South Australian participants of global gender equality music project ‘EQ’ release music video & documentary

Music SA has unveiled an official music video produced by the South Australian participants and mentors of the global UNESCO Creative Cities gender-equality project Equaliser (EQ). Accompanying the music video comes a short documentary, directed by Morgan Sette that follows the journey and creative process of the project.

With the support of the Adelaide UNESCO City of Music office, South Australia’s Music Development Office, the City of Adelaide council and Headspace Adelaide, Adelaide’s project (led by Music SA) connected 13 female and non-binary people aged between 18-25 to write and record a song, and star in their own music video.

Kim Roberts, General Manager of Music SA states: “We were delighted to be a part of this global UNESCO project.

Our team is incredibly proud of the participants and we look forward to hearing more great music from them all in the future!”

The music video was unveiled at a private celebration at innovative live music venue The Lab, which was live-streamed to other UNESCO Creative Cities worldwide. Members of the South Australian music community were in attendance.

Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni said: “The Marshall Liberal Government is committed to building on Adelaide’s prestigious status as a UNESCO City of Music and is proud to support this project which raises awareness for gender equality in the music industry and showcases the outstanding talent we have here in South Australia”.

The South Australian instalment of the EQ project took place over six weeks between Jan-Mar 2021 under the guidance and mentorship of local female musicians and industry practitioners including songwriting mentors Nancy Bates, ELSY and Elli Belle, photographer and filmmaker Morgan Sette, recording engineer Bethan Maddison and dance choreographer Lauren Pisaniello from Precision Dance. Michael Ross of award-winning duo Electric Fields composed the music in which the participants wrote the lyrics and melody over. Together, the 13 female and non-binary participants shared their individual lived experiences, wrote and recorded a song, and directed and starred in a music video.

“The gender equality project ‘EQ’ is a wonderful example of how music can bring people together, to feel empowered and help to create change. This global initiative provides a powerful platform for female and non-binary people to tell stories through their own lens and using their own voice”, states Rebecca Pearce, the Director of Adelaide UNESCO City of Music.

Other Creative Cities in the global UNESCO network that have participated in the project include Auckland (New Zealand), Hanover (Germany), and Norkkoping (Sweden). The pilot of the project was held in Norrkoping in 2017.

Adelaide is the second Creative City in the UNESCO network to undertake the EQ project. Adelaide is the only UNESCO City of Music in Australia and is one of 47 UNESCO Music Cities globally.