Over the decades, the presence of women in rock and metal has gone from being an exception to becoming a creative and leading force. While in the 70s and 80s they had to break down barriers in a predominantly male environment, today they occupy stages, lead bands, play instruments, and define trends. Even so, challenges persist, whether in technical recognition, representation, or market opportunities.
Thinking about March 8th, International Women's Day, Wikimetal spoke with Prika Amaral, Johanna Sadonis, Receba Li , and other artists who are making history within the genre, breaking patterns and becoming active voices within their communities.
"More and more women are conquering their space"
Guitarist and vocalist Prika Amaral is the founder of Nervosa and one of the most influential figures in Brazilian thrash metal. Since the band's inception, she has led the project with a firm stance and international vision. After lineup changes, she also took over vocals, marking a new phase in the group's trajectory. Her performance has solidified Nervosa as a relevant name in the global metal scene. For Prika, being a woman in heavy metal today is wonderful.
“We are seeing more and more women conquering their space and new talents emerging every day, us getting to know each other, connecting, supporting each other, learning from one another. And it has been wonderful to see women succeeding and having their space, a really cool relevance,” Prika emphasized.
The artist also spoke about the difficulties she faces: “The biggest barriers that exist, not only for women, but I think for men as well, are the mental barrier and the economic barrier, let's say. By mental I mean having insecurities, thinking that you can't, that you won't succeed, or that it's too late for you, age issues, things like that…”
She continued: “These are things you have to work on with a psychologist, undergo treatment, because in reality everyone can do it, there’s no such thing as age, there’s no such thing as time or possibilities. If you really want it, you will make it happen, but there’s also the economic barrier, because not everyone has the financial means to buy an instrument, to have the time to study. So, I think those are the biggest barriers. Barriers in general, not necessarily as a woman, because I think that as women we don’t have barriers. We can do anything.”.
Finally, Prika talks about what the ideal world for women in rock would be like. “A world like today's, which has space for women, but I believe that sexism still needs to give way and start understanding that yes, there are competent women and stop underestimating us. Just because there weren't women playing a certain instrument or forming bands professionally some time ago doesn't mean that those who exist today can't be doing it well. I think what's lacking is respect as human beings, actually. Although it's a minority issue, it exists everywhere, in every position. So, I think that's what's missing, but that's our battle. And we are fighting and conquering our space little by little.”.
"Things can only improve if there is communication and awareness."
Johanna Sadonis is the founder of Lucifer and one of the most striking voices in contemporary rock. With a strong influence from 70s rock, her stage presence and characteristic timbre helped solidify Lucifer's place on the international scene. Over the years, Johanna has maintained the classic essence of the genre with a modern approach.
“Being a woman in heavy metal today seems much easier than, say, in the 90s. Thirty years ago, when I was a teenager and in my first bands, equality definitely wasn’t a priority. And things have changed a lot. There seem to be many more women in the scene now, and it’s a topic that’s being discussed a lot,” Johanna explained.
He continued: “Music journalists frequently contact me to talk about this. And of course, that’s great, because things can only improve if there’s communication and awareness about the issue. Of course, there are still some exceptions, and I notice some cultural differences in different countries. But overall, I would say things have improved, although there’s still work to be done. I consider the heavy metal scene quite inclusive. So that’s great.”.
She states that there are still significant barriers for women, a reflection of outdated mentalities that may take centuries to change. According to the artist, women need to work harder than men to obtain the same respect and recognition, and still face abuse of power. “There are many people who still live with one foot in the Middle Ages. And this has to do with their upbringing, with whom they associate. And it will take time, probably centuries, until there is full equality. But until then, I would say it would be great if women were subjected to the same standards as men. It seems you need to work much harder to obtain the same respect.”.
