10 women Illuminating MUSIC
“Tank” Ball
Tank and the Bangas
Amanda Jones
film and tv composer
Jazzmeia Horn
jazz vocalist,
composer
Jackie Venson
singer-songwriter, guitarist
Kate Ellwanger
unspeakable records
Genevieve
Vincent
composer and producer
Madame Gandhi
Producer, Drummer
Mireya Ramos
Flor de Toloache
Natania Lalwani
Artist and Songwriter
Shakari
“TRAKGIRL” Linder
producer
Music is more than a sound. It’s a connection to community, and an expression of our feelings and experiences. Music has the power to heal, to uplift, and to inspire. Lincoln understands the power of music, and is passionate about providing platforms for up-and-coming artists to share their talents with the world.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with Lincoln to shine a spotlight on some of music’s most influential women. These artists are helping to shape our culture through their authentic, inspiring, and unique sounds.
From vocalists and guitarists to composers and producers, here are the 10 women illuminating music.
Tank and the Bangas,
Musician, and Singer
Tarriona “Tank” Ball
Photo credit: Matthew Seltzer
Founder and leader of a GRAMMY-nominated band
Tarriona “Tank” Ball certainly knows how to stand out — from her infectious personality to her sound to her personal style. It’s why she’s such an undeniable force as the frontwoman of an otherwise all-male band, Tank and the Bangas. And that confidence and style she exudes is something she learned as a child in New Orleans, specifically in church.
“I was always surrounded by motivation, encouraging speakers, and the flyest church clothes one could imagine — my hat game is dope because of it,” she says. “It would be an understatement to say this specific community inspired me; it helped create my style, and gave me morals that stick with me to this day.”
A background in spoken word has now translated into numerous accolades for this musical powerhouse — a GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist, NPR Tiny Desk concert winners, National Poetry Slam Champions, the Big Easy Award, and The Performer of the Year award. Music
isn’t just part of life, it is her life — and helps round it out. “I think music is wellness: It’s conversations with Kota The Friend or Stevie Wonder playing in the background that keeps my eyes on the prize,” she says.
Even with all of the time and energy she spends on music — Tank and the Bangas will soon drop a new EP — and giving back to her New Orleans community, Ball is still always looking to expand and improve on herself. She has many other projects in the works, including writing her first poetry book.
“Poetry was my first love,” she says. “Music came to the party a little later and loved me just as much.”
Ball has a knack for using every stage to her advantage to build a spiritual connection with her audience, and she loves the fact that she’s still evolving. “I bloomed early and late in life,” she says, “and I’m still discovering things about myself.”
“Poetry was my first love. Music came to the party a little later and loved me just as much.”
Tank and the Bangas,
Musician, and Singer
Tarriona “Tank” Ball
Photo credit: Matthew Seltzer
Founder and leader of a GRAMMY-nominated band
Tarriona “Tank” Ball certainly knows how to stand out — from her infectious personality to her sound to her personal style. It’s why she’s such an undeniable force as the frontwoman of an otherwise all-male band, Tank and the Bangas. And that confidence and style she exudes is something she learned as a child in New Orleans, specifically in church.
“I was always surrounded by motivation, encouraging speakers, and the flyest church clothes one could imagine — my hat game is dope because of it,” she says. “It would be an understatement to say this specific community inspired me; it helped create my style, and gave me morals that stick with me to this day.”
A background in spoken word has now translated into numerous accolades for this musical powerhouse — a GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist, NPR Tiny Desk concert winners, National Poetry Slam Champions, the Big Easy Award, and The Performer of the Year award. Music isn’t just part of life, it is her life — and helps round it out. “I think music is wellness: It’s conversations with Kota The Friend or Stevie Wonder playing in the background that keeps my eyes on the prize,” she says.
Even with all of the time and energy she spends on music — Tank and the Bangas will soon drop a new EP — and giving back to her New Orleans community, Ball is still always looking to expand and improve on herself. She has many other projects in the works, including writing her first poetry book.
“Poetry was my first love,” she says. “Music came to the party a little later and loved me just as much.”
Ball has a knack for using every stage to her advantage to build a spiritual connection with her audience, and she loves the fact that she’s still evolving. “I bloomed early and late in life,” she says, “and I’m still discovering things about myself.”
“Poetry was my first love. Music came to the party a little later and loved me just as much.”
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Around two years ago, Jones was at a luncheon and spotted screenwriter, producer, and actress Lena Waithe. Jones bravely walked up to her and told her that she wanted to be a full-time composer. Even though Jones only had a handful of indie credits at the time, Waithe gave her a chance and invited her to score a project she was working on (BET’s “Twenties”).
