International Women's Day 2021

To celebrate International Women’s Day we asked the Australian Music Vault team to share their thoughts on some of the women in Australian music who ‘Choose To Challenge’ by celebrating women’s achievements, raising awareness of bias and taking action for equality.

Georgia Lee

Legendary jazz singer Georgia Lee (born Dulcie Pitt) started her career in World War II when, together with her siblings Heather and Sophie, she formed the Harmony Sisters. In 1947, she adopted her stage name and started performing solo at venues across Sydney. She had a remarkable international career touring around the United Kingdom performing with the Geraldo Dance Band. In the 1950s, she returned to Australia and appeared on television programs Bandstand and In Melbourne Tonight before touring with Nat King Cole in 1957.

In 1962, she released her only album Georgia Lee Sings The Blues Down Under, a stunning album reportedly recorded in a single take. While the album has Lee performing a number of jazz standards, the standouts are the Australian-penned (written by Bob ‘King’ Crawford) ‘Yarra River Blues’ and ‘Down Under Blues’, firmly locating her sorrows in the local landscape. She sings of the wail of dingoes and cry of crows and the Yarra River dragging her lover out to sea.

To quote her niece Wilma Reading, a legendary singer in her own right, “historically, she has three points going for her – the first Indigenous person, [the first Indigenous] woman… to record an LP and also the first recording to be recorded in stereo, which I think is a plus, plus, plus – so there you go.”

Olivia Jackson – Curator, Australian Music Vault

Karina Utomo

My absolute favourite lead singer of any band anywhere is Karina Utomo of Melbourne’s High Tension. Every time I’m fortunate enough to witness the carnage of their live show, Karina rips the room in half and summons the opening of the Hellmouth right in front of you. The music industry at large is a boys club, but the heavy music world is an even more limited and unwelcoming arena for women and gender non-conforming folk. Backed by Lauren ‘The Hammer’ Hammel on drums, who is no less imposing, High Tension is my favourite reminder that women can carve their place in the heavy world of music and be just as, if not more brutal, than all the boys combined.

Rita Khayat – Project Manager, Australian Music Vault

Michelle Pitiris

I’ve known Michelle Pitiris since 2014 and from the get-go she was a woman with an unwavering passion for music and photography. Michelle’s natural ability to see her muses beyond the lens is truly astonishing; she is able to capture a delicacy and strength in nearly anyone who is lucky to work with her. She has photographed some of Australia’s biggest female names in music including Vera Blue, Montaigne, Julia Stone, Megan Washington, Jaguar Jonze, Amy Shark and Samantha Jade. In 2020, Michelle’s career reached new heights when she was nominated and won her first ARIA Award for Best Cover Art for her photography and styling on Megan Washington’s record, Batflowers. Michelle is a truly deserving winner who has always chosen to challenge the male dominated industry by celebrating all female identifying people and championing female empowerment ahead of her own. I must say, it is beautiful to now see her come into her own glorious power.

Kara Bertoncini, Advisor – Media & Communications, Arts Centre Melbourne

Sampa The Great

When asked to think of an artist who chooses to challenge everything we think we know about Australian music it’s hard to go past singer, songwriter, poet and rapper Sampa The Great. Born in Zambia, raised in Botswana, and now based in Australia, Sampa The Great’s unique blend of socially conscious ‘poetry over beats’ has helped to open up and expand the very definition of hip hop in Australia. Her deep respect for her cultural heritage and her love of language are evident in both her music and performance as is her belief in the power of words to challenge and heal.

Sampa made history in 2019 by becoming the first woman of colour to win the ARIA Award for Best Hip Hop Release as well as the first artist to win the prestigious Australian Music Award for a second time. In 2020, she continued to shine with the release of her first studio album, The Return for which she was awarded Best Hip Hop Release, Best Independent Release and Best Female Artist at the 2020 ARIA Awards. In her acceptance speeches she challenged the industry to confront its lack of cultural equity and diversity and also sent a message of solidarity to her sisters saying, “I’m sending all my love to black women in hip hop. It often feels isolated and masculine. You can step into any genre, and be you. You can define genres.”

Carolyn Laffan – Senior Curator, Australian Music Vault