MUSIC MAVENS

Upbeat minibiographies of women in the music industry.

Expanding well beyond vocalists, the authors highlight composers, songwriters, producers, improvisational performers, an instrument designer, and others who have found successful career paths in music. They describe the contributions of those who work behind the scenes in sound engineering, cinematic scoring, and similar pursuits through attention to a globally diverse range of celebrated women in music. Drawing upon interviews with their subjects, Walker and Charles provide an antidote to the erasure that can limit young people’s conceptions of what is possible by centering the achievements of those who inspire, inform, and expand the world of music. Covering many musical styles and genres, the ambitious scope and inclusive lens largely succeed at showing the talent, drive, determination, ingenuity, passion, and creativity of each mover and shaker. Unfortunately, the prose is rather trite and repetitive, and the brief portraits don’t quite address hurdles so much as they gloss over them, framing stories in terms of a heroic arc in which a key, life-defining twist of good fortune yields an opportunity that changes everything. Nevertheless, the simple structure conveys optimistic narratives and helpful career options for young music lovers to consider.

Women behind the music take center stage.