Now, Jones is rapidly becoming a standout voice among a new generation of television and film composers. With her foot firmly in the door of Hollywood, Jones' resume boasts composing for multiple feature films and TV series and winning awards, including an NAACP Image Award for her work on the “Greenleaf” soundtrack.
Even though she's only been scoring for a short time, Jones is already helping others in the field. She’s cofounder of The Composer’s Diversity Collective — a group of music creators dedicated to providing opportunities for composers from all different backgrounds.
“There are always going to be challenges along the way,” she says, drawing on experience. “But the key to a successful career is to tactfully adapt, remain optimistic, and be persistent.”
The 2020 Emmy Awards set a new record for diverse nominees and Amanda Jones, a singer-songwriter turned film and TV composer, was part of the historic milestone. Jones received a nomination for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special for her work on Apple TV+’s “Home.” Though the category has existed since 1966, it was the first time in 54 years — and almost 300 nominees — that a Black woman was recognized.
“[The “Home” team] wanted me to lean into my songwriter ability for the score,” Jones told AMNY. “It was an incredible experience. I got to be more vulnerable, and they wanted me to push as an artist. I’m really happy with the project, it let me just be my artistic self.”
Jones has been a musician her entire life. After graduating from Vassar, she moved to Los Angeles with her (still-active) band, The Anti-Job — but it was years before she finally added scoring to her repertoire. “Living in Los Angeles, you inevitably cross paths with the film and television world,” she says. “I realized writing music in that capacity was a viable career path to pursue alongside performing with my band.”
Received the first nomination for a Black female in the Primetime Emmy score category
Photo credit: Ian Spanier
Film and Television Composer
Amanda Jones
“There are always going to be challenges along the way,” she says, “but the key to a successful career is to tactfully adapt, remain optimistic, and be persistent.”
Photo credit: Ian Spanier
Film and Television Composer
Amanda Jones
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The 2020 Emmy Awards set a new record for diverse nominees and Amanda Jones, a singer-songwriter turned film and TV composer, was part of the historic milestone. Jones received a nomination for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special for her work on Apple TV+’s “Home.” Though the category has existed since 1966, it was the first time in 54 years — and almost 300 nominees — that a Black woman was recognized.
“[The “Home” team] wanted me to lean into my songwriter ability for the score,” Jones told AMNY. “It was an incredible experience. I got to be more vulnerable, and they wanted me to push as an artist. I’m really happy with the project, it let me just be my artistic self.”
Jones has been a musician her entire life. After graduating from Vassar, she moved to Los Angeles with her (still-active) band, The Anti-Job — but it was years before she finally added scoring to her repertoire. “Living in Los Angeles, you inevitably cross paths with the film and television world,” she says. “I realized writing music in that capacity was a viable career path to pursue alongside performing with my band.”
Around two years ago, Jones was at a luncheon and spotted screenwriter, producer, and actress Lena Waithe. Jones bravely walked up to her and told her that she wanted to be a full-time composer. Even though Jones only had a handful of indie credits at the time, Waithe gave her a chance and invited her to score a project she was working on (BET’s “Twenties”).
Now, Jones is rapidly becoming a standout voice among a new generation of television and film composers. With her foot firmly in the door of Hollywood, Jones' resume boasts composing for multiple feature films and TV series and winning awards, including an NAACP Image Award for her work on the “Greenleaf” soundtrack.
Even though she's only been scoring for a short time, Jones is already helping others in the field. She’s cofounder of The Composer’s Diversity Collective — a group of music creators dedicated to providing opportunities for composers from all different backgrounds.
“There are always going to be challenges along the way,” she says, drawing on experience. “But the key to a successful career is to tactfully adapt, remain optimistic, and be persistent.”
Received the first nomination for a Black female in the Primetime Emmy score category
“There are always going to be challenges along the way,” she says, “but the key to a successful career is to tactfully adapt, remain optimistic, and
be persistent.”
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“It’s important to give people who have been historically underrepresented in mainstream culture easier, affordable avenues into music making.”
then, it has grown into a full-service production company with over 50 projects in its catalog, and provides resources for artists of all gender identities, backgrounds, styles, and genres.
“We’ve thrown numerous production workshops and camps, and serve thousands of artists through our online development programs,” Ellwanger says. “I’m really excited about our recent collaboration with Nike and Foot Locker to celebrate the creator of the Nike swoosh, Carolyn Davidson. It was a huge honor to create some music to highlight that history.”
Though affiliation with such big names brings her some immediate gratification, Ellwanger prides herself above all on consistent growth and her commitment to providing affordable music education while holistically supporting artists. She says, “it’s important to give people who have been historically underrepresented in mainstream culture easier, affordable avenues into music making.”
For Kate Ellwanger (aka DOT), a fusion of electronic, indie rock, and R&B elements has secured her a place as one of the music scene's most respected emerging producers.
