#NoSilenceInMusic
UK Music industry unites to declare: Silence is not an option.
“We, representatives from the music industry, write to demonstrate and express our determination, that love, unity and friendship, not division and hatred, must and will always be our common cause.”
shesaid.so joins more than 700 artists, managers, producers and companies from across the UK music industry in signing the open letter declaring an urgent need for unity in anti-racism efforts. We unite with our co-signatories to say: Silence is not an option.
The open letter comes in response to the ongoing events and incidents from anti-black and anti-Jewish racists, as well as from those who advocate islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia and transphobia.
“Whether it be systemic racism and racial inequality highlighted by continued police brutality in America or anti-Jewish racism promulgated through online attacks, the result is the same: suspicion, hatred and division,” it says. “We are at our worst when we attack one another.”
The letter continues: “All forms of racism have the same roots — ignorance, lack of education and scapegoating. We, the British music industry are proudly uniting to amplify our voices, to take responsibility, to speak out and stand together in solidarity.”
The key message of the letter is unity. “There is a global love for music, irrespective of race, religion, sexuality and gender. Music brings joy and hope and connects us all. Through music, education and empathy we can find unity. We stand together, to educate and wipe out racism now and for our future generations.”
Andreea Magdalina, Founder of shesaid.so:
“shesaid.so, by the very nature of its mission, has fought against discrimination from day one. As our community grew over the years, and our mission expanded with it, we learned that our fight for an equitable and safe world for women is one fought in parallel by other underrepresented communities beyond gender. We quickly learned that until everyone is free, none of us is free. As a Romanian national, therefore an immigrant both in the US where I reside today as well as in the UK where shesaid.so was born, this understanding rings particularly powerful. I proudly stand by this letter, alongside its signatories, and urge the global music community to join wholeheartedly.”
Artist signatories include The 1975, Nile Rodgers, Lewis Capaldi, MNEK, Rita Ora, Clean Bandit, Labrinth, Little Mix, Ashnikko, NAO, Biffy Clyro, Mabel, Years & Years, Jess Glynne, Jonas Blue, Niall Horan, James Blunt, Naughty Boy, Grace Carter, Yungblud, and Joy Crookes.
The growing list of industry professionals and company signatures include Kanya King CBE (MOBO Award Founder), Grace Ladoja MBE (manager), Grace Carter, Paul Epworth (Producer), Amber Davis (music executive), Wayne Hector (Songwriter), Kamille (Songwriter), Adele Roberts (Broadcaster- BBC Radio 1), Sam Roman (Songwriter), Tim Blacksmith (Executive), Danny D (Executive), Dumi Oburota (Executive- owner Disturbing London), Guy Moot (Co-Chair/ CEO Warner Chappell Publishing), Jackie Davidson (Manager), Jamz Supernova (Broadcaster- BBC Radio 1 Xtra), Markell Casey (Publisher), Louis Bloom (President of Island Records), David Ventura (CO-MD Sony ATV UK), Nick Raphael (President, Capitol Records UK), Phil Christie (President, Warner Records UK), Michael Adex (Manager- Aitch), Rebecca Allen (President of EMI Music), Tiffany Calver (Broadcaster- BBC Radio 1/ 1xtra), Emma Banks (CAA), Joe Gossa (Executive- Black Butter), Matt Bates (Primary Talent), Jamie Oborne (Manager- The 1975), Stuart Camp (Manager- Ed Sheeran), Keith Harris OBE (Manager — Stevie Wonder), Roberto Neri (EVP, Downtown Music Holdings/Chairman of MPA), Tony Harlow (Warner Music UK Chairman & CEO), Merck Mercuriadis (Executive), Isabel Garvey (Abbey Road Studios), Universal Music UK, Warner Music UK, Sony Music UK, BPI, Ivors Academy, MMF (Music Managers Forum) and UK Music
See the letter and signatories in full here.
If you work in music and would like to add your name, please email nosilenceinmusic@yahoo.com
