Geography, judgment, fame, and empowerment; let’s talk about it all!

‘Making it’ – how do you go from singing in your bedroom to singing on the main stage? I spoke to 3 female artists from Canada, New York, and the UK to further inquire, is your chance of success measured based on where you come from?

We also delve deep into their treatment on the way up in the industry, and if people are more encouraging of you the more fame you acquire! These esteemed artists also share their tips and tricks on how to break into the industry.

Let’s hear from Maggie Szabo, a Canadian singing goddess, Savanna Darnell, a British singer-songwriter who hit our screens in 2018 when she appeared on the UK’s Love Island, and Chanel Yates, a UK artist who just hit the headlines after appearing on The Voice UK and bagging a place on Anne Marie’s team!

Maggie Szabo – “I love showing up and proving my worth.”

Maggie Szabo is a famous Canadian singer who had an insane 6.8 million streams in 92 countries in 2020 according to her Spotify rewind. She’s incredibly empowering, you only have to check her Insta to feel inspired, here’s what we spoke about:

1) As a Canadian singer, do you feel your chances of becoming successful were encouraged or hindered due to the fact you were from Canada?

There is a lot to be said about finding your independence when you’re starting all over again in a new city. I am so thankful for being where I’m from! Growing up in Ontario, Canada definitely made me who I am. My childhood in when I discovered my love for singing and song-writing. I eventually moved to LA because I felt that for me, being a pop artist, there were opportunities I wanted to try and chase out here, and I had never experienced living in a big city like LA. Those kinds of situations really force you to learn a lot about who you are, which is really important when you’re building yourself as a recording artist in this industry. Creatively, I feel at home in LA, but my heart and soul will always be in Canada. 

2) What has your experience of 'coming up' in the industry been like; have you ever had sexist remarks/ negative comments? 

Being a female in this business definitely has its challenges, I’ve definitely had to deal with sexist remarks, uncomfortable situations.  Because of my gender, I’ve been treated differently. Especially in my first couple of years in LA, I really had to learn how to navigate those situations, and that’s why I’m so passionate about female empowerment, human rights, and equality. It has really inspired me to want to make a change for not only women but for everyone. I believe we should all be treated and loved equally, regardless of our gender identity, the colour of our skin, or who we love.

3) Has your treatment differed depending on how successful you were? 

Absolutely, and the more time I spend in LA, the more I understand it. There are so many people that come out here to ‘make it’ but only a few are really willing to put in the work. It’s a tough business and can take YEARS to make a dent in it. I’ve had to prove myself to work with certain people, and I’m totally ok with that. I love showing up and proving my worth.

4) As an empowering female figure in the music industry, what advice would you give to young women who want to be like you, of how to start out?

My advice is to get prepared to work your ass off and learn every angle of your craft. The music industry continues to change all the time, and now, being prepared with all the tools really serves you. Learn how to write songs, sing them, play guitar or piano, record yourself, learn how to master social media, etc. The more tools you have, the better your chances.

Chanel Yates – “People see through being fake so it’s important to be authentic”

Chanel hit our screens in Jan 2021 on The Voice UK, where she sung her heart out to Harry Style’s ‘Adore You’ and bagged herself a spot on Anne Marie’s team. Not one to shy away from the lime-light, Chanel has also been on tour with her celebrity friend Denis Coleman. Here’s what she has to say:

1) As a singer from the UK, do you feel your chances of becoming successful are encouraged or hindered due the fact you are from the north compared to if you were from London or the USA? 

I do feel like a lot of the action happens in London and America, they’re sort of the places to be, but because of social media, it’s now more accessible than ever to get your music out in the world. It’s great because you can reach a wider audience, but it’s also quite difficult because there are more and more artists coming through, so you just have to keep grafting to get your streams up and songs heard. I would love to move to London or LA eventually!

2) What has your experience of 'coming up' in the industry been like; have you ever had sexist remarks/ negative comments? How do you deal with that if so? 

Absolutely, there are always different comments flying around, some negative but mostly positive, one time I was busking and some guy shouted “get back in the kitchen where you belong”, horribly sexist, but jokes on them cause cooking definitely isn’t even my strong point. I’ve realized you’ve just got to focus on the positives. Surround yourself with family and friends who give you all the positive energy you need to feel magic and like you can take on the world. Always remember you’re a queen!

3) Has your treatment differed depending on how successful you are? 

Yeah, there are some people who try sliding back into your DMs after they haven’t spoken to you in like a million years, just because they’ve seen you doing well, but it’s actually nice to know those people still care and are watching! I’m just always trying to work on myself and my music. There are fans who have stuck with me from my first tour in 2019 to now, and it’s so great to know you are a part of their life and they are a part of yours. 

4) As an empowering female figure in the music industry, what advice would you give to young women who want to be like you, on how to start out?

Obviously, I’m still growing in the industry, trying to get to a place where I can rely on music and music alone to pave my way but my advice would be; just completely be yourself, love yourself to death, and just keep creating and doing what you love. People can see through anyone being fake and I think it’s so important in this industry to be authentic and share your passions and beliefs with the world to encourage a kinder society, full of love and excitement for music.

Savanna Darnell – “I moved to New York with absolutely no plan, I blagged it!”

Savanna is a singer-songwriter, podcaster and YouTuber from the UK who you will recognize as one of the faces from the 2018 series of the UK’s Love Island, and she’s also the daughter of Kid Creole! She recently moved from the UK to New York on a complete whim, where she now hopes to pursue her music career further.

Did you move to New York to pursue music?

Truthfully, moved to New York with absolutely no plan, I blagged it and was bored of England! Obviously, the performing arts industry is non-existent at the moment which is such a shame so I had nothing holding me down there anymore. I’d just been through a painful breakup and thought, “I’m only young once let’s just go”. I want to pursue my career out here and I’ve been working really hard on my YouTube channel/podcast. I have a new song out on Valentine’s Day which I’m super excited for! British female artist that has just moved to New York... it definitely helps. But the competition out here is crazy as well as London! 

Has your treatment differed the more successful you are?

It all happened when I got the blue verified tick on Instagram! A LOT of people wouldn’t have taken notice of me, then suddenly noticed me, now I’ve become “verified”. It’s crazy!

As an empowering female figure in the music industry, what advice would you give to young women who want to be like you, on how to start out?

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. It can be a stressful process. But all you can do is just work hard. Whatever is meant to be will be.  As long as you try your best that’s all that anyone asks for. I used to be caught up in trying to write a number one hit and getting in the charts, and then when I stepped back and didn’t stress so much that’s when you find your sound and you feel much happier. There’s a healthy way.