She moved to Southern California at the age of 17 to study music, which quickly led to her immersion in the LA beat scene, signing on to Alpha Pup Records, and providing cutting edge beats as part of LA beat collective Team Supreme.
However, she always knew something was missing. “I loved being a part of these communities and receiving so much support, but was missing that sense of connection with other female-identifying artists,” Ellwanger says. “I ended up starting my own label to give us our own creative hub and place to share our work.”
She launched Unspeakable Records in 2014, starting with a compilation featuring 14 female-identifying producers. Since
Launched a record label to champion the cause of unsung female producers
Photo credit: Karlie Jeneson
Producer, Vocalist,
and Multi-Instrumentalist
Kate Ellwanger
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“Flor de Toloache has been driven by women paving our own path.”
nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY in the Best Latin Rock, Urban, or Alternative Album category.
Though she admits her path to success wasn’t quick or easy, Ramos prides herself on continued success in an industry dominated by men. “Flor de Toloache has been driven by women paving our own path,” she says. “We hope it will become the new normal where more women have the recognition they deserve.”
When accepting the 2017 Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album Latin GRAMMY, Ramos gave a nod to female musicians: “Thank you to all the women that came before us,” she said. “All the women that are coming up — we love and support you.”
When Mireya Ramos first started playing mariachi in New York, she was the only woman in her group and all the members were from Mexico. As a woman of Dominican and Mexican descent, she saw a unique opportunity to bring a diverse set of women together and transform the genre. In 2008, she teamed up with Shae Fiol to form Flor de Toloache, an all-women mariachi band with members hailing from all over the world. The band pushes boundaries and is known for its edgy, versatile, and fresh take on traditional Mexican music — while still preserving the traditional sounds of mariachi.
In just over a decade, Flor de Toloache has gone from playing the subway in New York to collaborating with major artists like John Legend, Alex Cuba, and Miguel to being nominated for and winning multiple GRAMMYs. Most recently, the group was
Started an all-women, GRAMMY award-winning mariachi band
Flor de Toloache,
Founder and Musician
Mireya Ramos
Photo credit: Andrei Averbuch
“Flor de Toloache has been driven by women paving our own path.”
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When Mireya Ramos first started playing mariachi in New York, she was the only woman in her group and all the members were from Mexico. As a woman of Dominican and Mexican descent, she saw a unique opportunity to bring a diverse set of women together and transform the genre. In 2008, she teamed up with Shae Fiol to form Flor de Toloache, an all-women mariachi band with members hailing from all over the world. The band pushes boundaries and is known for its edgy, versatile, and fresh take on traditional Mexican music — while still preserving the traditional sounds of mariachi.
In just over a decade, Flor de Toloache has gone from playing the subway in New York to collaborating with major artists like John Legend, Alex Cuba, and Miguel to being nominated for and winning multiple GRAMMYs. Most recently, the group was nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY in the Best Latin Rock, Urban, or Alternative Album category.
Though she admits her path to success wasn’t quick or easy, Ramos prides herself on continued success in an industry dominated by men. “Flor de Toloache has been driven by women paving our own path,” she says. “We hope it will become the new normal where more women have the recognition they deserve.”
When accepting the 2017 Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album Latin GRAMMY, Ramos gave a nod to female musicians: “Thank you to all the women that came before us,” she said. “All the women that are coming up — we love and support you.”
Started an all-women, GRAMMY award-winning mariachi band
Founder, Flor de Toloache
Mireya Ramos
Photo credit: Andrei Averbuch
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“My bandmate Chris and I got around the issue of distance by thinking of a space or setting each one could inhabit in our minds.”
followed by an episode of “Moving Art” on Netflix. Several TV movies later, she landed the two projects she’s most proud of to
date: “Hypersomnia” for The Echo Society’s SIX: FAMILY concert and Natalie Krinsky’s “The Broken Hearts Gallery” (executive produced by Selena Gomez). When scoring “The Broken Hearts Gallery,” Vincent combined her skills as a producer, songwriter, and a composer to create a tone between a pop song and film score.
Her own music has been a source of pride, too. Her band, darkDARK, wrote, recorded, and produced an EP, “Save It,” while physically apart. “My bandmate Chris and I got around the issue of distance by thinking of a space or setting each one could inhabit in our minds,” Vincent says. “‘Save it’ takes place in a Pacific Northwest forest. The production we did … reflects that sense of place back to us.”
That willingness to experiment is one of Vincent’s keys to success. “I once had to conduct a couple of celebrity vocalists from underneath a piano,” she says. “But that’s a tale for another time.”
Genevieve Vincent is a Canadian-born composer who takes an intimate approach to scoring — truly dedicated to telling tough stories through music. She has scored several documentaries about the human condition, including “Mixed Match,” a story told from the perspective of mixed-race blood cancer patients who have to confront their multiracial identities and complex genetics.
