If you take a look at the Billboard Country Airplay chart this week, you’ll only find four solo female artists with singles in the Top 40: Carrie Underwood (No. 9 – “Cry Pretty”), Maren Morris (No. 17 – “Rich”), Carly Pearce (No. 20 – “Hide the Wine”) and Kelsea Ballerini (No. 29 – “I Hate Love Songs”).
The disproportionately low representation of female artists on the charts has been a topic of conversation over the last few years, although little—if any—real change has taken place.
On her recently launched Women Want to Hear Women podcast, Elaina Smith is championing female artists to use their voices and influence to facilitate real change. As a guest on the Sept. 3 episode of Women Want to Hear Women, Carrie Underwood, one of the most powerful artists in country music, spoke out about the marginalization of female artists on country radio.
“Even when I was growing up, I wished there were more women on the radio, you know?” says Carrie to Elaina. “And I had a lot more than there are today. You think about all of the little girls sitting at home saying, ‘I want to be a country music singer.’ What do you tell them? What do you do? How do you look at them and say, ‘Well, just work hard, sweetie, and you can do it,’ when that’s not the case right now, because I see so many girls out there busting their rear ends, and so many guys out there that it’s like some new guy has a number one and I’m like, ‘Well, good for you, that’s great, but who are you, like, what’s happening?’ And then these other women—strong women who are super talented that totally deserve it—are not getting the same opportunities.”
To hear more about what Carrie has to say on the aforementioned topic, tune in to Women Want to Hear Women with Elaina on Sept. 3. You can find it right here on Nash Country Daily or on your favorite podcast platform.
photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com
