SeeHer and Breakr Launch #HerBigBreak Mentor Program for Emerging Female Music Artists (Exclusive)
In an effort to eliminate gender bias in the entertainment and advertising industries, SeeHer and Breakr are combining forces to launch an accelerator program today, designed to help three emerging women artists rise in their field.
SeeHer is a global movement committed to positive representation — and equity — for women and girls in media. Leaders across the advertising, marketing and entertainment industries work together to shrink unconscious bias, especially as it pertains to age, race, body type and other physical and aesthetic attributes. SeeHer, launched in 2016, spearheaded the development of the Gender Equality Measure, the first research methodology that quantifies gender bias in ads and programming.
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Breakr, which describes itself as a “two-sided marketplace,” connects artists and brands for music and product launches. It has over 60,000 creators as part of its community and is focused on music-driven influencer campaigns.
The program they’re collaborating on, called #HerBigBreak, will grant three chosen artists mentorship from female music executives, live performance opportunities, and tips on how to develop and leverage social media platforms for marketing campaigns.
“While women are getting more opportunities in front of and behind the mic, we know that there is still work that needs to be done to elevate them in the industry and create an even playing field,” Jeannine Shao Collins, president at SeeHer, said in a statement. Between 2012 and 2019, women accounted for less than 22 percent of popular music artists, less than 15 percent of songwriters, and less than 3 percent of producers.
Hip-hop artist Baby Tate, who will serve as a mentor in the new program, said in a statement: “I’m excited to join Breakr and SeeHer in uplifting independent women artists in music. As someone who built their career independently, I know exactly how difficult it can be for women. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned and help these women develop amazing careers!”
Other confirmed mentors include Dana Droppo, senior vice president and head of marketing at Billboard; Adrienne (Ada) Hopkins, strategic partner manager, top creator communities, YouTube; Amber Grimes, executive vice president and general manager at Love Renaissance (LVRN); and Cori Gadbury, director, tour marketing, United Talent Agency.
“At least half of the next generation of genius musicians out there right now are young women looking for a way in,” said Droppo. “What a benefit to the world it will be when the industry corrects its gender bias.” Applicants to the contest will have to upload musical performances to Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok.
On Sunday, March 13, Halle Berry received the the Critics Choice Association’s #SeeHer Award; it honors a woman who challenges “boundaries on changing stereotypes.” Said Berry at the event, “I realized we truly need to see each other’s reality, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us, so that we might stop judging and stop pointing fingers, but rather find compassion and empathy for the others.”
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