| This project exists to investigate how women, as artists, have navigated musical careers throughout the twenty-first century. The interview subjects have shared with me their stories of discrimination and sexual harassment, details of their career paths, and advice for future girls and women interested in the drums. All of the interviewees emphasized, in one way or another, that girls and women are still told to be quiet. Women are not always encouraged to voice themselves or taught to be declarative. This is why the process of learning the drums - by nature a loud, physical instrument - does not always make sense to girls. However, for these reasons, learning, experiencing, and enjoying the drums can be an extremely empowering accomplishment for women, men, or anybody. This project becomes journalistic through carefully-planned interviews that I have designed to be as objective as possible. However, it is here that I must be transparent about the fact that I admire these women and am searching for evidence that they have had to navigate careers in percussion differently than men and have to jump through different hoops in order to be successful in this industry. |
