For a long time, popular electronic music was very anonymous. Some of the biggest hits in the 90s were usually voiced by Black women. Then, when EDM and dubstep made a big boost, they were mostly faced by white Europeans or faceless mascots. Meanwhile, in the background, Black artists like Moodymann were still a prevalent factor in dance. Nowadays, PinkPantheress and her bitesized songs are dominant on TikTok. However, she’s opening up about how there’s still an intrinsic bias in the industry.
Recently, PinkPantheress spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, where she opens up about the pitfalls Black women experience within electronic music. There’s certain perceptions that end up restricting even a big hitmaker like herself. “People are less willing to listen to electronic music that is made by a Black woman. That’s just fact,” she explains. “There’s some considerations I would like to get as an artist which I might not be getting right now, since maybe it’s harder to put me into a genre.”
PinkPantheress Dishes on the Issues in EDM and Dance
She didn’t name anyone specifically, so maybe it’s just her own experience. Ultimately, despite all the obvious success, it feels like she’s still the underdog in her story. “I always feel like I’m cutting through and I’m in a very privileged position musically,” she says. “But [I] can feel a little bit like I’m hitting all these markers and it still feels like I’m getting overlooked, simply because there’s a lot of people that don’t necessarily understand what I represent, nor do they want to take a look because I think it just doesn’t make sense for them.”
Regardless of this pitfalls, PinkPantheress remains firm in herself. People will eventually see it or she’ll embrace those that already adore her anyway. “Having that person challenging the way a pop star should look or be — which is what I do, unintentionally and sometimes intentionally — it just doesn’t translate to a lot of people. All I aim to do is stay authentic and consistent,” PinkPantheress emphasizes. “And occasionally, what I enjoy doing is [saying], ‘well actually, I’m gonna prove you wrong, and I’m gonna do this, you are gonna like it.’ And then once you like it, you’re gonna realize: ‘Wait, I don’t know why I never gave her a chance in the first place,’”
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