Canadian-born New Zealand country and soul singer-songwriter Tami Neilson is set to bring an unforgettable night of music and storytelling with her show, ‘The F Word: Songs of Feminism in Country Music’.
And it’s just in time for International Women’s Day!
She teamed up with Dr. Jada Watson, an expert in country music statistics and history to co-write the show.
Together, they’ve crafted what Neilson tells The Breeze’s Robert and Jeanette “will be a live documentary, almost”,
blending iconic songs with all of the stories behind the women and statistics of country radio, pulled by Watson.
We’re talking about the likes of the shocking stat that only 9% of country radio play in 2024 goes to female artists.
“That's also why, you know, I write a show like the ‘F Word’ with a professor of a university that has all of the statistics to back it up,” Tami says.
It's not just an opinion. It's not just a feeling. She kind of brings the tools of the cold, hard, black and white statistics to say this is a problem.
“We're making it a fun show and singing about it. But we're also bringing awareness to people like there's a problem here. And that's kind of the first step is people even being aware,” she adds.
The show’s all about celebrating the legends like Dolly Parton, Patsy, Loretta Lynn, and The Chicks - who broke the rules, smashed stereotypes, and still reached number one with their hits.
And there really isn’t anyone better than Tam, because since her debut album ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ in 2015, she has steadily risen to fame in the country music scene. She’s won multiple Best Country Music awards, a Silver Scroll, plus Best Solo Artist and Best Producer titles at the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards.
It sounds like a great option for a girls' night out for International Women's Day tomorrow, March 8th as part of the Auckland Arts Festival.
And for those attending, Tami has one piece of advice: “Bring your cowboy boots. It’s gonna be a barn burner.”
