Frustrated by the persistent underrepresentation of women in key music industry roles and the recent revelations about gender bias in streaming algorithms, three Oregon singer/songwriters, Beth Wood, Bre Gregg and Kristen Grainger, decided to take matters into their own hands.
"She's Speaking is our project that we started in 2020," said Wood. "It grew out of a desire to collaborate in a time when collaboration was really difficult because of the pandemic and also out of a desire to find a way to amplify women's stories and women's voices."
Despite the challenges posed by a global pandemic and the distance between themselves — Gregg lives in Portland, Grainger in Salem and Wood in Sisters — the trio embarked on a mission to create platforms where women's artistry could resonate with audiences far and wide. The result? She's Speaking, a YouTube channel dedicated to amplifying women's songwriting and promoting compositions that transcend gender boundaries and useless algorithms.
In a nod to Vice President Kamala Harris' powerful declaration, "I'm speaking," during the 2020 vice-presidential debate, She's Speaking emerged as a virtual space celebrating song written by women and about women. The project curated original songs from women artists across the U.S., all centered around the idea of writing about women who inspire.
"We ended up with almost 70 original songs from songwriters all over the country," explained Wood. "We were missing being together and being able to harmonize and collaborate. It was just our way of finding a way to connect."
The She's Speaking YouTube channel serves as an electronic hub of diverse musical genres, from blues and folk to jazz and indie rock. Showcasing the resilience of the creative spirit, artists were encouraged to craft music videos using smartphones, infusing these already powerful narratives celebrating grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters and influential public figures with an indelible personal touch.
"It became a YouTube channel," recalled Wood, "and 'She's Speaking Live' is an in-person concert that we developed out of that. In 2021, we decided to do a live show in Portland. This year, we've got seven shows across Oregon and Washington."
The concert this year in Bend, set for Sunday, March 10, promises to be a testament to the strength and creativity of women in the face of industry norms and invites everyone to be part of this transformative musical journey.
"Probably the biggest thing, for us, is the energy we get from being with each other. It's so amazing to stand next to all of these women artists that are amazing in their own right and we all end up backing each other up," Wood gushed. "That kind of energy fills everybody up on stage and in the room, it's magic."