She continued: “It’s much easier for a man to do the same things and get recognition for it. If you’re a young woman and a little naive… I’ve been in that situation, I signed contracts because I trusted them, and now, looking back years later, with more experience in the music industry, I realize I definitely shouldn’t have trusted them and should have hired a lawyer. I should have consulted someone. But overall, I think it’s more a matter of character than the heavy metal scene itself. You know, there will always be horrible people, but this kind of abuse of power against women, unfortunately, still exists everywhere.”.
For Johanna, an ideal world would be egalitarian and inclusive. “If people who act in a sexist way towards a woman were reprimanded not only by the women themselves, but also by the men who witness the situation, just to put an end to it. And I think that in concert venues too, there often isn't extra space for a woman to change or have privacy. Men and women have different needs, and that's usually not taken into consideration if you identify differently. So it would be great if concert venues paid a little more attention to these things. There are many practical things that could be a little more inclusive.”
"We are judged by the shop window rather than the music."
Founder of The Damnnation, and one of the rising voices in Brazilian metal, Renata Petrelli combines an intense stage presence with a striking vocal identity. Since the group's creation, she has actively participated in the artistic direction and consolidation of its name in the underground scene. Her performance showcases the female strength in the new generation of Brazilian metal.
Renata reflected on being a woman in music: “Despite the growing number of women on stage and behind the scenes, we need to prove our ability more, that we can make quality music, that we take it seriously, and always keep proving ourselves in a still predominantly male field.” The artist also gave her opinion on what needs to be done for a better environment for women in music. “Understanding that music is music; not going through awkward situations that many of us still experience. Many of us are judged more by our image than by our music.”.
She also emphasized what the biggest barriers are in the metal scene. “In the metal scene, there’s a lot of talk about support between bands, but it’s not really like that, this applies to bands in general, both male and female. There are many cliques, and for all bands that are starting out, it’s very exhausting to prove their worth in the scene. If they truly believed that ‘unity is strength,’ the Brazilian metal scene would be even more relevant to the world. Art in general is based on personal taste, so there’s room for everyone,” said Petrelli.
"Being a woman in rock is about resistance from beginning to end."
Rebeca Li, co-founder and drummer of MorCÊgula, a band from Uberlândia (MG), began her musical studies in the 1990s and, in 2005, formed her first cover band, being the only woman in the lineup—an experience marked by constant questioning of her abilities. “Being a woman in rock is about resistance from beginning to end, because not long ago it was common to expect women to be in the audience, and when some of us dare to go on stage, it can bother those who have been there longer but aren't very secure in their position,” Li emphasized.
In 2017, she experienced a career milestone by joining her first all-female band, with an original repertoire addressing the experiences and abuses faced by women in rock music. A defender of spaces exclusively for women in music, she highlighted the importance of safe and representative environments to empower new generations and finds inspiration in other artists, reinforcing that occupying stages is also a form of resistance and cultural transformation. “This allows us to experience and learn naturally how it is in practice. Boys have been doing this since adolescence; it's natural for them to arrive on stage and feel at home if they've been doing it since they were 15 in the schoolyard playing with friends. The girls of my generation didn't get tambourines and guitars to play with; all of this greatly influences the scene being predominantly male.”
She continued: “I feel at home when I meet girls on stage, when I play with them, when I share a dressing room with women – and not men – it’s like winning the lottery in rock. So, I can guarantee that when I play at events with women, whether in production or on stage, things flow more smoothly and calmly, I feel more welcomed and much more respected. I believe that, as we occupy this space, we also teach how we want to be received by those who were already there.”.
Rebeca Li argues that the presence of women in all areas of rock music is essential to create a more balanced environment. According to the artist, women in production and organization better understand the needs of those on stage, something that often goes unnoticed by men. “The biggest barrier is not finding women in all areas. In other words, the solution is to occupy them. Occupy them, girls, let's occupy the stages, the dressing rooms, the productions, behind the cameras, backstage, interviewing—all roles need to be filled by women so that we can move forward in balance.”.
