Speaking to NME at the Brit Awards, singer Paloma Faith criticised the lack of female acts on festival line-ups.

The rock bible reported that Faith stated that the people in power within the music industry have a “responsibility to show diversity”.

Reading and Leeds’ festival bill was singled out during the discussion, which took place on the Brit Awards’ red carpet (February 25).

“I think when you have the power to book things like that and to broadcast and things like that, it’s your responsibility to show diversity,” she said. “I know on my small scale of world that I am the boss of, I make sure that everything is represented: race, class, colour, gender, the lot, so I think that anybody in a high-powered position needs to be doing that. In any job.”

Faith, who won the Brit Award for Best Female at this year’s ceremony, used her acceptance speech to dedicate her award to women everywhere.

Prior to the awards, she had complained that she was not nominated in the Best Album category, suggesting that unfair male bias is the reason behind her apparent snub. “I’m a bit miffed about the album category, but beggars can’t be choosers and I am a beggar. I don’t know why it isn’t there. I was the only female in the top 10 selling albums. All the rest were men,” she said.

“It’s funny how everyone went absolutely nuts for about three years at how women are ruling the music industry. And then they were like, ‘We’ve given them three years, so let’s suppress them for another 400’.”

Access covered the Brit Awards live on Twitter from the event’s media section, with further coverage in the upcoming April issue (March’s issue lands next week, meanwhile).

Got a story for Access All Areas? Email Tom Hall
Follow us @Access_AA
Or on Facebook and Instagram
Read the latest Access All Areas here.

Speaking to NME at the Brit Awards, singer Paloma Faith criticised the lack of female acts on festival line-ups.

The rock bible reported that Faith stated that the people in power within the music industry have a “responsibility to show diversity”.

Reading and Leeds’ festival bill was singled out during the discussion, which took place on the Brit Awards’ red carpet (February 25).

“I think when you have the power to book things like that and to broadcast and things like that, it’s your responsibility to show diversity,” she said. “I know on my small scale of world that I am the boss of, I make sure that everything is represented: race, class, colour, gender, the lot, so I think that anybody in a high-powered position needs to be doing that. In any job.”

Faith, who won the Brit Award for Best Female at this year’s ceremony, used her acceptance speech to dedicate her award to women everywhere.

Prior to the awards, she had complained that she was not nominated in the Best Album category, suggesting that unfair male bias is the reason behind her apparent snub. “I’m a bit miffed about the album category, but beggars can’t be choosers and I am a beggar. I don’t know why it isn’t there. I was the only female in the top 10 selling albums. All the rest were men,” she said.

“It’s funny how everyone went absolutely nuts for about three years at how women are ruling the music industry. And then they were like, ‘We’ve given them three years, so let’s suppress them for another 400’.”

Access covered the Brit Awards live on Twitter from the event’s media section, with further coverage in the upcoming April issue (March’s issue lands next week, meanwhile).

Got a story for Access All Areas? Email Tom Hall
Follow us @Access_AA
Or on Facebook and Instagram
Read the latest Access All Areas here.