Vincent’s music career began at age 3, playing violin and taking singing lessons with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Vancouver, BC. Her musical tastes in high school were eclectic: She covered songs from everyone from The Smashing Pumpkins to Ella Fitzgerald. But she got hooked on music production after scoring a short film for the Tribeca Film Festival while attending the Berklee College of Music.
That led her to scoring independent features and indie documentaries that appeared at The National Film Board of Canada, Sundance, and The Toronto International Film Festival,
Developed a unique approach to scoring based on her varied musical experiences
Photo credit: Stephanie Severance
Composer and Producer
Genevieve Vincent
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“Now we have a black woman representing that space for other black women, and maybe that will influence people of different cultures and different backgrounds.”
that space for other Black women, and maybe that will influence people of different cultures and different backgrounds.”
Venson’s first love was not strings, but keys. It wasn’t until her senior year at the Berklee School of Music, where she was training as a classical pianist, that she picked up the electric guitar. From there, it didn’t take long for Venson to find herself in the national spotlight.
After only three years on the six-string, Venson won the 2014 Modern Southern Music contest. Her prize was a coveted spot on tour opening for country legends Tim McGraw, James Taylor, and Jason Aldrean. Soon thereafter, she released her debut album and made her national television debut on “Late Night with Stephen Colbert,” backing up Anderson Paak and Mac Miller.
Since then, touring with Gary Clark Jr., her AMA win, and a sold-out album release party at Austin’s legendary Paramount Theater (for her second studio album, “Joy”), has made Venson Austin’s next breakout music star.
Jackie Venson is largely celebrated for her vibrant musical soul, passionate control of her instruments, and unique blend of blues, rock, R&B, soul and more. The Austin American-Statesman described Venson as "a Gary Clark Jr.-level talent who speaks boldly through her guitar while entrancing with her gorgeous, smoky voice."
Venson’s hometown of Austin, Texas is a city with a long and rich musical history — especially for guitarists.
Since 1982, The Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music Awards have been the biggest night of the year for the local music scene. Past winners of the AMA’s coveted “Best Guitarist” title include homespun legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Clark, Jr., and Eric Johnson. But in the AMA’s 38-year history, the category had never been won by a Black woman — until Venson broke through in 2019.
“Me being the first Black woman to win guitar player of the year — that’s nuts,” Venson says. “That’s deeper than just like, ‘Hey, you got an award!’ Now we have a Black woman representing
Won ‘Best Guitarist’ at the Austin Music Awards — the first Black woman to do so
Singer-Songwriter
and Guitarist
Jackie Venson
Photo credit: Ismael Quintanilla III
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“My bandmate Chris and I got around the issue of distance by thinking of a space or setting each one could inhabit in our minds.”
Genevieve Vincent is a Canadian-born composer who takes an intimate approach to scoring — truly dedicated to telling tough stories through music. She has scored several documentaries about the human condition, including “Mixed Match,” a story told from the perspective of mixed-race blood cancer patients who have to confront their multiracial identities and complex genetics.
Vincent’s music career began at age 3, playing violin and taking singing lessons with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Vancouver, BC. Her musical tastes in high school were eclectic: She covered songs from everyone from The Smashing Pumpkins to Ella Fitzgerald. But she got hooked on music production after scoring a short film for the Tribeca Film Festival while attending the Berklee College of Music.
That led her to scoring independent features and indie documentaries that appeared at The National Film Board of Canada, Sundance, and The Toronto International Film Festival, followed by an episode of “Moving Art” on Netflix. Several TV movies later, she landed the two projects she’s most proud of to date: “Hypersomnia” for The Echo Society’s SIX: FAMILY concert and Natalie Krinsky’s “The Broken Hearts Gallery” (executive produced by Selena Gomez). When scoring “The Broken Hearts Gallery,” Vincent combined her skills as a producer, songwriter, and a composer to create a tone between a pop song and film score.
Her own music has been a source of pride, too. Her band, darkDARK, wrote, recorded, and produced an EP, “Save It,” while physically apart. “My bandmate Chris and I got around the issue of distance by thinking of a space or setting each one could inhabit in our minds,” Vincent says. “‘Save it’ takes place in a Pacific Northwest forest. The production we did … reflects that sense of place back to us.”
That willingness to experiment is one of Vincent’s keys to success. “I once had to conduct a couple of celebrity vocalists from underneath a piano,” she says. “But that’s a tale for another time.”
Developed a unique approach to scoring based on her varied musical experiences
Photo credit: Stephanie Severance
Composer and Producer
Genevieve Vincent
“Now we have a black woman representing that space for other black women, and maybe that will influence people of different cultures and different backgrounds.”
