Gwen Ansell

Sexual abuse and bad pay: women’s struggles in South African live music exposed

VolodymyrKozin/Getty Images By Gwen Ansell, University of Pretoria Women working in live music as performers and in other onstage and behind-the-scenes roles in South Africa experience exclusion from decision-making, unequal pay, pressure to fit stereotyped roles, constant micro-aggressions, and real danger of gender-based violence. This is according to new industry research commissioned by the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (Samro). Samro is South Africa’s oldest royalty collection and […]

8 August, 2024 38

Entertainment

Why musicians die in poverty – South African study reveals battle to make ends meet

By Gwen Ansell, University of Pretoria Benefits and appeals were recently launched to support the medical costs of veteran South African guitarist Madala Kunene. It’s not the first time such initiatives have been necessary, nor the first time that media and politicians have expressed astonishment that a renowned musician “died in poverty”. Musicians’ dire financial circumstances are sometimes wrongly blamed on irresponsible spending; a […]

9 July, 2024 32