Women face countless more obstacles than men that hinder their success as artists, songwriters, producers, and record label executives. For example, a recent Inclusion in the Recording Studio study found that less than a quarter of the artists on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Chart in 2021 were women. That number has stagnated at 21% over the past decade. Gender inequality isn’t just a global issue, as highlighted by the South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO), which released a 2022 report identifying numerous challenges affecting women in the industry. These range from stereotypical beliefs about women, pay disparity between women and men in similar positions, as well sexual harassment and exploitation of women in the industry.

These obstacles still exist in the industry despite the role women have played in the rich history of the country’s music industry and the development of notable artists’ careers, such as Jimmy Nevis.

The 7764 hit song maker says strong women, like his manager, his mother, and his sister, each played a crucial role in shaping various aspects of his life and continue to influence his career. “My sister was the first musician in the family and taught me how to play the piano and compose music. She’s why I started exploring this career,” says Nevis.

The singer says that while he attributes his musical abilities to his sister, he owes his strong business management skills to his mom. He also recalls how his mother helped him blur the gender lines and allowed him to realise that women can be just as strong, if not stronger, than their male counterparts.

“My mom was such a strong and independent woman in our home, and the fact that she was the breadwinner while my father was a pastor didn’t threaten him. On the contrary, he gave her the space to become a success not only in the boardroom but also as a mother, wife and leader in our community,” he says.

Nevis says witnessing this dynamic from a young age helped him become an advocate for gender equality in his adult life. That is why he’s proud to have had a strong female manager in Lauren-Ashleigh Parks, another rare phenomenon in the industry.

“Having a female manager at the time was challenging, especially in an industry with such an evident divide. I remember how she was often the recipient of inappropriate advances and innuendo from some promoters because she was a female in a male-dominated industry,” he adds.

Nevis says he didn’t know of any other female managers when he decided to work with his manager many years ago – and he doesn’t believe this has changed much since then. According to him, although more women have entered the music industry behind the scenes and there are many more women in the industry overall, more work still needs to be done to bridge the gender gap. 

The singer says there shouldn’t be an excuse for the continued marginalisation of women in the industry. He points to other sectors in the country that have been able to introduce policies that contribute to inclusivity by placing women in key decision-making roles, saying the music industry should do the same.

“It’s shocking that our industry still doesn’t have policies that break down the barriers to entry for women and create opportunities for them to break the glass ceiling. Yes, we’ve seen more female acts explode over recent years, but men still dominate behind the scenes. It’s rare to see women in the boardrooms of some of the country’s biggest record labels,” he says. 

“I realise this change will take time, but I’m glad we’re already starting to see a collective effort across sectors to address this growing issue through initiatives like Vuma’s My Community Connects. These initiatives help young women looking to enter the music industry identify and work with strong female mentors in the sector, who can help guide their careers and navigate this challenging environment,” he says. 

Nevis says the My Community Connects initiative continues to foster skills, narrow the gender divide across various creative and entrepreneurial sectors, including music, and create gainful employment opportunities that benefit the country’s diverse and vibrant talent pool.