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Jackie Venson is largely celebrated for her vibrant musical soul, passionate control of her instruments, and unique blend of blues, rock, R&B, soul and more. The Austin American-Statesman described Venson as "a Gary Clark Jr.-level talent who speaks boldly through her guitar while entrancing with her gorgeous, smoky voice."
Venson’s hometown of Austin, Texas is a city with a long and rich musical history — especially for guitarists.
Since 1982, The Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music Awards have been the biggest night of the year for the local music scene. Past winners of the AMA’s coveted “Best Guitarist” title include homespun legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Clark, Jr., and Eric Johnson. But in the AMA’s 38-year history, the category had never been won by a Black woman — until Venson broke through in 2019.
“Me being the first Black woman to win guitar player of the year — that’s nuts,” Venson says. “That’s deeper than just like, ‘Hey, you got an award!’ Now we have a Black woman representing that space for other Black women, and maybe that will influence people of different cultures and different backgrounds.”
Venson’s first love was not strings, but keys. It wasn’t until her senior year at the Berklee School of Music, where she was training as a classical pianist, that she picked up the electric guitar. From there, it didn’t take long for Venson to find herself in the national spotlight.
After only three years on the six-string, Venson won the 2014 Modern Southern Music contest. Her prize was a coveted spot on tour opening for country legends Tim McGraw, James Taylor, and Jason Aldrean. Soon thereafter, she released her debut album and made her national television debut on “Late Night with Stephen Colbert,” backing up Anderson Paak and Mac Miller.
Since then, touring with Gary Clark Jr., her AMA win, and a sold-out album release party at Austin’s legendary Paramount Theater (for her second studio album, “Joy”), has made Venson Austin’s next breakout music star.
Won ‘Best Guitarist’ at the Austin Music Awards — the first Black woman to do so
Singer-Songwriter
and Guitarist
Jackie Venson
Photo credit: Ismael Quintanilla III
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“Someone said to me one day, ‘How can your name be Jazzmeia Horn and you know nothing about jazz music?’”
telling me that I was not good enough. But, I just remained focused on why I was there in the first place, music. I always used music as a healing mechanism to push past the adversity.”
Fast forward to today and Horn has made quite the name for herself. Her 2017 debut album, “A Social Call,” netted her first GRAMMY nomination. Her 2019 follow-up, “Love & Liberation,” earned her yet another GRAMMY nomination, in addition to an NAACP Image Award. The album was voted No. 1 jazz vocal album in NPR’s Jazz Critics Poll.
Even when the 2020 pandemic brought the music industry to a near-complete standstill, Horn didn’t slow down. In August 2020, she released her first book, “Strive From Within: The Jazzmeia Horn Approach” which teaches singers how to serve jazz music along with the many roles of a good vocalist. She also created The Jazz Horn Vocal Initiative, an online course based on the book.
It's clear that Horn is en route to becoming a jazz legend. As jazz critic Kevin Whitehead put it, “Her tunes are so good, other singers are sure to try them on, but then they’ll have to sing them as well as Jazzmeia Horn does. Her interpretations set a standard of their own.”
Won critical acclaim and two GRAMMY nominations
Photo credit: Jacob Blickenstaff
Jazz Vocalist, Artist, Composer, Arranger, and Author
Jazzmeia Horn
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“I wanted to keep my artist identity close to my real name because so much of my work is so closely tied to my personal identity.”
Harvard Business School. She spent the next few years juggling playing shows around the world with M.I.A. and taking classes. In 2015, she graduated with an MBA — a pivotal moment for her as she went on to produce her own music and manage her own career.
Since then, Gandhi has released two short-form albums, “Voices” (2016) and “Visions” (2019), accompanied by a series of music videos produced and connected by women and gender non-conforming creatives. Her song “Future is Female” reached No. 8 on the Spotify Virtual US Charts following the 2017 Women’s March. She is currently working on her third short-form album, “Vibrations.”
Gandhi is no stranger to recognition — she’s been featured on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list and her 2020 TED Talk about gender liberation in the music industry has been viewed over 1 million times. She’s drummed for acts such as Krewella, Lizzo, and Kehlani and travels to perform her own music and speak about using passion for purpose. As an activist, she uses her voice, music and written work to empower her audiences to be their best and most authentic selves.
It’s not often you meet a musician who is also a graduate of Harvard Business School. But it’s also not often that you meet someone like Kiran Gandhi, who performs as Madame Gandhi, a producer, percussionist, and activist.
