Women Songwriters

"“I felt that I could eat whatever I want, however I wanted and whenever I wanted and it was fine because I just had a baby,”"

"“I try to speak with my friends and my family, I went into therapy, and I use the gym also as a way to listen to my own thoughts. I spend a lot of time talking to my son as well. He surprises me when he talks about me or when we are sharing thoughts, he also gives me a lot of enlightenment,”"

"My first single from my upcoming EP is locked and loaded, and there's an exciting opportunity for you to remix it."

"Being a visionary woman means feeling the fear and doing it anyway,”"

"The beat that pulses through House music compels an individual to move their body. Yet, House music is more than an irresistible groove. In the eyes and ears of Zimbabwean-born artist Jackie Queens, House music has the power of building communities."

"House music is cathartic. I associate this feeling with house music most out of all the others. When I’m dancing, I feel renewed, and when I’m listening to it at home or on the go, I feel energized and happy. As a symbol of a fighting spirit, it stands out as a platform for the free expression of people when I consider its roots and the impact it has had on the world, especially for Black and Queer people"

"At the moment, I’m inspired by people. In particular, the many ways in which we demonstrate our humanity. Sometimes we aren’t kind or generous, but even in those moments, compassion and courage shine through. A source of inspiration that never goes out of style is music. As I am continuously in awe of what we are capable of creating, it never becomes mundane for me."

"“I don’t know if other mothers can relate but after pregnancy and giving birth, everything felt mushy. Everything was soft. It was like I couldn’t walk or move like the way I used to before,”"

"“Working with Beyoncé really did change my entire mindset. I realised that she’s in her late 30s and she is still in the game,”"

"“I wanted to be active with him, I want to take walks with him, I want to ride a bike, I wanted him to watch less TV,”"

"I looked back at the tracks I’d been listening to on repeat the past six months. Normally, I spend quite a bit of time thinking about mixes or mixtapes, thematically, as well as how to situate the listener in a particular time or place. In the beginning, that was the plan, but then I asked myself “what am I listening to?” I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few classic tunes on there, the Dear Friend DJ SPinna remix is an all-time favourite. Although it’s recently out, I’ve been listening to Desiree’s track for a while now, I love it so much, obviously lucky enough to get dibs on that!"

"I went through a lot since Kgosi came onto this earth. I know a lot of people have been saying that I'm quiet... I haven't been feeling like making happy music. I have been making music and thank God that I can do that all the time,"

"But now I'm happier, I'm thinner, I'm sexier. When my son was born, I was at my heaviest, and I wasn't happy, I was performing because my songs were popping. The only thing that kept me going was because...my baby boy. Being a mom has just elevated me ... I want to be fit for myself."

"Emmavie and Gina Jeanz. They are my favourite producers right now. Both are extremely good at blending the classic with the contemporary. It’s R&B/soul with Emmavie and Gina Jeanz shines when she injects 90s house motifs into her cuts. Their range of production is so dynamic and refreshing."

"Anyone can exist, dance and love as they are with full freedom."

"There will be more music! As a label we’ve been away for a while, so I’d like to do more digging around and unearthing gems like I used to do. I would also like the work of Bae Electronica to be multiplied on the continent of Africa, and for more women to do what we do"

"“I am the happiest I have ever been,” she tells me when I ask how she is."

"Desiree’s debut EP just came out on Bae Electronica, I’m very excited about that. It’s a pivotal release for the label because we’ve been part of her journey from the beginning. From a shesaid.so South Africa perspective, our chapter has a very special partnership with Rocking The Daisies to present the Oasis, a safe space for women and LGBTIA+ festival goers. We’re working extra hard on that right now and it’s one of the things I’m most proud of and excited about."

"In these different environments, I am inspired by the selflessness, collaborative spirit, and audacity of the people I interact with. Humility is a necessary quality for working with people of varying backgrounds. I continue to learn, not only about myself, but also about the world around me. Even if I won’t live to see the world in full colour, I’m inspired by possibilities. There is a glimpse of the future, no matter how fleeting, when there are small victories."

"From inequality, racism, sexism, and discrimination, the answer is endless. However, in light of COVID 19, I have been thinking a lot about the working conditions of people in the music industry, like artists, events staff, promoters, etc. Music workers have little to no rights or security and we operate in a deeply unequal and exploitative system. From that perspective, I’d like to see more attention paid to music workers rights and concerted efforts made by those who have power to change the environments we work in."

"“I feel like life is good, I am truly blessed. I can’t complain.”"

"Back in the day, the music industry was my God"

"The best thing about getting older [is] learning how powerful human connections can be…It’s great when two people can share something deeper than just lust and passion between them – something real and lasting."

"You have to stay patient and stick with whatever is best for you…If it doesn’t work out, don’t beat yourself up about it – just keep going until you find the right one."

"And I always want my product to be what's in my heart, so I'm writing and in the sessions. It sounds like me because I'm there."

"You know what you want more clearly…you’re less likely to settle or compromise your standards just because somebody looks good or says all the right things."

"Because nobody knows your vision better than you do. Nobody can tell your story as you can. You have to live it."

"So always fight for yourself and believe in yourself and your vision."

"And it’s okay to say, ‘Hey, I’m not okay today.’"

"Be the truest form of yourself. If you go with what everybody else is doing you may risk falling into the crevices and the cracks, because there's so many people doing the same thing."

"People don’t realize that artists are sensitive or that they have feelings."

"Music is a male-dominated field. Women are not always taken as seriously as we should be, so sometimes we have to put our foot down."

"Whatever you’re doing, if you feel like you’re in this place, and it seems to be working, stay there. Don’t allow other things to make you second-guess yourself, as long as it feels good to you."

"When I create music, it's not just about the song. I have to visually see something in my head too."

"The home is not always ruined by outsiders; sometimes those within the family ruin it even more severely."

"One who intends to understand grasps even the slightest hint, but the one who has no intention to understand never comprehends, no matter how loudly you shout."

"The absence of lost things is felt most painfully when the things you possess stop providing satisfaction."

"Life doesn't end just because someone leaves."

"The novel 'Pharak' by Sanu Sharma presents a unique perspective on dismantling traditional patriarchal structures, challenging societal norms, and advocating for women's identity and freedom."

"Amidst the shadows of adversity, a heart burdened and broken finds its steps faltering. Yet, it is in the act of rising, of daring to tread once more, that the flicker of confidence reignites."

"Before becoming someone’s wife, I need to be a daughter first. I owe it to the one who gave me birth and life."

"Sanu Sharma’s novel Pharak leaves a powerful impression with its elegant language and masterful use of aphoristic sentences.""

"Even if you’re planning to get me married, that will also cost money! Just help me start my studies; I won’t be a burden on you."

"A daughter who respects you while you’re alive is far better than a son who performs the rites and rituals after you’re gone."

"Every face is hidden behind some mask or another yet still, they are deciphered just as phrases are understood from within quotation marks."

"There is a vast difference between losing a battle after a hard-fought struggle and surrendering without lifting a weapon. If you are defeated while fighting a well-matched adversary, you are a warrior; but if you bow your head without ever raising it, you are a coward."

"Perhaps, cold relationships cannot be warmed even by the warmth of the heart. Or maybe, the relationships of people we don't like remain obscured, even though they are right before our eyes."

"If a relationship lacks harmony, even the words that reach the tip of the tongue, unable to be spoken, retreat back into the heart and settle into knots."

"Sometimes a broken relationship will always remain distant, even when you try your hardest to bring it close."

"I know it's almost beyond possibility for your essence to be enveloped within mine. Yet, the heart, after all, is a heart."