Hobart-based Suffragette Records part of movement to amplify female artists in male-dominated industry

In a Hobart record store, you might find Lauren Carter and her three daughters spinning some lesser-known gems or showcasing the works of popular female artists. Lauren has always been dedicated to promoting women in music, and this record store has become a testament to their family's collective efforts, further solidifying their commitment to female artistry.

In 2020, Lauren resolved to listen to more music created by women. But while searching through record bins at local stores, she grew frustrated by how difficult it was to find vinyl records by female artists she admired. One morning after breakfast, she pitched an idea to her husband, Oberon: opening a record store dedicated to celebrating women in music. Three months later, "Suffragette Records" opened in Battery Point. As Lauren puts it, "We've always done everything as a family," emphasizing their collaborative spirit.

Lauren, Oberon, and her daughters Audrey, Xanthe, and Maisie work together, selling records and mixtapes to customers who frequent the store daily. Suffragette Records is an extension of the values Lauren has instilled in her daughters since they were young, as she is passionate about empowering women. Lauren says, "I always say to the girls, 'Make sure you take up space, because you deserve to be here, and you deserve to do anything you want to do,'" encouraging them to pursue their ambitions without hesitation.

Lauren's father is Jon Blanchfield, a 1960s pop singer and 1980s band manager. Lauren says she noticed the male dominance in the music industry from a young age. "My memories of women in the music industry were that they were girlfriends or receptionists...or if they were doing well as musicians, they were 'difficult divas'...that's always been a narrative in the Australian music industry." Lauren says that while things have improved since the 80s, gender imbalance in the music industry remains prevalent. "In some countries, women's voices are not even allowed to be heard. It's only been a very short period of time in history when you think about it, that women's voices have been heard. We can see it on the shelves. It's probably only in the last 50 years that women have really been given a platform to tell their own stories in their own language."

Australia has not had an in-depth report on the representation of women in the music industry since 2019. The ABC's triple j Hack's "By The Numbers 2019" report found that the gender gap in Australian music was slowly closing, but male artists still dominated. In the US, the latest report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that women comprised 37.7% of the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Chart in 2024, a 2.7% increase from the previous year. But the report's researcher, Dr. Stacy L. Smith, said this small increase represented a decrease in the number of men, while the number of women remained the same as in previous years. Behind the scenes, women also lacked progress in roles such as songwriting and production. Female songwriters accounted for 18.9% and producers for 5.9%, both down from 2023. While the latest statistics show little change, the same report highlights that positive progress has been made in the representation of women in the music industry over the past decade. In 2014, women accounted for 20.9% of the 1,300 popular songs. 10 years later, that number has grown by more than 15%.

Lutruwita/Hobart-based artist EWAH says progress is welcome, but the work is far from over. She says, "We've got a third of the music industry represented by women, which is great...at least in performance, less so in producers...but it's important to stay vigilant because things can change really quickly." She says she has firsthand experience of gender imbalance in the music industry, and because the industry is highly unregulated, "a lot of toxic behaviors can survive." "I felt like I had to be a bit of a boy to survive...or just cover up some femininity. Feeling the male gaze, or expectations of competence...these are still barriers we're breaking down. Maybe it's not so overt, but there's still a lot of casual sexism."

EWAH says the music industry's construction favors male lifestyles, which can also create barriers. "Women are more likely to be primary carers...so they have to have really strong support structures, such as care or family, to support them. Things like the times that events happen can favor non-family structures." She adds that people need to continue fighting for equality. "If we don't actually go out and actively support, then things can disappear...I think it's about supporting through buying, attending, and listening."

The Carter family both echoes and embodies EWAH's message. Lauren's eldest daughter, Audrey, encourages listeners to support female artists by buying vinyl records. She says, "It's really important to remember that streaming isn't as good as you think it is. There's this idea that if an artist gets lots of streams, they're going to be super successful, but actually, the percentage of revenue that comes back per stream is so tiny." The family takes an optimistic approach to an issue that can sometimes feel "helpless." Lauren says, "We find the best way to deal with those heavy issues that you feel a bit helpless about is to celebrate what you love. That's what we do." Audrey says, "We never exclude anyone. We just say, 'Hey, women are here, and we're going to celebrate and support them.' We're not putting anyone down. We're just lifting up this particular group. I think that's really important."