Madame Gandhi’s name is inspired by her desire to infuse Indian heritage into her work, instead of Americanizing herself to feel accepted. “I think this is a pressure many American-Indians feel, and I wanted to combat that mentality. I also knew I wanted to keep my artist identity close to my real name because so much of my work is so closely tied to my personal identity,” she told “Indulge Express.” “I loved the concept of ‘Madame’ because it celebrates feminine styles of leadership, and mother energy, which I find not only deeply healing, but as the antidote to the oppressive patriarchal energy we all experience globally as women, gender non-conforming, and trans people.”
After graduating from Georgetown University, Gandhi moved to California to become a data analyst at Interscope Records, and — by virtue of being at the right place at the right time — got recruited to be M.I.A.’s drummer on her 2013 tour. As she was preparing to hit the road with M.I.A., she was accepted into
Celebrated gender liberation through music production
Electronic Music
Producer, Drummer,
Artist, and Activist
Madame Gandhi
Photo credit: Reece Williams
Jazzmeia Horn is one of the brightest stars on the jazz scene — and not just because of her name.
Her inventive, scat-influenced style is adored by many, especially those in the jazz community. She moved the late Jon Hendricks, an influential jazz vocalist, to describe her voice as “one of the best I’ve heard in over 40 years,” She’s also been praised by the JazzTimes which said, “Horn emerges as a fully realized stylist and a first-rate scatter whose vivacity, imagination, gutsiness, and socio political savvy echo the likes of Carter and Abbey Lincoln. Simply put, she is as exciting a discovery as Cécile McLorin Salvant or Gregory Porter.”
Born in Dallas, Texas, Horn credits her jazz-loving, piano-playing grandma with giving her that unique name and setting her on her inevitable, though not always-obvious, path. “Someone said to me one day, ‘How can your name be Jazzmeia Horn and you know nothing about jazz music?’” she told NPR. “I was probably 14….I thought about it and I was like, well, I don't know.”
Horn’s road to success hasn’t been so easy. “I faced so much adversity as a Black woman in a male-dominated industry and society,” she says. “Every time I competed in a competition or made an advancement in my career there was always someone
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“I’d like to show others that you can have a substantial career doing what you love.”
encourages them to seek greater access to broader roles in the male-dominated production and business facets of the music industry. In 2018, she created “The 7% Series,” a platform that
creates a safe haven for women in music named for the statistic that women who are producers and engineers comprise less than 7% of the industry. TRAKGIRL also created the lifestyle brand PAY US TODAY, whose mission is to promote fair pay for creatives and producers, as well bring awareness to good business practices.
TRAKGIRL’s future goals include continuing to create in the studio, composing for film and TV, building safe community spaces for women, and building music technology. “I’ve always had this idea that producers are artists, and can do so many things, with the core being music,” she says. “I’d like to show others that you can have a substantial career doing what
you love.”
The production and business side of the music industry is heavily male, but that hasn’t stopped Shakari “TRAKGIRL” Linder from making her mark. As a producer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, she simply was born to “do” music.
TRAKGIRL’s skill within multiple genres makes her a highly sought-after collaborator and influencer in the industry. She has produced for artists such as Jhené Aiko, Belly, Vic Mensa, Nav, Luke James, Omarion, and more. One of her proudest achievements is creating a song with Andra Day for the documentary, “This Changes Everything.”
“The song was entirely done by an all-women team, from engineering to music production to songwriting,” she says. “It was really cool!”
Aside from her musical talents, TRAKGIRL is making waves because of her dedication to empowering women: She
Paved the way for other women in music as a prolific producer
Photo credit: Bruce “Bo” Fields
Music Producer
Shakari “TRAKGIRL” Linder
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“The biggest challenge is getting into the right rooms and being heard.”
Her groundbreaking success isn’t going unnoticed — she’s won three Radio City Freedom Awards, became the first female artist to be featured on the cover of Spotify’s official “No Borders” playlist, and was the voice of Spotify India’s launch ad.
But despite her success and recent accomplishments — including a new EP — Natania takes the most pride in helping fellow Indian artists launch their careers. She was a co-songwriter with Armaan Malik on his hit single “Control,” which was recently nominated for an MTV EMA. “It was an incredible moment to see him be the first-ever Indian featured on a billboard in Times Square,” she says.
Natania is also passionate about ensuring other women continue to have a voice in music. “The biggest challenge is getting into the right rooms and being heard.” she says. “But as a woman, you have to double prove you belong once you’re in there.”
Originally from Mumbai, India, Natania Lalwani has made a name for herself over the last few years as a singer-songwriter and advocate of Indian and female musicians.
Lalwani grew up playing piano, but it wasn’t until she picked up a guitar at 15 to write her first song that she knew music was her purpose. “I love dipping my feet into all things music, whether it’s my own artistry, writing for another artist, [and/or] being part of someone’s journey to film/TV,” she says.