For an ideal world for women in music, she highlighted that, culturally, girls have been less encouraged to play instruments since childhood, which directly impacts the female presence in music. Therefore, she advocates for musical stimulation for children, regardless of gender. “I was born into music and was introduced to rock from a very young age, so I believe that the world begins to be built in the education of our girls. For the ideal world, I envision training spaces just for girls, where they take classes with women and create projects with their friends.”.
She also stated that festivals and safe environments for adult women are fundamental, because the more they perform, the more confidence they gain to perform on any stage. “Festivals featuring only female bands make a huge difference in our lives, in the lives of women who want to start feeling safe on stage. The equation is simple: the more we perform, the more confident we become. If we don't feel safe in the spaces we have, we will never feel safe to perform.”.
"They expect me to be submissive or simply not understand what I'm doing."
Yara Haag is known for her powerful voice and striking stage presence. She is making a name for herself in the national metal scene as the frontwoman of the heavy metal band Blades of Steel. Contributing to solidifying the band's sound identity, the artist states that, although much has improved in the scene, it is still very difficult to be a woman in metal. “We live in a very sexist society, and metal isn't much different. I think we're on the right track, increasingly conquering our space, but we still need to prove ourselves every day, both as musicians and as people who truly love metal. This makes everything very tiring, but in the end we love metal so much that we continue this battle.”
“For me, personally, the biggest barrier to being a woman is that people sometimes think they can say and do whatever they want. They expect me to be submissive or simply not understand what I'm doing. Often they don't expect an answer, or they're surprised when they see that I know very well what I'm doing and saying. Many things happen just because I'm a woman and the leader of a band; if I were a guy, it wouldn't be like this. But, in the end, I just want them to suffer: whoever thinks like that will have to swallow it,” she emphasized.
Despite this, Yara says she lives a bit of that ideal scenario and knows she's very lucky. “From the beginning of Blades of Steel, it was men who helped me build this foundation, who believed in me, in my work, and in the essence of the band. My ideal world is that more women achieve this respect, at least from the people around them. Who knows, maybe one day I won't need to talk about this anymore… It would be great if people knew and respected women.”.
"I still receive indirect and strange compliments. People still ask me who composed the riffs."
Another artist who also spoke about the subject was Serena Cherry, vocalist and guitarist of the British extreme metal band Svalbard. Besides leading the group, Cherry also stands out as a lyricist, addressing themes such as social issues, mental health, and personal experiences in her compositions. For her, being a woman in metal today is very different from ten years ago: “There are more women in bands, more women leading bands, more women running record labels, festivals, and fanzines. You're no longer automatically 'the girl in the band' – you're just a musician in a band.”
She continued: “And that’s how it should be. But there’s still room for improvement. I still get indirect and strange compliments. People ask me who wrote the riffs. They still tell me that ‘bands with female vocals are just a passing fad.’ But the big change is this: in numerical terms, we’re no longer a novelty. We’re infrastructure. There’s also a beautiful solidarity now, with women in metal really supporting each other.”.
With an intense and emotional approach, she has become one of the most recognized voices in the UK's alternative heavy scene, but still faces barriers within the heavy music scene. “People can't see beyond appearances. When Arch Enemy announced their new vocalist, many comments were about her looks. This makes me quite insecure because many people judge your merit as a musician by your appearance and the way you dress. It's not a huge barrier. But something that bothers me is: I'm still always described as a 'vocalist' and never as a guitarist. Despite playing lead guitar in all my musical projects (Noctule /Svalbard), in addition to singing. I just want to be recognized as a guitarist and not just called a 'vocalist,' because that fits better with the stereotype of a female vocalist,” Serena lamented.
The vocalist and guitarist also described what the ideal scenario for women in rock and metal would be like: “An ideal world for women in rock would be very similar to what we experience today, but with cleaner bathrooms in concert venues and more private spaces to get ready before a performance. And a trash can for sanitary napkins in the bathroom of each tour bus. Just small practical improvements that would make us feel more welcome.”.
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