BOSSYxx is fighting the gender imbalance in Myanmar’s music scene

Photo: Heraid Castillo
Photo: Heraid Castillo

“When you think about a Myanmar musician, what do you see?” asks a new promotional video released by BOSSYxx – an initiative that seeks to support the ambitions of woman musicians in Myanmar. Eight interviewees all give the same answer: “A boy.”

Even though woman outnumber men in Myanmar by over two million, they remain hugely underrepresented in the country’s music industry. This stems largely from the local perception that creative professions are for men. Parents typically don’t buy their daughters instruments or music lessons, and fear for girls’ safety deters parents from sending them to music academies, where many male artists hone their skills.

“Boys are much more likely to be encouraged to be musicians and supported when they are,” said BOSSYxx founder Heraid Castillo.

The ladies behind BOSSYxx have set off to change the gender imbalance in the Myanmar music scene by combatting several of its root causes simultaneously.

One aspect of the BOSSYxx revolution is getting more girls into music school. The group has launched an online fundraiser, and half of the $2,500 goal will go directly toward a scholarship fund for girls to attend the Gitameit Music Center in Yangon.

The other half of the funds will support the other arm of the revolution: exposing young girls to potential role models in the music industry.

“The idea behind BOSSYxx is to expose young girls to all the women creating music in Myanmar and Southeast Asia, especially in genres where they are under-represented,” Castillo said.

To this end, BOSSYxx will organize shows in which at least 70 percent of the performers are women.

The first event is called IND!E SCENE and is coming up on July 16 at downtown Yangon’s Sky Bistro. BOSSYxx will bring in Bangkok-based indie band Jelly Rocket to headline the event, and there will also be performances by Myanmar-based acts, including Platform, Vicky & Juzz, Itö, Pinky Htut, Tutu, Gabriel, beatboxer Thit T, and other members of the musical collective Inappropriate Thoughts.

“Burma has changed a lot lately,” said Gitameit Music Center director Ne Myo Aung. “In this period of transition, music shouldn’t be neglected from other changes. Let’s change the misconception of considering music just entertainment. Let’s promote music as a part of education, invest in music and, in turn, help our society be more musically educated. This way, we can build a better society that is developed not just physically and economically, but also aesthetically.”

Tickets to IND!E SCENE can be purchased online on Myanpwel, and donations to the scholarship fund can be made on Generosity.

 

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