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Pittsburghs Women Musicians Speak Out in New WESA Series on Industry Sexism
In Pittsburgh, a new podcast is turning the mic over to women who have been silenced for too long. "Taking the Mic," WESA’s eight‑part series, invites listeners to hear the stories of female artists who navigate a music scene that still favors men.
Produced by WESA editor Susan Scott Peterson and conceived by jazz vocalist‑Ph.D. student Laura Fidalgo, the show is available on Spotify and Apple Music. Each episode is paired with a weekly feature on wesanews.org, giving the series both an audio and a written presence.
The debut episode opens with Liz Berlin, the former percussionist of world‑beat outfit Rusted Root. In 1996, as the band prepared its second major‑label release, "Remember," and filmed a track for the film Twister, Berlin was a new mother. A label‑led meeting with bandmates and management instructed her to keep her child out of promotional interviews. Berlin said the directive stemmed from a belief that fans could imagine a romantic partner, not a child. She also revealed that she had hidden her bisexuality while married to a man, a concealment that left her feeling invisible in the industry.
After departing Rusted Root a few years later, Berlin launched a solo career, created a music program for foster youth, and helped transform Mr. Small’s Theatre in Millvale into a key venue for Pittsburgh musicians. She has repeatedly said that her worth in the music world has been judged more on appearance than on talent.
The series also spotlights INEZ, a Pittsburgh R&B singer who graduated cum laude from Berklee College of Music and now produces her own tracks. Despite her credentials, she reports sexist remarks from sound technicians—one of whom asked if she knew how to hold a microphone. INEZ has performed at venues run by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Thunderbird Café and Music Hall, yet she notes that colorism can limit access for darker‑skinned artists.
Hannah RB, who performs as Millie Dread, recounts a recent incident on Reddit. She posted a link to a 2022 University of Southern California‑Annenberg study that found only about 3 % of producers on 1,000 chart‑topping songs were women. The subreddit removed her post as "off‑topic," denied her appeal, and ultimately banned her permanently. RB says the episode illustrates that sexism continues to surface in online spaces.
Sound artist May Wilcher participates in the Open Improvisation Lab hosted by the Pittsburgh Sound Preserve. The lab, held at Bantha Tea Bar in Garfield, invites musicians to improvise together without genre constraints. Wilcher, who once focused on live coding, now incorporates unconventional objects such as coffee cans and wind‑up toys into her performances. She credits the lab’s inclusive atmosphere with encouraging her to step outside her comfort zone.
Clara Kent, a DJ for WYEP’s "More Bounce" show, launched a monthly feature called "Elevate the Underground" that spotlights Black femme, women, and LGBTQ artists. Kent has spoken publicly about being infantilized by male producers in Pittsburgh. She remains optimistic that new pathways—both in‑person and online—can help marginalized musicians gain visibility.
"Taking the Mic" is sponsored in part by the University of Pittsburgh’s Dietrich School and its Humanities Engage program, with additional support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The series aims to document the ongoing challenges women face in the local music industry while highlighting the resilience and community that sustain them.
The first episode’s focus on Berlin, INEZ, RB, Wilcher, and Kent illustrates that sexism in Pittsburgh’s music scene persists in various forms—from microaggressions to institutional barriers. By giving these artists a platform, the series encourages dialogue about gender equity in the industry and preserves the voices that have long been underrepresented.
Produced by WESA editor Susan Scott Peterson and conceived by jazz vocalist‑Ph.D. student Laura Fidalgo, the show is available on Spotify and Apple Music. Each episode is paired with a weekly feature on wesanews.org, giving the series both an audio and a written presence.
The debut episode opens with Liz Berlin, the former percussionist of world‑beat outfit Rusted Root. In 1996, as the band prepared its second major‑label release, "Remember," and filmed a track for the film Twister, Berlin was a new mother. A label‑led meeting with bandmates and management instructed her to keep her child out of promotional interviews. Berlin said the directive stemmed from a belief that fans could imagine a romantic partner, not a child. She also revealed that she had hidden her bisexuality while married to a man, a concealment that left her feeling invisible in the industry.
After departing Rusted Root a few years later, Berlin launched a solo career, created a music program for foster youth, and helped transform Mr. Small’s Theatre in Millvale into a key venue for Pittsburgh musicians. She has repeatedly said that her worth in the music world has been judged more on appearance than on talent.
The series also spotlights INEZ, a Pittsburgh R&B singer who graduated cum laude from Berklee College of Music and now produces her own tracks. Despite her credentials, she reports sexist remarks from sound technicians—one of whom asked if she knew how to hold a microphone. INEZ has performed at venues run by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Thunderbird Café and Music Hall, yet she notes that colorism can limit access for darker‑skinned artists.
Hannah RB, who performs as Millie Dread, recounts a recent incident on Reddit. She posted a link to a 2022 University of Southern California‑Annenberg study that found only about 3 % of producers on 1,000 chart‑topping songs were women. The subreddit removed her post as "off‑topic," denied her appeal, and ultimately banned her permanently. RB says the episode illustrates that sexism continues to surface in online spaces.
Sound artist May Wilcher participates in the Open Improvisation Lab hosted by the Pittsburgh Sound Preserve. The lab, held at Bantha Tea Bar in Garfield, invites musicians to improvise together without genre constraints. Wilcher, who once focused on live coding, now incorporates unconventional objects such as coffee cans and wind‑up toys into her performances. She credits the lab’s inclusive atmosphere with encouraging her to step outside her comfort zone.
Clara Kent, a DJ for WYEP’s "More Bounce" show, launched a monthly feature called "Elevate the Underground" that spotlights Black femme, women, and LGBTQ artists. Kent has spoken publicly about being infantilized by male producers in Pittsburgh. She remains optimistic that new pathways—both in‑person and online—can help marginalized musicians gain visibility.
"Taking the Mic" is sponsored in part by the University of Pittsburgh’s Dietrich School and its Humanities Engage program, with additional support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The series aims to document the ongoing challenges women face in the local music industry while highlighting the resilience and community that sustain them.
The first episode’s focus on Berlin, INEZ, RB, Wilcher, and Kent illustrates that sexism in Pittsburgh’s music scene persists in various forms—from microaggressions to institutional barriers. By giving these artists a platform, the series encourages dialogue about gender equity in the industry and preserves the voices that have long been underrepresented.