Drowned in Sound GIRLI on Fighting Back: Activism, Safeguarding & Turning Rage Into a Rallying Cry
GIRLI joins the Drowned in Sound Podcast to discuss her powerful new single 'Slap on the Wrist, which is a collaboration with recent podcast guest Eliza Hatch of Cheer Up Luv, built on real anonymous survivor testimonies filmed in real locations.
We also discuss the new Youth Music report "Just The Way It Is?" exposing the scale of unsafe conditions, unfair pay, and discrimination facing young people in the music industry. The stats are stark: 72% of young music industry workers have felt unsafe. 90% have been paid unfairly. 75% have considered giving up entirely.
GIRLI speaks with total honesty about being signed to a major label as a teenager, being sent to LA alone at 18 with no safeguarding, and being dropped by phone call at 21 with zero support. She talks about why the music industry still hasn't had its Me Too moment and what she'd do with £500 million to fix it, as well as why the silence of the biggest artists is the loudest statement of all.
⚠️ Content note: This episode contains discussion of sexual harassment, assault, and industry exploitation.
Links:🎵 GIRLI — "Slap on the Wrist" https://girli.bfan.link/sotw
📄 Youth Music — "Just the Way It Is?" report https://www.youthmusic.org.uk/community/resource-hub/just-way-it-report
📄 Youth Music — Resources to promote safety and rights in music https://www.youthmusic.org.uk/resources/community/resource-hub/resources-promote-safety-and-rights-music-industries
📞 Rape Crisis England & Wales — 24/7 Support Line: 0808 500 2222 https://rapecrisis.org.uk
📞 WeAreMusic have compiled various campaigns and resources to help if you're dealing with harassment or abuse https://wearemusic.info/
💛 Cheer Up Luv https://www.cheerupluv.com
✊ Right to Be (GIRLI donated pre-save proceeds) https://righttobe.org
📰 DiS — "Why We Need to Talk About Speaking Out" (Nina Creswell feature) https://www.drownedinsound.org/why-we-need-to-talk-about-speaking-out/
🎧 DiS Podcast — Eliza Hatch / Cheer Up Luv episode https://www.drownedinsound.org/misogyny-in-music-the-numbers/
🏛️ CIISA — Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority https://ciisa.org.uk
🎤 Musicians' Union https://themu.org
🎤 Featured Artists Coalition https://www.featuredartistscoalition.com
💚 Help Musicians / Music Minds Matter https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk
🎵 "Believe Women" companion playlist + Qobuz free trial https://www.drownedinsound.org/playlists
📰 Subscribe to the DiS Newsletter https://www.drownedinsound.org/newsletter
Credits:Hosted, engineered, edited, researched, and produced by Sean Adams
Recorded at The Shure Experience Centre, London
Guest: GIRLI (Milly Toomey) accompanied by Heather Swaine (Youth Music)
The Drowned in Sound Podcast is presented in partnership with Qobuz — the ethical music streaming platform for music enthusiasts. Start your free trial at drownedinsound.org/playlists
For 25 years our publication and podcast has recommended music. We now also spark conversations and create resources to help music fans discover their collective power.
Cheer Up Luv / Eliza Hatch · Youth Music · Musicians' Union · Music Guardians · Rape Crisis England & Wales · CIISA (Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority) · Featured Artists Coalition · Help Musicians / Music Minds Matter · Kate Nash · Gazelle Twin · Sinéad O'Connor · MIA · Amy Winehouse · Lily Allen · Laura Mary Carter (Blood Red Shoes) · The Anchoress / 2% in Rising · Nina Creswell / Good Law Project · Patsy Stevenson · Raye · Right to Be