Since then, she’s recorded her own music and has written for other artists. She’s even dabbled in soundtracks, such as the Emmy-nominated “Four More Shots Please.” “It’s an all-woman team behind the scenes and is a female-empowered show,” she says. “It’s been so great being part of a team, connecting with the characters in the show, and writing the songs around them.” Her songs have also appeared in TV shows such as "X Factor," "Late Night With Seth Meyers," “Younger,” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”
Found songwriting success on both Indian and US charts
Artist and Songwriter
Natania Lalwani
Photo credit: Natania Lalwani
Lincoln’s passion for music extends to everything it does —from supporting new talent to creating authentic music experiences to crafting vehicles. Step inside the all-new 2020 Lincoln Corsair and you’ll find a host of music-inspired design elements including a “piano key shifter” modeled after the elegant keys found on a Steinway grand piano, symphonic alert chimes, recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to replace the unpleasant bells and beeps usually found in a vehicle, and Revel Audio featuring the latest Quantum Logic sound engineering technology paired with 14 individual speakers, thoughtfully placed throughout the cabin to deliver an immersive, concert-quality listening experience.
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Discover all the high notes of the Lincoln Corsair.
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“Someone said to me one day, ‘How can your name be Jazzmeia Horn and you know nothing about jazz music?’”
Jazzmeia Horn is one of the brightest stars on the jazz scene — and not just because of her name.
Her inventive, scat-influenced style is adored by many, especially those in the jazz community. She moved the late Jon Hendricks, an influential jazz vocalist, to describe her voice as “one of the best I’ve heard in over 40 years,” She’s also been praised by the JazzTimes which said, “Horn emerges as a fully realized stylist and a first-rate scatter whose vivacity, imagination, gutsiness, and socio political savvy echo the likes of Carter and Abbey Lincoln. Simply put, she is as exciting a discovery as Cécile McLorin Salvant or Gregory Porter.”
Born in Dallas, Texas, Horn credits her jazz-loving, piano-playing grandma with giving her that unique name and setting her on her inevitable, though not always-obvious, path. “Someone said to me one day, ‘How can your name be Jazzmeia Horn and you know nothing about jazz music?’” she told NPR. “I was probably 14….I thought about it and I was like, well, I don't know.”
Horn’s road to success hasn’t been so easy. “I faced so much adversity as a Black woman in a male-dominated industry and society,” she says. “Every time I competed in a competition or made an advancement in my career there was always someone telling me that I was not good enough. But, I just remained focused on why I was there in the first place, music. I always used music as a healing mechanism to push past the adversity.”
Fast forward to today and Horn has made quite the name for herself. Her 2017 debut album, “A Social Call,” netted her first GRAMMY nomination. Her 2019 follow-up, “Love & Liberation,” earned her yet another GRAMMY nomination, in addition to an NAACP Image Award. The album was voted No. 1 jazz vocal album in NPR’s Jazz Critics Poll.
Even when the 2020 pandemic brought the music industry to a near-complete standstill, Horn didn’t slow down. In August 2020, she released her first book, “Strive From Within: The Jazzmeia Horn Approach” which teaches singers how to serve jazz music along with the many roles of a good vocalist. She also created The Jazz Horn Vocal Initiative, an online course based on the book.
It's clear that Horn is en route to becoming a jazz legend. As jazz critic Kevin Whitehead put it, “Her tunes are so good, other singers are sure to try them on, but then they’ll have to sing them as well as Jazzmeia Horn does. Her interpretations set a standard of their own.”
Won critical acclaim and two GRAMMY nominations
Photo credit: Jacob Blickenstaff
Jazz Vocalist, Artist, Composer, Arranger, and Author
Jazzmeia Horn
“I wanted to keep my artist identity close to my real name because so much of my work is so closely tied to my personal identity.”
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It’s not often you meet a musician who is also a graduate of Harvard Business School. But it’s also not often that you meet someone like Kiran Gandhi, who performs as Madame Gandhi, a producer, percussionist, and activist.
Madame Gandhi’s name is inspired by her desire to infuse Indian heritage into her work, instead of Americanizing herself to feel accepted. “I think this is a pressure many American-Indians feel, and I wanted to combat that mentality. I also knew I wanted to keep my artist identity close to my real name because so much of my work is so closely tied to my personal identity,” she told “Indulge Express.” “I loved the concept of ‘Madame’ because it celebrates feminine styles of leadership, and mother energy, which I find not only deeply healing, but as the antidote to the oppressive patriarchal energy we all experience globally as women, gender non-conforming, and trans people.”
After graduating from Georgetown University, Gandhi moved to California to become a data analyst at Interscope Records, and — by virtue of being at the right place at the right time — got recruited to be M.I.A.’s drummer on her 2013 tour. As she was preparing to hit the road with M.I.A., she was accepted into Harvard Business School. She spent the next few years juggling playing shows around the world with M.I.A. and taking classes. In 2015, she graduated with an MBA — a pivotal moment for her as she went on to produce her own music and manage her own career.
