ABSTRACT
The gender debates sparked by #MeToo back in 2013 could not have predicted the widespread acknowledgement of structural racism and gender inequality in the music industries. In the midst of a global pandemic and the events that followed #BlackLivesMatter, this research hears directly from a specific ethnically diverse group of women music industry professionals, including members of the LGBTQ community. All of whom are alumni of the Music Business Management MA at the University of Westminster (UK), identify as feminist and are social media activists. This research is a continuation of the author’s pioneering research into the relationship between music and mental health. It aims to contribute towards the growing body of research on working conditions within the music industry. It does so by considering the challenges of industry access as experienced by this specific sample and the challenges of providing pathways from a position as an intermediary between university and industry.
