Discover more from Herizon Music: The Newsletter

Herizon Music: The Newsletter is a music industry publication and podcast spotlighting women's contributions to modern music and industry trends affecting women who work on stage, on air, and behind the scenes.

Over 1,000 subscribers

Already have an account? Sign in

So You Think You Can Repeat Offense

Paula Abdul, Daisy Jones, New Releases, Open Audition

Thea Wood

Jan 08, 2024

Daisy Jones & The Six (binge update)
Herizon Music Makers Program Explained
Paula Abdul: So You Think You Can Repeat Offense?
New Releases
ICYMI

**active links are in orange**

I am 96 paid subscribers away from breaking even on publishing this newsletter. Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription and let’s continue discovering the issues and trends impacting women in music.

Where mass media has failed women, we shall succeed!

Lemme Upgrade U

Daisy Jones & The Six

I binged Daisy Jones & The Six on Amazon Prime this weekend. Based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, this is the rock and roll rise-and-fall tale of a 1970s band with a strong female “frontman.” Needless to say, I highly recommend it!

Some gender-related storylines came up that are still relevant today:

men taking credit for songs/lyrics written by women
music producers dropping female artists who won’t sit on their laps (you know where that’s going)
the public accusing female musicians of “sleeping their way into the band” versus being talented
women making the choice between a music career and parenthood

While laws, lawsuits, and raising awareness have moved the needle forward in the past 50 years, we still have a long way to go in women getting equitable treatment in the industry.

Sexual harassment/assault is a clear and present danger for female music makers. Super stars like Paula Abdul are still filing lawsuits (see below), inspiring other victims to step forward. Imagine touring alone or with a group of men you barely know. Think of loading and unloading your equipment in a dark alley or being handed a drink from a stranger.

The gender violence can be insinuated — perhaps an unscrupulous club manager threatens, “I’m not paying you. What are ya going to do about it?” Who do you turn to then? There is no HR department for filing complaints.

So, how do we address these issues and other music career concerns through the female lens? I have a plan… er, a program!👇🏻

Herizon Music Makers Program Explained

The Music Makers program is a “How To” newsletter and affiliated speakers/events that I’m launching this quarter to help address the common challenges that women face. The best part? YOU can help a music maker reach for the stars (I’m channeling Casey Kasem) by becoming a Patron!

Here are some upcoming topics:

Creating an Electronic Press Kit that gets you noticed
Pricing sheets and fee negotiations
Personal branding (including styling, grooming, body language)
Technology and new revenue streams
Value-based audience growth
Choosing the right support team (manager, attorney)
Touring: self-care and safety resources
Mental health: strategies and practices

YOU can directly make a difference for a woman who works on stage, on air, or behind the scenes by becoming a Patron. A $72 sponsorship provides a 12-month subscription for a female music maker. That’s only $6 per month!

BECOME A PATRON

We’ll pair you up with a music maker (or more than one!) and provide quarterly updates on what she’s learning. Follow her career on social media and know that you’re directly impacting her chances of achieving merit-based success.

Be the change, become a Patron!

Paula Abdul: So You Think You Can Repeat Offense?

As 2023 came to a close, new celebrity allegations of sexual assaults made headlines. Notably: GRAMMY, AMA and Billboard award-winning artist and reality show judge Paula Abdul filed a lawsuit against producer and reality show judge Nigel Lythgoe for two different acts of sexual assault ( in early 2000s and again in 2015) during her time on the reality shows American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. The lawsuit stated that Lythgoe also sexually assaulted Abdul’s assistant.

After Abdul’s filing on December 30th, two Jane Does who appeared as contestants on All American Girls (produced by Lythgoe) also filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Lythgoe on January 3, 2024, according to Huffpost. On January 5th, Lythgoe stepped down from his hosting role on SYTYCD, stating he’s dedicating his time to clearing his name.

Years after the alleged first assault, Abdul claims Lythgoe acknowledged his behavior when he told her on a phone call: “seven years and the statute of limitations had run.”

I’m not here to try Lythgoe in the court of public opinion. Let’s focus on the familiar pattern of character assassination that happens to women, celebrity or not, as soon as they file similar lawsuits against power players. Examples include:

“If it really happened, you wouldn’t have waited so long to report it.” Like most work-related assault victims, Abdul feared professional retaliation (Lythgoe had ability to remove her from company productions). Plus, her contract for SYTYCD included a nondisclosure clause prohibiting “the disclosure of derogatory information.” These clauses have commonly been used to keep people from reporting crimes within a company. In 2022, the Speak Out Act was signed to prevent employers from covering up bad behavior with NDAs. In cases of severe harassment or assault, victims are traumatized and need time to heal before reporting the crime. And when the perpetrator is someone a victim TRUSTS, it can take years to identify what happened as assault.
“Don’t believe her, she’s crazy.” Lythgoe immediately went there with his first statement to the press by saying: “While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue.”
Victims who have a history of addiction are easy targets for this tactic. Abdul sought treatment for painkiller addiction in 2009. This, however, doesn’t mean the incident didn’t occur; it simply attempts to make the accused appear level-headed and, presumably, innocent.
“You could have just quit.” This is a form of victim blaming that affects everyone from super stars to maids. Contractual obligations, bankruptcy due to lawsuits and unemployment, impact on family members, public shaming and harassment… the list of reasons to stay silent and on the job is long. In many cases, the victim can be gaslighted into thinking she wanted it or misinterpreted it or it was “just a joke,” or didn’t happen at all.

If either of these suits go to trial, I would be surprised. Only 3 to 6 percent of sexual assault cases make it to a jury, says NPR. What do you think?