Reba Speaks Out For Women In Country Music

Reba McEntire knows a thing or two about being a female star in a largely male-dominated music genre. But the 60-year-old legend definitely wants more women to follow in her footsteps. Reba McEntire spoke out on lack of acknowledgement for female country singers in a new interview with PrideSource. And she wants to change that issue in the industry. She said,

We’ve gotta promote these younger females coming on. There’s a bunch that have been lost in the shuffle — female singers — that I don’t know they’ll get a second chance. We just need to get them on the radio.

It's worth keeping in mind that McEntire's comments come not long after the Academy of Country Music Awards, where only one female musician, Miranda Lambert, was nominated for Entertainer of the Year, the most prestigious award of the night. They also come in the wake of recent attempts by female singers to tackle the topic of sexism in the genre. One major example has been "Girl in a Country Song" by duo Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye, which hit number one on the Billboard country chart in December 2014. In addition, stars like Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert have made a point to show specific support for female country artists in interviews, so McEntire's words come at a time when female country artists are really speaking up.

McEntire has been a mainstay in the country landscape for a few decades, so she obviously has a large following, and when she speaks (and sings, of course!), people listen. Since most mainstream country musicians are male, some fans might not even realize that they have been paying more attention to those artists than their female counterparts. McEntire words could be an reminder for fans to open their minds and listen to what up-and-coming women artists have to say. All the singer is really asking for is to give women in country a chance to be heard and a slot on the radio. Doesn't every talented artist deserve that opportunity, regardless of gender?McEntire clearly thinks they do! And excitingly enough, she thinks a shift is on the horizon. “It’s been good ol’ boy season right now, but it’ll change,” she told PrideSource. “It’ll go back to more romantic, more females.”

Well, it's not for one to say whether or not the up-and-coming female artists will necessarily have a "romantic" sound. But regardless of what types of tunes they'll be singing, hopefully her prediction is correct. But for fans out there who do want to support female country artists, you know what to do!

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