Black Girl Magic was in full effect as legendary actress, Angela Bassett mentored a select group from Girls Make Beats during her voice over recording for Ford’s new 2020 Escape. Girls Make Beats is a non-profit that encourages girls to pursue careers as DJs, music producers, and audio engineers. According to Girls Make Beats, only six women have been nominated for the Grammy’s Producer of the Year award, and the non-profit is determined to change that.
The group got the chance to sit down with Bassett and discuss what it means to be a girl of color in the entertainment industry. According to a USC study, only two percent of music producers are women. The study surveyed 600 popular songs from 2012 to 2017. During the studio recording session, Bassett references this stat and gave the group of girls words of wisdom.
“You have to feel so good about your gift and what you’re able to give that those numbers don’t mean anything,” said Bassett.
The chance to get a behind the scenes look at a professional studio recording session inspired Madison Holden, a member of Girls Make Beats, to continue to work hard to achieve her goals in the music industry.
“I love being around this creative energy. It makes me want to keep working to where I want to get,” she said.
Bassett also spoke to the group about representation of Black and Brown girls in the media.
“Sometimes they say Black and Brown girls images don’t travel, you know, they try to make you believe in a world in life that you’re less than,” she said. “When actually you’re on top, you’re the head and not the tail, you’re above and not beneath, you’re phenomenal, you’re built phenomenally.”
Bassett’s parting words to the Girls Make Beats group were: “stay strong, always be safe and don’t take no mess.”
Check out the full Angela Bassett X Girls Make Beats studio session below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnddme7cEmc#action=share
