sara, Margherita Vicario, Claudia Pereira, Brisa Fenoy, Linnea Henriksson, Mari Boine, Samsaya, AURORA, First Lady of Iceland Eliza Reid, Anna Thorvaldsdóttir, Peaches, James Foley, LYDMOR, Andreea Gleeson and Alice Phoebe Lou. www.keychange.eu
###