Since then, Gandhi has released two short-form albums, “Voices” (2016) and “Visions” (2019), accompanied by a series of music videos produced and connected by women and gender non-conforming creatives. Her song “Future is Female” reached No. 8 on the Spotify Virtual US Charts following the 2017 Women’s March. She is currently working on her third short-form album, “Vibrations.”
Gandhi is no stranger to recognition — she’s been featured on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list and her 2020 TED Talk about gender liberation in the music industry has been viewed over 1 million times. She’s drummed for acts such as Krewella, Lizzo, and Kehlani and travels to perform her own music and speak about using passion for purpose. As an activist, she uses her voice, music and written work to empower her audiences to be their best and most authentic selves.
Celebrated gender liberation through music production
Electronic Music Producer,
Drummer, Artist, and Activist
Madame Gandhi
Photo credit: Reece Williams
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“I’d like to show others that you can have a substantial career doing what you love.”
The production and business side of the music industry is heavily male, but that hasn’t stopped Shakari “TRAKGIRL” Linder from making her mark. As a producer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, she simply was born to “do” music.
TRAKGIRL’s skill within multiple genres makes her a highly sought-after collaborator and influencer in the industry. She has produced for artists such as Jhené Aiko, Belly, Vic Mensa, Nav, Luke James, Omarion, and more. One of her proudest achievements is creating a song with Andra Day for the documentary, “This Changes Everything.”
“The song was entirely done by an all-women team, from engineering to music production to songwriting,” she says. “It was really cool!”
Aside from her musical talents, TRAKGIRL is making waves because of her dedication to empowering women: She encourages them to seek greater access to broader roles in the male-dominated production and business facets of the music industry. In 2018, she created “The 7% Series,” a platform that creates a safe haven for women in music named for the statistic that women who are producers and engineers comprise less than 7% of the industry. TRAKGIRL also created the lifestyle brand PAY US TODAY, whose mission is to promote fair pay for creatives and producers, as well bring awareness to good business practices.
TRAKGIRL’s future goals include continuing to create in the studio, composing for film and TV, building safe community spaces for women, and building music technology. “I’ve always had this idea that producers are artists, and can do so many things, with the core being music,” she says. “I’d like to show others that you can have a substantial career doing what you love.”
Paved the way for other women in music as a prolific producer
Photo credit: Bruce “Bo” Fields
Music Producer
Shakari “TRAKGIRL” Linder
“The biggest challenge is getting into the right rooms and being heard.”
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Originally from Mumbai, India, Natania Lalwani has made a name for herself over the last few years as a singer-songwriter and advocate of Indian and female musicians.
Lalwani grew up playing piano, but it wasn’t until she picked up a guitar at 15 to write her first song that she knew music was her purpose. “I love dipping my feet into all things music, whether it’s my own artistry, writing for another artist, [and/or] being part of someone’s journey to film/TV,” she says.
Since then, she’s recorded her own music and has written for other artists. She’s even dabbled in soundtracks, such as the Emmy-nominated “Four More Shots Please.” “It’s an all-woman team behind the scenes and is a female-empowered show,” she says. “It’s been so great being part of a team, connecting with the characters in the show, and writing the songs around them.” Her songs have also appeared in TV shows such as "X Factor," "Late Night With Seth Meyers," “Younger,” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”
Her groundbreaking success isn’t going unnoticed — she’s won three Radio City Freedom Awards, became the first female artist to be featured on the cover of Spotify’s official “No Borders” playlist, and was the voice of Spotify India’s launch ad.
But despite her success and recent accomplishments — including a new EP — Natania takes the most pride in helping fellow Indian artists launch their careers. She was a co-songwriter with Armaan Malik on his hit single “Control,” which was recently nominated for an MTV EMA. “It was an incredible moment to see him be the first-ever Indian featured on a billboard in Times Square,” she says.
Natania is also passionate about ensuring other women continue to have a voice in music. “The biggest challenge is getting into the right rooms and being heard.” she says. “But as a woman, you have to double prove you belong once you’re in there.”
Found songwriting success on both Indian and US charts
Artist and Songwriter
Natania Lalwani
Photo credit: Natania Lalwani
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Sponsor content is produced in collaboration with
advertisers by Insider Studios, the branded content
team at Insider Inc. Business Insider's editorial staff
is not involved in the creation of this content.
Copyright © 2020 Insider Inc. All rights reserved.
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Cookies Policy.
Site Map | Disclaimer | Commerce Policy | CA Privacy Rights Coupons | Made in NYC | Jobs
CREATED BY