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Inspiration June 30, 2019
As Kelis famously put it, "You don’t have to like them. You don’t even have to love them. But you will respect them!"
The music industry doesn’t always make a lot of room for female artists. Especially when it comes to executive positions, women always have to work harder to prove themselves. But despite all the hurdles, there are so many women who have broken glass ceilings in the music industry and have paved the way for the rest of us. So, here are five businesswomen in music who are truly #WomenThatDo.
Jo-Na Williams is a badass queer woman who is making things happen in the music business all on her own! She just launched her podcast, Artist without Dayjobs, that shows fellow artists how to turn their talents into lucrative businesses.
When she began her career, Williams witnessed the countless legal misdealings that targeted unsuspecting artists. So, after getting her law degree, she now gives business advice and advocates for fair compensation for all artists, no matter their amount of fame.
The great-great-granddaughter of railroad tycoon, Cornelius Vanderbilt, this heiress worked hard to continue her family’s legacy. After traveling the world with dance hits, like Feel So Alive, Costin noticed a problem in show business: if its all about who you know, what happens if nobody knows you?
Thus, the idea of SohoMuse was born. Known as “the LinkedIn for creatives,” SohoMuse serves to connect artists across all disciplines. “With my startup, I feel as if I am continuing my family’s legacy of connecting people,” she stated in an interview with Forbes Magazine.“SohoMuse is like the high-tech digital railroad, bridging artists together around the world from all sectors of the creative industries, all on one platform”
“Where Cornelius bridged the country together for business and trade through shipping and railroads, SohoMuse is like the high-tech digital railroad, bridging artists together around the world from all sectors of the creative industries, all on one platform,” Costin said.
Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin is an innovator in her own right, building up lesser-known creatives along the way.
You may know Gwen Stefani either as the frontwoman of No Doubt or as the edgy judge from The Voice. Either way, Gwen Stefani is a household name. However, her multi-million dollar fashion empire, L.A.M.B., should be at the top of her biography.
L.A.M.B was founded in 2003 and found success at NYFW in 2005. This established Stefani as the first musician to transform herself into a luxury design brand. Pulling in about $90 million annually, Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. makes her a badass entrepreneur.
This artist needs absolutely no introduction. Many people love to combine her success with her husband, Jay Z, however, Beyonce Knowles-Carter is a boss all on her own. Not only did she establish her own entertainment company (discovering rising stars like ChloexHalle and Ingrid Burley), Knowles successfully launched Ivy Park Athletics. Now, she is partnering with major fashion companies like Adidas for the Ivy Park relaunch.
Recently, Beyonce was praised for finessing Coachella by acquiring the rights of performance. This strategic move allowed her stream the show, film behind-the-scenes, and release the documentary, Homecoming, on Netflix, which resulted in a three project deal for 60 million dollars. She singlehanded flipped 8 million dollars to 60 million dollars in one deal. What. A. Boss!
Last, but not least, when Rihanna released “Bitch Betta Have My Money,” she wasn’t lying! Rihanna climbed her way from the small island of Barbados to be named the highest paid female musician of 2019 and the first black woman to own a major luxury fashion house.
Partnering with Puma and the luxury brand, LVMH, she has cemented the Fenty name in the fashion world and the beauty industry. Fenty Beauty is viewed as the most inclusive makeup brand, an effort that is long overdue. Rihanna is, and has always been, an entrepreneurial powerhouse.
These women are the pinnacle of where music and business meet, and they’re here to stay.
