First Aid Kit: ‘We live in a patriarchy – we need to see more women on stage and behind the scenes’

"In our industry, we don't really see women a lot unless we employ them"

First Aid Kit have called for women to be better represented both on stage and behind the scenes in the music industry. Watch our video interview with the band above.

The Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg were speaking to NME on the red carpet of the BRIT Awards 2019, where they were nominated for Best International Group off the back of their acclaimed 2018 album ‘Ruins‘.

As they look ahead to a busy summer of touring, the folk duo said that they still think more needs to be done for women on the festival scene.

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“There’s a long way to go,” Klara told NME. “Also, not just the actual artists that play but behind the stages as well – there are hardly any women anywhere. In our industry, we don’t really see women a lot unless we employ them; which we try to do as much as possible. I just wish it was more diverse on stage and behind the stage as well.

“We live in a patriarchy. It’s so engrained.”

Johanna added: “There are a lot of dudes, everywhere we go. A lot of men are in power and they’re the ones who gets to play and who gets in the media.”

First Aid Kit at the BRIT Awards 2019

This comes after TRNSMT Festival boss Geoff Ellis responded to criticism of their largely male line-up for 2019.

“We try to have more females on the bill,” Ellis told NME. “Jess Glynne is a big artist and she’s there. Would I prefer to have more female artists on the bill? Yes. But it’s also about developing female artists to make them into headliners. We had Sigrid on the King Tut’s last year, but we’ve now upgraded her to the main stage.”

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Ellis added: “As an industry we can do more, and that includes providing a platform for female artists. It’s something we try to do with TRNSMT and giving that platform to the likes of Catherine McGrath, Jade Bird and Mahalia.

“When you’re looking at the TRNSMT headliners of the future, hopefully those acts will end up there. Jess Glynne will have a big crowd on the Sunday and so will Sigrid, but we’re definitely putting the acts on and it hasn’t been for lack of trying.”

Watch our video interview above as First Aid Kit discuss whether tequila is better than mezcal (and which is more likely to give you a hangover), the personal trauma that went into their latest album, and how they’re already thinking about their next record. 

First Aid Kit return to the UK to perform at London’s All Points East Festival with Bon Iver, Mac DeMarco, John Grant, Julien Baker, Snail Mail and many more on Sunday June 2. Visit here for tickets and more information.

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